The DOD Chthonic Dark Silicon Fuzz is a fuzz pedal built around silicon transistors, and it leans dark on purpose. Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson, covering its announcement, described it as "a thick dark silicon fuzz" whose "thick, richly harmonic, deep, dark and dense texture sounds rather beautiful"1. It was made specifically for bright low-output single coil pickups and bright clean amp channels, the setups where a dark fuzz balances a thin signal instead of adding more brightness1.
The Chthonic Dark Silicon Fuzz was the first new DOD pedal in years when it was announced, with UK preorders open at the time1.
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Fuzz | Sets the amount of fuzz1 |
| Output | Sets the output level1 |
| Lustre | Brightness/Cut, shaping how dark or open the texture sits in the mix1 |
The Lustre control matters most for the pedal's intended use: with bright single coils into a clean amp, it lets the player cut the darkness back to taste1.
Cleanup and playing feel
Karlsson reported that the Chthonic has "pretty decent guitar volume gain cleanup supposedly," meaning rolling back the guitar's volume control should thin the fuzz toward a cleaner tone1. His hedge is worth keeping in mind: the claim came from the announcement coverage rather than a full review.
Where it came from, and the Carcosa connection
The Chthonic is reportedly based on an original prototype from 2016 that never made it into production before now1. Karlsson called it "a great companion to the already legendary DOD Carcosa Fuzz - with a somewhat different texture to that"1. The DOD Carcosa Fuzz is a fuzz of a different character: in Guitar.com's 60 Seconds video on it, Cillian Breathnach described "a gnarly, thick fuzz that's actually a lot more versatile than its heavy metal visuals might make you assume"2. Where the Carcosa is gnarly and flexible, the Chthonic is the darker, denser half of the pair, aimed at single coil players.
"Nice to see Tom Cram back on top of things - and this new fuzz surely has his fingerprints all over it!"
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Questions
Who designed the DOD Chthonic Dark Silicon Fuzz?
Tom Cram is credited with the design. Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson, covering the pedal's announcement, wrote that it has Tom Cram's fingerprints all over it, marking his return to DOD. The Chthonic was also DOD's first new pedal in years, arriving after the company's acquisition by Cor-Tek.
How much does the DOD Chthonic cost?
Guitar Pedal X cited a price of $149 when the pedal was announced in November 2023, with UK preorders listed at £129 on some retailer sites. Later coverage put the street price at $149.99 when the pedal became available on October 31, 2025.
How does the DOD Chthonic differ from the DOD Carcosa?
Guitar Pedal X describes the Chthonic as a companion to the Carcosa with a somewhat different texture. The Carcosa is a gnarly, thick fuzz that Guitar.com found more versatile than its heavy metal visuals suggest, while the Chthonic leans darker and denser and is aimed specifically at bright, low-output single coil pickups.
Is the Chthonic made for single coil pickups?
Yes. Guitar Pedal X reports it was made specifically for bright low-output single coil pickups and bright clean amp channels, the setups where a dark fuzz can balance out a thin or brittle signal rather than pile more brightness on top.
Does the Chthonic clean up with the guitar volume knob?
Guitar Pedal X says it has pretty decent guitar volume gain cleanup, supposedly. Rolling back the guitar's volume control should thin out the fuzz toward a cleaner sound, though the reviewer hedged the claim with the word supposedly.
Sources (2)
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2023-11-01
- 60 Seconds S1E32: DOD Carcosa, Guitar.com, 2024-07-05
