The Head Honcho kit is a DIY fuzz pedal kit from Jed's Pedals, a maker whose ready-built pedals include the Bittern Fuzz and the Shakes. The circuit is based on the Big Cheese Fuzz, which Jed's Pedals describes as "A great fuzz form the 90's which was discontinued some time back, although since recreated by JHS!"1 If you would rather buy the fuzz finished than solder it yourself, the fuzz type page gathers the built alternatives.
Jed's Pedals calls it "an epic fuzz box with 4 controls, one of which is a 4 way rotary switch which dramatically alters the fuzziness coming out of the amp and into your ears." Of that character, the maker says: "It scoops, boosts and clips all sorts of different wave and stuff. Glitchy to creamy."1
Kit options
The kit is sold in three forms, so you can buy as much or as little of the build as you want1:
| Option | What you get |
|---|---|
| PCB Only | Just the plain PCB |
| PCB & Components | PCB, onboard components and any pots and toggle switches |
| Full Kit | As PCB & Components, plus an undrilled enclosure and off-board components (foot switch, jacks, 9V, LED) |
| Full Kit & Drilling | Full kit with drilled enclosure |
Drilling is an optional extra for the Full Kit and carries a small surcharge. The drilled enclosure includes all the holes for a complete pedal, so the drilling option is what saves you from making the holes yourself.1
Enclosure and knobs
The kit comes with a JP125B enclosure. The predrilled version has side jacks and power, meaning the jacks sit on the sides of the pedal rather than the top1. You will need four knobs for the kit, and Jed's Pedals suggests medium-sized ones; knobs are bought separately1.
Questions
What is the Jed's Pedals Head Honcho based on?
Jed's Pedals describes the Head Honcho kit as comparing to the Big Cheese Fuzz, a fuzz from the 90s that was discontinued some time back and has since been recreated by JHS. The kit puts that circuit in DIY form, with four controls including a 4-way rotary switch that changes the character of the fuzz.
Does the Head Honcho kit include the enclosure?
It depends on which option you buy. The PCB Only option is just the plain circuit board. The Full Kit adds an undrilled enclosure and the off-board components: foot switch, jacks, 9V connection and LED. The Full Kit & Drilling option is the full kit with a drilled enclosure.
Do I need to drill the enclosure myself?
With the Full Kit, yes: the enclosure comes undrilled, so you make the holes yourself. Drilling is available as an optional extra for the Full Kit for a small surcharge, and the drilled enclosure comes with all the holes needed for a complete pedal.
What size knobs does the Head Honcho need?
The kit needs four knobs, and Jed's Pedals suggests medium-sized ones. Knobs are not part of the kit itself, so you pick them up separately.
Sources (1)
- Head Honcho, Jed's Pedals (jedspeds.co.uk)
