The Drunk Beaver Seattle Driver is an octave fuzz pedal, described by Guitar Pedal X as an "Octave Muff" type: a fuzz-drive pedal with upper octave action. It arrived in August 2024 as the fourth in a sequence of related circuits, following the Fluff Octave Fuzz, the Mykolaiv Grunge and the Big Grunge. At its heart is the Boss PW-2 Power Driver circuit, combined with elements of the maker's earlier Fluff Fuzz and Mykolaiv Grunge, minus the PW-2's boost stage1.
Where the circuit comes from
Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson, who reviewed the pedal at release, describes it as "an interesting concoction of Drunk Beaver's earlier Fluff Fuzz, and its Mykolaiv Grunge Boss PW-2 take - for a boosted opamp style Muff with upper octave action"2. Both of those earlier pedals are Big Muff style circuits, so the Seattle Driver carries a lot of parallels with them1. The reviewer's verdict was that it improves on both: "I dare say that this Seattle Driver sounds even better balanced and more magnificent than either of my Fluff Fuzz or Mykolaiv Grunge"1. In his year-end roundup he called it "One of my very favourite fuzzes for sure - delivers something much more than a big muff"2.
The controls: Fat, Muscle and Air
The Seattle Driver has six controls, including a three-band active EQ. There is no separate boost stage, but the octave circuit is boosted a bit at the phase splitter, which is where the upper octave comes from1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Fat | ± Bass, centered at 80Hz, 5.06 Q |
| Muscle | ± Mids, centered at 875Hz, 5.5 Q |
| Air | ± Highs, centered at 1550Hz, 4.58 Q |
| Exhaust | Volume |
| Vacuum | % Ring Mod Upper Octave |
| Power | Drive |
Under the hood
The M5218 op amp used for the EQ is the same as in the original PW-2, and the pedal uses SMD 2SK209-GR FETs, which the reviewer describes as equivalent to the FETs in the PW-21.
Price and availability
When reviewed in August 2024, the Seattle Driver was priced at £175 on the Drunk Beaver webstore, and Karlsson noted it is "a general release thank goodness", setting it apart from the maker's limited pedal drops1. By December 2024, Guitar Pedal X's roundup of the year's best new fuzz pedals listed it at $1752.
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Questions
How much does the Drunk Beaver Seattle Driver cost?
Guitar Pedal X listed the Seattle Driver at $175 in its 2024 roundup of the year's best new fuzz pedals. When the pedal was reviewed in August 2024, it was priced at £175 on the Drunk Beaver webstore, so the figure depends on which market and listing you go by.
What is the Seattle Driver based on?
Guitar Pedal X describes it as combining Drunk Beaver's earlier Fluff Fuzz and Mykolaiv Grunge, with the Boss PW-2 Power Driver circuit at its heart, minus the boost stage. Both the Fluff Fuzz and Mykolaiv Grunge are Big Muff style circuits, so the Seattle Driver sits in that same family.
Does the Seattle Driver have a separate boost stage?
No. Guitar Pedal X notes there is no separate boost element, but the octave circuit is boosted a bit at the phase splitter, which is how the pedal gets its upper octave action without a dedicated boost control.
What op amp does the Seattle Driver use?
The M5218 op amp used for the EQ is the same as in the original Boss PW-2, according to Guitar Pedal X. The pedal also uses SMD 2SK209-GR FETs, which the reviewer describes as equivalent to the FETs in the PW-2.
Is the Seattle Driver a limited run or a general release?
Guitar Pedal X reported in August 2024 that the Seattle Driver is a general release on the Drunk Beaver webstore, unlike some of the maker's limited pedal drops.
Sources (2)
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-08-09
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-12-18
