The Jed's Pedals EM is a DIY guitar effects pedal kit from Jed's Pedals, a maker better known for ready-built pedals like the SHO Crackle Boost and the Eee Peee. Built up, it is a transparent overdrive in the boost and overdrive territory: the maker describes it as a "'boutique' transparent overdrive, it can work as a mid boost or mild overdrive!"1
The appeal for players is the same as for any transparent drive: the maker says it "doesn't colour the guitar signal at all, just sprinkles it with dirt and character." With the gain up it covers blues rock, and at low gain with the volume high it works as a crunchy booster. Jed's Pedals also notes that "it even stacks well with other pedals."1
What the EM does
The EM sits between a clean boost and a mild overdrive. Because it is sold as a kit, what you buy is the circuit board and parts rather than a finished pedal: you solder it up, wire it and house it yourself, or pay extra for a pre-built version. The two pots control the Drive and Volume, so there is no tone knob to get in the way of the guitar's own voice.1
Kit options and what each includes
Jed's Pedals sells the EM at five levels of completeness, so you can bring as much or as little of your own hardware as you like1:
| Option | What you get |
|---|---|
| PCB Only | Just the plain PCB |
| PCB & Components | PCB, onboard components and any pots and toggle switches |
| PCB & Components and off board parts | As above, plus foot switch, jacks, 9v socket and LED |
| Full Kit | As above, with an undrilled JP1590B sized enclosure |
| Full Kit & Drilling | The Full Kit with all holes drilled for a complete pedal, for a small surcharge |
The Full Kit's enclosure arrives undrilled. Drilling is an optional extra with a small surcharge; choosing it means every hole for a finished pedal is already in place.1
If you would rather skip the soldering altogether, pre-built kits are available, though they carry a 1 to 4 week build time before they ship.1
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Questions
Is the Jed's Pedals EM a finished pedal or a DIY kit?
It is a DIY guitar effects pedal kit, which Jed's Pedals describes as simple yet effective. You can buy it at several levels of completeness, from a plain PCB up to a Full Kit with an enclosure, and there is also a pre-built option. Pre-built kits carry a 1 to 4 week build time before they ship.
What circuit is the Jed's Pedals EM based on?
Jed's Pedals says the kit compares to the Em Drive. The EM is that circuit laid out for home building, with two pots controlling Drive and Volume. The maker describes it as a boutique transparent overdrive that can work as a mid boost or mild overdrive.
Does the Jed's Pedals EM kit come with an enclosure?
The Full Kit is supplied with a JP1590B sized enclosure as standard, but it arrives undrilled, so you would need to drill it yourself unless you pay the optional drilling surcharge. The lower-cost options, such as PCB Only and PCB & Components, do not include an enclosure.
Can I buy the Jed's Pedals EM drilled?
Yes. Drilling is an optional extra for the Full Kit and carries a small surcharge. Choosing it means all holes for a complete pedal are already drilled in the enclosure, which saves the layout and drilling work.
How long does a pre-built Jed's Pedals EM take to arrive?
Pre-built kits have a 1 to 4 week build time, according to Jed's Pedals, so allow up to a month before the pedal ships. Kits you solder yourself ship without that wait.
Does the Jed's Pedals EM stack well with other pedals?
The maker says it does, noting that it even stacks well with other pedals. With only Drive and Volume controls it behaves like a straightforward gain stage, which is the usual reason players put a boost or mild overdrive in front of or after other drives.
Sources (1)
- EM | DIY Guitar Effects Pedal Kits, Jed's Pedals (jedspeds.co.uk)
