The Big Game Pedals Nothing Is Dead Fuzz is a fuzz pedal built by Ryan of Big Game Pedals in Chicago. What sets it apart from most small-builder fuzzes is that it is customizable: buyers pick and choose the options they want when ordering, so the pedal can be specced to taste before it is ever built.1
The pedal earned a strong verdict from Pedal of the Day, whose reviewer Mike B called it "one of my new favorite fuzzes" and described its character in no uncertain terms1:
"This fuzz is loud, raw, raunchy and powerful, but still retains clarity and crispness even at high volumes, and will really make your amp scream."
That combination, a fuzz that pushes an amp hard without turning to mud at stage volume, is the headline here. Players comparing it with other fuzz approaches can also look at Big Game Pedals' FY-2 Fuzz, or at the wider field of overdrive and distortion pedals for gentler flavors of dirt1.
Controls: four knobs and two toggles
The Nothing Is Dead Fuzz keeps its faceplate simple: four knobs and two toggle switches1.
| Control | Type | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Volume | Knob | Sets the pedal's output level1 |
| Tone | Knob | Shapes the treble content1 |
| Sustain | Knob | Controls the amount of fuzz sustain1 |
| Mids | Knob | Shapes the midrange1 |
| Diode | Toggle | Selects between Silicon, LED and no diodes1 |
| Tone Bypass | Toggle | Takes the EQ section completely out of the pedal1 |
The two toggles are where the pedal earns its flexibility. As the Pedal of the Day review put it, the Diode switch makes "it super easy to dial in a bunch of different sounds" from one pedal1. The Tone Bypass was singled out too: "The Tone Bypass is a cool feature, too, as it takes the EQ section completely out of the pedal, thus adding another layer" of rawness to the sound1.
The Creamy Dreamer mod
Among the options a buyer can choose is the "Creamy Dreamer" mod. According to the Pedal of the Day review, it "basically just makes the Nothing Is Dead Fuzz more powerful, adding more gain to the circuit"1. In practice that means a hotter, more saturated fuzz for players who want the pedal pushed further than the standard build goes.
The Nothing Is Dead Fuzz is a hand-built pedal from a small builder, and its configuration is chosen at order time rather than fixed at the factory. The options you select, such as the Creamy Dreamer mod, determine how the finished pedal is voiced.1
Videos
Pedal of the Day
Questions
What does the diode switch do on the Nothing Is Dead Fuzz?
The Diode toggle selects between Silicon, LED and no diodes at all. Because the clipping diodes shape how the fuzz compresses and breaks up, the three positions make it easy to dial in a range of different sounds from the same pedal, which is part of what makes the Nothing Is Dead so flexible for a small-builder fuzz.
What does the Tone Bypass toggle do?
The Tone Bypass toggle takes the EQ section completely out of the pedal. With the tone shaping removed, the fuzz runs with another layer of rawness, letting the full unfiltered character of the circuit come through when you want it.
What is the Creamy Dreamer mod?
The Creamy Dreamer mod is an option Big Game Pedals offers on the Nothing Is Dead Fuzz. It basically makes the pedal more powerful by adding more gain to the circuit, pushing the fuzz into a hotter, more saturated place than the standard build.
Can you choose the options when you order a Nothing Is Dead Fuzz?
Yes. The Nothing Is Dead Fuzz is customizable, letting the buyer pick and choose what options they want when ordering. That includes choices such as the Creamy Dreamer mod, so two pedals ordered from Big Game Pedals need not be built the same way.
Sources (1)
- Big Game Pedals Nothing Is Dead Fuzz, Pedal of the Day, 2015-04-23
