Strymon launches Series A analog line with Fairfax, promises more pedals by end of 2026
December 9, 2025 · 3 sources
Strymon announced the Series A line of fully analog pedals on December 9, 2025, debuting it with the Fairfax Class A Output Stage Drive123. CEO Gregg Stock, described in the coverage as one of the company's senior analog engineers, said more pedals are planned for the line by the end of 2026123.
The Fairfax is built around a miniaturized tube amp circuit using only analog components, with a tube preamp, a Class A power amp and a proprietary circuit intended to emulate the saturation of an output transformer123. Strymon's analog engineers took initial inspiration from the Herzog tube drive unit from Garnet Amplifiers, developed for Randy Bachman23. MusicRadar ties the pedal to the fuzzed-out sound Bachman used on the Guess Who's "American Woman"1. GuitarPlayer dates the Herzog to the 1970s, when Bachman was performing with Bachman-Turner Overdrive3; Premier Guitar does not give a date2.
An internal power supply converts the incoming 9 VDC to 40V, which Strymon says gives the circuit more headroom and an amp-like feel123. The controls are:
| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| Drive | Discrete tube emulation circuit providing smooth asymmetric clipping2 |
| Bright | Two-position switch; "Off" cuts high frequencies, "On" gives flat, full frequency response2 |
| Level | Adjusts output level when the pedal is engaged2 |
| Sag | Clockwise increases power rail sag; at high levels the preamp un-biases, leading to gating and sputtering2 |
MusicRadar describes the Gain dial as oversized and dominating the control surface, and says the Sag control produces "dynamic artefacts at low values, and full sputtering and gated sounds more commonly associated with fuzz pedals at extreme settings"1. Premier Guitar describes the sound as clean and clear at low Drive settings, moving into full transformer-like saturation as gain increases2.
The Fairfax is available now directly from Strymon and from dealers worldwide for $19923.
"Even though we're more known for DSP, our analogue engineers are always coming up with interesting ideas for fully analogue designs, so we created Series A to give them an outlet. There will be a number of pedals in the line by the end of next year, so we're really excited to see some of these products come to market"
Sources (3)
- “Man, this thing is such a chameleon. It can be a creamy and gooey boost that works great with any style of amp, and it can also breathe saturated fire”: Strymon goes analogue drive crazy, promising Randy Bachman-style tones and more from the Fairfax | MusicRadar, musicradar.com
- Strymon Releases The Fairfax Class A Output Stage Drive - Premier Guitar, premierguitar.com
- Strymon announces Fairfax drive pedal and Series A line | GuitarPlayer, guitarplayer.com