The JHS Honey Comb Deluxe is an analog tremolo pedal from JHS Pedals, a two-speed design that JHS describes as giving "vintage analog tone and ease of operation that will open up a new pallet of sounds reminiscent of early Fender blackface" and vintage Vox tremolo circuits1. Its defining feature is a second footswitch that lets you jump between two independently set tremolo speeds in real time, without touching a knob12.
The Honey Comb Deluxe is a tremolo pedal from JHS Pedals. JHS describes its sound as "reminiscent of early Fender blackface and vintage Vox tremolo circuits from years gone by"3. Its defining feature is a second footswitch that lets you alternate between two independently controlled speed knobs1.
A two-speed analog tremolo in the blackface and Vox tradition
Tremolo raises and lowers your volume in a repeating cycle, and the Honey Comb Deluxe does this with an all-analog circuit rather than digital processing. JHS positions its sound in a specific lineage: the tremolo circuits of early Fender blackface amps and vintage Vox amps, the slow, warm pulse players associate with those 1960s designs3. Pedal of the Day's reviewer, Mike B, wrote in December 2014 that "The analog tones pouring out of the Honey Comb sound just fantastic"2.
What separates the Deluxe from a basic one-knob tremolo is the two-speed setup. JHS puts it plainly312:
"This is like having two tremolos in one enclosure."3
You set two speeds on the two knobs, then use the second footswitch to jump between them mid-song, which suits a player who needs a slow verse pulse and a faster chorus pulse from one box12.
The controls: volume, depth, two speed knobs and an internal range switch
The control set is small. Pedal of the Day called it "really simple as tremolos go"2.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Sets how much of the effect goes into your signal2 |
| Depth | Sets the intensity of the tremolo effect, from slight to deep2 |
| Red speed knob | One of two independently controlled speed knobs, active when the LED is red3 |
| Green speed knob | The second speed knob, active when the LED is green3 |
| Internal red switch (V2) | On the circuit board; flip down for slower speed ranges, up for the stock speed range1 |
The internal switch is the hidden extra. On V2 units it is a small red switch on the circuit board: flipping it down shifts both speed knobs into a slower range of speeds, while leaving it up keeps the stock range1. Mike B described it as an internal switch that "lets you control the range of the 2 speed knobs: you can use the stock setting, or" a slower range of sounds2.
The extra LED is the other thoughtful touch. It flashes at the tremolo rate and stays on even when the pedal is bypassed, so you can see what speed is dialed in before you engage it. JHS says this "allows a constant monitor on your speed"1, and Mike B found the "always on" flashing speed LED "great for knowing exactly what tempo you're on, and what is gonna come through" when you stomp it on2.
One thing the pedal does not have is an expression input; speed is set from the two knobs on the face of the pedal. On V2 units there is also a small red switch inside the pedal on the circuit board: flip it down for slower speed ranges, or keep it up for the stock speed range1. Some early V2 units do not have the dip switch2.
History and versions: from the Honey Comb Single to V1 and V2
The Deluxe follows the Honey Comb Single, which JHS now lists as discontinued1. The Deluxe kept the core idea and added the second footswitch, the dual speed knobs and the always-on rate LED13.
JHS's own product pages break the Deluxe into two versions:
| Version | How to identify it |
|---|---|
| V1 | Bee logo, slightly darker yellow powder coat1 |
| V2 | Internal dip switch for dual speed adjustment; some early V2 units lack the dip switch1 |
So a used unit with the bee logo and the darker yellow finish is a V1, while a unit with the internal dip switch is a V2. Because some early V2 units shipped without the dip switch, the enclosure finish and logo are the more reliable visual clues when buying secondhand1. There was also a hand-painted variant of the pedal, sold through the same product family3.
The Honey Comb Deluxe grew out of the earlier Honey Comb Single, adding the second footswitch that alternates between the two speed knobs1. The V2 version carries an internal dip switch for dual speed adjustment, though some early V2 units do not have it31.
What reviewers said
Published coverage of the Deluxe is sparse, but Pedal of the Day's Mike B reviewed it in December 2014 and was positive overall. His verdict on the sound2:
"the tonal quality oozing out of this yellow box is second to none"2
He found the analog tones rivaled any tremolo pedal on the market for overall tone, praised the two-speed footswitch for jumping between speeds in real time, and liked the internal range switch and the always-on speed LED2. His one criticism was the missing expression pedal input for controlling overall speed2.
Videos
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Questions
Does the JHS Honey Comb Deluxe have an expression pedal input?
No. Pedal of the Day's reviewer found no option for an expression pedal to control the overall speed, and listed it as the one thing he missed on the pedal. Players who want real-time external rate control would need a later JHS tremolo such as the Kodiak, which has a side jack for tap tempo or an expression pedal.
Is the JHS Honey Comb Deluxe discontinued?
Yes. On the JHS Pedals vlog in September 2018, Josh Scott said the final production runs of the Honeycomb tremolos were stopped about a year before that episode, which puts the end of production around 2017. The related Honey Comb Single was also discontinued.
How do I tell a V1 Honey Comb Deluxe from a V2?
V1 units carry a bee logo and a slightly darker yellow powder coat. V2 units have an internal dip switch on the circuit board for dual speed adjustment, though some early V2 units do not have the dip switch, so the enclosure finish and logo are the more reliable visual clues.
What does the extra LED on the Honey Comb Deluxe do?
It is a rate LED that flashes with the tremolo speed and stays on even when the pedal is in bypass. JHS says this gives you a constant monitor on your speed, so you know exactly what tempo is set before you engage the effect.
What replaced the JHS Honey Comb Deluxe?
The Honeycomb line ended around 2017. JHS then moved to the Kodiak, a tap tempo tremolo with four waveforms and an expression or tap tempo side jack, announced as a pedal in August 2018, and later added the Tidewater mini tremolo and the 3 Series Harmonic Tremolo.
Sources (3)
- HONEY COMB DELUXE, JHS Pedals
- JHS Pedals Honey Comb Deluxe Tremolo, Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com), 2014-12-13
- HONEY COMB DELUXE HAND PAINT, JHS Pedals
