Hudson Electronics Buzzard Fuzz (Limited Edition)

I can’t get over the fuzz tones coming from the pedals over at Hudson Electronics. I recently reviewed their standard BUZZ pedal, which was incredible, and today’s gem is the Buzzard, another killer fuzz from the UK. A blendable 2-transistor fuzz, this little blue triangle is a force to be reckoned with. If you want a light-hearted, Valentine’s Day, Nicholas Sparks fuzz, you better look somewhere else. Fast.

Deep in the guts of the Buzzard lie 2 NOS germanium transistors, both responsible for the sounds coming out of this pedal (the fuzz is always on, too, no clean boost to be found, which is awesome), and they are controlled by the Buzz knob, which actually blends the 2 signals together. One fuzz is a dark, thick, meaty fuzz; the other, a bright and buzzy excursion. Dial it back for a mellower fuzz, or max it our for a buzzsaw-filled fuzz party. You’re not going to find a bad sound here, it just depends on what flavor you want pouring out of your amplifier. Once you get your desired fuzzy sound, you use the Contour knob to adjust the high-to-mid range of the pedal, opening up even more sonic buzzy possibilities. This is a low pass filter that will take your tone from low and deep to high and mighty, and only affects the 2nd fuzz sound, so be sure your Buzz knob is at least at 12:00 for the best results. Add in the Level for volume control, and you have got a wide range of fuzz tones to experiment with and explore, which is the best part of discovering any new pedal.

I love the interesting shapes that the Hudson pedals come in as well – this off-kilter triangle is a nice change from the normal, boring rectangle pedals that everyone puts out, and adds just a bit of zing to any pedalboard. Seeing as the Buzzard is limited to only 30 pieces worldwide, I’m extremely grateful to Michael and all at Hudson Electronics for letting me take this baby for a test drive. I love fuzz of all shapes and colors, and this is one of the most unique and exciting pedals I’ve played yet. Don’t forget, these guys make a ton of killer fuzz pedals, so make sure you check ’em out and find the right fuzz for you!