The Chase Tone Black Stardust BC109 Silicon Fuzz is a limited-production fuzz pedal built around new old stock, cherry-picked BC109 silicon transistors. Chase Tone describes it as a clear yet complex fuzz, "both melodic, soulful and hardcore," aimed at players after a dynamic, touch-sensitive sound inspired by David Gilmour, and says it covers everything from crystal clear cleans and overdrive through crunchy fuzz to sustaining, singing fuzz, most ideally for atmospheric classic rock with blues roots1.
It is part of Chase Tone's Stardust Effects Pedal series, a line of fuzzes with translucent finishes inspired by a love for astronomy. Related pedals in the family include the Red Stardust Germanium Fuzz, the Blue Stardust BC108 Silicon Fuzz and the Silver Stardust BC183/2L Silicon Fuzz1.
The Black Stardust is a limited-production pedal and Chase Tone's product page listed it as sold out as of 26 October 20261.
The controls: Volume, Fuzz, Bias and Headroom
The Black Stardust has four controls, and each one shapes a different part of the fuzz character1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Higher levels enhance treble EQ to cut through a mix; reduce for a smoother top end |
| Fuzz | Increased range of travel compared to vintage FF units; backing off slightly from maximum increases feedback and reduces the fizziness of higher bias settings |
| Bias | Optimally biases the transistors for the preferred gate, feel and pick attack, from thick, warm, gated fuzz tones to open, clear, full-bodied clean, overdrive and fuzz leads |
| Headroom | Reduces bottom end, enhances guitar volume cleanup, and reduces or eliminates wah-induced oscillations (Guitar > Wah > Fuzz > Amp); useful for humbucker-equipped guitars |
The Bias control is the heart of the pedal's range. Chase Tone describes turning it clockwise as providing a "Bolder, Punchy Tube Style Texture," and counter-clockwise as providing a warmer, "Vintage Spec" gated character1.
"Imagine a clear, yet complex fuzz that's both melodic, soulful and hardcore."
The Headroom control is worth noting for players who run a wah in front of a fuzz, a combination that often produces oscillation and squeal. Chase Tone positions it as a fix for exactly that, while also tightening the low end and improving how the pedal cleans up with the guitar's volume knob1.
Build and hardware
Chase Tone specifies enclosure-mounted potentiometers with stop-lock tabs, PCB-mount and soldered onto a thick fiberglass circuit board with plated-through holes, which the maker describes as for reliable performance on the road. The enclosure carries a high quality translucent star dust powder coat finish, which the maker notes has zero ozone emissions1.
Sources (1)
- Chase Tone™ Black Stardust™ BC109 Silicon Fuzz, Chase Tone
