The Black Ash Endangered is a fuzz pedal from EarthQuaker Devices, released on November 7, 2018 as a limited edition of 1,500 units worldwide1. It is a fuzz/overdrive that takes its cues from the legendary three-knob Tone Bender, the rare vintage British fuzz, and puts that circuit in a much smaller, more pedalboard-friendly box than the original12. EarthQuaker Devices describes the sound as an explosive-yet-detailed treble response, a sturdy midrange, and subterranean bass extension3.
The pedal is no longer in production, so it now lives on the secondhand market3.
A three-knob Tone Bender in a smaller box
The circuit is based on the vintage three-knob Tone Bender, a circuit Delicious Audio called "the legendary, vintage, and extremely rare" fuzz6. Guitar World described the Black Ash as a fuzz/overdrive that "takes its cues from the legendary 'three-knob' Tone Bender"7. An independent circuit analysis put it more plainly: "It's essentially a modified silicon tonebender"4. That places it in the same family as EarthQuaker's other Tone Bender-derived pedals, such as the Park Fuzz Sound and the later Barrows Fuzz Attacker.
What the Black Ash offered over an original Tone Bender was size and convenience. Gearnews noted it "comes in a much smaller, more pedalboard-friendly form that the ol' Bender ever did!"2. The signal path is all-analog1.
The controls: Volume, Fuzz and a 2kHz to 10kHz treble knob
Three controls adjust the tones: Volume, Fuzz and Top5. The Top control is the distinctive one. Rather than a broad tone cut, it adjusts key frequencies between 2kHz and 10kHz, which selects how "forward" the guitar sits in a full-band mix and helps pair the pedal with different pickup types15.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume (Level) | Sets the output volume. Counterclockwise is quiet, clockwise is loud4 |
| Fuzz | Adjusts the amount of gain. Counterclockwise for less fuzz, clockwise for more4 |
| Top | Adjusts high frequencies between 2kHz and 10kHz and controls how "forward" the guitar sits in the mix. Counterclockwise for less top, clockwise for more4 |
For a player, the 2kHz to 10kHz sweep means the pedal can be voiced for bright single coils or warmer humbuckers, and dialed to cut through or sit behind a full band1.
What's inside
The Black Ash was built with a curated selection of premium components, including paper-in-oil capacitors and half-watt carbon composition resistors from Jamie Stillman's personal collection1. Guitar World described the resistors as NOS, new-old-stock parts7. Each pedal was hand-built in Akron, Ohio, and guaranteed for life1.
Power, bypass and specifications
EarthQuaker Devices specifies a standard 9 volt DC power supply with a 2.1mm negative center barrel, a current draw of 20 mA, and warns "DO NOT RUN AT HIGHER VOLTAGES!"3. The pedal is true bypass with electronic relay-based switching3.
Because the switching is relay-based, audio will not pass through the Black Ash without power3. Unlike a mechanically switched fuzz, it cannot sit unpowered in a chain and pass signal, and it rules out battery-only setups.
Input impedance is 100 kΩ and output impedance is 22 kΩ3. At 100 kΩ the input is lower than many modern pedals, which is characteristic of Tone Bender-style circuits and can affect how it responds to buffers placed in front of it.
History and versions: a limited run of 1,500
EarthQuaker Devices released the Black Ash Endangered Fuzz on November 7, 2018, limited to 1,500 units worldwide1. It listed at $199 in the USA, with a UK price of £2055. Gearnews predicted at launch that the limited run could sell out quickly given EarthQuaker's following2, and the pedal is now discontinued3.
The name and theme leaned into the limited nature of the release: the press release described each pedal as "built one-at-a-time, the hard way, by hand by amateur dendrologists in the arboretum of Akron, Ohio, USA"1.
What reviewers said
Gearnews' reviewer, writing at the end of 2018, called it "one of the nicest, well specified, yet simple fuzz pedals of 2018"8, and on price said: "I'm actually surprised how well priced this is for a boutique fuzz, especially as they are using a stash of quality parts"2.
"This is one of the nicest, well specified, yet simple fuzz pedals of 2018"
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Questions
Is the Black Ash Endangered true bypass?
Yes. EarthQuaker Devices specifies true bypass with electronic relay-based switching. One thing to know: because the switching is relay-based, audio will not pass through the pedal when it is unpowered, so it needs a power supply on the board even when bypassed.
How much current does the Black Ash Endangered draw?
The maker lists a current draw of 20 mA. It runs on a standard 9 volt DC power supply with a 2.1mm negative center barrel, and EarthQuaker Devices warns not to run it at higher voltages.
Is the EarthQuaker 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 now means the secondhand market.
What parts are inside the Black Ash Endangered?
It uses a curated selection of premium components, including paper-in-oil capacitors and half-watt carbon composition resistors from Jamie Stillman's personal collection. Guitar World described the resistors as NOS, meaning new-old-stock parts no longer manufactured.
How much did the Black Ash Endangered cost?
It listed at $199 in the USA when it launched in November 2018, with a UK recommended price of £205. Gearnews' reviewer considered it well priced for a boutique fuzz given the quality of the parts inside.
What is the input impedance of the Black Ash fuzz?
EarthQuaker Devices lists an input impedance of 100 kΩ and an output impedance of 22 kΩ. At 100 kΩ the input is on the low side for a fuzz pedal, which is typical of Tone Bender-style circuits.
Sources (8)
- EarthQuaker Devices Releases Limited-Edition Black Ash Endangered Fuzz November 7, 2018, MusicPlayers.com, 2018-11-07
- EarthQuaker Devices Black Ash Endangered Fuzz, gearnews.com, 2018-11-09
- Black Ash Endangered Fuzz, EarthQuaker Devices
- Guitar FX Layouts: Earthquaker Devices Black Ash, tagboardeffects.blogspot.com, 2020-07-12
- EarthQuaker Devices unearths Black Ash Endangered Fuzz, MusicRadar, 2018-11-08
- EQD Black Ash Endangered Fuzz, Delicious Audio, 2018-11-07
- EarthQuaker Devices Unveils New Black Ash Endangered Fuzz Pedal, Guitar World, 2018-11-08
- Top 5 Boutique Fuzz Pedals of 2018 by Mr Black, ZVex, Beetronics, KHDK, Earthquaker, gearnews.com, 2018-12-31
