The Center Street Electronics Rasputin Fuzz is a fuzz pedal built around both silicon and germanium transistors, the two transistor types that define the classic fuzz sounds players have argued over for decades. Two toggle switches move the internal transistors back and forth between silicon and germanium, so the choice is made on the fly rather than at purchase. Reviewing the pedal in April 2015, Pedal of the Day's Mike B wrote that the maker "may have finally put an end to the debate" by putting both types in one box1.
What it does to your sound
The Fuzz knob covers a wide sweep. Rolled back, Mike B found the fuzz "goes into super-breakup, glitchy, sonic blips and beeps territory"; cranked past about noon or 1:00, it delivers what he called a "creamy, inviting, warm and fuzzy tone". In other words, the same knob runs from stop-start glitch sounds to a full, even wall of fuzz1.
The Volume control has what the review describes as a good amount of output, enough to push the front of an amp and be heard clearly over a band1.
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Fuzz | Sets the fuzz amount: rolled back it produces glitchy blips and beeps, cranked past about noon or 1:00 a warm, creamy fuzz1 |
| Volume | Output level, with a good amount of output on tap1 |
| Two toggle switches | Switch the internal transistors back and forth between silicon and germanium1 |
Silicon and germanium in one box
Fuzz circuits are usually built around one transistor type or the other, and the two behave differently enough that players often pick a pedal by its transistors. The Rasputin Fuzz carries both, and the two toggles switch between them, which is the pedal's defining feature. As the review put it, Center Street Electronics "just made an awesome fuzz pedal with BOTH transistors inside"1.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day's verdict was positive across the board. On the maker's broader fuzz output1:
"The gang at Center Street Electronics does fuzz REALLY well, and the Rasputin Fuzz is no different than the rest."
The review highlights the pedal as daisy chainable, true bypass and made in the USA1.
Related pedals from Center Street Electronics
Pedal of the Day reviewed a run of Center Street Electronics fuzzes in the weeks around the Rasputin, each a different take on the effect:
- Center Street Electronics God Hates Fuzz, a fuzz oscillator pedal with interactive controls1
- Center Street Electronics Drone Station Fuzz, a two-stage gain pedal with independent gain controls and a voltage knob1
- Center Street Electronics Druid Fuzz1
Videos
Center Street Electronics
Center Street Electronics
MrExcane
Questions
Is the Center Street Electronics Rasputin Fuzz true bypass?
Yes. Pedal of the Day's review lists the Rasputin Fuzz as true bypass and daisy chainable, alongside its note that the pedal is made in the USA. True bypass means the pedal's circuit is taken out of the signal path entirely when switched off, so your guitar's signal reaches the amp untouched until you engage the fuzz.
Does the Rasputin Fuzz use silicon or germanium transistors?
Both. The pedal contains silicon and germanium transistors, and two toggle switches move the internal transistors back and forth between the two types. That settles, in one box, the long-running argument among fuzz players over which transistor type sounds better, since you can switch between them rather than choose one at purchase.
What do the two toggle switches on the Rasputin Fuzz do?
The two toggle switches switch the pedal's internal transistors back and forth between silicon and germanium. Each toggle changes which transistor type is in circuit, so the switches give you four ways to hear the fuzz character shift between the two classic fuzz transistor types.
Can the Rasputin Fuzz be daisy chained?
Yes. The Pedal of the Day review describes the Rasputin Fuzz as daisy chainable, meaning it can share a single power supply with other pedals on your board rather than needing its own dedicated adapter.
Where is the Rasputin Fuzz made?
The Rasputin Fuzz is made in the USA, according to Pedal of the Day's review of the pedal.
Sources (1)
- Center Street Electronics Rasputin Fuzz, Pedal of the Day, 2015-04-17
