The Cachalote Audio 214 Fuzz is a fuzz pedal that combines fuzz, filtering, and equalization in one analog circuit. The current version, the 214 Fuzz MKII, is described by RockBoard's PedalPedia as a highly versatile fuzz pedal built around a 100% analog circuit that, in Cachalote's words, enables "classic, contemporary, and yet unexplored tones"1.
The design starts from an obscure vintage pedal: the Sam Ash Fuzz-Stainer. RockBoard's PedalPedia says the design was inspired by that pedal, "but we didn't stop there"1.
Where the circuit came from
The Sam Ash Fuzz Stainer is a rare fuzz circuit, according to BLAMMO! Electronics3. Paolo De Gregorio of Delicious Audio has called the Fuzz-Stainer MK II "the rare and notoriously wild Sam Ash Fuzz-Stainer MK II"4. The pedal has circulated among players for years; in a Stompbox Book interview, Dan Epstein recalled, "I got this crazy fuzz pedal, a Sam Ash Fuzz-Stainer"5.
Karlsson's verdict on what Cachalote did with it: "Cachalote have massively expanded the range of that fuzz with smart additional controls"2.
Controls
The 214 Fuzz carries a fuller control set than the vintage original it is based on. Guitar Pedal X lists the controls as follows2:
| Control | What it is |
|---|---|
| Gain | Fuzz drive |
| Volume | Output level |
| Bias | Fuzz bias |
| Pulse Width | Two-position switch: Narrow / Wide |
| 800Hz Freq EQ | Equalization at 800Hz |
| Filter / EG Switch | Filter selection switch |
| 5kHz Resonant Filter | Resonant filter at 5kHz |
The Pulse Width switch and the EQ and resonant filter sections are the "smart additional controls" Guitar Pedal X credited with expanding the range of the original Sam Ash circuit2.
Power and practical notes
The 214 Fuzz MKII runs on 9V DC, center negative, and draws 50mA, per Cachalote Audio's product listing1. A maker's manual in English is available for the MKII1.
As of December 2024, Guitar Pedal X listed the original 214 Fuzz among three finalists the author did not yet own, with the reviewer noting he was waiting for further batches to be built2.
The 214 Fuzz and the MKII
The original 214 Fuzz was listed by Guitar Pedal X in December 2024 at R$1418 BRL / $2352. The MKII is the current version on Cachalote Audio's listing, where RockBoard's PedalPedia describes it as a highly versatile fuzz pedal with added parameters and effects on a 100% analog circuit1. Both versions take the Sam Ash Fuzz-Stainer as their starting point12.
Videos
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Cachalote Audio
Cachalote Audio
Questions
What is the Sam Ash Fuzz-Stainer?
The Sam Ash Fuzz Stainer is a rare fuzz circuit believed to have been released sometime in the early 1970s. BLAMMO! Electronics calls it a rare fuzz circuit, and Delicious Audio has described the Fuzz-Stainer MK II as a rare and notoriously wild vintage fuzz. It is a much less well-known variant than its AstroTone Fuzz sibling, and the Cachalote Audio 214 Fuzz takes it as its starting point.
Is the Cachalote 214 Fuzz fully analog?
Yes. Cachalote Audio states that the 214 Fuzz MKII uses a 100% analog circuit, with added parameters and effects around the fuzz core. The pedal combines fuzz, filtering, and equalization in one analog signal path.
What power supply does the Cachalote 214 Fuzz need?
The 214 Fuzz MKII runs on 9V DC, center negative, and draws 50mA according to Cachalote Audio's product listing. Use a standard center-negative pedal supply rated for at least 50mA.
What is the difference between the 214 Fuzz and the MKII?
The original 214 Fuzz was the first version, listed at R$1418 BRL / $235 by Guitar Pedal X in December 2024. The MKII is Cachalote Audio's updated version, described by the maker as a highly versatile fuzz pedal with a 100% analog circuit and added parameters and effects. The MKII's listed power requirement is 9V DC, center negative, at 50mA.
What does the Pulse Width switch do?
The Pulse Width switch is a two-position control, Narrow or Wide, listed among the 214 Fuzz's controls by Guitar Pedal X. It sits alongside the Gain, Volume, and Bias knobs as part of the expanded control set Cachalote added to the original Sam Ash Fuzz-Stainer design.
Sources (5)
- 214 Fuzz MKII by Cachalote Audio, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-12-18
- Fuzz Banger, BLAMMO! Electronics
- New Pedal: BLAMMO! Electronics Fuzz Banger, Delicious Audio, 2025-01-10
- Wrightsounds, Stompbox Book, 2018-11-09
