The BB02 Percolator Fuzz is an analog fuzz pedal from Buzzing Bugs Audio Devices. It runs on 9V DC, center negative1, and its graphics are UV-printed with textural ridges, which the maker describes as "really elegant and distinct"2.
The circuit and where it comes from
The Harmonic Percolator is a fuzz design best known through the Interfax HP-1 Harmonic Percolator, which pairs a PNP germanium transistor with an NPN silicon transistor4. Buzzing Bugs' version builds on that format with silicon transistors throughout, which RockBoard's PedalPedia says were carefully selected1. Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson, reviewing the pedal at its 2023 debut, called it "fantastic Harmonic Percolator"2.
The BB02 sits apart from its sibling in the lineup. Karlsson described it as "a gainier and far more classic fuzz circuit than the more fuzzy-drive of the BBO1", with rich harmonics and dynamics2. In other words, where the BB01 leans toward a fuzzy overdrive character, the BB02 goes for full classic fuzz saturation.
The controls
The BB02 keeps things simple with two controls3:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Sets the amount of fuzz saturation |
| Volume | Sets the output level |
RockBoard's PedalPedia notes that "the two controls dynamically interact with each other, providing a myriad of tone-shaping possibilities"1. Karlsson's verdict on the gain response: "Beautifully calibrated take with controls that gain-up quite quickly - most od the gain saturation happens in the first" half of the sweep3. For a player, that means most of the fuzz action arrives early in the Gain knob's travel, with the upper half offering finer adjustments.
Enclosure, jacks and power
The BB02 is built as a pedal with modern top-mounted jacks, so patch cables exit from the top edge and the pedal keeps a shallow footprint on a board2. The enclosure carries UV-printed graphics with textural ridges, which Karlsson described as looking "really elegant and distinct"2.
Power is 9V DC, center negative, the standard format for effects pedals1. RockBoard's PedalPedia lists the circuit type as analog1.
The BB02 runs on 9V DC, center negative1. Its enclosure carries UV-printed graphics with textural ridges, which the maker says look "really elegant and distinct"2.
Videos
Buzzing Bugs Audio Devices
Pedal Experiments
Brock Davisson
Questions
What circuit is the Buzzing Bugs BB02 based on?
The BB02 Percolator Fuzz is Buzzing Bugs Audio Devices' take on the classic Harmonic Percolator, a fuzz circuit that dates back to the Interfax HP-1. The maker describes it as a gnarly take on that circuit, built with carefully selected silicon transistors. Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson called it a fantastic Harmonic Percolator when the pedal debuted in 2023.
How does the BB02 differ from the BB01?
The BB01 Fuzz Preamp and the BB02 Percolator Fuzz were the two pedals Buzzing Bugs Audio Devices debuted with in 2023. According to Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson, the BB02 is a gainier and far more classic fuzz circuit than the more fuzzy-drive character of the BB01, with rich harmonics and dynamics. The two pedals sit side by side on the maker's initial lineup.
What power does the BB02 Percolator Fuzz need?
The BB02 runs on 9V DC with a center-negative plug, the standard pedal supply format. The maker lists this voltage on its product page. As with any center-negative pedal, use an isolated 9V supply or a compatible power brick rather than an AC adapter of the wrong polarity.
Is the BB02 Percolator Fuzz analog?
Yes. The maker lists the BB02's circuit type as analog on its product page, which fits its design as a transistor-based take on the Harmonic Percolator fuzz circuit rather than a digital model.
Where are the jacks on the BB02?
The BB02 has modern top-mounted jacks, as Guitar Pedal X noted in its 2023 debut review of the brand's first two pedals. Top-mounted jacks keep the pedal's footprint shallow on a pedalboard, since cables exit from the top edge rather than the sides.
How much does the BB02 cost in the US?
Guitar Pedal X listed the BB02 Percolator Fuzz at $124 USD as of May 2024, alongside a UK price of £99. That was the price given in the site's May 2024 coverage of the pedal.
Sources (4)
- BB02 Percolator Fuzz by Buzzing Bugs Audio Devices, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2023-07-27
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-05-13
- Particle Vintage Fuzz / Interfax Harmonic Percolator, Aion FX, 2021-02-19
