The Ananashead Spirit Fuzz is a hand-made fuzz pedal from Barcelona built on the circuit of the Jordan Boss Tone, a simple two-transistor fuzz from the plug-in era of effects. Guitar Pedal X describes it as "an enhanced Jordan Boss Tone-style fuzz", with an output that has been improved with less hiss and more low end, then filtered for a stronger signal1. Premier Guitar's reviewer called it "equally thrilling, and genuinely idiosyncratic when it runs at full tilt"2.
Where it comes from
The Jordan Boss Tone was a fuzz/distortion unit built around a two-transistor circuit. JHS Pedals' history of Jordan Electronics notes that "this simple two-transistor fuzz circuit sounds really cool across the board", and a period-correct build pairs an NPN transistor at Q1 with a PNP at Q25. The Boss Tone is the circuit behind the Spirit Fuzz: as Premier Guitar puts it, "Gurley did his work with a Jordan Boss Tone, which is the inspiration for the Ananashead Spirit Fuzz"2. Guitar Pedal X's coverage of the Jordan revival places the Spirit Fuzz alongside the Jordan Spirit in the Sky Fuzz as another Boss Tone-style variant6.
Ananashead also builds other fuzzes in the same hand-made line, including the Main Fuzz and the MARK2.
The controls
The Spirit Fuzz keeps things to two knobs, in the manner of the circuit it is based on13.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Sets the output level3 |
| Attack | Goes from clean to buzzy fuzz with some fuzzy overdrive in-between3 |
The pedal also has shielded inputs and outputs to avoid RF interference1.
The Spirit Fuzz runs on a filtered and protected 9VDC input3 and draws only 1mA1, so it will sit comfortably on any standard 9V supply or daisy chain.
What reviewers found
Premier Guitar's review is the fullest published account. The reviewer found that the pedal pairs especially well with certain pickups: "The Spirit loves humbuckers, which coax real sweetness from the circuit", a quality that shines when paired with neck-position humbuckers2. With a Jaguar's bridge pickup into a Fender Vibrolux with the reverb at 10, the reviewer reported that "it was one of the most haunting fuzz sounds I can remember playing"2.
Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson, covering the pedal at its release, highlighted the circuit work: the output has been improved with less hiss and more low end in the signal, which is then "really cleverly filtered"1.
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Questions
What circuit is the Ananashead Spirit Fuzz based on?
The Spirit Fuzz is based on the Jordan Boss Tone, a simple two-transistor fuzz circuit. Premier Guitar notes that Gurley, the player behind the original sound, did his work with a Boss Tone, and that circuit is the inspiration for the Ananashead Spirit Fuzz. Guitar Pedal X describes it as an enhanced Boss Tone-style fuzz with improved output.
Is the Spirit Fuzz true bypass?
Yes. Guitar Pedal X reports that the Spirit Fuzz uses Popless True Bypass switching, so the pedal is out of the signal path when off and does not pop when engaged.
Where is the Ananashead Spirit Fuzz made?
The Spirit Fuzz is hand-made in Barcelona, according to Premier Guitar. The pedals are available and can be purchased directly from the Ananashead online store.
Does the Spirit Fuzz work well with humbuckers?
Premier Guitar's reviewer found that the Spirit loves humbuckers, which coax real sweetness from the circuit, and that this quality shines when paired with neck-position humbuckers.
How much current does the Spirit Fuzz draw?
Guitar Pedal X lists the current draw at 1mA, with a filtered and protected 9VDC input. That is light enough for any standard pedalboard power supply.
Sources (6)
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-02-26
- Ananashead Spirit Fuzz Review, Premier Guitar, 2025-05-06
- Discover Vintage Tone with Ananashead's Spirit Fuzz, Premier Guitar, 2025-01-13
- The Year In Gear 2025, Premier Guitar, 2025-11-07
- THE LEGACY OF JORDAN ELECTRONICS, JHS Pedals
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-04-17
