The BB01 Fuzz Pre-Amp is the first pedal from [Buzzing Bugs Audio Devices]. Guitar World reports that the BB01 Fuzz Pre-Amp was the company's first production model, launched in 20231. Guitar Pedal X describes it as a fuzzy drive with rich harmonics and dynamics, with the guitar's volume control cleaning up the gain to a fair degree2.
It is a fuzz preamp pedal, Vox-inspired, built around the sound of a Vox AC30. Guitar.com's reviewer, Richard Purvis, called it "a Vox-voiced dirt machine that was one of my favourite pedals of 2023"34, and rated it 9 out of 10, writing that "This pedal's spookily good at turning an American combo into a British one"4.
What it does to your sound
Guitar.com describes the BB01's gain range as immense, running "from a gritty boost, through smooth overdrive and all the way up" to full-blown fuzz, which is why the pedal calls itself a fuzz4. At the lowest settings, the reviewer found it can act as a gritty boost, and that "It's actually uncanny how effectively this thing can turn a black-panel Fender combo into a clean-ish AC30" with pure vintage British chime at low cut settings4.
Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson heard a fuzzy drive with rich harmonics and dynamics, with guitar volume cleaning up the gain to a fair degree2. On the Gain knob he found the onset extremely rapid: "I find for both pedals that gain onset is extremely rapid, and for me the sweet spot is kind of between 8 o'c and 10 o'c", with settings above midway mostly adding compression-style gain behavior2.
"What's being emulated here is the warm crunch of that classic amp's Normal channel, rather than the usual feisty Top Boost"
So for players asking about the Top Boost channel: the BB01 aims at the Normal channel's warm crunch instead, and the Hi-Cut control stands in for the amp's Cut knob4.
The controls
The BB01 keeps a simple three-knob layout4:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Sets the pedal's output level2 |
| Hi-Cut | A clear nod to the AC30's Cut knob: filters out treble toward the back end of the circuit, and works in reverse, so more cut means less treble4 |
| Gain | Sets the drive, from gritty boost through overdrive to full fuzz; gain onset is rapid, with the sweet spot low on the dial24 |
Build and layout
Guitar Pedal X describes the Buzzing Bugs pedals as polished, distinctively UV-printed pedals with top-mounted jacks, the graphics printed "in the style which has those very satisfying textural ridges"2. Top-mounted jacks keep the pedal shallow on a pedalboard.
The BB01 is Buzzing Bugs' first production model, launched in 20231. Guitar Pedal X notes that gain onset is extremely rapid, with the sweet spot between 8 and 10 o'clock, and that above midway the control mostly adds compression-style gain behavior2.
Videos
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Pedal Experiments
Questions
What amp is the Buzzing Bugs BB01 modeled on?
The BB01 is a Vox-inspired fuzz preamp. According to Guitar.com's review, what is being emulated is the warm crunch of a Vox AC30's Normal channel, rather than the amp's usual feisty Top Boost tones. The Hi-Cut control is a clear nod to the AC30's Cut knob, filtering treble toward the back end of the circuit.
Does the BB01 sound like the AC30 Top Boost channel?
No. Guitar.com's reviewer found the pedal emulates the warm crunch of the AC30's Normal channel rather than the Top Boost tones. At low cut settings he found it could turn a black-panel Fender combo into a clean-ish AC30 with pure vintage British chime, and rated the pedal 9 out of 10 for how convincingly it turns an American combo into a British one.
How much does the Buzzing Bugs BB01 cost?
At its July 2023 debut, Guitar Pedal X listed the BB01 Fuzz Preamp at £129 GBP, available from the Buzzing Bugs webstore. That was the launch price alongside the BB02 Percolator Fuzz at £119.
Can the BB01 be used as a clean boost?
Guitar.com describes the BB01's gain range as immense, running from a gritty boost through smooth overdrive and all the way up to full-blown fuzz, which is why the pedal calls itself a fuzz. At the lowest gain settings it works as a gritty boost rather than a transparent clean boost.
Where are the input and output jacks on the BB01?
The BB01 has top-mounted jacks, as Guitar Pedal X noted in its review of the pedal. Top-mounted jacks keep the pedal's footprint shallower on a pedalboard.
Who makes the Buzzing Bugs BB01?
The BB01 is made by Buzzing Bugs Audio Devices, an indie company founded by Dan Goldberg. Guitar World reports that the BB01 Fuzz Pre-Amp was the company's first production model, launched in 2023.
Sources (4)
- “A spectrum of overdrive tones inspired by two iconic blues pedals”: Burgeoning British firm Buzzing Bugs swarms the stompbox market with the BB04 Full Range Drive, Guitar World, 2024-03-08
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2023-07-27
- Buzzing Bugs Stargazy review: downright eccentric, Guitar.com, 2025-03-17
- Buzzing Bugs BB01 Fuzz Pre-Amp review: Not your usual Vox in a box, guitar.com, 2023-10-30