The Boss FZ-1W Waza Craft is a compact fuzz pedal from Boss, introduced in November 2021 as part of the company's premium Waza Craft series of compact effect pedals123. It is a silicon fuzz built as an original circuit, but one with clear roots in vintage British fuzz: Boss analyzed several vintage fuzz circuits, including vintage Sola Sound Tone Bender units, when creating it4.
What sets it apart from most of the Waza Craft line is that it is not a reissue or a recreation of a specific past design. Boss states plainly that "the FZ-1W does not provide a reproduction of a past design. This pedal is our modern interpretation of vintage fuzz"1. It is also not a reissue of a vintage Boss fuzz: there is no non-Waza Craft FZ-15.
A modern fuzz with a Tone Bender influence
The FZ-1W arrived a few months after the Boss Waza Craft TB-2W Tone Bender, a limited edition collaboration between Boss and Sola Sound, the original Tone Bender manufacturer, that GuitarPlayer reported was developed jointly by the two companies102. The FZ-1W follows that pedal, and Premier Guitar notes that while Boss is quick to point out the FZ-1W is an original design, the company also says much of the inspiration and practical design experience came from the Tone Bender MkII via the TB-2W project2.
For a player, that lineage shows up in the sound. Premier Guitar's reviewer placed the pedal squarely in the Tone Bender's sonic camp, describing "grinding, growling chord tones, burly, angry-bee buzz, and brash-to-singing high-register lead sounds"2. The same reviewer found that even in vintage mode, a tight midrange focus gives leads a smoother, more vocal quality and keeps punky power chords big and detailed rather than collapsing into compressed mud2.
It is worth being clear about what the pedal is not. Played alongside authentic clones of various Tone Bender versions, the reviewer found the FZ-1W's voice "unquestionably unique," with the Tone Bender influence easy to hear but the pedal standing apart from straight clones2. Guitar World's fuzz buying guide makes a similar point from the circuit side, noting that Boss's use of silicon circuitry is less traditional compared to the original Tone Bender it aims for11. Where the original Maestro Fuzz-Tone FZ-1 used three germanium transistors12, the FZ-1W's silicon design is a deliberate modern choice, and Premier Guitar points out the practical consequence: silicon circuitry means it will not be as dynamically responsive to volume attenuation as a germanium Fuzz Face2.
Boss itself frames the pedal as a Waza Craft product through and through, with premium components and different operation modes like the rest of the series6. Guitar World describes the Waza Craft range as premium Boss pedals constructed in Japan using the highest quality components11, and Guitar.com's review lists the FZ-1W as made in Japan8.
The controls and the two modes
The front panel is simple: three knobs and a switch. Gearnews spotted the layout at launch, with controls for Level, Fuzz, and Tone along with a switch labeled V/M9, and GuitarPlayer confirmed the mode switch offers Vintage or Modern functions, labeled "V" and "M" respectively13.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Level | Sets the output volume4 |
| Fuzz | Sets the gain; Premier Guitar's reviewer found it produces distinctive, uncommon tones even at more modest gain ranges2 |
| Tone | Designed for deep sculpting to get the most out of both modes4; Premier Guitar found it has a very wide range, from dark to its brightest settings, without sounding shrill2 |
| V/M switch | Selects Vintage or Modern mode13 |
The two modes are where the pedal's split personality lives. Boss describes Vintage mode as delivering a retro fuzz experience with aggressive tone, dynamic touch response, and extreme sensitivity to input volume1. GuitarPlayer characterizes the vintage setting as delivering the classic tones of the early '60s11.
Modern mode is the contemporary voice. Boss's launch material describes it as a more refined and versatile fuzz voice with focused midrange and fatter tone, suited to all types of current music styles6. Guitar World sums it up as voiced for a bright, articulate sound with a significant amount of gain11, and Premier Guitar's reviewer heard it as adding body and midrange presence over the vintage setting2.
"Unlike previous Waza Craft models, the FZ-1W does not provide a reproduction of a past design. This pedal is our modern interpretation of vintage fuzz."
That framing matters when comparing the FZ-1W with its sibling. The TB-2W Tone Bender was an explicit recreation, developed with Sola Sound and built as a limited edition102, and Pedal of the Day called it "possibly the finest Tone Bender recreation EVER"101415. The FZ-1W takes what Boss learned there and moves sideways into its own thing: same family, same Japanese construction, but a silicon circuit with its own voice rather than a faithful copy.
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Questions
Is the Boss FZ-1W a Tone Bender copy?
No. Boss says the FZ-1W is an original design, not a reproduction of a past circuit, and unlike earlier Waza Craft models it does not recreate a specific vintage unit. It draws on analysis of several vintage fuzz circuits, including Sola Sound Tone Bender units, and much of the design experience came from the earlier TB-2W Tone Bender collaboration.
What is the difference between vintage and modern mode on the FZ-1W?
Vintage mode delivers a retro fuzz experience with aggressive tone, dynamic touch response, and extreme sensitivity to input volume, in the vein of classic early '60s fuzz. Modern mode is voiced brighter and more articulate with significant gain, adding body and focused midrange for a fatter tone suited to contemporary styles.
Does the FZ-1W use silicon or germanium transistors?
Silicon. Boss built the circuit with what it calls top-quality silicon transistors. Premier Guitar's reviewer noted that silicon circuitry means it will not be as dynamically responsive to rolling back your guitar's volume as a germanium Fuzz Face would be.
Where is the Boss FZ-1W made?
Japan. The FZ-1W belongs to Boss's Waza Craft series, which Guitar World describes as premium pedals constructed in Japan using the highest quality components. Guitar.com's review likewise lists it as made in Japan.
How much does the Boss FZ-1W cost?
It listed for $199.99 at launch in November 2021, with some press coverage rounding this to $199. In the UK, Guitar.com's December 2021 review gave the price as £175. Premier Guitar's 2023 review still described it as a $199 pedal.
Sources (15)
- BOSS - FZ-1W | Fuzz, boss.info
- Boss FZ-1W Waza Craft Fuzz Review, Premier Guitar, 2022-02-07
- Best New Pedals Of 2021, Delicious Audio, 2021-12-02
- 10 New Gain Pedals You Need to Know About, GuitarPlayer (www.guitarplayer.com), 2022-03-03
- Boss launches a new Waza Craft fuzz pedal, the FZ-1W, Guitar.com, 2021-11-04
- Boss Releases the FZ-1w Waza Craft Fuzz, Premier Guitar, 2021-11-04
- Boss reveals a new fuzz pedal: the FZ-1W, MusicRadar, 2021-11-04
- Boss FZ-1W Fuzz review: a new addition to the Boss fuzz family with no shortage of attitude, Guitar.com, 2021-12-13
- Boss FZ-1W '60s style silicon fuzz pedal, gearnews.com, 2021-11-03
- Boss, Sola Sound Team Up for New Waza Craft TB-2W Tone Bender Fuzz Pedal, GuitarPlayer, 2020-12-01
- Best fuzz pedals 2026: add some filth to your sound with these essential pedalboard effects, Guitar World, 2022-06-09
- Maestro Fuzz-Tone, Vintage Guitar magazine, 2015-12-08
- Boss Unveils New Vintage-Style Analog Fuzz Pedal for Guitarists, GuitarPlayer, 2021-11-04
- The first Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble ever made has been listed on Reverb for a million dollars, MusicRadar, 2022-09-13
- Boss and Sola Sound team up for the ltd edition Waza Craft TB-2W Tone Bender, MusicRadar, 2020-12-01
