The BLAMMO! Electronics L.A. Square Face is a fuzz pedal in the Fuzz Face style, handmade in Portland, Oregon and priced at $154.991. It is BLAMMO!'s take on the Diaz Texas Square Face circuit made by Cesar Diaz, which itself was based on the Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face but used a different brand and style of transistors. Stevie Ray Vaughan was known for using a Diaz Texas Square Face, which the maker says is half the reason originals command such high prices today1.
Versions: silicon, germanium and hybrid
The L.A. Square Face comes in three versions, and the transistors are the difference1:
| Version | Transistors | LED | Character, per BLAMMO! |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silicon | BC108b, 250 to 400 hfe | Green | Familiar Fuzz Face response when dialing back the guitar's volume knob, with a bit more crunch when everything is dimed1 |
| Germanium | NTE103, 400 to 650 hfe | Red | A rattier, blown out voicing, kinda splatty and gated compared to the classic smooth woolly Fuzz Face sound1 |
| Hybrid | A mix of the two | Not stated | Leans more toward the silicon side in function and sound1 |
The germanium transistors are newly manufactured rather than new-old-stock1. Both sets of transistors run at higher gain than a standard Fuzz Face, which the maker gives as 80 to 110 hfe: the silicon sits at 250 to 400 hfe and the germanium at 400 to 650 hfe1.
Switching, jacks and build
Two changes set the pedal apart from a typical Fuzz Face-style build:
- Relay-based soft switching in true bypass. BLAMMO! swapped out the clicky 3PDT style footswitch for a much quieter relay-based soft-switching system set up in true bypass fashion1.
- Top-mounted jacks. The jacks are moved from the side to the top of the enclosure to help save space on a pedalboard1.
The build also includes audio grade Nichicon capacitors1.
The pedal accepts the standard 2.1mm center negative 9 volt DC adapter and draws 32mA1. No battery option is listed, so plan your power supply accordingly.
Where it sits in BLAMMO!'s range
BLAMMO! builds a family of fuzzes alongside the L.A. Square Face, including the Skronk Machine, a take on the Zonk Machine, the Buzzaround, based on the Burns Buzzaround, and the P2P Tone Bender MKi. For the wider field, see the site's Fuzz Pedals page.
Videos
BLAMMO! Electronics
Questions
What is the difference between the silicon and germanium BLAMMO! Square Face?
The silicon version uses BC108b transistors with a green LED and, according to BLAMMO!, keeps the familiar Fuzz Face response when dialing back the guitar's volume knob but with a bit more crunch when everything is dimed. The germanium version uses newly manufactured NTE103 germanium transistors with a red LED and a higher gain range, which the maker describes as a rattier, blown out voicing that is splatty and gated compared to the classic smooth woolly Fuzz Face sound. The Hybrid sits between the two, leaning toward the silicon side in function and sound.
Is the BLAMMO! L.A. Square Face true bypass?
Yes. BLAMMO! fits the pedal with a relay-based soft-switching system set up in true bypass fashion, replacing the clicky 3PDT style footswitch with what the maker describes as a much quieter system.
Does the BLAMMO! L.A. Square Face run on a battery?
The maker's product page lists power as a standard 2.1mm center negative 9 volt DC adapter, with a current draw of 32mA. No battery option is listed on the page.
What is a Diaz Texas Square Face?
The Diaz Texas Square Face was a fuzz pedal made by Cesar Diaz, based on the Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face but using a different brand and style of transistors. Stevie Ray Vaughan was known for using one, which BLAMMO! says is half the reason originals command such high prices today. The L.A. Square Face is BLAMMO!'s take on that circuit.
Where is the BLAMMO! L.A. Square Face made?
BLAMMO! describes the L.A. Square Face as handmade with care in Portland, Oregon.
Sources (1)
- L.A. Square Face, BLAMMO! Electronics
