EarthQuaker Devices Park

The EarthQuaker Devices Park Fuzz Sound is a germanium fuzz pedal that recreates the original 1960s British Park Fuzz pedal, a circuit that press sources describe as a Tone Bender MkIII in all but name. EarthQuaker Devices built it in partnership with Park Amplifiers and launched it in January 2014 as the first pedal in that collaboration¹. The maker describes it as a "Vintage Germanium Fuzz Tone" that retains the original sounds while adding modern upgrades to improve performance, reduce background noise and add versatility².

The pedal is no longer in production. EarthQuaker Devices discontinued it as of September 16, 2025³.

What the Park Fuzz Sound does

The original Park Fuzz Sound was a British pedal built from approximately the late 1960s until the mid-1970s⁵. "Park" was a brand launched by Marshall during the mid-1960s⁵, and the Park Fuzz Sound was built on the Tone Bender circuit, as Guitar Player's history of the Tone Bender notes⁵⁶⁷. Premier Guitar's reviewer called the original "a Tone Bender Mk III in all but name" and "one of the most versatile Benders models"⁴. JHS Pedals' distortion history puts it plainly: "Earthquaker's Park Sound Fuzz is just an amazing Tone Bender"⁸.

EarthQuaker's version is a faithful recreation with modern touches. The maker lists metal film resistors and caps for quieter performance among its upgrades², and Delicious Audio notes it uses NOS matched germanium transistors with a Fuzz knob offering twice the gain range of the original⁹⁷. EarthQuaker's own Fuzzcyclopedia describes it as a modernized version of the 1960s British Park Fuzz pedal with a few modern additions, including a smaller footprint¹⁰.

Controls

The pedal keeps the three-knob layout of the original, with the Fuzz control given a wider range than the vintage unit⁹⁷.

Delicious Audio described the fuzz as dialable from very slight to full cascading tones¹¹. Premier Guitar's reviewer found the AC125 germanium transistors enable good fuzzy-to-clean dynamic control via guitar volume attenuation, meaning you can roll your guitar's volume knob back to clean up the sound⁴.

Power and switching

The Park Fuzz Sound takes a standard 9 volt DC power supply with a 2.1mm negative center barrel². At 3 mA of current draw it is easy on a multi-output supply².

Input impedance is 100 kΩ and output impedance is under 1 kΩ².

Where it came from

Park Amplifiers and EarthQuaker Devices, both based in Akron, Ohio, announced the Park Fuzz Sound on January 13, 2014 as the first pedal in a collaboration to produce effect pedals consistent with the Park brand¹. It was sold and distributed through EarthQuaker Devices dealers and distributors worldwide¹. EarthQuaker Devices founder and pedal designer Jamie Stillman was credited by Delicious Audio for the faithful tribute¹¹.

The pedal ran until September 2025, when EarthQuaker discontinued it as of September 16 of that month³. Around the same time the company released the Barrows Fuzz Attacker, a Tone Bender MkII-style germanium fuzz, continuing its work with Bender-family circuits³.

What reviewers said

Premier Guitar's review summed up the pedal's strengths as:

The same review highlighted the dynamic response of the AC125 germanium transistors, which let players move between fuzz and cleaner sounds with the guitar's volume knob⁴. Delicious Audio's coverage of the pedal noted its simple control set and wide fuzz range, from very slight to full cascading tones¹¹.

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