The pedal is a variant replicating the feistier sound of the red and white Fuzz Face Hendrix used in the Band Of Gypsys era, 1969 to 197012. Dunlop's historical researchers go further: they reckon the red Fuzz Face Hendrix used in the last phase of his career was in fact a version of the Octavio circuit without the octave1. That makes this pedal something distinct from a straight Fuzz Face clone, even though its inspiration is a Fuzz Face.
The Authentic Hendrix '69 Psych Series is discontinued. Dunlop no longer produces these pedals, so the Band Of Gypsys Fuzz is found on the secondhand market rather than new3.
What it does to your sound
Dunlop pitched the pedal as delivering "the unique and bitingly aggressive Band of Gypsys fuzz sound in an MXR mini housing"4. Where a standard Fuzz Face gives a rounder, warmer fuzz, this one aims at the harder-edged tone associated with Hendrix's Band of Gypsys era1.
The circuit story matters here. Because Dunlop's historians believe the original red Fuzz Face was an Octavio circuit with the octave stripped out, the JHW4 sits somewhere between the two pedals players usually associate with Hendrix: the Dunlop Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face and the Dunlop Octavio. It is a silicon fuzz, as Guitar.com's review described it, and it shares the mini format with pedals like the Dunlop FFM3 Jimi Hendrix Mini Fuzz Face Distortion1.
The controls
The control set is simple: three knobs and no mode switches1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Fuzz | Sets the amount of fuzz |
| Output | Sets the level |
| Tone | Fine-tunes the voice of the fuzz4 |
The Tone knob is the notable addition. A classic Fuzz Face has only Volume and Fuzz, so the Tone control gives this mini version a degree of sonic fine-tuning the original circuit never had4. There are no switches for germanium/silicon selection or buffering, unlike some other pedals in the wider Authentic Hendrix line.
Power and switching
The pedal was equipped with modern features: a status LED, true-bypass switching, and a 9-volt power jack5. The tiny footprint does not allow room for a battery compartment, but unusually, a 9V adapter for mains power was included in the box1. That means it cannot run on a battery the way a full-size Fuzz Face can, and it needs a spot on a power supply from day one.
The '69 Psych Series
The Band Of Gypsys Fuzz was one of four mini pedals Dunlop introduced at Summer NAMM 2019, each a downsized version of a full-size Authentic Hendrix pedal56.
| Pedal | Type |
|---|---|
| Fuzz Face Distortion (JHW1) | Fuzz/distortion pedal4 |
| Octavio Fuzz (JHW2) | Octave fuzz pedal4 |
| Uni-Vibe Chorus/Vibrato | Chorus/vibrato pedal6 |
| Band Of Gypsys Fuzz (JHW4) | Fuzz pedal4 |
Guitar.com reported the four were touted to cover all grounds of Hendrix's elusive tone6. All four came in MXR mini housings decorated with the trippy, kaleidoscopic designs of UK-based design crew ILOVEDUST5. The series has since been discontinued3.
What reviewers said
Guitar.com reviewed the '69 Psych Series pedals in November 2019, covering the three fuzzes. Reviewer Richard Purvis gave the Band Of Gypsys Fuzz 8 out of 10 and called it "probably the pick of the three fuzzes" in the series1.
For comparison, the same review gave the Dunlop Authentic Hendrix '69 Fuzz Face Mini 8/10, describing "old-fashioned fluffy fuzz that cleans up deliciously," and the Dunlop Authentic Hendrix '69 Octavio Fuzz 8/10 for "retro raucousness with the benefit of a switchable octave"1. The Band Of Gypsys Fuzz stood out to the reviewer as the strongest of the three, with its thicker, more aggressive character1.
Videos
Andertons Music Co
Evenstad Music
Questions
What is the Dunlop Authentic Hendrix '69 Band Of Gypsys Fuzz based on?
It is based on the red and white Fuzz Face that Jimi Hendrix used in the Band of Gypsys era, 1969 to 1970. Dunlop's own historians believe that original red Fuzz Face was in fact a version of the Octavio circuit with the octave-up component removed, which gives the pedal its own character rather than being a straight Fuzz Face copy.
Is the Band Of Gypsys Fuzz a Fuzz Face?
Only in its inspiration. It recreates the sound of a Fuzz Face Hendrix used between 1969 and 1970, but according to Dunlop's historical researchers that pedal was actually built on a version of the Octavio circuit without the octave. So it is a fuzz in the Fuzz Face family in spirit, with its own circuit story.
Is the Hendrix '69 Band Of Gypsys Fuzz true bypass?
Yes. The pedal was equipped with true-bypass switching, along with a status LED and a 9-volt power jack, when Dunlop introduced the '69 Psych Series at Summer NAMM 2019. Unlike some larger Fuzz Face pedals in the Authentic Hendrix line, there is no buffer switch.
Does the Band Of Gypsys Fuzz take a 9-volt power supply?
Yes, it runs on a 9-volt adapter through its power jack, and a 9V mains adapter was included in the box. There is no battery compartment, because the MXR mini housing is too small to fit one, so an external supply is required.
Is the Hendrix '69 Psych Series still in production?
No. Dunlop has discontinued the '69 Psych Series, and the line is no longer in production. The pedals were introduced at Summer NAMM 2019 as downsized versions of the four full-size Authentic Hendrix pedals.
What other pedals are in the Hendrix '69 Psych Series?
The series had four mini pedals: the Fuzz Face Distortion (JHW1), the Octavio Fuzz (JHW2), the Uni-Vibe Chorus/Vibrato, and the Band Of Gypsys Fuzz (JHW4). All four came in MXR mini housings with artwork by UK design crew ILOVEDUST.
Sources (6)
- Review: Dunlop Authentic Hendrix ’69 Psych Series Pedals, Guitar.com, 2019-11-12
- AUTHENTIC HENDRIX™ '68 SHRINE SERIES BAND OF GYPSYS™ FUZZ, Jim Dunlop (www.jimdunlop.com)
- Dunlop honors Jimi Hendrix's iconic effects with Authentic Hendrix '68 Shrine mini pedals, Guitar World, 2023-02-02
- Summer NAMM 2019: Dunlop Introduces Four New Jimi Hendrix Mini Pedals, Dimebag Darrell and Gary Clark Jr. Wahs, Guitar World, 2019-07-19
- Summer NAMM 2019: Dunlop debuts 4 Authentic Hendrix mini pedals, plus new Gary Clark Jr. and Dimebag Cry Baby wahs, MusicRadar, 2019-07-19
- Six of the best pedals from Summer NAMM 2019, Guitar.com, 2019-07-22
