Way back when we first started Pedal of the Day, one of our first pedal donators was Happy Valley Analog out of Chattanooga, Tennessee. I loved the simplicity of the first incarnation of their Jurassic Fuzz pedal: simple controls, a great space-saver for your pedalboard, but it didn’t lack the balls that you want a good fuzz to have. Well, they took that schematic and beefed it up a bit, adding another control for more sonic...
Read More
There are space-saving pedals for your pedalboard, and then there are the pedals from Henretta Engineering. How they even got inside this box to wire up the Bluebird Fuzz is beyond me, but the result is fairly astonishing. To be able to pack this much sound and dirt into an enclosure that measures 2″ x 2″ is an incredible feat, and one that I thoroughly enjoyed reviewing. The controls are simple: none. Well, that’s...
Read More
Some pedal companies (well, a lot of them, actually) are small, unique and hail from a different country. I always like to see what other countries and cultures are doing in the massive pedal world, to see what influences they are using, and how their ideas about pedal building differ from the ones here in the U.S.A. I’ve recently been in contact with Fuse Electronics, all the way from Chile in South America, and they sent a...
Read More
Devi Ever FX has been one of the leading companies in effects pedal fuzz now for years, especially since our friends Dwarfcraft Devices bought them a few years ago. I have reviewed a number of their pedals here on POTD (Big Distortion Sound Machine, God Zilla, and I love each one differently every time they appear on my doorstep. One of my favorites is the Soda Meiser (it’s one of Nels Cline’s as well), and just when I...
Read More
Over the years, I have played a LOT of fuzz pedals, and they have definitely become one of my favorite overall effects. Sometimes, you run across one that really inspires and excites you, to the point where you just want to sit down with it for days and figure out all it’s magic and possibilities. The Zeygot Optical Noise Fuzz is one of these pedals, and features an option I have never before come across, one that’s sure...
Read More
I have never built my own pedal, but I hear that if you want to do that sort of thing (which I definitely would at some point soon), BYOC is the place to go for a kit. At Build Your Own Clone, you can order whatever kind of pedal you’d like, get all the parts shipped right to your door, along with instructions, and go to town. Since they’re relatively inexpensive as well, you won’t feel too terrible if you absolutely...
Read More
Man, I have been digging these space-saving pedals lately! I’m constantly floored by how much gets packed into such small enclosures, and they seem to keep getting better and better. Case in point: the Little Fuzzy Drive from E.W.S. Now, this little grey box might look small, weak, wussy, whatever you want to call it, but I am here to tell you you’re wrong. Dead wrong. There are some great fuzz tones to be had from the...
Read More
Have you ever heard of the Jordan Bosstone Fuzz? Me neither, until I started doing a little research for today’s pedal review. Turns out, it was this cool little black box that plugged directly into your guitar’s output jack (unless you had a Strat, then it wouldn’t work) and made some incredible fuzz tones. Well, the genius builders at KMA Machines built a take on the Bosstone, aiming to get that classic sound with...
Read More
You want a simple, no-BS fuzz pedal that will go right onto any pedalboard and fit in instantly? A fuzz that only features one knob and one toggle switch, for easy dialing in of tones and fuzzy gooeyness? A fuzz so clean and dirty at the same time that it just might make your head explode? Then look no further than today’s pedal, the Temple of Doom Fuzz from Furukawar Effects. The one lone knob on the Temple of Doom (great name,...
Read More
Any dirt pedal that adds in a Mid control to the EQ section is a plus and a winner in my book, and when it’s on a fuzz pedal, that just makes my day. The addition of this control seems to really open up the sonic possibilities immensely, and make for a much broader range of tones to play around with. Add to that some nice clipping options and a warm, fuzzy sound, and I’m in fuzzerated heaven. These words describe...
Read More
Fuzz. It’s awesome, and you know it. While there are a TON of different fuzz pedals on the market, it’s one of those sub-sectors of pedal that seem to somehow make each pedal sound completely different. You can line up 10 random fuzzes and do a sound test with them, and they’ll inevitably each possess unique characteristics and sonic qualities, which is by no means a bad thing. A prime example of a standout,...
Read More
We’ve got another great review from our buddy Kyle Ragan for you today: the Vintage Fuzz BC108 from Doc Music Station. Check out their website HERE, and don’t forget to subscribe to Kyle’s YouTube channel after you watch the video! Click ‘PLAY’ and enjoy the show! Submitted by Kyle, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter GET EXCLUSIVE UPDATES, CONTEST INFO, SEE OUR LATEST DEMO VIDEOS AND MORE: More info...
