The Amptweaker BluesFuzz is a limited-run fuzz pedal built around a lower-output germanium transistor, aimed at players who want fuzz that stays clean enough for blues rather than collapsing into full saturation. Premier Guitar's announcement put it plainly: "The pedal excels in getting cleaner tones, thanks to the auto-bias built into the Fuzz control"1. Vintage Guitar's later report adds that it also uses "the company's proprietary Tight control," the low-end shaping control that runs through Amptweaker's fuzz and distortion designs2.
Where it came from
The BluesFuzz was not planned as its own product. According to Premier Guitar, "The idea for the Amptweaker BluesFuzz came from a NAMM tweak session to finalize the TightFuzz." James and Phyllis Brown were comparing transistors at the time: "We were comparing lower output germanium transistors that sounded great for blues," and from that comparison "the BluesFuzz was born"1.
The pedal's own history is documented on Amptweaker's website, where the maker hosts the BluesFuzz manual and product information2.
The Tight control and the family around it
The Tight control is the thread that connects the BluesFuzz to the rest of the Amptweaker line, including the TightFuzz Jr, the TightFuzz Pro and the Bass TightFuzz. On the BluesFuzz it is a continuous control; on the Jr models it becomes a switch24.
| Pedal | Attack shaping | Other controls | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| BluesFuzz | proprietary Tight control2 | Fuzz with auto-bias1 | 49-piece limited run1 |
| BluesFuzz Jr | fat/normal/tight attack switch4 | tone, volume, fuzz, boost switch, mid EQ4 | unveiled July 20174 |
| Bass BluesFuzz Jr | Fat/Tight switch5 | Volume, Tone, Fuzz, Dry Low, Mid control5 | germanium transistor, true bypass5 |
The Jr versions arrived in July 2017, when MusicRadar reported that "Amptweaker has unveiled Jr versions of its TightFuzz and BluesFuzz pedals, in both guitar and bass incarnations." Of the guitar Jr, MusicRadar noted that "The BluesFuzz, meanwhile, features a boost switch and mid EQ," alongside "a fat/normal/tight attack switch, as well as tone, volume and fuzz controls"4.
On the bass side, Tom Bowlus reviewed the Bass BluesFuzz Jr. for Bass Gear Magazine and noted that "The Bass BluesFuzz Jr. features a germanium transistor, by the way." He described a pedal that "shares many features of the Bass TightFuzz Jr.," with the Germanium/Silicon switch replaced by a Mid EQ control that he found relatively subtle, and with true bypass switching, a Boost switch, a Mid control and a Fat/Tight switch among its other features5.
The original BluesFuzz was a 49-piece limited run announced in 2013, so it is a pedal players are more likely to encounter used than new. The BluesFuzz Jr and Bass BluesFuzz Jr carry the same germanium fuzz idea into Amptweaker's smaller, lower-priced Jr. Series, which Bass Gear Magazine dates to late 20175.
Videos
Amptweaker
Questions
Is the Amptweaker BluesFuzz a germanium fuzz?
Yes. Vintage Guitar reported that the BluesFuzz uses a lower-output germanium transistor, and Amptweaker's James and Phyllis Brown described the origin of the circuit as comparing lower output germanium transistors that sounded great for blues. Germanium transistors are an older transistor type often favored in fuzz designs for a softer, more vintage-flavored response than silicon.
What does the Tight control do on the BluesFuzz?
The BluesFuzz uses Amptweaker's proprietary Tight control, as reported by Vintage Guitar. Across the Amptweaker range the Tight control shapes the low-end attack of the pedal, tightening or loosening the response. On the later BluesFuzz Jr models this idea appears as a fat/normal/tight attack switch rather than a continuous knob.
How many Amptweaker BluesFuzz pedals were made?
The original BluesFuzz was announced in November 2013 as a small limited run of only 49 pedals, according to Premier Guitar. A later report in Bass Gear Magazine describes the original BluesFuzz Limited as a special 49-piece model introduced in 2014 to commemorate Amptweaker's 5-year anniversary.
What is the difference between the BluesFuzz and the BluesFuzz Jr?
The BluesFuzz Jr is a smaller version unveiled in 2017. MusicRadar reported that the Jr features a boost switch and mid EQ, along with tone, volume and fuzz controls and a fat/normal/tight attack switch. The original BluesFuzz uses the company's proprietary Tight control in a larger enclosure.
Is there a bass version of the BluesFuzz?
Yes. Amptweaker unveiled Jr versions of its TightFuzz and BluesFuzz pedals in both guitar and bass incarnations in July 2017, as reported by MusicRadar. The Bass BluesFuzz Jr features a germanium transistor and carries Volume, Tone, Fuzz and Dry Low controls, with true bypass switching, a Boost switch, a Mid control and a Fat/Tight switch.
How is the BluesFuzz related to the TightFuzz?
The idea for the BluesFuzz came from a NAMM tweak session to finalize the TightFuzz, according to Premier Guitar. While comparing lower output germanium transistors that sounded great for blues, Amptweaker's James and Phyllis Brown arrived at the BluesFuzz as a separate, cleaner-leaning fuzz alongside the TightFuzz line.
Sources (5)
- Amptweaker Introduces the Blues Fuzz, Premier Guitar, 2014-11-26
- Amptweaker Offers Limited Edition BluesFuzz, Vintage Guitar magazine, 2014-12-01
- NAMM '15, Premier Guitar, 2015-01-28
- Amptweaker reveals TightFuzz and BluesFuzz Jr guitar and bass pedals, MusicRadar, 2017-07-20
- Bassic Review, Bass Gear Magazine, 2019-12-05
