The Evil Pumpkin Synth Fuzz is an experimental fuzz pedal from Analog Music Company, built by circuit-bending a Boss DS-1 Distortion. Circuit bending means rewiring a circuit at chosen points to make it behave in ways its designer never intended, and here that work is brought to the panel as twelve switches, each with three positions, alongside the DS-1's own Tone, Level and Distortion knobs. Pedal of the Day categorizes it as a synth fuzz, and the sounds it produces run from ordinary dirt to drones and synth-like effects1.
A DS-1 bent into something else
The starting point is one of the most common distortion pedals ever made. Pedal of the Day describes how the crew at Analog Music Company "took a nice, pretty, normal" Boss DS-1 Distortion and rebuilt it into the Evil Pumpkin1. Guitar Pedal X, covering the pedal's later editions, calls it "a Boss DS-1 Distortion at its core, but circuit-bent to the next level"2. The result sits far from a conventional fuzz or distortion box: the bent circuit reacts unpredictably, and the pedal is as much an instrument for noise exploration as a dirt pedal.
Twelve switches and three knobs
The controls are the heart of the pedal. Each of the twelve switches has three positions, and each position interacts with the Tone, Level and Distortion knobs. Pedal of the Day explains why the interaction matters: the circuit reacts to the pots' resistance, so moving a knob has a big effect on the sound even with the switches unchanged1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| 12 switches, 3 positions each | Rewire the bent DS-1 circuit; each position interacts with the knobs1 |
| Distortion knob | Sets the amount of distortion; switches interact with its position1 |
| Tone knob | Shapes the tone; switches interact with its position1 |
| Level knob | Sets output level; switches interact with its position1 |
| Photoelement sensor | Controls the output signal by the amount of light reaching it1 |
There is no way to store or recall settings on the Evil Pumpkin. Pedal of the Day warns that "if you ever hope to replicate the awesome settings that you find, you'll have to write them down. All of them."1 Keeping a notebook with the pedal is a practical habit for this kind of switch-and-knob instrument.
The light sensor is the pedal's most unusual control. Adjusting the light that reaches the photoelement changes the output signal, so shading it with a hand or playing near a lamp becomes part of playing the pedal. Pedal of the Day's verdict on it: "while it might not be the most practical application here, it sure is fun to experiment with!"1
Versions: from porcupine to Ghazala Edition
The Evil Pumpkin has gone through more than one form. Guitar Pedal X describes the V1 edition as "a sort of porcupine of a pedal" with eleven 3-way toggle switches along its perimeter and a twelfth switch on the front face for LFO and Theremin components3. The current Ghazala Edition, described as essentially a V2, was wholly revised by Analog Music Company's Kostiantyn Kozlovskyi: it uses a Boss DS-1 with a separate enclosure holding eleven three-way switches, which Guitar Pedal X counts as 177,147 combinations3.
The Ghazala Edition adds features the original Synth Fuzz does not have. Its top three Mission Control switches can be used while the pedal is bypassed, controlling a series of drones; Guitar Pedal X recommends combinations including 1A + 2C, 1A + 2A and 1A + 2B3. The edition also ships with documented presets, such as the Oscillo-Grunge preset (0C : 1C : 2A : 3B : 4B : 5B : 6B : 7B : 8B : 9C : 10C : 11B), an oscillating grungy fuzzstortion that works even in bypass3.
Guitar Pedal X reported in May 2024 that the original DS-1 version of the Evil Pumpkin had been "more recently replaced by its larger Ghazala sibling"2. Players looking for the twelve-switch Synth Fuzz format should be aware the current edition differs in layout.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day found the pedal hard to pin down: "The Evil Pumpkin is really, really difficult to describe, as we're not quite sure what most of the switches it's littered with actually do." The same review lists the results as killer distortion tones, blissed-out fuzz, droning, synth effects, tremolo and more1.
Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson compared the pedal to the Lastgasp Super Oscillo Fuzz, calling it a hugely impressive device2. Karlsson owns a Ghazala Edition himself, unit #025 in the Black and Orange colourway, and calls the pedals incredibly good value considering the work that goes into each unit3. Across both reviews the theme is the same: this is an instrument for players who want to explore, not a pedal with one predictable sound.
Videos
Analog Music Company
Eirik Stordrange
TheGuitarGeek
Questions
What pedal is the Evil Pumpkin Synth Fuzz based on?
It is built on the Boss DS-1 Distortion. Analog Music Company took a standard DS-1 and circuit-bent it, adding twelve three-position switches that rewire the circuit's nodes. Guitar Pedal X describes it as a Boss DS-1 at its core, bent to the next level, and Pedal of the Day traces the pedal directly to a modified DS-1.
How many switches does the Evil Pumpkin have?
The Evil Pumpkin Synth Fuzz has twelve switches, each with three positions. Every switch position interacts with the settings of the Tone, Level and Distortion knobs, so the number of possible sounds is very large. The later Ghazala Edition uses eleven three-way switches in a separate enclosure, which Guitar Pedal X counts as 177,147 combinations.
What does the light sensor on the Evil Pumpkin do?
The pedal has a built-in photoelement sensor that lets you control the output signal by adjusting the amount of light reaching it. Pedal of the Day found it might not be the most practical application, but said it is fun to experiment with.
Can you save or recall settings on the Evil Pumpkin?
No. There is no preset or memory system, and Pedal of the Day notes that if you ever hope to replicate the settings you find, you will have to write them down, all of them. With twelve switches and three knobs interacting, a found sound is easy to lose.
What kinds of sounds can the Evil Pumpkin make?
Pedal of the Day lists killer distortion tones, blissed-out fuzz, droning, synth effects and tremolo among the results. Because the switches rewire a distortion circuit at its nodes, the pedal moves between conventional dirt and full-on experimental noise depending on switch positions.
Sources (3)
- Analog Music Company The Evil Pumpkin Synth Fuzz, Pedal of the Day, 2020-10-10
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-05-09
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2023-01-05
