Alright, so maybe I wanted to test this pedal out because I thought the penguin looked cool, so what? The point is, not only is the Emperor from JHS Pedals aesthetically pleasing, it is sonically as well. A 2-In-1 Analog Chorus and Vibrato, the Emperor really boasts some gorgeous modulated sounds throughout all of its settings, and promises to make you want to keep coming back for more and more.
Volume, Speed, Tone and Depth controls pretty much tell you what they do from their names, as we’ve all encountered pedals with these same functions, and all are named what they’re named for good reason. The Tone knob has a really nice range, and the Speed and Depth knobs work really well in conjunction with the toggle switches to provide a myriad of sonic pleasures. The toggle switches between the 2 modes, the second between 3 waveforms: Sine, Square and Triangle. These work together with the Chorus and Vibrato modes for a total of 6 different settings you can start with, and then further dial in to you taste by using the control knobs. In addition to the Bypass footswitch, there’s also a Tap Tempo switch, which works with the Speed knob to set the pace of the modulation with a couple taps of your foot, great for a live setting, to change tempos on the fly. Plus, there’s an additional 1/4″ jack for an Expression pedal or Tap Tempo switch, the selection of which can be found inside the unit. To top all of the extra options off, you can use a TRS splitter out of the main Output jack to send the signal to 2 amps, for a true stereo effect.
The Chorus setting sounds incredible, providing lush, shimmery guitar tones reminiscent of some of the great old school choruses of the ’70’s and ’80’s. The Emperor was built with the goal of imitating the classic sounds from those beautiful old stompboxes, such as the Arion SCH-1 and the CE-1 and CE-2 models from Boss, and it nails these tones and more. The Vibrato section also shines in it’s own right, laying some thick, pulsing sounds onto your guitar’s signal. Using the Speed and Depth knobs together, you can come up with auditory sensations ranging from a slightly modulated, wobbly tone to an almost-video-game-like blips and squeaks, not what I expected from a Vibrato pedal, but an awesome and welcome option.
The Emperor from JHS Pedals is an excellent example of a useful and powerful 2-in-1 modulation pedals, with just the right amount of bells and whistles, but easy enough to use that you won’t have to throw the 80 page manual into the fire. You’ll easily be able to conjure up The Police, Rush, Nirvana, U2, Boston and more with this pedal, plus have many more options to create your own signature sounds. Who knows, maybe you’ll be able to add your band’s name to that list someday…
Submitted by Mike B, Website
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