Read More
There are some pedals that can do a lot of different tricks, and a lot that can do them all very well. When these pedals present themselves, I’m always astonished how the builders manage to pack so many options into such a small area, and how they came up with the ideas in the first place. Today’s pedal is a prime example of this feat, and holds nothing back as far as options and tonal joy: the Butch Fuzz/Overdrive/Boost...
Read More
A few months ago, we reviewed a little pedal from Finland called the Microtubes Vintage Overdrive, made by a company called Darkglass Electronics. That was a fun pedal to test, for sure, but the fuzz we’re going to look at today is a completely different animal, in the best of ways. Let’s check out the Duality Dual Fuzz Engine, shall we? For starters, the Duality features four control knobs, and one of them has a truly...
Read More
I think there’s something in the water in the United Kingdom that is making pedal builders over there produce some of the fattest, tastiest and meatiest fuzzes we’ve ever seen. I’ve reviewed a number of fuzzes recently that hail from overseas, and they just keep sounding better and better. Another shining example of what’s coming at you from across the pond is a pedal we’ll take a look at today: the...
Read More
Most fuzz boxes that I’ve come across do a pretty decent fuzz – ONE fuzz. Not known as the most versatile of pedals, while there are some that can get pretty nuts, the majority are usually just really good at the one fuzz sound they do. The Termofuzz from Shift Line seeks to change all that, with a selector knob that allows a vast number of different fuzzy tones to come pouring out of your amplifier. The Termofuzz has a...
Read More
When a pedal can do more than one thing, perform more than one function, and make more than one killer tone, that’s pretty much an automatic “win” in my book. It also helps when it sounds awesome, and it just so happens I have found another pedal to put on my list. The Battering Ram Overdrive + Fuzz from Wounded Paw Effects is a 2-In-1 pedal, combining overdrive and fuzz, obviously, but this pedal has a tone of...
Read More
One-off pedals, or pedals that were only made in a batch of 3 or 5 or 10, have always appealed to my sense of collection. These specimens, being rare and sometime highly sought-after, make my (and others’) pedal collection that much cooler. I especially like it when no one can guess what it is, or inquisitively comment about the pedal and it’s origins. That said, we’ve got one of those today: the Vulture Fuzz from...
Read More
The original Fuzz Factory pedal from Z.Vex Effects has been a go-to fuzz for players across the globe for years, and has gained notoriety as one of the finest fuzzboxes available on the market today. Well, Z.Vex has upped the ante a bit more with another incarnation of this classic fuzz, it’s big brother, the Fat Fuzz Factory. Plus, mine is a limited hand-painted edition, which makes it that much cooler, right? Let’s have...
Read More
I’ve had a bunch of fuzz pedals come in for review recently, and they all have been sounding so good! Cheers to everyone making incredible fuzz pedals, as I think that’s a sound that is never going to get old. One of these such builders is Ryan from Big Game Pedals in Chicago, a small company with a good lineup of gear, and the awesome Nothing Is Dead Fuzz we’re going to take a look at today. This fuzz is...
Read More
There’s an age-old debate about Silicon versus Germanium transistors in fuzz pedals: which sounds better, which produces a truer fuzz sound, and which is an overall higher quality and better product. The fine folks at Center Street Electronics may have finally put an end to the debate, and just made an awesome fuzz pedal with BOTH transistors inside – the Rasputin Fuzz. The setup for the Rasputin is fairly simple: a Fuzz...
Read More
If you are a big fan of fuzz pedals, and you haven’t checked out Center Street Electronics yet, you’re missing out. Plain and simple. You might have seen our review recently on the God Hates Fuzz pedal of theirs, and today we’ve got a completely different animal to try and tame: the Drone Station Fuzz. This little black beauty is a 2-stage gain pedal that can do a fairly broad range of tones, going from a pretty...
Read More
Rarely does a pedal completely take me by surprise, to where I’m dumbfounded, amazed and excited all at the same time. The cats over at Center Street Electronics have managed to confound me with their weird, awesome fuzz oscillator pedal, appropriately named God Hates Fuzz. An ordinary fuzz pedal this is not; an extremely fun piece of musical equipment, it is. Basically, all the controls MUST work together to make up this...
Read More
I’ve seen the Swollen Pickle Fuzz pop up around different guitar forums and stuff, and it always seemed to have a pretty good reputation, so I was eager to see what all the hype was about. This big, fat, green beast is one of those pedals that you plug into and turn on, and are instantly blown away. I immediately loved the fuzz sounds coming through my amp, and I hadn’t even adjusted any of the knobs yet, which is always...
Read More
While on tour in Australia, I had a day off in Brisbane. I already knew what that day would consist of: TYM’s Guitar Shop and nothing else! As usual, a lot of his pedal line was sold out. Bummed out that I couldn’t try his Ramshead clone, I decided to give the Reverse Big Mudd a try. I am very glad I did! This model is based on the rare ‘Reverse Graphic’ V6 model. Having owned a few V6 models in the past, I...
