The Big Joe B-313 FREAKSHOW FUZZ (GERMANIUM) is an analog fuzz pedal from Big Joe Stomp Box Company. It is the germanium sibling of the B-312 Freakshow Fuzz (Silicon), built around two NOS matched germanium transistors that the maker says "nail all of the vintage-style fuzzed out fun"12. Big Joe describes the pedal as "highly responsive, fat sounding, and harmonically-rich"1.
What sets the B-313 apart from many fuzz boxes is its set of external trim controls. Alongside the usual Tone, Fuzz and Output knobs, it carries Bias, Trim and Temp controls, plus a selectable input impedance buffer, so a player can tune the fuzz to their rig and to the weather rather than living with whatever the transistors happen to be doing that day13.
The controls
Pedal of the Day's review lays out the panel in two groups: the top row of Tone, Fuzz and Output handles the base fuzz sound, while the Bias, Trim and Temp controls sit alongside as tuning tools3.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Tone | Top-row control for shaping the base fuzz sound3 |
| Fuzz | Top-row control for the base fuzz sound3 |
| Output | Sets the level13 |
| Bias | External control offering flexibility with symmetry, gain structure and clipping13 |
| Trim | External control offering flexibility with symmetry, gain structure and clipping13 |
| Temp | Re-adjusts the germanium transistors as temperature conditions vary3 |
| Buffer | Switches in the selectable input impedance buffer circuit12 |
The Bias and Trim controls are the working heart of the pedal for tinkerers. Big Joe says both Freakshow pedals have external Bias and Trim controls "offering flexibility with symmetry, gain structure, and clipping"1, which means a player can push the circuit toward asymmetric clipping, dial in more or less gain, or clean up the character without opening the enclosure.
The Temp control is unique to the germanium version. Pedal of the Day notes it "allows the user to re-adjust the germanium transis[tors]" when temperature conditions vary, and that it is not available on the silicon version3. Germanium transistors drift with heat, so this knob is effectively a bias refresh for a hot stage or a cold rehearsal room.
The buffer switch matters most if the B-313 is not first in your chain. Big Joe says the selectable input impedance buffer circuit "gives you a brighter sound, but also helps remove high-end roll off and osci[llation]" when the fuzz is not first in the signal chain1. Pedal of the Day echoed the same point in its review3. If you run the pedal straight after your guitar, you can leave it off for the darker, vintage-style loading; if it sits later on the board, switch it in.
Germanium and silicon versions
The Freakshow Fuzz comes in two versions: the B-313 germanium and the B-312 silicon. Big Joe frames the choice as a matter of taste: "Be it Germanium or Silicon, we've designed a fuzz box to suit your preferred tonal flavor"12. The maker describes the silicon version as "brighter, has a modern sound, and more gain, so it's sure to deliver that high-gain ferocity you've always been aft[er]"1, while the germanium B-313 is the fat, harmonically-rich, vintage-flavored option1.
| B-313 (Germanium) | B-312 (Silicon) | |
|---|---|---|
| Transistors | Two NOS matched germanium transistors13 | Silicon-based fuzz circuit3 |
| Character | Highly responsive, fat sounding, harmonically-rich13 | Brighter, modern sound, more gain1 |
| Bias and Trim | Yes, external13 | Yes, external12 |
| Temp control | Yes3 | No3 |
| Buffer | Selectable input impedance buffer12 | Selectable input impedance buffer3 |
Pedal of the Day reviewed both pedals, calling the B-312 "a completely different animal than its big brother, the B-313 Germanium Freakshow Fuzz"4. Of the germanium version, the reviewer wrote that it "is highly responsive, fat sounding, and harmonically-rich" and delivers "rich, fat and creamy fuzz tones", summing up the pedal as "one complete and tasty fuzz"3.
"and you've got one complete and tasty fuzz"
Videos
Pedal of the Day
Clark Engelbert
Questions
Is the Big Joe Freakshow Fuzz true bypass?
Yes. Big Joe Stomp Box Company lists the B-313 FREAKSHOW FUZZ (GERMANIUM) as true bypass, so with the pedal disengaged the signal passes through without buffering. It also carries a status LED so you can see the effect state on a dark stage.
What transistors are in the Freakshow Fuzz Germanium?
The B-313 uses two NOS matched germanium transistors, which the maker says deliver the vintage-style fuzz character. Pedal of the Day described them as two 60's NOS matched germanium transistors. The Temp control lets you re-adjust them as temperature changes.
What does the buffer switch do on the Freakshow Fuzz?
It switches in a selectable input impedance buffer circuit. Big Joe says it gives a brighter sound and helps remove high-end roll off and oscillation when the fuzz is not first in the signal chain, which is useful if the pedal sits after other effects.
Can the B-313 run on a 9V battery?
Yes. The pedal runs on a 9V battery or a 9V DC power supply through a 2.1 mm x 5.5 mm barrel connector with center negative polarity. The power supply is not included with the pedal.
What is the difference between the B-312 and B-313?
The B-313 is the germanium version and the B-312 is the silicon version of the same Freakshow Fuzz design. Big Joe describes the silicon pedal as brighter with a more modern sound and more gain, while the germanium B-313 adds a Temp control the B-312 does not have.
Sources (4)
- B-313 FREAKSHOW FUZZ (GERMANIUM), Big Joe Stomp Box Company
- B-312 FREAKSHOW FUZZ (SILICON), Big Joe Stomp Box Company
- Big Joe Stomp Box Co. B-313 Freakshow Fuzz (Germanium), Pedal of the Day, 2019-11-19
- Big Joe Stomp Box Co. B-312 Freakshow Fuzz (Silicon), Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com), 2019-10-12
