The Black Arts Toneworks Rabid Mammal is a fuzz and boost pedal built for heavy guitar tones. It houses two separate circuits that Black Arts Toneworks says "compliment and push your tone in two different directions": a Fuzz function and a Boost function, each with its own controls and independent switching1. The pedal was developed working in tandem with Matt Pike of Sleep and High on Fire1.
The two halves are designed to work together. The Fuzz function "will add a thunderous amount of low mids and a foggy lowend with a somewhat loose sludgy feel," while the Boost function "will add a searing amount of treble and upper mids"1. Black Arts Toneworks suggests slamming the fuzz with the boost up front "to give an edgy crunch to rhythms, or a stand out lead"2. On the V2, the maker describes the combined character as "loose dark and fuzzy until the boost is engaged, then you'll get a super thick yet edgy tone"3.
The Rabid Mammal V2 is currently out of production, per the maker's product page3. The original was sold as a limited edition, hand signed by Matt Pike, with serial numbers assigned in the numerical order that paid pre-sale orders were received1.
What it does to your sound
The Rabid Mammal is aimed squarely at heavy styles. Black Arts Toneworks calls it "the solution for any heavy minded guitarist," delivering "fat dark Fuzz"2. The fuzz side sits dark and thick, with the loose, sludgy low end the maker describes, and the boost side adds the treble and upper-mid push that can cut through on a lead1.
Because the two circuits switch independently, you can use the boost on its own as a treble and volume lift, the fuzz on its own for the dark sludge, or both together for the boosted, edgy crunch1.
The controls
The two functions have separate control sets.
| Function | Controls | What they do |
|---|---|---|
| Fuzz | Volume, Fuzz, Tone, High, Pre | Distortion and volume controls, two-way Pharaoh-style tone controls, and an input trimmer (pre)21 |
| Fuzz toggle | LED / MOSFET | Selects the clipping type in the fuzz circuit1 |
| Boost | Treble, Volume | Sets the treble and volume of the boost1 |
The Pre control is an input trimmer, letting you set how hard the fuzz circuit is hit before the Fuzz control shapes the distortion itself2. The tone controls are two-way Pharaoh-style controls, tying the pedal's voicing to the tonestack Black Arts Toneworks uses in its Pharaoh fuzz family2.
On the V2, three toggles were added for alternate tonal shaping on top of the stock original Rabid Mammal tones3:
- The left RED/GRN toggle "gives a different mid anchor point to allow for mid scooping"3
- The right RED/GRN tone toggle "allows for a deeper cut into the mids"3
- Two of the toggles give alternate GREEN tones on the tone controls, a nod to the custom shop Rabid Mammal GREEN3
History and versions
The Rabid Mammal came out of a collaboration between Black Arts Toneworks and Matt Pike of Sleep and High on Fire1. The original release was a limited edition, hand signed by Pike, and the pre-order package bundled extras: a limited edition T-shirt in sizes small through XXL, an Ampsmasher's Union Jampack, a beer opener, three guitar picks, and stickers1. Artwork was by Matt Pike and Alyssa Maucere, with graphic layout by Jason at Gr8Scott Graphics1.
The V2 refined both circuits3:
| Section | Original | V2 |
|---|---|---|
| Fuzz | Fat dark fuzz with LED or MOSFET clipping2 | A partially stripped Supreme using the Pharaoh tonestack for blasted mids, with LED or MOSFET clipping3 |
| Boost | Treble and volume boost1 | A Witch Boost with an added GRN low-gain switch3 |
| Toggles | One LED/MOSFET clipping toggle1 | Three toggles for alternate tonal shaping3 |
Before the V2, the pedal was also available as a custom shop version called the Rabid Mammal GREEN3.
On the V2's boost side, the GRN low-gain switch is described by the maker as "a little less compressed giving a more solid and larger sonic boost"3.
Related Black Arts Toneworks pedals
The Rabid Mammal's circuits borrow from elsewhere in the maker's lineup. The V2's fuzz section is a partially stripped Pharaoh Supreme using the Pharaoh tonestack, and its boost is a Witch Boost3. Players comparing dark, heavy fuzzes from the same maker can also look at the Sarcophagus, Crown of Horns, and Coven.
Videos
BlackArtsToneworks
Does It Doom?
Dennis Kayzer
Questions
Is the Rabid Mammal still in production?
No. Black Arts Toneworks lists the Rabid Mammal V2 as currently out of production3. The original ran as a limited edition signed by Matt Pike, and a custom shop Rabid Mammal GREEN preceded the V213.
What circuits is the Rabid Mammal based on?
The V2's fuzz section is a partially stripped Supreme using the Pharaoh tonestack, with LED or MOSFET clipping. The boost section is a Witch Boost, which on the V2 adds a GRN low-gain switch for a less compressed, larger-sounding boost3.
What does the LED/MOSFET toggle do on the Rabid Mammal?
It selects the clipping type in the fuzz circuit: LED or MOSFET1. On the V2, two additional RED/GRN tone toggles shift the mid anchor point for mid scooping and allow a deeper cut into the mids3.
Is the Rabid Mammal true bypass?
Yes. Switching is independent and true bypass, so the fuzz and boost functions can be engaged separately without affecting your bypassed signal1.
Sources (3)
- Rabid Mammal Pre-Order, Black Arts Toneworks
- RABID MAMMAL, Black Arts Toneworks
- Rabid Mammal, Black Arts Toneworks
