The Champion Leccy Skitzy is a dual layered modulated reverb pedal that runs two parallel reverb signals at once: a tremverb and a swayverb. Each layer has its own voicing and its own modulation options, and the two can be blended together, so a single knob twist can move you from a natural spring-style wash to pitch wobble, echo, ring mod or lofi tape smear1.
The name is a clue to where it came from. Champion Leccy's Woolly describes it as "a dual layered modulated reverb pedal with some DNA from both the Skitter and the Woozy (thus the name)"2. Guitar Pedal X put it more concretely: it combines the Skitter TremVerb/Verbolo and the Woozy Lo-Fi Pitch-Shifting SwayVerb in a vertical BB-size enclosure3. It went on sale on 23 February 2024 at $280 from the Champion Leccy Webstore3.
What the Skitzy does to your sound
The pedal's reverb engine covers a wide spread of textures. Champion Leccy lists tremolo reverb, pitch modulated reverb, ring mod reverb, lofi tape smear reverb, echo reverb, resonant reverb and what the maker calls "oscillating mess reverb" among its sounds4.
The two layers divide that territory between them:
- Tremverb: covers the natural Belton brick reverb sound, tremolo reverb and ring mod reverb territory. It has its own volume knob (the gray knob) so you can set its level in the mix6.
- Swayverb: voiced slightly differently to the tremverb, covering pitch modulated reverb, echo reverb, resonant reverb and tape smear reverb6.
The reverb itself comes from a Belton brick, the reverb-on-a-chip module used in many compact reverb pedals. Belton bricks have an inherent predelay that cannot be adjusted, so there is no predelay control here6.
Controls and switches
The Skitzy shares its LFO with the Skitter and the Woozy: 8 waveforms with a depth control (Space) and a speed control (Time), and that LFO affects the modulation on both reverb signals6. Guitar Pedal X's year-end roundup lists the waveforms as ramp up, ramp down, square wave, triangle, sine, sweep, random and more across positions 1 to 87.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Space (white knob) | LFO depth, controlling the depth of both the tremverb and the swayverb6 |
| Time (white knob) | LFO speed6 |
| Waveforms 1-8 | Selects one of 8 LFO waveshapes7 |
| Volume (gray knob) | Tremverb level in the mix6 |
| Backwash | Feedback/repeats on the echo; at full rotation gives the reverb a resonant metallic quality; also sets the range of oscillation for the second footswitch6 |
| Trem switch | Three positions: no tremolo, tremolo, or phase cancellation tremolo. The phase cancellation mode cancels the signal twice per LFO cycle, giving ring mod sounds at higher speeds6 |
| Sway switch | Two positions selecting the reverb source: down taps directly from the Belton brick, up taps from the swayverb, applying tremolo or ring mod to a parallel swayverb without affecting the original swayverb signal6 |
The two footswitches are laid out with the left one handling SwayVerb Feedback and the right one handling effect bypass7. The second footswitch adds a more direct feedback loop to the swayverb, and the speed and aggressiveness of the resulting oscillation depend on the Backwash control. Internally, DIP switches can change that footswitch to tap tempo instead, but it cannot do both at once6.
Internal trims
Inside the pedal there are four trimmers to tailor its behavior6:
- Swayverb feedback: tailors the range and aggressiveness of the second footswitch oscillations, and interacts with the Backwash control6.
- Swayverb depth: the front Space knob controls both layers' depth and is set fairly conservatively; this internal trim opens up what Woolly calls "seasick territory"6.
- Input gain: an internal trim for the input stage gain. The default position is zeroed and adds no gain; at higher settings it pushes the reverb into dirty clipping6.
Power, size and stereo
The Skitzy runs on a standard 9V DC power supply and draws 200mA3. It is mono output only, with no stereo option3. The vertical BB-size enclosure is, in Guitar Pedal X's words, "about as pedalboard-friendly as it can be"3.
At 200mA the Skitzy is a relatively hungry pedal for its size. If you power a board from a single supply, make sure one output can deliver at least that much current.
