EarthQuaker Devices Terminal V2

The EarthQuaker Devices Terminal is a fuzz pedal built as a modern take on the vintage JAX fuzz, a pedal better known as the Shin-Ei Companion Fuzz, a Japanese unit prized for its buzzy, aggressive sound and increasingly hard to find on the vintage market¹. EarthQuaker Devices describes it as a "Destructive Fuzz Device" and says it uses archaic all-analog circuitry¹. The pedal is no longer in production, so it is now a used-market item.

Where the original Companion Fuzz was a bare-bones circuit, the Terminal takes the design three steps further: EarthQuaker added a Voice control and a Treble control, along with greater output volume¹. Premier Guitar's launch coverage quoted the maker describing the design as "modeled after my old JAX fuzz. For those not in the know, the JAX fuzz is a re-branded Shin Ei Companion fuzz that is well loved for its buzzy sound," and noted that the Terminal adds control over the gain, fine tuning of the EQ, and a massive adjustable volume boost².

What the Terminal does

The Terminal is a buzzy fuzz in the Companion Fuzz tradition rather than a smooth, saturated fuzz. MusicRadar's reviewer Trevor Curwen described its range as running from buzzy fuzz "right through to a ripping synth-like Spirit In The Sky tone"⁵. At lower settings of the fuzz knob, the pedal produces practical drive tones that can be shaped with the tone knobs; keep turning it up and the sound gets progressively more aggressive⁵.

The pedal is not a dedicated octave fuzz, but it can lean that way. Guitar World's reviewer found that "Delicious Octavia-style octave-fuzz overtones emerge when the treble and fuzz knobs are cranked way up"⁴.

Controls

The Voice knob is the heart of the pedal for tone shaping. Guitar World's reviewer called it "where most of the tonal magic lies, particularly in the lower-midrange tones that are produced when the knob is in the range of seven to 10 o'clock"⁴. The volume control is no afterthought either: the same review noted that "The volume knob can deliver a very generous volume boost, so players don't have to worry about their fuzz tones fading"⁴.

The enclosure is a flat black box sporting the silhouette of downtown Cleveland's Terminal Tower, topped with Fender-inspired chrome skirted knobs, a nod to the pedal's name and its Ohio origins⁷.

How it compares to a Shin-Ei FY-2

The whole point of the Terminal is to capture the original Companion Fuzz sound with more flexibility. MusicRadar's verdict on this was direct¹²⁸:

The trade-off, in the same reviewer's view, is that the pedal has "only one sound"⁵: it is a buzzy, destructive fuzz rather than a versatile drive platform. Where a vintage FY-2 gives you the buzzy character with minimal adjustment, the Terminal's Voice and Treble knobs let you dial the midrange and top end to fit your rig, and its output level control lets you push the amp harder or match your bypassed volume.

Power and setup

The Terminal runs on a standard 9 volt DC power supply with a 2.1mm negative center barrel, drawing 10 mA¹. It is true bypass, so it leaves your clean signal alone when switched off¹.

The pedal was built one at a time in Akron, Ohio¹, and measured 4.75 x 2.50 x 2.25 inches with knobs¹, roughly the footprint of a standard single-effect pedal.

What reviewers said

Guitar World's review found the Terminal "plays well with others, from single-coil- to humbucker-equipped guitars and any variety of amps, including Fenders, Marshalls, Voxes and modern-day high-gain boutique amps"⁴, which addresses a common worry with vintage-style fuzzes: that they only sound right with one particular guitar or amp.

MusicRadar's takeaway was more focused: the pedal nails the original's buzzy character and gives more control than the FY-2, but it delivers only one sound⁵. For a player chasing that specific Companion Fuzz flavor, that is the point; for a player wanting a fuzz that also cleans up into overdrive, it is a limitation.

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