The FFM3 Jimi Hendrix Fuzz Face Mini Distortion is a fuzz pedal from Dunlop, one of three Fuzz Face Minis in the line12. It is, in Dunlop's own words, the same circuit as the full-size JHF1 Jimi Hendrix Fuzz Face, fitted into a smaller, more pedalboard-friendly housing3. Where the original Fuzz Face is a large round box that eats board space, the Mini line shrinks the format while keeping the tone.
Dunlop's manual describes the sound as "the thick, smooth Fuzz Face tone that Jimi Hendrix made famous"2. The circuit uses matched BC108 silicon transistors, the type MusicRadar's reviewer notes "replicated the BC108 silicon transistor-driven sound that featured on much of Jimi's studio work"14.
The controls
The FFM3 keeps the Fuzz Face's famously simple two-knob layout. Dunlop's manual gives each knob one job2:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| FUZZ | Controls the amount of fuzz |
| VOLUME | Controls the overall effect volume |
That is the whole control surface, and it is deliberate: the original Fuzz Face offered nothing more, and the FFM3 carries the circuit over unchanged. What the Mini adds around those knobs is practical. Guitar World's mini pedal guide lists true-bypass switching, a laser-bright status LED, an AC power jack and an easy-access battery door as the modern appointments7. MusicRadar's review notes the status LEDs are bright blue1.
With only two knobs, the interaction between them is where the pedal lives. Rolling the FUZZ control back cleans the effect up, and pushing it up drives the BC108 transistors into the thick, saturated character the circuit is known for. Players who want more shaping options will need a different pedal; the FFM3's design brief was replication, not flexibility.
Power: 9V battery or AC
The FFM3 can be powered three ways, per Dunlop's product page: a 9-volt battery, a Dunlop ECB003 9-volt adapter, or the DC Brick, Iso-Brick and Mini Iso-Brick power supplies3. The manual adds that any 9-volt AC adapter such as the ECB003 or ECB003EU, or a DC Brick supply, works2.
This is a real difference from the full-size JHF1. The JHF1's manual specifies it is powered by one 9-volt battery, installed by removing the bottom plate, at 9 volts DC8. The FFM3's easy-access battery door and AC power jack mean it fits a modern powered pedalboard without modification. On That Pedal Show's comparison of the two pedals, Mick noted the FFM3 "can run off a 9V external supply" and "takes up waaaaay less pedalboard space" than the JHF196.
If you power the FFM3 from a supply, use a 9-volt adapter such as the Dunlop ECB003/ECB003EU or a DC Brick. The battery door makes battery swaps quick, unlike the JHF1, which needs its bottom plate removed.
FFM3 versus JHF1, and the other Minis
The FFM3 is one of three Fuzz Face Minis Dunlop launched in 20131. All three share the smaller housing; the circuits differ. The FFM3 Jimi Hendrix carries the silicon BC108 circuit of the JHF1361. MusicRadar's buying guide calls it "a miniature version of the original JHF1"6. Players after the germanium character instead can look at the Fuzz Face Mini FFM2 Germanium, and Dunlop's line also includes versions such as the Band of Gypsys Fuzz Face Mini and the Joe Bonamassa Fuzz Face Mini.
JHS Pedals' history of the Mini Fuzz Faces records why silicon suits this particular circuit: Hendrix "definitely favored silicon over germanium tonally and for consistency"10. Silicon transistors are also less temperature-sensitive than germanium, which is part of why the BC108 sound became the studio-era Hendrix fuzz.
| FFM3 Jimi Hendrix | JHF1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit | Matched BC108 silicon, same as JHF1361 | Silicon Fuzz Face circuit163 |
| Housing | 3.5" x 3.5" x 2", pedalboard-friendly7 | Full-size round Fuzz Face |
| Power | 9V battery, adapter or DC Brick3 | One 9V battery, bottom plate removed to install8 |
| Extras | True bypass, status LED, AC jack, battery door7 | Battery only8 |
What reviewers said
MusicRadar's review of the FFM3 was positive on both tone and practicality. The reviewer's verdict called it "the most versatile, mix-friendly of the Fuzz Face Minis," with "classic Jimi sounds" listed among the plus points1. The review also credits the Mini line's pedalboard-friendly enclosures and classic dirt tones for capturing players' attention back in 201343.
