The JHS Pedals Pink Panther is a digital delay pedal that puts a simulation of a tape delay and a clean digital delay in one box. As That Pedal Show put it, "it puts tape an analog tape sorry a simulation of a tape delay right and digital delay in one box"1. JHS describes the choice as between "clear, clean and perfect digital delay or our tape delay mode," the tape side having a slightly saturated and compressed feel that replicates a vintage tape machine echo unit2.
The pedal is a continuation of the JHS delay line that began with the original Pink Panther, the first JHS delay pedal, dating back to 2007-20083. The original version is rare and discontinued, and JHS later reissued the design as a newer version in a smaller enclosure with top-mounted jacks for easier placement on a pedalboard4.
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Time | Sets the delay time, up to one full second4 |
| Repeats | Adjusts the number of echoes4 |
| Mix | Blends wet and dry signals; at 12:00 an even balance, fully clockwise zero dry signal4 |
| Dark | Adjusts the sound of the repeats: pure digital echo turned right, darker lo-fi repeats turned left4 |
| Ratio | Gives 4 note subdivisions: quarter, dotted-eighth, eighth and triplet notes4 |
| Mod toggle | Mod 1 adds a lighter, more subtle modulation to the delay; Mod 2 gives a deeper, more intense modulation for bigger warbles and shimmers4 |
| Digital/Tape switch | Hidden switch on the side choosing clean digital or vintage tape echo delay modes4 |
The Mix control is worth noting for players running the pedal in an effects loop or with a wet/dry setup: set at 12:00 you get an even balance of wet and dry, and cranked fully clockwise you get zero dry signal4.
Digital and tape modes
The Digital/Tape switch is not on the top panel. Pedal of the Day noted "there's a hidden Digital/Tape switch on the side of the Pink Panther, which lets you choose clean digital or vintage tape echo"4. In digital mode the pedal is unashamed digital processing, in Premier Guitar's words, and the tape mode adds the saturated, compressed character of a vintage tape echo unit2.
The modulation toggle adds movement to the repeats in either mode, with the lighter Mod 1 setting for subtle shimmer and the deeper Mod 2 setting for bigger warbles4.
Tap tempo and connections
The newer version adds a side jack that can be used to control the tap tempo externally, listed by Premier Guitar as an External Tap Tempo Jack24. That means the delay time can be set in time with a song from an external footswitch rather than by turning the Time knob by ear.
Where it came from
JHS released the original Pink Panther in 2007 as its very first delay pedal5. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio placed the original at 2007-2008 and described the reissue as a continuation of that line, writing that "the Pink Panther tips its hat to those units that replicate, effect and mold your guitar tone," a nod to early digital delays3.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day's verdict on the reissue was positive: "Taking everything that is cherished from the original model, updating it and making it WAY more affordable, the new JHS Pedals' Pink Panther is an excellent digital delay"4. That Pedal Show covered the pedal in a demo, noting the analog-style side of the pedal offers "up to one second of delay"1.
The Pink Panther is no longer being made, as That Pedal Show noted in their 2017 review1. JHS's current delay line includes the Lucky Cat in pink and black versions, and the Panther Cub V2 carries the Panther name forward. See the Delay Pedals page for the wider field.
Videos
ProGuitarShopDemos
Sweetwater
Reverb
Questions
How long is the delay time on the JHS Pink Panther?
The Pink Panther offers up to one full second of delay time, set with the Time knob. Pedal of the Day described it as crystal clear delay time, and the Dark knob lets you take the repeats from pure digital echo to darker, lo-fi repeats as you turn it left.
What does the Dark knob do on the Pink Panther?
The Dark knob adjusts how the repeats sound. Turned to the right it produces a pure digital echo, and turned to the left it produces darker, lo-fi repeats, so you can shape the character of the echoes from clean and modern to dark and vintage.
Is the original JHS Pink Panther still made?
No. The original Pink Panther was one of the early JHS pedals and the first JHS delay pedal, dating back to 2007-2008. It is rare and discontinued in its original form, and JHS later reissued the design as a newer version with a smaller enclosure and top-mounted jacks.
Does the Pink Panther have tap tempo?
The pedal has no onboard tap tempo switch, but the newer version adds a side jack that can be used to control the tap tempo externally, so you can set the delay time with an external footswitch.
Where is the Digital/Tape switch on the Pink Panther?
The Digital/Tape switch is hidden on the side of the Pink Panther. It lets you choose between clean digital delay and the vintage tape echo mode, so it stays out of the way of the top-panel controls.
Sources (5)
- TPS Pick'N'Mix, That Pedal Show (YouTube), 2017-10-23
- JHS Pedals Introduces the Pink Panther Delay, Premier Guitar, 2017-06-12
- New At The BK SBE 2017: JHS Pedals Pink Panther Delay, Delicious Audio, 2017-09-08
- JHS Pedals Pink Panther Digital Delay, Pedal of the Day, 2017-08-07
- LUCKY CAT DELAY, JHS Pedals
