EarthQuaker Devices releases Chelsea Low End Fuzz Driver with James Murphy

March 4, 2025 · 4 sources

EarthQuaker Devices unveiled the Chelsea Low End Fuzz Driver on March 4, 2025, a fuzz pedal made with LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy and based on his vintage fuzz¹. The pedal takes its name from the guitar store where Murphy bought the original in 1989¹. Guitar World describes that original as a battered vintage Big Muff that Murphy used for his defining fuzz tone².

The Chelsea is a three-knob fuzz with a Tone bypass switch¹. Level controls output volume, Sustain controls the amount of distortion and sustain in the signal, and Tone dials in the frequency response¹. The Tone switch takes the Tone control out of the circuit to apply a mids-focused voicing¹. EarthQuaker says the pedal runs from a 9V DC pedalboard power supply drawing 10mA, with all connections on the top of the enclosure¹. Bass Magazine lists an all-analog signal path, true bypass, electronic relay-based switching, an input impedance of 50 kΩ and an output impedance of under 10 kΩ³. Each unit is handmade in Akron, Ohio, and ships with a limited lifetime warranty¹³.

EarthQuaker founder Jamie Stillman wrote in his design notes that the original has been the chosen bass fuzz for several LCD recordings and has traveled the world with the band¹. The maker describes the Chelsea as capable of light overdrive through full-on distortion, for bass and electric guitar alike¹³.

The Chelsea is priced at $179 in the US and was out at launch¹². Reports differ on availability outside the US: Guitar Pedal X reported US distribution already under way with UK availability listed for March 12⁴.