The Fnord is an octaver and fuzz pedal from Black Arts Toneworks. The maker describes it as a circuit "with some twists": it blends a scrambler or octaver type fuzz with a more traditional fuzz or distortion, so a player can run an octave-up squish alongside a straight fuzz voice in one box1. It sits in the broader family of fuzz pedals, and Black Arts Toneworks builds it alongside fuzz-oriented siblings like the Destroyer and the Sarcophagus.
Sound and controls
The core idea is a blend. According to the technical analysis published on Tagboard Effects, the Fnord's final knob "acts as a blend between the straight square wave and the output of the octave," letting the player set how much raw square-wave fuzz sits against the octave signal2. That is what separates the Fnord from a plain fuzz or a plain octave and pitch pedal: the two voices are mixed inside the pedal rather than stacked on a board.
Circuit origins
The Fnord is based on Tim Escobedo's Digital Octave Fuzz. The Tagboard Effects analysis states plainly that "this is based on the Escobedo circuit," and adds that Black Arts Toneworks "weren't secretive about it when they told us it was coming out"2. At the heart of the design is a CD4070, an XOR logic gate IC, which is what produces the octave character in the Escobedo circuit2.
For builders, the same analysis offers practical notes on the clipping stage:
- 1N4148 diodes for clipping "works perfect"2
- 3mm red LEDs "works nice too"2
- Switching diodes into the circuit causes a volume drop2
- A diode switch was added as a DPDT in the Tagboard layout; in the original schematic it appeared only as a SPST2
Versions
The Fnord has been through several editions. A V2 Special Introductory Edition was offered with a re-introductory graphic limited to 25 units, and that edition is now marked sold out on the maker's page3. The current version, the Fnord V3, is listed as available now on Black Arts Toneworks' site4.
The V2 Special Introductory Edition was limited to 25 units and is sold out3. The Fnord V3 is the version currently available4.
Demos
Black Arts Toneworks shares two YouTube demo videos of the Fnord on its own site, submitted by a player named Nick C., which the maker introduces as a "very good demo of the Fnord"5.
Power
The Fnord operates on a standard 9VDC power supply and has no battery connection1. Like the Destroyer V2, which also lists no battery connection6, it is a pedal to plan your power for: a battery will not be an option, so it needs a spot on a supply.
Videos
BlackArtsToneworks
BlackArtsToneworks
Mark Hentschel Music
Questions
Does the Black Arts Toneworks Fnord take a battery?
No. Black Arts Toneworks states on the Fnord product page that there is no battery connection. The pedal runs on a standard 9VDC power supply, so plan on using a dedicated output or a supply with enough current headroom rather than expecting to run it from a 9V battery inside the enclosure.
What circuit is the Fnord based on?
The Fnord is based on Tim Escobedo's Digital Octave Fuzz circuit. The technical analysis on Tagboard Effects identifies it as the Escobedo design and notes that Black Arts Toneworks was not secretive about the origin, having told the community the pedal was coming out before its release.
What chip does the Fnord use?
The Fnord uses a CD4070, an XOR logic gate integrated circuit. In the Escobedo Digital Octave Fuzz design the chip's logic is what generates the octave-up content that gets blended against the straight square-wave fuzz signal.
Can you use LEDs for clipping in the Fnord circuit?
Yes, for builders working on the circuit: Tagboard Effects reports that 1N4148 diodes for clipping work perfectly and that 3mm red LEDs also work nicely. The same analysis notes that switching diodes into the circuit causes a volume drop, which is worth knowing if you add a clipping selector.
Sources (6)
- FNORD | Black Arts Toneworks, Black Arts Toneworks
- Guitar FX Layouts: Black Arts Toneworks Fnord, tagboardeffects.blogspot.com, 2014-02-18
- Fnord V2 Special Introductory Edition, Black Arts Toneworks
- Fnord V3, Black Arts Toneworks
- New Fnord Demo, Black Arts Toneworks
- Destroyer, Black Arts Toneworks
