The BLAMMO! Electronics Skrambler is an analog octave fuzz pedal, billed by its maker as "analog octave fuzz with bite"1. It is a two-in-one design: one setting is a faithful recreation of the classic MK1 Ampeg Scrambler circuit, and the other is BLAMMO!'s own heavily modified take on it. The pedal is handmade in Portland, Oregon and lists for $154.991.
Two circuits in one pedal
The Skrambler's two modes are selected on the pedal, and they are quite different animals1:
- Stock mode: an unadulterated version of the classic MK1 Ampeg Scrambler, made with high quality, low noise modern components1
- MOD mode: BLAMMO!'s beefed-up version, described by the maker as "a blown out, skrambled octave up fuzz tone that reacts to the guitars volume, tone, and pickup selector controls by oscillating between normal and glitchy, half-broken guitar sounds"1
In MOD mode, the Texture control is the main playing surface. BLAMMO! describes using it to mix between "biting feedbacked fuzz that yelps or touch sensitive, gated crackly sounds that get quite between notes or when not playing"1. As with most octave fuzzes, the guitar's own volume, tone and pickup selector become part of the effect in this mode, shifting the pedal between its cleaner and more broken-up personalities as you play1.
Controls and switching
| Feature | What it does |
|---|---|
| Texture control | Mixes between biting, feedbacking fuzz and touch-sensitive, gated crackly sounds in MOD mode1 |
| Stock/MOD mode | Switches between the MK1 Ampeg Scrambler recreation and the modified BLAMMO! version1 |
| Footswitch | Momentary or latching relay based softswitching1 |
The relay based softswitching means the footswitch can work either momentarily (effect on only while held) or latching (on/off with each press), which suits players who like to stab an octave fuzz in and out mid-phrase1.
Power and build
The Skrambler accepts the industry standard 2.1mm center negative DC power jack and draws 52mA1. It uses Panasonic film caps in the signal path1 and sits in a 125 enclosure finished in silver powder coat1.
The maker's specifications list a DC power jack and a 52mA current draw but no battery option, so plan to run the Skrambler from a pedal power supply.
Where it sits in the BLAMMO! range
The Skrambler is one of several hand-built fuzzes from BLAMMO! Electronics, most of which revisit a classic circuit with modern parts: the Skronk Machine (a germanium take on the Zonk Machine), the Slob (a clean octave blend fuzz), the Buzzaround (based on the Burns Buzzaround), the P2P Tone Bender MKi and the L.A. Square Face. For the wider category, see the site's Fuzz Pedals and Octave & Pitch Pedals pages1.
Videos
BLAMMO! Electronics
Harsh Tones, Inc.
Fuzzed Drones
Questions
Is the BLAMMO! Skrambler true bypass?
Yes. BLAMMO! Electronics lists the Skrambler as true bypass, so when the pedal is off your guitar signal passes through without the fuzz circuit loading it. The pedal also uses momentary or latching relay based softswitching, which is how the footswitch communicates with the bypass relay rather than a mechanical switch carrying the signal directly.
How much current does the BLAMMO! Skrambler draw?
BLAMMO! Electronics lists the current draw at 52mA. That is well within what a standard isolated pedal power supply output provides, but it is worth knowing the figure when budgeting the outputs of a daisy chain or a small supply brick.
What is the difference between Stock mode and MOD mode on the Skrambler?
Stock mode is, in BLAMMO!'s words, an unadulterated version of the classic MK1 Ampeg Scrambler built with high quality, low noise modern parts. MOD mode is the beefed-up BLAMMO version: a blown out, skrambled octave up fuzz tone that reacts to the guitar's volume, tone and pickup selector controls by oscillating between normal and glitchy, half-broken guitar sounds.
Does the BLAMMO! Skrambler take a battery?
The maker's product page does not list battery operation. It specifies a 2.1mm center negative DC power jack and a 52mA current draw, so plan on running it from a standard pedal power supply.
Where is the BLAMMO! Skrambler made?
BLAMMO! Electronics states that the Skrambler is handmade with care in Portland, Oregon. The company builds a range of fuzz pedals by hand there, including the Skronk Machine, the Slob and the Buzzaround.
Sources (1)
- Skrambler, BLAMMO! Electronics