Guitar World's reviewer, writing in a later silicon fuzz comparison, summed up the appeal: "it has all those heady tones that made it a classic in the first place"11. The magazine's mini pedal guide lists "classic Sixties-style fuzz," an eye-catching color and shape, and the pedalboard-friendly housing as reasons to buy, while noting the distortion "might be too over-the-top for some players"7.
JHS Pedals' history article was the most direct of all:
"This is my favorite of the new Dunlop Fuzz Face Minis, hands down."
JHS Pedals, on the FFM310
MusicRadar's fuzz pedal buying guide adds detail on the sound itself, crediting the pedal with hearty mid frequencies and "capable of tasty octave overtones" when pushed6.
Videos
Prymaxe
NUNU:A
Portal Gitarowy
Questions
Does the Fuzz Face Mini FFM3 use a battery?
Yes. The FFM3 can be powered by a 9-volt battery, and unlike the original round Fuzz Face, which requires removing the bottom plate to swap a battery, the Mini line has an easy-access battery door. It also accepts a Dunlop ECB003 9-volt adapter or a DC Brick power supply, so it works on a powered pedalboard too.
Does the FFM3 use silicon or germanium transistors?
Silicon. The FFM3 Jimi Hendrix features matched BC108 silicon transistors, the type JHS Pedals notes Hendrix favored over germanium for tone and for consistency. Players who want the germanium character instead can look at the FFM2 Germanium version in the same Fuzz Face Mini line.
How big is the Dunlop FFM3?
The FFM3 measures 3.5 inches by 3.5 inches by 2 inches, according to Guitar World's mini pedal guide. That is the pedalboard-friendly point of the Fuzz Face Mini line: the same circuit as the full-size JHF1 in a smaller housing that takes up far less board space.
What is the difference between the FFM3 and the JHF1?
The circuit. Dunlop says the FFM3 Jimi Hendrix Fuzz Face Mini Distortion has the same circuit as the JHF1, just in a smaller, more pedalboard-friendly housing. The Mini also adds modern appointments the original lacks, including an AC power jack, a status LED and true-bypass switching, while the JHF1 runs on a 9-volt battery installed under the bottom plate.
What did the FFM3 cost at launch?
MusicRadar's fuzz pedal guide lists the FFM3's launch price as $128 in the United States, alongside £99 in the UK and €115 in Europe. Vintage Guitar reported a $99.99 street price for the silicon and Jimi Hendrix versions in May 2014, and Guitar World later listed it at $179.
Sources (11)
- Dunlop Jimi Hendrix Fuzz Face Mini FFM3 review, MusicRadar, 2013-07-08
- FFM3.pdf, Dunlop Manufacturing, Inc., 2019
- JIMI HENDRIX® FUZZ FACE® MINI DISTORTION, Dunlop (jimdunlop.com)
- Dunlop Jimi Hendrix Band Of Gypsys FFM6 Fuzz Face Mini review, MusicRadar, 2014-12-17
- NAMM 2013: Dunlop launches Fuzz Face Mini and MXR Talk Box, MusicRadar, 2013-01-25
- Best fuzz pedals: add some extra dirt to your guitar tone, MusicRadar, 2022-05-17
- Best mini-pedals for guitarists: top space-saving stomps, Guitar World, 2020-09-25
- JHF1.pdf, Dunlop Manufacturing, Inc., 2019
- Big Or Small Hendrix Fuzz Face? JHF1 & FFM3, That Pedal Show, 2024-02-06
- MINI FUZZ FACES, JHS Pedals
- Strymon Canoga Vintage Silicon Fuzz review, Guitar World, 2026-06-22
