Crazy Tube Circuits Starlight Fuzz

One of my guitar heroes, Nels Cline, is a super effects junkie, like many of us, and I always liked how diverse and cool his rigs have been over the years. He’s also gotten me to try out numerous pedals, and today’s featured pedal is one that I wanted to get my hands on as soon I could after seeing his Rig Rundown. Having reviewed the Stardust from Crazy Tube Circuits, I wanted something a bit heavier and crunchier, and the Starlight Fuzz did just that, and more.

Volume, Tone and Gain are the usual suspects in the control section of the Starlight, each interacting with the other to steer your sound in any number of differing directions. With all the controls at about 10:00, this golden pedal produces a nice, warm, sustained overdrive sound, sure to perk your ears up, and your amp as well. As the Tone and Gain controls slowly move up and up, the sound gets thicker, fuzzier and heavier, all the while staying crisp and punchy throughout. By the time this baby is dimed, the fuzz tones are a giant vast of sonic stew, pulsing and bubbling with raw, powerful and distinct flavors that will elevate your playing and your tone to the outer reaches of space.

There’s a toggle switch here as well, that vaults the Starlight into another dimension. A simple Gain boost, this switch adds in an extra bit of crunch and dirt to push your amp right over the edge. This toggle helps the mids get a little fatter, while adding in an extra bit of high end presence to really bring out the nuances of your playing, and focusing on some beautifully harmonic tones.

As a company, Crazy Tube Circuits is a bit elusive and not as present as some other boutique pedal builders, but the folks who know their pedals LOVE ’em. The Starlight was everything I had hoped for in an easy-to-use rocking fuzz pedal, and even a bit more. With new models coming out all the time, Crazy Tube Circuits looks poised to take a big leap forward here in a quick minute – make sure you check out their website to see all the glorious gear they’ve got going on right now, and check back with us soon for more reviews of their pedals!