The Skitter and Woozy lineage
The Skitzy is a deliberate pairing of two earlier Champion Leccy designs. Guitar Pedal X called it "a smart combination of Champion Leccy's Skitter (Reverbolo / Tremoverb) and Woozy (Wibbly Modulated Sway Haunted Delay/Reverb) pedals"7. The shared LFO with 8 waveforms comes straight from that lineage6.
Woolly developed the Skitzy alongside the Dunsh, another Champion Leccy pedal, as what he describes as "a highly flexible and customisable super duper Champion Leccy" shoegaze combination, and says it works great with the Dunsh and just about any dirt pedal2. He also aimed for the house style: "I think it has that definite Champion Leccy character and expansive feature set that I always aim for"2.
All Champion Leccy pedals, the Skitzy included, are designed, assembled and tested by hand in a South Philly rowhome by a real human person4. The maker has also cut Amazon and Uline from its supply chain, sourcing packaging from smaller businesses instead8.
Colorways and availability
The first lot of Skitzys came in black, seafoam or light beige3. The current product page lists three finishes4:
You can buy direct from Champion Leccy or from one of its retailers, and Woolly notes that with time differences, retailers may make their stock available earlier than the webstore2.
What reviewers said
Guitar Pedal X covered the Skitzy at launch and again in its 2024 roundup of the best new spatial, immersive and time-based effects of the year37. At launch, Stefan Karlsson framed the pedal as an approachable entry point into the maker's catalog:
"this is essentially giving you the best of his original classics - in a relatively easily palatable form"3
Stefan Karlsson, Guitar Pedal X3
He called it an accessible combination of Woolly's lo-fi ambient effects and an obvious ambassador pedal for the brand overall3. The pedal also made Guitar Pedal X's 2024 year-end list of the best new spatial and time-based effects7.
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Questions
Is the Champion Leccy Skitzy stereo?
No. The Skitzy is mono output only, so it has a single output and no stereo spread. Players who want a wide stereo reverb image will need a different pedal. Everything else about the pedal, including both reverb layers and the modulation, works through that one mono output.
How much current does the Skitzy draw?
The Skitzy draws 200mA from a standard 9V DC center negative power supply. That is a healthy draw for a reverb pedal, so it is worth checking that your power supply can spare 200mA for it before you build it into a pedalboard.
What is the swayverb on the Skitzy?
The swayverb is one of the Skitzy's two parallel reverb signals. Champion Leccy voices it slightly differently to the tremverb, and it covers pitch modulated reverb, echo reverb, resonant reverb and lofi tape smear reverb. It can be blended with the tremverb, and the second footswitch adds a feedback loop to it for oscillation.
Does the Skitzy have adjustable predelay?
No. The reverb comes from a Belton brick, and Belton bricks have an inherent predelay that cannot be adjusted. There is no predelay control on the pedal, so the gap between the dry note and the reverb is fixed by the reverb chip itself.
What does the Backwash control do on the Skitzy?
Backwash sets the feedback or repeats on the echo. At full rotation it gives the reverb a resonant metallic quality, and it also sets the range of oscillation for the second footswitch. It interacts with the internal swayverb feedback trim, which tailors how aggressive those oscillations get.
What colors does the Skitzy come in?
The first lot came in black, seafoam or light beige. The current product page lists Black, Seafoam and Sherbet Pink finishes, with Black and Sherbet Pink both marked as limited runs. Availability of the limited colors depends on when you look, since limited runs sell through.
Sources (8)
- The Skitzy, Champion Leccy, 2024-02-16
- The Skitzy: release info and introduction, Champion Leccy, 2024-02-12
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-02-23
- The Skitzy, Champion Leccy, 2024-02-16
- the Kilter V2, Champion Leccy, 2020-11-24
- The Skitzy: Sounds, controls and functions, Champion Leccy, 2024-02-20
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-12-20
- The price, costs and value of pedals… …oh and flippers too., Champion Leccy, 2021-01-01
