The JAM Pedals "Beast" Harmonious Monk is a custom artwork version of the Harmonious Monk, the harmonic and amplitude tremolo pedal that JAM Pedals builds in Athens, Greece. Every custom artwork pedal is a one-of-a-kind hand-painted piece, and the Beast carries its own painted finish over the exact same circuit as the standard pedal: same sound, different artwork1.
The Harmonious Monk gives you two tremolo voices. Harmonic mode creates rich, phase-like movement, the style of tremolo associated with vintage amplifier circuits, while Amplitude mode provides traditional volume modulation, the classic up-and-down swell1. Premier Guitar's reviewer described the pedal's two modes as "amplitude- and harmonic-style trem'" in its review of the mk.2 version2.
What the Harmonious Monk does: harmonic and amplitude tremolo
Tremolo pedals modulate your volume, and the Harmonious Monk offers the two main historical approaches in one box. Amplitude mode is the straightforward kind: the whole signal's volume rises and falls at the rate you set. Harmonic mode splits the signal and modulates it in a way that creates rich, phase-like movement rather than a simple volume dip, closer to what some vintage amplifiers did with their tremolo circuits1.
Three LFO shapes set the character of the modulation: square, sine or reverse-sawtooth1. The square wave switches abruptly between levels, the sine wave gives a smooth continuous swell, and the reverse-sawtooth offers a ramping shape between the two.
Inside the pedal, internal Treble, Midrange and Bass trimmers shape the effected signal1. That means you can voice the tremolo path itself, for example taming harshness or adding low-end weight to the modulated signal, without touching your dry tone.
The controls
The control set is small and covers the essentials:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Speed | Sets the rate of the tremolo1 |
| Depth | Sets intensity1 |
| Level | Controls output1 |
| Mix | Blends dry and wet signals1 |
The Mix control is worth noting for players who want subtler movement: blending dry and wet signals lets the tremolo sit under your clean tone rather than fully taking it over. Depth turned fully clockwise in Amplitude mode with the square wave selected activates the kill-dry CHOP, covered below1.
The CHOP effect
The Harmonious Monk includes a kill-dry CHOP function that alternates your signal between sound and complete silence. To get it1:
The result is a hard, rhythmic on-off gating rather than a smooth swell, useful for percussive parts and stuttering textures1.
Power
The Beast Harmonious Monk runs on 9V DC with a center-negative plug, and JAM Pedals recommends an isolated power supply1. Its maximum current draw is 145 mA1, which is considerably more than many compact analog pedals, so check that your power brick has a tap that can supply it. The true bypass switching means the pedal drops out of your signal chain entirely when off1.
With a 145 mA maximum draw, this pedal is not a candidate for a low-current daisy chain output. Give it its own isolated tap.
The Beast artwork and other Harmonious Monk versions
The Beast is one of several custom artwork versions of the Harmonious Monk, all with the same sound and different artwork1:
- JAM Pedals "Arachnid" Harmonious Monk
- JAM Pedals "Cactus Totem" Harmonious Monk
- JAM Pedals "Achenbach" Harmonious Monk mk.2
- JAM Pedals "Relic" Harmonious Monk mk.2, sold out3
Because each custom artwork pedal is a one-of-a-kind hand-painted piece, no two Beast pedals look the same1. The standard JAM Pedals Harmonious Monk carries the same circuit in the regular finish4.
Guitarist Simon McBride, quoted on JAM Pedals' product page, put it plainly:
"Got the pedals today, i have to say these things are F\*\*\*\*\*g awesome, excuse my language, they are really musical and i can use them on anything…"1
Where the Harmonious Monk came from
JAM Pedals builds the Harmonious Monk, and the pedal has reached a second version of the circuit, the Mk.2; the "Relic" artwork version of the Mk.2 is listed as sold out2. The "Beast" artwork edition carries the same control set, including a Mix knob that blends dry and wet signals, in an enclosure measuring 7.5 x 12 x 5.6 cm including jacks and controls and weighing 300 g1.
For UK buyers, JAM Pedals ships the Beast DDP with 20% UK VAT and all duties included, so there are no extra charges on delivery, with free shipping1. The pedal also carries a 30-day money-back guarantee with a refund, no questions asked1.
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Questions
Is the JAM Pedals Beast Harmonious Monk true bypass?
Yes. JAM Pedals lists the Beast Harmonious Monk with true bypass switching, so with the pedal off your dry signal passes through without buffering or coloration. It runs on 9V DC center negative, and JAM Pedals recommends an isolated power supply.
Does the Beast Harmonious Monk sound different from the standard Harmonious Monk?
No. JAM Pedals describes the custom artwork versions as "same sound, different artwork." The Beast is a one-of-a-kind hand-painted version of the same Harmonious Monk circuit, so the tremolo voices, controls and internal trimmers are identical to the standard pedal.
How do you get the chop effect on the Harmonious Monk?
Switch to Amplitude mode and select the square wave, then turn the Depth knob fully clockwise. This activates the kill-dry CHOP, which alternates the signal between full sound and complete silence for a hard, rhythmic on-off effect.
Is the Harmonious Monk analog or digital?
It is all analog. JAM Pedals lists the circuit as all analog, with true bypass switching. It draws up to 145 mA, which is more current than many analog tremolos, so plan your power supply accordingly.
What LFO waveforms does the Harmonious Monk have?
Three: square, sine and reverse-sawtooth. The square wave gives abrupt on-off chopping, the sine gives a smooth, traditional swell, and the reverse-sawtooth adds a different ramp character. The square wave is also the setting used for the kill-dry CHOP effect.
Sources (4)
- "Beast" Harmonious Monk, JAM Pedals (www.jampedals.com)
- JAM Pedals Harmonious Monk mk.2 Review, Premier Guitar, 2024-01-21
- Harmonious Monk Bass Limited Artwork, www.jampedals.com
- Harmonious Monk, JAM Pedals (jampedals.com)