Read More
Rarely am I at an immediate loss for words when plugging in a new pedal for a review, but that was absolutely the case with the Grizzly Fuzz from Stonefly Effects. This is one of the fuzziest, quirkiest, glitchiest fuzz pedals I have ever come across, and getting it to play nice was an awesome challenge. First off, there’s no power input: battery only. That should give you a hint as to how this pedal was conceived, and what it...
Read More
Here is the awesome HDR Amplification Sunstorm Distortion! Two mode Silicon based drive. Gritty, meaty goodness right here! Check them out HERE, and don’t forget to subscribe to Kyle’s YouTube channel after you watch the video! Click ‘PLAY’ and enjoy the show! Submitted by Kyle, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter
Read More
It’s no secret that Analog.man chief Mike Piera has an ear for tone. His famous King of Tone overdrive can be found on a laundry list of star guitarist pedalboards, and his company builds top-quality offerings in most categories of effect types. I have been particularly drawn to his fuzz pedals; in fact, all of the fuzz on my board bears the Analog.man brand (Astrotone, Dark Peppermint, and Sunbender). Each of the pedals excels at a...
Read More
I dig it when I get to review a bunch of pedals from the same builder all at once, and the crew over at 6 Degrees FX is making some pedals that I am going to have a lot of fun testing out, the first of which is the Millie Fuzz. This pedal just looks cool, like some kind of race car from the mid-70’s, and it’s a big, thick piece of metal, with nice big knobs and easily accessible footswitches. Not to mention is sounds...
Read More
The definition of the Italian word Sfocato is: blurry, vague, fuzzy. Vague I’m not so sure of but, this pedal is definitely fuzzy. I’m not the most coordinated guy in the world, so I have put off buying a wah pedal. I’m doing good to get the right hand working with the left as it is, so the thought of mixing my foot in there didn’t sound appealing at all. When I saw that Keeley was introducing the Sfocato...
Read More
As with all awesomeness that comes out of the Devi Ever factory, the Big Distortion Sound Machine makes noises that no other pedal does, which really is the brilliance of the company. Now paired with Dwarfcraft Devices, Devi Ever’s latest sonic destruction box will have you laughing, crying, barfing and possibly jumping for joy, depending. It hurts in the best way possible when cranked, and can soothe your wrecked eardrums a...
Read More
I really, really, really like fuzz. There are so many different aspects you can throw into a fuzz pedal, and almost none of them sound alike…unless you’re trying to make them sound like another pedal, a classic maybe, then they certainly can. But, for the most part, fuzzes are unique and extraordinary, and can be some of the funnest pedals as well. Today’s fuzz comes to us from Arkansas, and the boys and girls from...
Read More
I randomly stumbled onto the folks over at Yellowcake Pedals, and was able to check out their flagship pedal, a wicked cool Overdrive/Fuzz called the Furry Burrito. Awesome name aside, this little teal monster produces some scorching drive tones, and will get you to that nice, middle ground fuzz area where it’s still safe to play, yet not too safe to rock it out. Lots of options on this puppy, let’s take it for a spin,...
Read More
The pedals that are being created by Hartman are really tantalizing to the eyes (and, as it turns out, the ears as well). Today’s reviewed pedal is no exception to that rule: the Vintage Germanium Fuzz looks as old school and classic as they come, and the sounds are just the same, only using modern, reliable and excellent-quality parts to re-create the sounds of the past. Three knobs make for easy controlling of this fuzztastic...
Read More
Up to this point in my illustrious (ha!) career, I had only played delay and modulation pedals from our friends at Diamond Pedals, so when I received the Fireburst Fuzz, I wasn’t really sure what to expect, as I never really knew this company to be known for their fuzzes. Well, that changed the minute I plugged this bright red fire box into my amp and hit go, and I’m going to tell you why. A lot of fuzzes and overdrive...
Read More
Well, here’s another incredible fuzz pedal from Devi Ever. The God Zilla is a side-by-side octave fuzz pedal, which means there are 2 separate circuits feeding this beast, and you may use them as individual effects, or combine the two for a powerhouse wall of fuzzy awesomeness. Plus, it looks wicked rad. The left bypass switch controls the first gain channel, which is actually Devi Ever’s GZ (Goddess Zero) Fuzz, and...
Read More
We’ve got another VIDEO review for you today: The Krampus Bass Drive / Distortion / Fuzz from J. Michael Pedals. Check them out HERE, and don’t forget to subscribe to Kyle’s channel after you watch the video! Click ‘PLAY’ and enjoy the show! Submitted by Kyle (YouTube), Instagram, Twitter
Read More
Where to start with this pedal? There are so many options as far as sounds are concerned when using the Harmonic Decoder from Sunsine Audio, it’s a little daunting to know where to begin. A true single oscillating analog synthesizer, this beast can be a fuzz, an octave, a filter, a wah and much, much more. I’ll do my best to describe to you the power that is held within this little black box. The controls are easy to read,...
