The CFH Pedals Sculptor+ Fuzz is a fuzz pedal made in South Africa that combines elements of two classic fuzz designs, the Fuzz Face and the Muff Fuzz, to bring vintage tones to the forefront. Pedal of the Day called it "no ordinary dirt machine," pointing to the unusually deep control set that sets it apart from a straightforward two-knob fuzz1.
Controls
The Sculptor+ piles knobs and switches onto its black enclosure, and the controls are highly interactive: turning just one knob or moving one switch can change the entire tonal makeup of the pedal. That makes it less a set-and-forget fuzz and more a circuit to explore, with each control shaping how the others behave1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Controls Volume |
| Gain | Controls Gain |
| Bias | Sets the bias to the BC109C transistors |
| Pre-Amp Gain | Controls Pre-Amp Gain |
| Post-Amp Gain | Controls Post-Amp Gain |
| Fuzz | Controls Fuzz |
| Diode selector | Selects between 1N4148 silicon and 1N34A germanium diodes1 |
The Bias control is the one most players will not have met on a standard fuzz. Because it adjusts the bias to the BC109C transistors directly, it reaches into the core of the circuit, and combined with the separate Pre- and Post-Amp Gain knobs it gives the player control over gain staging that vintage Fuzz Face and Muff designs left fixed1.
Clipping options
A selector switch lets players choose the clipping diodes, between 1N4148 silicon and 1N34A germanium. Silicon and germanium diodes clip differently, so this switch is another way to move the pedal between distinct fuzz characters without changing anything else1.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day reviewed the Sculptor+ Fuzz in January 2024 and came away impressed on both counts1:
"the insides of the Sculptor+ are about as clean and beautiful as we've seen, and it sounds amazing as well!"
Videos
Pedal of the Day
Questions
Where is the CFH Pedals Sculptor+ Fuzz made?
The Sculptor+ Fuzz is made in South Africa, as Pedal of the Day noted in its January 2024 review of the pedal. CFH Pedals builds it there, and the reviewer highlighted the quality of the internal construction alongside the pedal's sound.
What transistors does the Sculptor+ Fuzz use?
The Sculptor+ Fuzz uses BC109C transistors. The Bias knob on the pedal adjusts the bias to those BC109C transistors, which is one of the controls that makes the pedal so interactive, since changing the bias can alter the whole tonal character of the fuzz.
What does the Bias knob do on the Sculptor+ Fuzz?
The Bias knob controls the bias to the pedal's BC109C transistors. Because the Sculptor+ Fuzz's controls are highly interactive, moving the Bias knob can change the entire tonal makeup of the pedal, shifting it through the range of vintage fuzz sounds the circuit covers.
What circuits is the Sculptor+ Fuzz based on?
The Sculptor+ Fuzz combines elements of the Fuzz Face and the Muff Fuzz, two classic fuzz designs. CFH Pedals blends the two circuits and adds exposed controls for bias, gain stages and diode selection, so players can dial in a broad spread of vintage fuzz tones.
Does the Sculptor+ Fuzz use silicon or germanium diodes?
Both. A selector switch on the Sculptor+ Fuzz lets players choose between 1N4148 silicon diodes and 1N34A germanium diodes for the clipping stage, which changes how the fuzz compresses and distorts the signal.
Sources (1)
- CFH Pedals Sculptor+ Fuzz, Pedal of the Day, 2024-01-19