The Black Cat Superfuzz is a fuzz pedal from Black Cat that the maker describes as a two-stage octave doubling fuzz. Alongside the fuzz itself, it can produce an octave doubling sound at higher distortion settings, so it sits in the same family of octave fuzzes as other designs in the fuzz pedal field.1
What it does
The Superfuzz works in two amplifier stages. The Distortion control sits between them: it controls the amount of signal that passes from the first stage amplifier to the second stage amplifier. More signal passing gives more distortion, and turning the control up gives a fuzzier, octave doubled sound.1
The Expander (Volume) control sets the overall output of the unit.1
The tone switch is a two-position switch that selects between two different operation modes1:
- Up: a straight fuzz sound
- Down: a muted, "NOTCH" filtered sound1
Black Cat's own guidance for finding the sound is to turn the Distortion control to about 3 o'clock for a screaming fuzz sound, while turning it all the way up gives the fuzziest setting.1
Controls at a glance
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Distortion | Sets how much signal passes from the first stage to the second stage; more signal means more distortion and a fuzzier octave doubled sound |
| Expander (Volume) | Controls the overall output of the unit |
| Tone switch | Two positions: up for a straight fuzz sound, down for a muted "NOTCH" filtered sound |
Videos
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Aaron Ginn
Questions
What does the Distortion control do on the Black Cat Superfuzz?
It controls the amount of signal that passes from the first stage amplifier to the second stage amplifier. More signal passing gives more distortion, and turning it up gives a fuzzier, octave doubled sound. Black Cat notes that a screaming fuzz sound comes with the control at about 3 o'clock, while turning it all the way up gives the fuzziest setting.
What does the tone switch on the Superfuzz do?
The two-position tone switch selects between two operation modes. In the up position you get a straight fuzz sound, and in the down position you get a muted, notch-filtered sound.
Sources (1)
- Black Cat Superfuzz manual, Analog Man, 2015
