The Calico Effects Antlers is a fuzz pedal built as a tribute to the Green Muff circuit, and it was the first pedal released by Calico Effects, a small builder based in Rhode Island1. Each unit is handmade one at a time in Rhode Island1. Where a straight Muff clone gives you three knobs and nothing else, the Antlers adds three toggle switches that reshape the gain, the clipping and the midrange, so you can dial in everything from the stock Green Muff sound to more modern high gain tones2.
What it does to your sound
The Antlers sits in the fuzz and distortion family, and Pedal of the Day describes it as paying homage to the classic Green Muff circuit while giving you vintage sounding and modern high gain tones alike2. The builder's own take on its range: "It's lower gain sounds great on bass and guitar. In my humble opinion, it's just one of the best Muffs."1
Pedal of the Day's reviewer found it works well across instruments and rigs2:
Calico Effects builds the Antlers by hand, one at a time, in Rhode Island1.
The same reviewer also judged that "this pedal will satisfy the Big Muff tone-chasers and new experimenters all the same," which points to the two audiences the switch layout serves: players who want the classic sound left alone, and players who want to reshape it2.
Controls and switches
The top row of knobs will be familiar to anyone who has used a Big Muff style pedal. Pedal of the Day found that "Volume, Tone and Distortion do exactly what you'd expect them to do, and very well"2. The builder describes the Volume knob as ccw quieter, cw louder1.
The three toggles are where the Antlers departs from a straight clone:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Quieter counterclockwise, louder clockwise1 |
| Tone | Standard Muff style tone sweep2 |
| Distortion | Standard Muff style gain control2 |
| Gain toggle | Chooses less or more gain2 |
| Lift toggle | Activates the silicon diodes in the first stage, or removes them altogether2 |
| Mids toggle | Boosted, flat or scooped mids options2 |
The Mids toggle is worth noting for anyone who has fought a scooped Muff in a band mix: boosted and flat midrange settings are one flip away rather than a modification2.
Getting the stock Green Muff sound
If you want the Antlers to behave like a straight Green Muff clone, the recipe is simple: put all three toggles in the down position, toward the footswitch2. The builder confirms that with every toggle down you get the stock Green Muff clone circuit, with the stock silicon diodes active in the first stage1. Everything else in the switch set is a departure from that baseline, so the pedal can start at the classic sound and move outward from there.
Power and setup
The Antlers runs on 9V DC, center negative, Boss style, which means it works with the most common pedalboard supplies and daisy chains1. There is no battery operation, so a supply is required1. Power and the input and output jacks are all top mounted, and the switching is true bypass1.
No battery operation: the Antlers needs a 9V DC center negative supply, so plan for a power outlet or pedalboard supply on your board.
Where it came from
Calico Effects is a Rhode Island based small builder, and the Antlers was the company's first released pedal1. The pedals are handmade one at a time in Rhode Island1. The circuit's lineage is the Green Muff, the variant of the Big Muff family that the Antlers both reproduces, with the toggles down, and extends with its gain, clipping and mids options12.
Videos
ambienttrash
Megan L
Noise Generator
Questions
Does the Antlers Fuzz work on bass?
Yes. Pedal of the Day found it sounding excellent on both guitar and bass, and the builder notes that its lower gain setting sounds great on bass and guitar alike. The Mids toggle also gives you boosted, flat or scooped midrange options, which helps a bass fuzz sit in a mix.
Can the Antlers Fuzz run on a battery?
No. The pedal has no battery operation and runs on a 9V DC center negative power supply, Boss style. You will need a standard pedalboard power supply or a 9V adapter with a center negative barrel plug.
How do you get the stock Green Muff sound from the Antlers?
Put all three toggles in the down position, toward the footswitch. That gives you the stock Green Muff clone circuit, with the stock silicon diodes active in the first stage. From there you can flip the toggles to push the pedal away from the classic sound.
What does the Lift toggle do on the Antlers Fuzz?
Lift activates or removes the silicon diodes in the first gain stage. With the diodes in place you get the stock Green Muff clipping character; lifting them out changes how the first stage drives, opening up a different range of fuzz and distortion tones.
Is the Calico Effects Antlers true bypass?
Yes. The Antlers uses true bypass switching, so with the pedal off your signal passes through without the circuit coloring it. Power and input and output jacks are all top mounted, which suits tight pedalboards.
Sources (2)
- Calico Effects Antlers Fuzz, Delicious Audio, 2022-11-10
- Calico Effects Antlers Fuzz Distortion, Pedal of the Day, 2022-06-20
