The Big Joe Stomp Box Freakshow Germanium Fuzz, or B-313, is a 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, and Pedal of the Day echoed the same language, calling it a fuzz with "rich, fat and creamy fuzz tones"2. Guitar.com, covering the pedal's announcement, wrote that "It'll give you all the rich, fat creamy fuzz tones that you desire"3. The pedal became available on Halloween 20183.
A fat, creamy germanium fuzz
The B-313 is one of two Freakshow fuzzes Big Joe designed around the same basic box, one germanium and one silicon. As the maker puts it, "Be it Germanium or Silicon, we've designed a fuzz box to suit your preferred tonal flavor"41. The Germanium version carries the model number B-313 and uses two NOS matched transistors; Pedal of the Day specifies them as "two 60's NOS matched germanium transistors"2, and Guitar.com likewise reported "'60s NOS matched transistors"3.
Germanium transistors behave differently from the silicon parts in most modern fuzzes, and one practical consequence is temperature drift. Big Joe addresses this with a Temp control, which Pedal of the Day explains "allows the user to re-adjust the germanium transis[tors] depending on varying temperature conditions"2. The Temp control is not available on the Silicon version.
Pedal of the Day reviewed the Germanium version in November 2019 and summed it up as "one complete and tasty fuzz"2.
"and you've got one complete and tasty fuzz"
The controls
The control layout splits into a top row of the familiar fuzz knobs and a set of external trim-style controls underneath. Pedal of the Day describes the top row: "Tone, Fuzz and Output control adorn the top row of the parameters, offering up just what you need to get an excellent ba[se fuzz sound]"2.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Tone | Shapes the base fuzz sound, top row2 |
| Fuzz | Sets the fuzz amount, top row2 |
| Output | Sets the level, top row2 |
| Bias | External control offering flexibility with symmetry, gain structure, and clipping1 |
| Trim | External control offering flexibility with symmetry, gain structure, and clipping1 |
| Temp | Re-adjusts the germanium transistors for varying temperature conditions; Germanium version only2 |
| Buffer switch | Selectable input impedance buffer circuit1 |
Guitar.com noted that the Bias and Trim controls "open up the tonal textures of the pedals by offering latitude in clipping, gain structure and symmetry"3. Both controls also appear on the Silicon version, so they are part of the shared Freakshow design rather than a germanium-only feature5.
The buffer switch
A selectable input impedance Buffer circuit is built into the pedal. Big Joe says it "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. Guitar.com described it as a switch "that can be activated to eliminate high-end roll-off when the pedal is placed after oth[er effects]"3.
This matters for pedalboard placement. The B-313's selectable input impedance Buffer circuit helps remove high-end roll off and oscillation when the fuzz is not first in the signal chain, and its Buffer switch can be activated to eliminate high-end roll off when the pedal is placed after other effects13.
Germanium versus Silicon
The Freakshow line is one design in two flavors. The B-312 Freakshow Fuzz (Silicon) is the silicon counterpart, and Pedal of the Day called it "a completely different animal than its big brother, the B-313 Germanium Freakshow Fuzz"5. The two share the Tone, Fuzz and Output top row plus the external Bias and Trim controls5, but the Silicon version lacks the Temp control, since silicon transistors do not need the same temperature compensation2.
The price also differs between the two: Guitar.com reported at launch that "The Freakshow Germanium Fuzz and Silicon Fuzz list for $189.95 and $149.95, respectively"3. Big Joe's product page still lists the Germanium version's regular price at $189.951.
Videos
Pedal of the Day
Clark Engelbert
Questions
What transistors does the Big Joe Freakshow Germanium Fuzz use?
The B-313 Freakshow Fuzz (Germanium) is built around two NOS matched germanium transistors. Pedal of the Day describes them as two 60's NOS matched germanium transistors, and the maker says they nail the vintage-style fuzzed out fun. Because germanium transistors drift with temperature, the pedal adds a Temp control to re-adjust them.
What is the difference between the Freakshow Germanium and Silicon fuzz?
The B-313 Germanium and B-312 Silicon are two versions of the same Big Joe fuzz design, voiced for different tonal flavors. The Germanium version uses NOS matched germanium transistors and adds a Temp control that the Silicon version lacks. Pedal of the Day called the Silicon version a completely different animal than its big brother, the B-313 Germanium.
What does the buffer switch do on the Freakshow Germanium Fuzz?
The pedal has 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. Guitar.com described the Buffer switch as something you can activate to eliminate high-end roll-off when the pedal is placed after other effects.
What do the Bias and Trim controls do?
Bias and Trim are external controls that offer flexibility with symmetry, gain structure, and clipping. Guitar.com said the two controls open up the tonal textures of the pedals by offering latitude in clipping, gain structure and symmetry. They appear on both the Germanium and Silicon versions of the Freakshow.
How much does the Big Joe Freakshow Germanium Fuzz cost?
The Freakshow Germanium Fuzz lists for $189.95. That price was reported by Guitar.com when the pedal was announced in 2018, and Big Joe's product page still lists the regular price at $189.95. The Silicon version lists for $149.95.
Sources (5)
- B-313 FREAKSHOW FUZZ (GERMANIUM), 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 unveils two Freakshow Fuzz pedals, Guitar.com, 2018-07-30
- B-312 FREAKSHOW FUZZ (SILICON), Big Joe Stomp Box Company
- Big Joe Stomp Box Co. B-312 Freakshow Fuzz (Silicon), Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com), 2019-10-12
