The Fuzz Master General Legacy Reissue is a limited edition octave fuzz from EarthQuaker Devices, announced in August 2025 as a run of 1,600 units1. It revives the Fuzz Master General, an octave fuzz the company originally built from 2015 to 2018 and which is no longer in production12. EarthQuaker Devices describes the circuit as its take on the vintage Ace Tone Fuzz Master FM-2 Professional fuzz machine, an octave fuzz very similar to the wildly popular Super Fuzz3.
What that means for a player is a fuzz with an octave-up character built in, and a three-position Voice toggle that selects between germanium clipping, silicon clipping and no diode clipping at all3. The reissue carries a list price of $179 in the USA4.
An octave fuzz with three clipping voices
The Fuzz Master General is an octave fuzz, a type of fuzz pedal that adds an octave-up component to the dirt. Premier Guitar called the original "a much more capable and versatile octave fuzz" than a vintage unit5. The three-position Voice toggle is what sets it apart from a straight vintage clone, selecting between germanium, silicon and no diode clipping3:
| Voice position | Clipping | What EarthQuaker Devices says it does |
|---|---|---|
| Mode 1 | Germanium | "This produces a more open and looser fuzz."3 |
| Mode 2 | Silicon | "This produces a tigher, more compressed fuzz."3 |
| Mode 3 | Open, pure transistor drive | "This produces a nearly clean octave-up effect and creates a sound very similar to ring modulation."3 |
The third voice is the one reviewers kept coming back to. Guitar.com's Josh Gardner described it as "just lashings and lashing of brutal, devastating angular octave fuzz", noting it delivers the octave effect "in a more forward, modern, band-centric fashion" than an old-school fuzz circuit6. Premier Guitar's reviewer found that "the real beauty of the third voice is the capacity to get the sweet octave essence of a Super-Fuzz out over a loud, dense band mix"5.
EarthQuaker Devices warns that Mode 3 is very loud, and advises turning down the Level control when using this mode3.
The controls: Fuzz, Tone, Level and Voice
The control set is four knobs and a toggle, which Guitar.com's reviewer found simple to use63:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Fuzz | "Turning this control clockwise creates more dirt."3 |
| Tone | "Darker and scooped tones clockwise. Brighter and more open tones counterclockwise"3 |
| Level | "Adjusts the output volume."3 |
| Voice | "Three way toggle switch which selects the clipping style"3 |
The maker says the Fuzz control is "a more accurate Fuzz control that delivers a much broader spectrum of dirt tones ranging from nearly clean through full buzz saw assault"3. One practical note from the review desk: Guitar.com found that "when you nudge that tone control up to its higher reaches, feedback can be an issue" in a high-volume setting6.
Switching and power
The Legacy Reissue uses EarthQuaker Devices' Flexi-Switch technology, a relay-based true bypass switching style that allows momentary and latching switching at the same time3. That means you can hold the footswitch for short bursts of the effect or press it to latch on like a conventional pedal.
Since the switching is relay-based, the pedal requires power to pass signal3. It will not work as a passive pass-through on an unpowered board. Power comes from a standard 9 volt DC supply with a 2.1mm negative center barrel3.
A 1,600-unit reissue of an Ace Tone Fuzz Master circuit
The original Fuzz Master General launched in 2015, based on the vintage Japanese Ace Tone Fuzz Master FM-2, and ran until 2018613. EarthQuaker Devices gave it a variable tone control where the original Ace Tone used a footswitch to select between two fixed tone settings2. The original is marked "no longer in production" on the maker's site2.
In August 2025, EarthQuaker Devices announced the Legacy Reissue as a run of 1,600 units, priced at $179 in the USA and £189 from Andertons in the UK1. Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson, covering the announcement, admitted the model had been on his own wishlist: "so this Fuzz Master General has already been a target for me for a good 5 years or more"1. The reissue is a straight revival of the circuit rather than a redesign, with the same Tone, Voice, Fuzz and Level control set4.
What reviewers said
Reviews of the Fuzz Master General circuit, published around the reissue, were positive with caveats. Guitar.com rated it 8 out of 10, praising a "broad spectrum of classic fuzz sounds", noting it "responds really well to playing dynamics" and is "simple to use", while flagging that it "can get a bit too unruly at times" and that there is no way to turn off the octave effect6. The same reviewer's verdict:
"If you want a vintage octave fuzz with a greater spread of tones and a more reliable and consistent character than a vintage unit, this is pretty much everything you'd want in one"
Premier Guitar's reviewer went further, calling it an entirely better-behaved Super-Fuzz with more shape-ability1. Delicious Audio noted the limited-run nature of the release plainly: "Limited run, so if you want one, don't sit on it."7
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Questions
Is the Fuzz Master General Legacy Reissue true bypass?
Yes. EarthQuaker Devices describes its switching as relay-based, true bypass, using the company's Flexi-Switch technology. The same relay-based footswitch allows both latching and momentary operation, so you can hold the switch for a quick blast of fuzz or press it to latch the effect on.
Does the Fuzz Master General pass signal without power?
No. Because the switching is relay-based, the Legacy Reissue requires power to pass signal. It takes a standard 9 volt DC power supply with a 2.1mm negative center barrel, so it needs a spot on a powered pedalboard rather than working as a passive pass-through when unplugged.
Can the Fuzz Master General be used as a momentary switch?
Yes. The relay-based Flexi-Switch footswitch allows momentary and latching switching at the same time. Press and hold for momentary bursts of the effect, or press and release to latch it on like a standard footswitch.
How many Fuzz Master General Legacy Reissues were made?
The Legacy Reissue was a limited run of 1,600 units, announced by EarthQuaker Devices in August 2025. The original Fuzz Master General ran from 2015 to 2018 before being discontinued, and the Legacy Reissue brought the circuit back as a straight revival.
What is the difference between the original Fuzz Master General and the Legacy Reissue?
The Legacy Reissue is a limited edition revival of the original Fuzz Master General, which ran from 2015 to 2018 and is no longer in production. Both are octave fuzzes based on the Ace Tone Fuzz Master FM-2. The reissue carries the same control set of Fuzz, Tone, Level and a three-position Voice toggle.
Sources (7)
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-08-07
- Fuzz Master General, EarthQuaker Devices
- Fuzz Master General Legacy Reissue, EarthQuaker Devices
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-12-08
- EarthQuaker Devices Fuzz Master General Review, Premier Guitar, 2015-09-04
- Earthquaker Devices Fuzz Master General review, Guitar.com, 2025-09-10
- Earthquaker Devices Fuzz Master General, Delicious Audio, 2026-07-28
