Benson Amps unveils Germanium Fuzz with automatic thermal bias

April 20, 2023 · 2 sources

Benson Amps has unveiled the Germanium Fuzz, a fuzz pedal built around two germanium transistors, Delicious Audio reported on April 20, 2023. The report describes it as aimed at Fuzz Face players.

The pedal uses two 2N527 or 2N404 germanium transistors, graded for gain and leakage and matched, in what the maker calls the "ubiquitous 60's circular fuzz topology"¹. Its bias is regulated automatically by a circuit that warms the transistors to a preset operating point using analog components, which the maker says "ensures a consistent sound, no matter the external temperature"¹. The LED shows the state: orange while the transistors warm up, green once the correct bias and gain are set¹. The maker says the pedal takes 2-3 minutes on average to sound correct after power-up and is designed to operate between freezing and 100F¹.

From serial # 2501, the circuit adds a class A buffer at the input feeding a passive pickup simulator, an audio transformer set up as an inductor, a resistor and a capacitor, which the maker says improves compatibility with other pedals¹. An Impedance control simulates rolling down the guitar volume "without adjusting your guitar volume"¹. The maker describes the gain range as running from a clean boost through overdrive to an aggressive fuzz with octave overtones, and calls it a "pretty" fuzz rather than a spitty, harsh one¹.

The maker states there is no battery and that the pedal is for use only with a 9V DC Boss-style center negative supply¹. It also warns that turning the internal trimmer voids the warranty¹. The maker says Studio Black is not meant for direct sunlight while Solar White is fine with it, and reports a 20F difference between a black and a white pedal in direct sunlight¹. No US price was given in either report.