The JHS Pandamonium is a two-channel bass pedal from JHS Pedals that puts a fuzz and a preamp/overdrive in one box. The right side is the company's "4 Wheeler Fuzz," which JHS says can dish out almost any fuzz tone a bass player wants. The left side, called the Panda Pre, is a preamp/overdrive that JHS says is based on the famous SVT tone, the bass amplifier sound it describes as having held its ground on millions of stages. JHS sums the pedal up as "a bass swiss army knife that will never leave you lacking the tone you need."1
The two sides and the controls
The Pandamonium's two channels are independent of each other, so each can be used on its own or the two can be stacked. The controls break down like this1:
- Right side, 4 Wheeler Fuzz: JHS describes this as a fuzz that can cover almost any bass fuzz tone. The 4 Wheeler design, in its V2 form, is described by RockBoard's PedalPedia via RockBoard as handling "a variety of bass fuzz sounds, from 60's jam band sounds to modern electric fuzz sounds," with plenty of volume and headroom for any size stage.2
- Left side, Panda Pre: A preamp/overdrive with Volume, Drive, Bass and Treble knobs. JHS says you can set this side as an always-on preamp and tone enhancement, all the way up to a tube-flavored distortion.1
Because the preamp side can run as an always-on enhancement, the Pandamonium can work as a single always-on pedal with the fuzz brought in when needed, or as two separate effects used one at a time1.
Using both channels together
When both sides run at once, the order of the circuits matters, and that is where the versions differ. On V3, JHS added an order toggle switch that lets you choose which circuit comes first in the chain when the two are run together. Earlier versions do not have this switch.1
The order toggle is a V3 feature. On V1 and V2 the circuit order when stacking is fixed rather than switchable.1
Versions
JHS lists three versions of the Pandamonium in its version history: V1, V2 and V3. The V1 is described by JHS as having a larger enclosure in a brown transparent color. The V3 is the version that adds the order toggle switch for choosing the circuit order when both channels are stacked.1
Where it sits among JHS fuzz pedals
The Pandamonium is part of a broader JHS lineup of fuzz and drive pedals. Players comparing it with other options in the range might look at the JHS Calhoun V2, which pairs a vintage overdrive with a fuzz circuit, or the dedicated fuzz pedals in the lineup, such as the JHS Coyote. The Pandamonium's distinction is that it combines the fuzz and preamp roles in one enclosure built around bass tones.13
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Questions
Can the two channels on the JHS Pandamonium be used together?
Yes. JHS describes the Pandamonium as having two totally independent channels that can be used alone or stacked on top of each other. On the V3 version, JHS added an order toggle switch so you can choose which circuit comes first in the chain when the two sides are run together.
What tone is the Pandamonium preamp based on?
The left side, called the Panda Pre, is a preamp/overdrive that JHS says is based on the famous SVT tone, the bass amplifier sound the company describes as having held its ground on millions of stages and recordings.
Is the JHS Pandamonium made for bass or guitar?
The Pandamonium is made as a bass pedal. Its right side is the 4 Wheeler Fuzz, which JHS says can dish out almost any fuzz tone a bass player wants, and the left side is a preamp/overdrive built around the SVT bass amp sound.
How many versions of the Pandamonium are there?
There are three versions, listed by JHS in its version history as V1, V2 and V3. The V1 is described by JHS as having a larger enclosure in a brown transparent color, and the V3 adds the order toggle switch for choosing the circuit order when both channels run together.
Sources (3)
- PANDAMONIUM, JHS Pedals
- 4 Wheeler V2 by JHS, RockBoard (www.rockboard.de), 2026
- CALHOUN V2, MIKE CAMPBELL, JHS Pedals
