I’m always on the lookout for pedals that not only present themselves in a unique way, but offer unique sound options, too. Today’s pedal, the 1954 Transparent Fuzz from ScreaminFX, covers both of these criteria with ease, as you can see just by looking at the design of this bright orange beauty. Hand-made and built like a tank in Austin, Texas, with a clear shield that lets you peer directly into this fuzz’s soul, I knew right away that this was gonna be a fun one to play.
Just by looking inside the pedal, you can see the craftsmanship and professionalism that goes into each of ScreaminFX’s creations, which is nice to be able to check out without having to take the pedal apart. I love the bright blue illumination that pour out of this pedal when you engage it as well – there’s no chance you’ll have to squint to see if this thing is on when you’re on a dark stage, believe me! The control section here is relatively straightforward: Tone, Fuzz and Volume. These three knobs help this all-original pedal circuit add depth, warmth and pizazz to your tone. Rolling back the Tone knob will produce some awesome sludge-rock type sounds, keeping your signal warm and smooth, or it can add in the high end you need to stand out in the mix and melt some faces. The Fuzz has a great range as well, from mild-mannered to in-your-face, but without being annoying about it. There’s also an optional buffer stage you can select via a toggle switch, which makes the 1954 play nicely with wahs and other pedals, a luxury not always offered with many fuzzes.
From a purely aesthetic standpoint, I’m in love with the 1954 Transparent Fuzz, but also with it as far as sound is concerned. Able to add a light grit or some heavy, chunky, riff-worthy crunch, it covers a broad spectrum of tones and sounds with ease, making it a viable piece of gear to add to any pedalboard or rig setup. I love how it gently adds a nice layer over your guitar’s original signal, too, making it present but not overpowering, something that’s fairly rare in fuzz pedals. Thanks so much to Seth and everyone over at ScreaminFX for sending this gorgeous pedal to us for a review, make sure you go check out their website, and see what other rad creations they’ve got waiting for you!
Specs:
All Original Silicon Fuzz Circuit
Switchable buffer makes it wah wah friendly and works great with other pedals or active pickups in front. Not many fuzz pedals do this.
Completely analog design with low transistor count to maintain transparency of tone.
Boost stage of up to 4dB maintains stage volume.
LED indicator makes the insides glow when pedal is on.
True Bypass input and output (Will not load other pedals when off).
Powder coated enclosure with screen printed graphics.
Draws <6mA current when on.
Handcrafted in USA.
(4.7") x (3.7") x (2" high including knobs)
Patent Pending.
Submitted by Mike B, Website
Demo Rock pedalboard by West Coast Pedalboard
