The Electro-Harmonix Flatiron Fuzz is a compact op-amp powered fuzz/distortion pedal, and the company's own take on the ProCo RAT2. It arrived in 2018 as part of a two-pedal announcement alongside the Sovtek Deluxe Big Muff Pi, and it uses a late '70s style circuit with symmetrical hard clipping. The name comes from the historic Flatiron Building in New York City, which is pictured on the pedal.1
Volume, Drive and Filter
The pedal keeps the classic three-knob layout of the RAT-style circuit it is based on314.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Adjusts the output volume1 |
| Drive | Spans the breadth of distortion and fuzz, per Guitar World's Paul Riario5 |
| Filter | A low pass filter; Riario found it ideal set between 11 and 2 o'clock, outside that range sharply bright or too dark5 |
Electro-Harmonix describes the drive range this way: at lower drive settings the pedal remains fairly clean and adds a pleasing mild distortion, and as the drive is turned up it produces thick, meaty arena rock tones.1
Premier Guitar's reviewer came at it from the other end of the control range:
"the Flatiron excels at tight, grinding distortion when you boost the gain and set the filter control for toppier output"
Circuit and the RAT connection
The Flatiron Fuzz is an analog, op-amp based distortion/fuzz, as gearnews.com put it when the pedal was announced.2 Electro-Harmonix describes it as a classic op-amp powered fuzz/distortion inspired by the RAT2, and does not mince words about the comparison: "it's EHX's take on the RAT2 pedal, only we think it's better."1 Guitar.com, covering the debut, called it EHX's take on the iconic RAT2 distortion pedal.4
Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio described the circuit as RAT-inspired, delivering symmetrical hard clipping, in a compact enclosure.7 For players wondering what symmetrical hard clipping means in practice, it is the same clipping approach the RAT family uses, which is why the Flatiron shows up in RAT-style pedal roundups.
Flatiron Fuzz and Flat Iron Distortion
Electro-Harmonix makes a closely related pedal, the Flat Iron Distortion, and the two share the Volume, Drive and Filter control layout. Guitar Pedal X's 2024 buying guide lists the Flat Iron Distortion at $85 / £65 and its reviewer's verdict was mixed: "This is the very epitome of 'bog standard' it's a Rat for sure, but not particularly vibrant or textured."3 The Flatiron Fuzz is the fuzz-flavored version of the same idea.
Power and bypass
The pedal is true bypass, and can be used with either a 9V battery or an external power supply.2 Electro-Harmonix states the True Bypass feature is there "for maximum signal path integrity in bypass mode."1
Videos
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TheGuitarGeek
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Sources (7)
- Flatiron Fuzz, Electro-Harmonix (www.ehx.com)
- Electro Harmonix: Sovtek Deluxe Big Muff Pi, Nano Battalion and Flatiron Fuzz, gearnews.com, 2018-12-01
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-08-30
- NAMM 2019: Electro-Harmonix debuts the Flatiron Fuzz, Nano Battalion, Guitar.com, 2018-12-18
- Review: Electro-Harmonix Flatiron Fuzz Pedal, Guitar World, 2019-04-10
- Quick Hit: Electro-Harmonix Flatiron Fuzz Review, Premier Guitar, 2019-05-24
- Electro-Harmonix Flatiron Fuzz, Delicious Audio, 2018-12-27
