The Crazy Tube Circuits Constellation CV7003 is a multi-fuzz pedal built around three selected germanium transistors, in this case Texas Instruments CV7003, a mil-spec version of the OC44. A large dial on the front selects among six fuzz and treble booster voicings drawn from the classic fuzz circuits of the 1960s, and the pedal was hand-built in Athens, Greece, in a limited run of 200 units12.
The voicings
The dial runs through six settings, and gearnews described the lineage as running from top to bottom through Fuzz Face, Vox Tone Bender, Tone Bender Mk I.5 and II, and Range Master voicings2:
| Dial setting | What it is |
|---|---|
| VTB | Inspired by the Italian-made fuzz circuit2 |
| FF | A tribute to the most copied fuzz circuit2 |
| 2 | The soaring gain 3-transistor fuzz circuit2 |
| 3/2 | Voiced after the mythical circuit known as Mk1.52 |
| RM | A treble booster as close as it gets to the real thing2 |
| RMFF | A tailor-made RM into a FF, which gearnews called a future classic combination2 |
The RM setting matters to players hunting authentic treble booster tones. Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson noted that the CV7003 gives you a vintage-specs configuration for the Range Master, "which many people will love"1.
The controls
The layout is simple: a giant knob selects the fuzz characteristic, and alongside it sit a volume and a gain knob2. Guitar Pedal X reviewed the CV7003 alongside the Constellation OC45 and found both pedals have identical controls, albeit with different graphics and different knobs1.
How it sounds
What a player hears depends on the voicing, but the transistor choice shapes the whole pedal. Comparing the three Constellation variants, Guitar Pedal X found that "the CV7003 (€299) is a touch denser with more low end" than its siblings1. In the fuller three-way comparison, Karlsson concluded that "The CV7003 quite evidently has the most low-end profile, and is very slightly the densest and most saturating here"3.
Availability
The CV7003 was announced in December 2020 as a limited edition with NOS germanium transistors2. By April 2021, Guitar Pedal X reported it was nearly sold out, with five units listed on Reverb and the remainder available from the Crazy Tube Circuits webstore, warning that "You have to move very quickly to secure one of the very last ones of the CV7003"3.
The Constellation CV7003 was a limited run of 200 units and was reported nearly sold out in April 202113. It is not a pedal you will find in regular dealer stock.
The Constellation family also includes the Constellation OC45 and Constellation OC41 variants, each built around a different selected germanium transistor with its own character1. For more on the effect type, see the site's Fuzz Pedals page.
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Questions
What transistor does the Crazy Tube Circuits Constellation CV7003 use?
The Constellation CV7003 uses Texas Instruments CV7003 transistors, described by Guitar Pedal X as a mil-spec version of the OC44 germanium transistor. The pedal is a multi-fuzz with three selected germanium transistors, and the CV7003 variant was limited to a run of 200 units hand-built in Athens, Greece.
How many Constellation CV7003 pedals were made?
The Constellation CV7003 was a limited edition of 200 units. By April 2021 Guitar Pedal X reported it was nearly sold out, with only a handful of units listed on Reverb and the rest available through the Crazy Tube Circuits webstore, and advised moving quickly to secure one of the last ones.
How much does the Constellation CV7003 cost?
The Constellation CV7003 carried an RRP of USD 299 when it was announced in December 2020. Guitar Pedal X also listed it at 299 euros as part of the limited 200-unit Constellation Multi-Fuzz V2 run alongside the OC44 variant.
Where is the Constellation CV7003 made?
The Constellation CV7003 is hand-built in Athens, Greece, by Crazy Tube Circuits. It ships in a wooden box, and the limited run of 200 units was announced in December 2020.
Can I still buy a Constellation CV7003?
As a limited edition of 200 units, the CV7003 was reported nearly sold out by April 2021, with the last units available through the Crazy Tube Circuits webstore and a small number listed on Reverb. Anyone looking for one now would be searching the second-hand market rather than a regular dealer stock.
Does the Constellation CV7003 come with a Range Master treble booster mode?
Yes. The Constellation's dial includes an RM voicing, described by gearnews as a treble booster as close as it gets to the real thing, plus an RMFF mode that pairs that Range Master-style treble booster into the Fuzz Face-style FF voicing. Guitar Pedal X noted the RM mode runs a vintage-specs configuration.
Sources (3)
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2021-03-18
- Crazy Tube Circuits introduces new Constellation CV7003 fuzz and Memphis preamp/vibrato, gearnews.com, 2020-12-13
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2021-04-26
