The Black Ash, sold in full as the Black Ash Endangered Fuzz, is a limited-edition fuzz/overdrive pedal from EarthQuaker Devices. Released on November 7, 2018, it was limited to 1,500 units worldwide12 and is no longer in production2. EarthQuaker Devices describes it as taking "some cues from the vintage 'three-knob Bender,'" with "an explosive-yet-detailed treble response, a sturdy midrange, and subterranean bass extension"2.
What made the Black Ash unusual was its parts. It was built from "a highly curated cache of rare and irreplaceable components including paper-in-oil capacitors and NOS half-watt carbon composition resistors" from EQD President Jamie Stillman's personal stash2. The "Endangered" name refers to those components: once the stash was spent, the pedal could not be built again, which is why the run was capped at 1,500 units21.
The Black Ash is discontinued. It was a one-time limited run of 1,500 units worldwide2, so it is only available on the used market.
What it does
The Black Ash is a fuzz/overdrive pedal built on a classic fuzz circuit with an array of NOS components6. In circuit terms, it is essentially a modified silicon Tone Bender4, an MKIII Bender variant5. That places it in the same family as vintage three-knob Tone Benders, but with silicon transistors rather than the germanium parts of the originals, and with EarthQuaker Devices' own voicing on top.
The maker's description of the sound covers the whole frequency range: bright, detailed treble, a sturdy midrange, and extended low end2. Gearnews characterized it as EarthQuaker Devices' take on "the classic Tone Bender fuzz/boost circuit"7.
Controls
The pedal has three knobs8, which EarthQuaker Devices documents as follows83:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Fuzz | Adjusts the amount of gain. Counterclockwise for less fuzz, clockwise for more fuzz. |
| Top | Adjusts high frequencies between 2kHz and 10kHz and controls how "forward" the guitar sits in the mix. Counterclockwise for less top, clockwise for more top. |
| Level | Sets the output volume. Counterclockwise is quiet, clockwise is loud. |
The Volume control offers plenty of output gain above unity1, so the pedal can push an amp as well as provide fuzz. The maker also published two suggested settings, called Embers and Inferno2.
Power and switching
The Black Ash takes a standard 9 volt DC power supply with a 2.1mm negative center barrel and draws 20 mA2. It is true bypass and uses electronic relay-based switching, which the launch announcement described as silent relay-based switching1. One thing to know: audio will not pass without power2, so the pedal needs a live supply in the chain even when bypassed.
Each unit was guaranteed for life1.
Where it came from
EarthQuaker Devices released the Black Ash Endangered Fuzz on November 7, 2018, as a limited edition1, priced at $1993. The limited run and the "Endangered" branding both trace back to its components: the paper-in-oil capacitors and NOS carbon composition resistors came from Jamie Stillman's personal collection and could not be replaced once used up2.
The Tone Bender lineage connects it to a broader family of EarthQuaker Devices fuzzes. The company has also built MKII-style germanium Tone Benders (the Barrows Fuzz Attacker), an MKIII-style Park Fuzz Sound, and a range of other fuzzes including the Hoof V2 and Fuzz Master General.
What reviewers said
Gearnews, writing after the pedal's release, called it "one of the nicest, well specified, yet simple fuzz pedals of 2018"6.
"This is one of the nicest, well specified, yet simple fuzz pedals of 2018"
Videos
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The GAS Station
Questions
Is the EarthQuaker Devices Black Ash still in production?
No. EarthQuaker Devices states the Black Ash is no longer in production. It was a limited edition of 1,500 units worldwide, released on November 7, 2018, so finding one means looking at the used market.
What circuit is the Black Ash based on?
It takes its cues from the vintage three-knob Tone Bender, and is described as essentially a modified silicon Tone Bender, specifically an MKIII Bender variant. Unlike many vintage Tone Benders, it uses silicon rather than germanium transistors.
How is the Black Ash powered?
It runs on a standard 9 volt DC power supply with a 2.1mm negative center barrel, drawing 20 mA. It is true bypass with electronic relay-based switching, and audio will not pass without power, so there is no battery option.
Sources (8)
- EarthQuaker Devices Releases Limited-Edition Black Ash Endangered Fuzz November 7, 2018, MusicPlayers.com, 2018-11-07
- Black Ash Endangered Fuzz, EarthQuaker Devices
- EarthQuaker Devices unearths Black Ash Endangered Fuzz, MusicRadar, 2018-11-08
- Guitar FX Layouts: Earthquaker Devices Black Ash, tagboardeffects.blogspot.com, 2020-07-12
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-09-26
- Top 5 Boutique Fuzz Pedals of 2018 by Mr Black, ZVex, Beetronics, KHDK, Earthquaker, gearnews.com, 2018-12-31
- EarthQuaker Devices Black Ash Endangered Fuzz, gearnews.com, 2018-11-09
- EarthQuaker Devices Unveils New Black Ash Endangered Fuzz Pedal, Guitar World, 2018-11-08
