The Bass Bully is a germanium bass pedal from Dirty Boy Pedals that puts a boost and a fuzz in one box. Released in December 2025, it is aimed at bass players who want a dirty, overdriven sound from a single footswitch, and it offers three modes: boost alone, fuzz alone, or both together. Dirty Boy describes the combined sound as "if you want that totally over the top, Farty 60's Sly and the Family Stone sound, there it is"1.
Where the circuit comes from
Dirty Boy traces the Bass Bully to an old German bass circuit that was used in a Los Angeles studio for both direct recording and boost and fuzz. The maker says the pedal puts that circuitry into a pedal format without changing it, and that the transistors are identical to the originals, which "create that unbelievable fuzz sound"1.
The three positions
The pedal's selector offers three modes, each with its own character as the maker describes it1:
| Position | What it does |
|---|---|
| Boost | Boosts the signal and adds a GLOW to the sound; based on an inductor circuit like wah pedals have |
| Fuzz | A simple fuzz described as incredibly smooth for bass signals |
| Boost and Fuzz | Both circuits wired in series, signal going through the boost before the fuzz so the two can be blended |
The series wiring in the third position matters for how you use it: because the boost comes first in the chain, it pushes the fuzz, and the two can be blended against each other1.
Built-in EQ
Alongside the boost and fuzz circuits, the Bass Bully carries an EQ circuit built into the pedal. Dirty Boy describes it as based on a blend of capacitance and says it feels superior to the circuit included in most basic basses1.
Related gear
The Bass Bully sits in Dirty Boy's range alongside the Ball Buster boost, which the company is also known for. If you are comparing boost pedals more broadly, see Boost Pedals, and for the fuzz side of the pedal, see Fuzz Pedals.
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Questions
Is the Dirty Boy Bass Bully a germanium pedal?
Yes. Bass Magazine's release coverage describes the Bass Bully as a powerful germanium pedal made just for bass. Dirty Boy says the transistors are identical to those in the original circuit the pedal is based on, which the maker credits for the pedal's fuzz sound.
What does the Boost position on the Bass Bully do?
The first position is a boost that raises your signal and, in Dirty Boy's description, adds a GLOW to the sound. The maker says this circuit is based on an inductor circuit, the same kind of circuit found in wah pedals.
Can the Bass Bully run boost and fuzz at the same time?
Yes. The third position runs the Bass Boost and Bass Fuzz wired in series, so the signal passes through the boost before reaching the fuzz, which lets you blend the two together.
Who makes the Dirty Boy Bass Bully?
The Bass Bully is made by Dirty Boy Pedals, which released the pedal in December 2025 according to Bass Magazine's coverage.
Sources (1)
- Dirty Boy Pedals Releases the Bass Bully, Bass Magazine, 2025-12-15
