The Dunlop Authentic Hendrix '69 Fuzz Face Mini is a fuzz pedal from Dunlop that puts the Fuzz Face circuit, the design most associated with Jimi Hendrix's late-sixties sound, into a compact MXR mini housing. Its distinguishing feature is a switch between germanium and silicon transistors, the two transistor types that give different Fuzz Face versions their character, so one pedal covers both flavors. Guitar.com's reviewer, Richard Purvis, summed it up as "Old-fashioned fluffy fuzz that cleans up deliciously" and gave it an 8/10 verdict1.
Controls and switches
The pedal keeps the classic Fuzz Face layout of Volume and Fuzz knobs and adds two switches1:
- Volume sets the output level.
- Fuzz sets the amount of fuzz.
- Germanium/silicon switch selects between the two transistor types, changing the character of the clipping.
- Buffer switch chooses between true bypass and buffered bypass.
The buffer switch matters for pedalboard planning. Dunlop's product page for the related Authentic Hendrix '68 Shrine Series Fuzz Face explains the same arrangement: "a Buffer switch allows for true bypass switching"2. Fuzz Face circuits are famously sensitive to what feeds them, so the choice between leaving the chain untouched when the pedal is off and keeping a buffer in line is left to the player.
Guitar.com lists the pedal as powered by a 9-volt mains supply only, with the supply included1. There is no battery option listed, so plan your board's power accordingly.
How it compares within the Hendrix mini series
Dunlop's Authentic Hendrix '69 Psych Series, announced at Summer NAMM 2019, put several Hendrix-era circuits into the same mini MXR format. Guitar World's report describes the range with modern appointments such as a status LED, true-bypass switching and a 9-volt power jack3. The pedals in that family:
| Pedal | Type | Controls |
|---|---|---|
| Fuzz Face Mini ('69) | Fuzz/distortion | Volume, fuzz, germanium/silicon switch, buffer switch1 |
| Octavio Fuzz (JHW2) | Octave fuzz | Level, fuzz, octave on/off3 |
| Band Of Gypsys Fuzz (JHW4) | Fuzz | Tone, output, fuzz3 |
| Uni-Vibe | Chorus/vibrato | Level, speed, depth, chorus/vibe switch1 |
The JHW1 Fuzz Face Distortion is the closest relative. Guitar World describes it as combining "the two different flavors of Fuzz Face Distortion tones" used by Hendrix, including aggressive silicon-based crunch, in a mini MXR housing3. The '69 Fuzz Face Mini reviewed here takes a different route to the same territory: rather than blending two circuits, it switches the transistor type on a single Fuzz Face design.
Dunlop later extended the mini-housing Hendrix line with the '68 Shrine Series, four MXR mini pedals with Shrine Auditorium poster artwork announced in February 2023. The Shrine Series Fuzz Face Distortion uses two separate buttons to deliver a duo of Hendrix-flavored tones, with knobs for Volume and Fuzz, and is packed into an MXR mini housing as a special edition of the Fuzz Face Distortion4.
What reviewers said
Guitar.com's review of the '69 Psych Series pedals, by Richard Purvis, gave the Fuzz Face Mini an 8/10 verdict, calling it "Old-fashioned fluffy fuzz that cleans up deliciously"1. The description of fuzz that cleans up with the guitar's volume control is consistent with how the Fuzz Face design has long been used by players who roll their guitar volume back between rhythm and lead parts.
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Questions
Is the Dunlop Hendrix '69 Fuzz Face Mini true bypass?
It is switchable: a buffer switch lets you choose between true bypass and buffered bypass. Guitar.com's review lists this as a feature of the pedal, and the same switch arrangement appears across Dunlop's Hendrix mini pedals. That means you can set it to true bypass for a straightforward pedalboard, or engage the buffer if you want the Fuzz Face to drive longer cable runs.
Does the Fuzz Face Mini use germanium or silicon transistors?
Both. The pedal has a germanium/silicon switch, so you can flip between the two transistor types rather than committing to one circuit. Guitar.com described the result as old-fashioned fluffy fuzz that cleans up deliciously, and scored the pedal 8 out of 10. Germanium and silicon clipping behave differently, so the switch effectively gives you two fuzz characters in one mini housing.
How big is the Dunlop Fuzz Face Mini?
Guitar.com lists the dimensions as 92 x 56 x 44mm, which is the MXR mini housing Dunlop uses across its Hendrix mini series. That is small enough to sit alongside standard mini pedals on a crowded board, a fraction of the footprint of the full-size Fuzz Face enclosure the design is based on.
What does the buffer switch do on the Fuzz Face Mini?
It selects between true bypass and buffered bypass. Dunlop's product page for the related '68 Shrine Series Fuzz Face explains the idea: a buffer switch allows for true bypass switching. In practice, the switch lets you decide whether the pedal leaves your signal completely untouched when off, or keeps a buffer in the chain.
What is the difference between the Fuzz Face Mini and the Psych Series JHW1?
The '69 Psych Series Fuzz Face Distortion (JHW1) is a separate mini pedal Dunlop announced in July 2019. Guitar World described it as combining two different flavors of Fuzz Face Distortion tones used by Jimi Hendrix, including aggressive silicon-based crunch, with modern appointments such as a status LED, true-bypass switching and a 9-volt power jack, all in a mini MXR housing. The '69 Fuzz Face Mini reviewed here instead uses a germanium/silicon switch on the classic Fuzz Face circuit.
Sources (4)
- Review: Dunlop Authentic Hendrix ’69 Psych Series Pedals, Guitar.com, 2019-11-12
- AUTHENTIC HENDRIX™ '68 SHRINE SERIES FUZZ FACE® DISTORTION, Jim Dunlop (jimdunlop.com)
- Summer NAMM 2019: Dunlop Introduces Four New Jimi Hendrix Mini Pedals, Dimebag Darrell and Gary Clark Jr. Wahs, Guitar World, 2019-07-19
- Dunlop honors Jimi Hendrix's iconic effects with Authentic Hendrix '68 Shrine mini pedals, Guitar World, 2023-02-02
