The Jed's Pedals Green Ringer kit is a DIY pedal kit that builds an octave-up effect, in the maker's words "Insane octave up is what this is all about."1 The circuit follows the Dan Armstrong Green Ringer, an octave design that General Guitar Gadgets describes as a "pseudo Ring Modulator," and Jed's Pedals notes that the kit compares to the Dan Armstrong Green Ringer and the EarthQuaker Devices Tentacle.123 If you would rather buy a finished octave pedal than solder one, the same ground is covered on the Octave & Pitch Pedals page.
What the kit builds
The Green Ringer circuit takes your guitar's signal and produces a note an octave above it, with a character General Guitar Gadgets compares to a pseudo ring modulator.2 Jed's Pedals has made one change to the original design: the kit has an additional pot in place of a fixed resistor, which the maker says "removes a bit of the shrill" from the output tone.1 That gives you a tone-shaping control on a circuit that otherwise runs with a single knob.
Kit options
Jed's Pedals sells the kit in four versions, so you can buy as much or as little as you need:1
| Version | What you get |
|---|---|
| PCB Only | Just the plain PCB |
| PCB & Components | PCB, onboard components and any pots and toggle switches |
| Full Kit | As above with undrilled enclosure and off board components (foot switch, jacks, 9V, LED) |
| Full Kit & Drilling | Full kit with drilled enclosure |
The kit is supplied with a JP1590B enclosure, and the price is £30.00 GBP as listed by the maker.1
Jed's Pedals 1590a Green Ringer kit is the same idea in a smaller enclosure: it is supplied with a JP1590a enclosure rather than the JP1590B, and its drilling is an optional extra for the Full Kit with a small surcharge, including all the holes for a complete pedal.41 It carries the same £30.00 GBP list price.4
All kits require full assembly, and images of completed PCBs are for reference only. You will be identifying components, calculating resistor codes and soldering everything yourself.4
How hard is it to build?
Jed's Pedals describes its Green Ringer kit as having an additional pot in place of a fixed resistor. "Our kit has an additional pot in place of a fixed resistor. The pot is a worthy addition and removes a bit of the shrill," the maker says.1
You will need one knob for the kit, and on the 1590a version the maker adds a suggestion: "I suggest you get a big one."14
Green Ringer kit and the EQD Tentacle
Jed's Pedals states that the kit compares to the Dan Armstrong Green Ringer and the EarthQuaker Devices Tentacle, and is careful to note the comparison is for reference only, with no endorsement or approval from any manufacturer.14 The Tentacle itself has a documented connection to the Green Ringer: the Guitar FX Layouts technical analysis, written while working out a layout for the Hoof Reaper's octave section, noted "for all those that want to make a Hoof Reaper we have a layout for the octave section, as it's the Tentacle," with commenters describing the Tentacle as a modded copy of the Green Ringer.3 Building this kit puts a Green Ringer-style octave-up circuit on your board in an enclosure you drilled yourself, at the cost of an evening's soldering.
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Questions
What does the Jed's Pedals Green Ringer kit include?
It depends on the version. PCB Only is just the plain PCB. PCB & Components adds the onboard components plus any pots and toggle switches. Full Kit adds an undrilled JP1590B enclosure and the off board components: foot switch, jacks, 9V connection and LED. Full Kit & Drilling is the full kit with the enclosure drilled.
Do I need soldering experience to build the Green Ringer kit?
Jed's Pedals rates the kit as medium difficulty and says it is suited to those who have built a couple of pedals before. All kits require full assembly, including identifying components, working out resistor codes and soldering, so it is not a first-build project.
Does the Green Ringer kit come with the enclosure drilled?
Only in the Full Kit & Drilling version, which is the full kit with a drilled enclosure. The standard Full Kit enclosure is undrilled. On the 1590a version, drilling is an optional extra for the Full Kit with a small surcharge, and it includes all the holes needed for a complete pedal.
How many knobs does the Green Ringer kit use?
One. Jed's Pedals says you will need one knob for this kit, and on the 1590a version the maker suggests getting a big one.
What is the difference between the Green Ringer kit and the EQD Tentacle?
Jed's Pedals lists the EarthQuaker Devices Tentacle as a comparison for this kit. According to the Guitar FX Layouts technical analysis, the Tentacle is the octave section of the Hoof Reaper, described by commenters as a modded copy of the Green Ringer. Jed's Pedals notes the comparison is for reference only, with no endorsement or approval from any manufacturer.
Sources (4)
- Green Ringer, Jed's Pedals (jedspeds.co.uk)
- Dan Armstrong™ Green Ringer™ Clone: Octave Kit, PCB & Schematic, General Guitar Gadgets, 2014-05-18
- Guitar FX Layouts: Earthquaker Devices Tone Reaper, Guitar FX Layouts (tagboardeffects.blogspot.com), 2016-10-19
- 1590a Green Ringer, Jed's Pedals (jedspeds.co.uk)
