The Jeds Peds Amuse Me is a DIY guitar effects pedal kit for a distortion pedal. As the maker puts it, "Amuse Me is a distortion pedal which features a Big Muff at its heart with a couple of circuit tweaks," and the kit "compares to the Animato."1 If you want to build your own take on the fuzz and distortion family rather than buy a finished pedal, this is the kind of kit it is: a board, parts and enclosure instructions centered on one of the most built circuits in effects.
What it is based on
The Big Muff is a distortion/sustainer circuit with a long history, and Jeds Peds leans on that lineage here. The maker's description of the original pedal notes it was "famously used by the dude with the long name in muse - Chris W," which is where the Amuse Me name points.1 Jeds Peds also sells a separate Big Muff Multi kit, which "compares to lots of different Big Muffs from every era," with the maker noting that "there is no endorsement or approval from any manufacturer and this information is for comparison only."2
Kit versions and what you get
The Amuse Me is sold in six versions, so you can buy as much or as little of the build as you want:1
- PCB Only: just the plain PCB
- PCB & Components
- PCB & Components and off board parts
- Full Kit: comes with a JP1590BB enclosure, supplied undrilled
- Full Kit & Drilling: drilling is an optional extra for the Full Kit with a small surcharge, and includes all the holes for a complete pedal
- Pre Built Kit: built for you, with a 1 to 4 week build time, listed at £55.00 GBP
Pre built kits are non-returnable. Jeds Peds states: "There are no returns accepted on these but I do give a 12 month repair warranty so should a fault be developed I will re[pair it]."1
Building it
Jeds Peds rates the Amuse Me at 6/10 difficult, so it sits in the middle of the maker's range rather than at the beginner end. Two practical points from the product page: the PCB hangs from the pots, and the design is meant for right angled pots. You will also need three knobs, and the maker suggests medium sized ones.1
On guitar and bass
The maker's own sound description is short and to the point: "Its a nice muff, good clarity on the guitar and thumpy on the bass."1 That makes it one of the Big Muff-style kits presented as a two-instrument pedal rather than a guitar-only build, which is worth knowing if you play bass and want a fuzz-adjacent distortion that keeps some low end character.
Questions
What is the Jeds Peds Amuse Me based on?
The Amuse Me is a distortion pedal kit with a Big Muff at its heart, with a couple of circuit tweaks of Jeds Peds' own. The maker says the kit compares to the Animato, a Big Muff-style circuit. Jeds Peds also sells a separate Big Muff Multi kit that covers Big Muff circuits from every era.
How difficult is the Amuse Me kit to build?
Jeds Peds rates the Amuse Me at 6/10 difficult. The PCB hangs from the pots, and the design is intended for right angled pots. You will need three knobs for the kit, and the maker suggests medium sized ones.
Does the Amuse Me kit include an enclosure?
The Full Kit option comes with a JP1590BB enclosure, supplied undrilled. Drilling is an optional extra for the Full Kit at a small surcharge, and it includes all the holes needed for a complete pedal.
What is the difference between the Amuse Me kit versions?
The Amuse Me is offered as PCB Only, PCB & Components, PCB & Components and off board parts, Full Kit, Full Kit & Drilling, and Pre Built Kit. The Full Kit adds the JP1590BB enclosure, and drilling can be added for a small surcharge. The Pre Built Kit is assembled by Jeds Peds with a 1 to 4 week build time.
Does Jeds Peds offer a pre-built Amuse Me?
Yes. The Pre Built Kit is listed at £55.00 and has a 1 to 4 week build time. There are no returns accepted on pre built kits, but Jeds Peds gives a 12 month repair warranty, so if a fault develops the maker will repair it.
Does the Amuse Me work well for bass?
The maker describes it as a nice muff with good clarity on the guitar and thumpy on the bass, so it is presented as a pedal that works on both instruments. The original pedal it is based on was famously used by Chris Wolstenholme of Muse.
Sources (2)
- Amuse Me, Jeds Peds (jedspeds.co.uk)
- Big Muff Multi, JedsPeds