The Buzzing Bugs Stargazy Reverb is a hand-built, preamp-driven shimmer reverb pedal from the Cornish maker Buzzing Bugs Audio Devices. It puts a transistor preamp in front of the reverb, so it can run from clean shimmer all the way into fuzzy, gritty territory, and a second footswitch sends the reverb into infinite feedback for textural, shoe-gazy sounds. Guitar Pedal X called it "a really flavourful cool and unusual take on Reverb - with Feedback, Oscillation, Shimmer, and Wall of Noise capabilitie" driven by a transistor preamp, and later included it among its best new delay and reverb pedals of 202512.
What it does to your sound
The Stargazy is a seven-knob pedal built around a transistor preamp feeding a shimmer reverb. Guitar Pedal X describes its output range as "a wide range of output from a Clean Shimmer to a Gritty / Fuzzy Growl" when the Load and Gain controls are raised high1. In that sense it sits closer to a preamp pedal crossed with a reverb pedal than to a conventional ambient reverb, and it can lean toward fuzz territory at the top of its gain range.
Guitar.com's reviewer, Richard Purvis, described how the core reverb controls work together: "'mix' and 'load' control the level and density of the reverb"3.
The controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Preamp Gain | Sparkling cleans through to growling fuzz1 |
| Body | Signal fullness / input gain1 |
| Master Volume | Master volume for the pedal1 |
| Wet Mix | Level of the reverb; Guitar.com's reviewer says mix controls the level of the reverb13 |
| Load | Reverb gain, clean to grating shimmer; Guitar.com's reviewer says load controls the density of the reverb13 |
| Tone | A standard treble-cutting tone control3 |
| Infinity | Feedback / oscillation / shimmer / wall of noise1 |
Guitar.com's reviewer adds that "the big knob on the left dictates the intensity of the feedback when the switch below it is engaged"3.
The footswitches
The Stargazy carries two footswitches: an On/Bypass footswitch and the Infinity footswitch, marked with the ∞ symbol1. Guitar.com's reviewer describes the second one as "a second footswitch to send that reverb into infinite feedback"3. Guitar Pedal X notes that "the ∞ Infinity footswitch adds more textural, shoe-gazy output"1. In practice, the Infinity knob sets how far the feedback goes, from shimmer and oscillation up to a wall of noise, and the footswitch latches that behavior on while you play over it or let it build.
Power, bypass and practicalities
The pedal runs on 9V center-negative DC, the standard supply for most pedalboards, and it is true bypass1. Guitar Pedal X does not list a current draw for the pedal, so it is worth confirming the supply rating with the maker before adding it to a daisy chain with high-draw digital pedals.
Where it came from
Buzzing Bugs Audio Devices is a Cornish maker, and the Stargazy draws on local folklore: the pedal is named after Stargazy Pie, a dish traditionally eaten on Tom Bawcock's Eve, 23 December1. Guitar Pedal X wrote that "the artwork beautifully connects it to that Cornish Floklore"1. The maker's earlier BB01 Fuzz Pre-Amp was also noted by Guitar.com's reviewer, who referred to "the Cornish maker's BB01 Fuzz Pre-Amp"3. Guitar Pedal X credits the design to Dan, writing that "Dan has delivered a really cool effect here"1.
What reviewers said
Guitar Pedal X, in its 2025 roundup of new delay and reverb pedals, covered the Stargazy among the year's releases and described it as a flavourful, unusual take on reverb with feedback, oscillation, shimmer and wall of noise capabilities2. Guitar.com's review focused on the practical layout, describing the mix and load controls, the treble-cutting tone control, and the feedback footswitch arrangement3.
Videos
Pedal Experiments
ReverbFuzzbox
Questions
What does the Infinity footswitch do on the Stargazy Reverb?
The Infinity footswitch sends the reverb into infinite feedback. Guitar Pedal X describes the Infinity knob's territory as Feedback, Oscillation, Shimmer and Wall of Noise, and notes that the Infinity footswitch adds more textural, shoe-gazy output. Guitar.com's reviewer describes it as a second footswitch to send the reverb into infinite feedback, with the big knob on the left setting the intensity of that feedback when the switch below it is engaged.
Is the Buzzing Bugs Stargazy Reverb true bypass?
Yes. Guitar Pedal X lists the Stargazy Reverb as true bypass, alongside its hand-built construction and its 9V centre-negative DC power requirement.
What power does the Stargazy Reverb need?
The Stargazy Reverb runs on 9V centre-negative DC, the same standard supply used by most pedalboards. Guitar Pedal X lists this in the pedal's specifications.
Can the Stargazy Reverb be set for fuzzy, gritty sounds?
Yes. Guitar Pedal X describes a wide range of output from a clean shimmer to a gritty, fuzzy growl when the Load and Gain controls are raised high. The Preamp Gain knob runs from sparkling cleans to growling fuzz, and the Load knob is labelled Reverb Gain, from clean to grating shimmer.
Is the Stargazy Reverb hand-built?
Yes. Guitar Pedal X lists the pedal as hand-built, and notes that Dan, the maker behind Buzzing Bugs, delivered the design. The company draws on Cornish folklore in its products and artwork.
Why is it called Stargazy?
The pedal is named after Stargazy Pie, a Cornish dish traditionally eaten on Tom Bawcock's Eve, 23 December. Guitar Pedal X reports that Buzzing Bugs drew on local Cornish folklore for the pedal, and that the artwork connects it to that tradition.
Sources (3)
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-02-27
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-12-10
- Buzzing Bugs Stargazy review: downright eccentric, Guitar.com, 2025-03-17
