The Crazy Tube Circuits Pin Up is an octave fuzz, a fuzz pedal with a built-in octave-up function that can be switched in and out on its own. Premier Guitar's reviewer described it as compact for a two-switch fuzz, and found that with volume and gain wide open it has "a tight, boxy, compressed fuzz character that rules for hot leads," with excellent note definition and distortion-box-like articulation1. Vintage Guitar, reviewing the pedal as the Pin Up Fuzz, heard "a very percussive fuzz effect with aggressive-but-smooth pick attack and loads of sustain" with the fuzz and octave engaged2.
Controls and switching
The Pin Up carries four knobs and two footswitches. Vintage Guitar's review lays out what each does2:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Overall output level |
| Gain | Amount of fuzz |
| Tone | Boosts or cuts high frequencies |
| Voicing | Either scoops or adds midrange to the effect |
The two footswitches, each with its own LED, operate the entire circuit and a separate one for the octave effect, so the octave-up can be engaged or disengaged independently of the fuzz2. Premier Guitar's reviewer called the octave function "a bold-sounding octave-up function that expands the Pin Up's vocabulary exponentially"1.
The volume, gain, and tone controls, in Premier Guitar's reviewer's words, "all work the same way they would on a Big Muff or similar fuzz," so players coming from a conventional three-knob fuzz will find the layout familiar; the Voicing knob is the addition1.
Build
Vintage Guitar's review of the Pin Up Fuzz describes heavy duty die-cast housings with nicely executed high-gloss finishes, chassis-mounted jacks, switches, and pots, and true-bypass footswitches2.
How it compares
Beyond fuzz duties, Premier Guitar's reviewer found a second use for the pedal: "One real plus is how deftly the Pin Up stands in for distortion pedal along the lines of a Pro Co Rat, MXR Distortion+, or Boss DS-1," delivering punchy, super-rich '70s-style dirt distortion capability1. That puts it in territory closer to distortion pedals than many fuzzes reach, which the reviewer tied to its tight, articulated character at high settings1.
Crazy Tube Circuits' pedals have found players across styles: Premier Guitar notes that players as varied as Bill Frisell, Brad Whitford, Nels Cline, and Lee Ranaldo use the company's wares1.
Price
Premier Guitar's 2023 review listed the Pin Up at a street price of $2691. Vintage Guitar's earlier review, from February 2013, listed the Pin Up Fuzz at $260 USD2.
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Questions
Is the Crazy Tube Circuits Pin Up true bypass?
Yes. Vintage Guitar's review of the Pin Up Fuzz describes true-bypass footswitches, part of a build that also includes heavy duty die-cast housings with high-gloss finishes and chassis-mounted jacks, switches, and pots. That means the pedal is out of the signal path entirely when switched off, so it will not load down your guitar's tone when bypassed.
Can the octave on the Pin Up be switched off separately?
Yes. The Pin Up has two footswitches and LEDs: one operates the entire circuit, and a separate one engages the octave effect on its own. That lets you use the pedal as a straight fuzz or bring the octave-up function in and out while playing, which Premier Guitar's reviewer called a bold-sounding function that expands the pedal's vocabulary.
What does the Voice control do on the Pin Up?
The Voice control either scoops or adds midrange to the effect, according to Vintage Guitar's review. It sits alongside the Volume, Tone and Gain controls, and it is what sets the Pin Up apart from a conventional fuzz, where the Volume, Gain and Tone controls work much as they would on a Big Muff or similar fuzz.
How does the Pin Up compare to a Big Muff?
Premier Guitar's reviewer noted that the Pin Up's volume, gain, and tone controls all work the same way they would on a Big Muff or similar fuzz. The reviewer also found the pedal stands in for distortion pedals along the lines of a Pro Co Rat, MXR Distortion+, or Boss DS-1, delivering punchy, super-rich '70s-style dirt distortion capability.
How much does the Pin Up cost?
Premier Guitar's 2023 review listed a street price of $269. An earlier Vintage Guitar review, from February 2013, listed the Pin Up Fuzz at $260 USD, so the price has moved only modestly over the years. Prices may vary by dealer and over time.
Sources (2)
- Crazy Tube Circuits Pin Up Review, Premier Guitar, 2013-12-06
- Crazy Tube Circuits Stardust, Splash MKII, and Pin Up Fuzz, Vintage Guitar magazine, 2014-08-13
