The Black Cat OD-Fuzz Deluxe is a two-channel distortion and fuzz pedal that combines the Black Cat OD-1 with a modified Fuzz Face-style circuit in one enclosure. Each channel has its own set of controls and its own LED, and the two can be used separately or together. It is the latest evolution of the well-known Black Cat OD-Fuzz, to which it adds a trio of new controls.1
Two channels: overdrive plus fuzz
The overdrive side is built around the JFET OP275, which gearnews.com's reviewer credits with the pedal's characteristic "harsh" overdrive tones. The fuzz side is a modified Fuzz Face-style circuit, the same arrangement as the original Black Cat Pedals OD-Fuzz.2
Each channel has its own distinct sound. Black Cat describes the blend of both channels together as yielding an incredibly wide range of tones, from slightly overdriven to full-blown fuzz, and notes that the controls become highly interactive when both effects are engaged.1
The Deluxe adds three new controls to the existing OD-Fuzz format. Among them is a Bias control, which adjusts the bias of the fuzz circuit: by starving the circuit it simulates a dying battery, producing that sagging, degraded fuzz tone that vintage fuzzes fall into as their battery fades.32
"To my ears, the sound is very reminiscent of dirty '60s guitar tones."
From the OD-Fuzz to the Deluxe
The original OD-Fuzz paired the Black Cat OD-1 with a modified Fuzz Face-style circuit, and the Deluxe keeps that two-circuits-in-one-pedal approach while adding the new controls.3 Black Cat's line includes several other single-purpose fuzzes, among them the Bee Buzz, Wee Buzz, N-Fuzz, Monster K-Fuzz, Bass Octave Fuzz and Superfuzz, but the OD-Fuzz Deluxe is the one that puts drive and fuzz side by side.
Transistors, bypass and power
One gain stage uses a fixed NOS Philips BC109 silicon transistor, while the other stage uses either another NOS Philips BC109 or a NOS 1960s RCA germanium transistor, depending on the unit.2
Both channels are true bypass. The reviewer saw this as a practical advantage over the pedals that inspired it: "old '60s Fuzz Face pedals can be real tone suckers."2
The pedal can also be run from a power supply, which the reviewer notes is something old fuzz pedals would not usually offer.2
Unlike the old fuzz pedals it draws on, the Black Cat OD-Fuzz Deluxe can also be run from a power supply, something vintage fuzz units would not usually offer.3
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Questions
Is the Black Cat OD-Fuzz Deluxe true bypass?
Yes. Reviewing the pedal for gearnews.com, Jef noted that both channels are true-bypass, and pointed out why that matters on a pedal like this: old '60s Fuzz Face pedals, which the fuzz side is modeled on, can load down your guitar's signal noticeably. True bypass means the Deluxe stays out of your signal chain when it is switched off.
Where is the Black Cat OD-Fuzz Deluxe made?
In the USA. Each OD-Fuzz Deluxe is hand-wired and built in the United States, according to gearnews.com's 2016 review of the pedal.
Can the two channels be used at the same time?
Yes. The two channels can be used separately or together in combination, and Black Cat says the controls become highly interactive when both effects are engaged. Blending both channels yields a wide range of tones, from slightly overdriven to full-blown fuzz.
What does the Bias control do?
The Bias control adjusts the bias of the fuzz circuit. By starving the circuit, it simulates a dying battery, producing that classic sagging, degraded fuzz tone that old fuzz pedals drift into as their battery runs down.
Does it use germanium or silicon transistors?
Both, depending on the version. One gain stage uses a fixed NOS Philips BC109 silicon transistor, while the other stage uses either another NOS Philips BC109 or a NOS 1960s RCA germanium transistor.
How much does the Black Cat OD-Fuzz Deluxe cost?
At its 2016 announcement, the listed price was $215 plus shipping and taxes, according to gearnews.com. MusicRadar's NAMM 2017 report gave a figure of $210, so the two press reports disagree slightly.
Sources (3)
- Black Cat OD-Fuzz Deluxe, Delicious Audio, 2017-08-07
- Black Cat OD-Fuzz Deluxe: Two for the price of one!, gearnews.com, 2016-12-14
- Analog Man Black Cat OD-1 manual, Analog Man, 2015