Read More
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...
Read More
The Malekko Heavy Industries Diabolik Fuzz is one of the most adaptive fuzzes on the market. I’m usually not one for signature pedals, but bassist/producer Justin Meldal-Johnsen knows quality, and is a phenomenal musician. After playing far too many fuzzes, the Diabolik quickly became my go-to fuzz. There are a ton of tonal possibilities, and better yet, it doesn’t take up much room on the board. My favorite feature,...
Read More
Hudson Electronics in the UK are all about the Fuzz. Really, these guys make retro-styled fuzz pedals for fuzz players, and that’s it. And boy, do they do them well. I was lucky enough to get a couple sent my way to review, and I have to say I was pleasantly blown away by the sounds these guys are generating. Today, we’re going to take a look at a pedal they like to simply call FUZZ. This pedal is based around fuzz...
Read More
The White Rabbit from our friends in the UK, RayGun FX, is an extremely versatile and easy-to-use fuzz pedal, with many small nuances and settings that can go from boost to blitzkrieg and all sorts of stuff in between. Simple controls with big range produce gorgeous fuzz tones here, let’s give it a run-through, shall we? The overall size and layout of the White Rabbit are perfect, with an enclosure that’s not going to...
Read More
Noisemaker Effects makes really nice pedals, and then sells them at a really nice price (I bought their 1/2-watt amplifier, too, and that thing rocks!). They’re built in sturdy, tough, metallic enclosures, sure to stand the test of time (and our foot abuse) and outlive us all. The Soda Pop Fuzz seems like another rad pedal from a cool company, so let’s check it out, uh? The graphics first catch your eye and make you crack...
Read More
The Firefly from JHS Pedals caught my eye well before it’s release, and I was just itching to give it a spin in the old home studio. Low and behold, it finally appeared on my doorstep, and I was anxious and excited as I tore the package open. Looking sleek and sophisticated from the get-go, I knew the Firefly was gonna win me over about 3 seconds after I plugged it in. This is JHS’ take on the Tonebender MKIII, a classic...
Read More
Immediately upon viewing the Fuzzrocious Pedals’ website, I knew they were doing some pretty inventive and creative things with their effects pedals, strictly from the artwork and amount of knobs alone. The Grey Stache is my first foray into their world of gear, and it is a monster. Plus, you can add any number of mods to make yours a custom job, and get it sounding exactly like you want. Let’s check it out! My demo...
Read More
Man, this is a hard company to track down information about! While I would have liked a little more info on this pedal, the Smilodon Fuzz from Aethan Electronics is an all-out, buzzsaw, balls-to-the-wall, ass-kicking fuzz pedal, and with only a few (who knows the actual number) of these ever made, it is a RARE find, one that will not be leaving my side anytime soon. The pedal itself isn’t much bigger than a standard Boss...
Read More
Fuzzzzzzzzz. One of my favorite effects, by far, and so many different offerings in one category of pedals. The Arbiter Fuzz Face has been a staple sound in rock guitar music since it’s introduction way back in 1966, and the Pollinator from JHS Pedals aims to capture that same sound, but modernize it just a little bit. Simple, 3-knob pedal with loads of tone and a wide range of fuzz make for a perfect afternoon review. From the...
Read More
The Arctic White Fuzz from Bearfoot FX is a highly approachable fuzz, able to get as dirty and gritty as you want, but never too over-the-top and out-of-control, like some other types of fuzz can do. Volume, Tone and Fuzz control knobs are easily adjustable to suit your tonal needs, with a nice range of sounds available in a small layout and enclosure, perfect for saving space on a pedalboard. The Arctic White Fuzz plays well with...
Read More
Wow. This fuzz is a fuzz + a fuzz…times 38. I love the Z.Vex enclosures, great for fitting easily onto any pedalboard, and built like a Mack truck. The Fuzz Factory has become a fuzz staple on many boards around the world, so I figured I should probably try it out and see what it could do. 5 knobs for a fuzz looks a little complex, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll have a blast dialing in your fuzz tones. The Gate...
Read More
Well, this is a big, badass beast. Plain and simple. I love that Walrus Audio thought to put a Fuzz and a Tremolo in the same pedal, because they really do go together, if you think about it. Not to mention the layout and options are fantastic, and the design is impeccable. Plus, it has JOYSTICKS! I’m getting sucked back into playing Super Mario Bros. on my first Nintendo Entertainment System in the mid-’80s…without...
Read More
