The Bardic Audio Bootgazer is a fuzz/modulated delay combo pedal: two effects in one box, with a routing order option one stomp away. The fuzz side is not a generic fuzz, according to Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio, who described the pedal as "the most rootin tootin fuzz/delay combo in the Midwest" when it was covered in May 20211. It belongs to the wider family of fuzz pedals and delay pedals, combined here in a single enclosure.
The fuzz section
The fuzz section is a three-channel parallel mixer containing a Russian Muff, a Fuzzrite and a 20dB clean boost, all running together rather than as switchable options1. Two knobs shape the Muff side of that mix:
The delay section
The delay section is equipped with trails and a modulation circuit1. Its controls are:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Time | Delay time control from 30ms to 400ms1 |
| Mix | Blend control for the delay1 |
| Depth | Controls the depth of LFO modulation1 |
Footswitches and routing
The Bootgazer has three footswitches. A center footswitch called Order changes the routing order of the two effects, so the delay can sit before or after the fuzz, and a separate footswitch called Gaze turns the delay section on and off1. Switching is soft-touch throughout1.
Bypass and where it fits on a board
The Bootgazer uses buffered bypass rather than true bypass, and the buffered section begins at the beginning of the delay to allow for trails, with minor EQ sculpting in the buffered bypass1. For players planning a board, that placement matters:
"For these two reasons, the Bootgazer might be best suited for a spot in a true bypass looper."
The two reasons he gives are the buffer placement and a possible delay clock signal in the bypassed signal. Players using a switching pedal or looper setup can therefore keep the Bootgazer's buffer out of the chain when it is not in use1.
Power and connections
The Bootgazer runs on a 9VDC center-negative power supply, with top mounted jacks, a 2.2M ohm input impedance and a 100 ohm output impedance1.
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Questions
What fuzz circuits are inside the Bardic Audio Bootgazer?
The fuzz section is a three-channel parallel mixer built from a Russian Muff style circuit, a Fuzzrite style circuit, and a 20dB clean boost. The Gain and Tone knobs shape the Muff side of that mix, and the three voices run together rather than one at a time.
Can the Bootgazer put the delay before the fuzz?
Yes. A center footswitch called Order changes the routing order of the two effects one stomp away, so the delay can run into the fuzz or after it. A separate footswitch called Gaze turns the delay section on and off.
Is the Bootgazer true bypass?
No. The Bootgazer uses buffered bypass, and the buffered section begins at the start of the delay to allow for trails, with minor EQ sculpting in the buffered bypass. Delicious Audio's reviewer suggested it might be best suited for a spot in a true bypass looper because of the buffer placement and a possible delay clock signal in the bypassed signal.
Does the Bootgazer delay have trails?
Yes. The delay section is equipped with trails and a modulation circuit, and the buffered section starts at the beginning of the delay specifically to allow those trails to ring out after the effect is switched off.
Where is the Bootgazer built?
The Bootgazer is handmade in Dundee, Michigan.
Sources (1)
- Bardic Audio Bootgazer Fuzz/Modulated Delay, Delicious Audio, 2021-05-14