The JHS Pedals Emperor Analog Chorus/Vibrato is an analog guitar effects pedal that covers two related modulation effects in one box: chorus and vibrato. Chorus thickens a signal by blending a detuned copy of it with the dry sound, while vibrato bends the pitch of the whole signal without a dry blend. Pedal of the Day described it as "the Emperor Analog Chorus / Vibrato guitar effects pedal from JHS Pedals," noting its analog design1.
What it does
The Emperor gives a player both sides of the modulation coin. The two modes work differently1:
| Mode | What it does to your signal |
|---|---|
| Chorus | Blends a modulated copy with the dry signal for a thicker sound |
| Vibrato | Applies the pitch movement on its own, with no dry blend, for a more pronounced effect |
In a JHS Pedals demo video pairing pedals with synthesizer sounds, Nick of JHS said, "I paired it with the Emperor Analog Chorus/Vibrato, by JHS Pedals," and explained his settings: "In the jam, I used the Emperor's vibrato setting. I set it pretty heavy"2. That heavy vibrato setting shows the pedal can push well past subtle into full pitch-wobble territory.
Where it sits in the JHS range
The Emperor is part of a family of JHS modulation pedals:
For players comparing options, the Emperor sits among JHS's other chorus and vibrato offerings such as the VCR Volume Chorus Reverb and the Unicorn. Broader context on how this effect type works and what else is available is on the Chorus Pedals and Vibrato Pedals pages.
Videos
JHS Pedals
JHS Pedals
ProGuitarShopDemos
Questions
Is the JHS Emperor Analog Chorus/Vibrato still available?
JHS discontinued the Emperor V2, the later version of the Emperor Chorus/Vibrato, as of June 2026. Remaining stock may still turn up at authorized retailers or on resale platforms, but the pedal is no longer in current production.
What is the difference between chorus and vibrato on the Emperor?
The Emperor offers two modes. In chorus mode the pedal blends a modulated signal with your dry signal for a thicker sound. In vibrato mode, as JHS's Nick demonstrated in a company video, the modulation acts on the pitch itself, and he set it heavy in a synth-paired jam to show the effect at its most pronounced.
Sources (2)
- JHS Pedals Emperor Analog Chorus/Vibrato, Pedal of the Day, 2014-10-05
- GUITAR PEDALS FOR SYNTH, JHS Pedals
