The Electro-Harmonix Satisfaction Fuzz is a compact, two-knob fuzz pedal released by Electro-Harmonix in 2014, built as a modern re-creation of the classic fuzz sounds of the 1960s1. Its name and its voice point at one specific record: Guitar World described it as the company's attempt to channel Keith Richards' fuzz tone on the Rolling Stones' 1965 hit single of the same name2, and MusicRadar called it an homage to that sound, the fuzz of "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" played on a Maestro FZ-1 Fuzz-Tone3.
The pedal is now discontinued, but its circuit carries on in the Electro-Harmonix Satisfaction Plus, which keeps the original sound as one of its modes14.
A two-knob 1960s fuzz
When Electro-Harmonix introduced the pedal at NAMM in January 2014, the company pitched it as a re-creation of the classic fuzz tone pedal with an "elemental two-knob layout with controls for Volume and Attack (fuzz)"5. Guitar World's launch coverage described the result as a classically voiced fuzz that "goes from an aggressive rasp to full-on fuzzed-out mayhem"5.
The pedal sits in Electro-Harmonix's compact, rugged, nano-sized chassis, a die-cast enclosure measuring 4.5 x 2.75 x 2.1 inches15. At launch it carried a US list price of $69.546; by 2023 gearnews listed it at $37.00 at Thomann7.
Where the circuit comes from
Electro-Harmonix describes the fuzz circuit as inspired by early '60s fuzz pedals4, and the specific reference is the Maestro FZ-1 Fuzz-Tone heard on "Satisfaction"3. Under the hood, the lineage is older still. Writing on the legacy of Jordan Electronics, JHS Pedals explains the design in plain terms:
"Basically, Electro-Harmonix said, 'Let's use a Boss Tone and remove the two diodes.'"8
The Jordan Boss Tone was a 1960s fuzz, and JHS's account places the Satisfaction's circuit squarely in that family, with the two clipping diodes taken out of the signal path8.
The controls
The Satisfaction Fuzz keeps its control set deliberately stripped back: just Volume and Attack, which MusicRadar described as the amount of gain or fuzz added to your signal3. A footswitch engages the effect, with an LED that lights when it is on1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| VOL | Sets the output level1 |
| ATTACK | Controls the amount of input gain and distortion1 |
| Footswitch and LED | Selects whether the effect is engaged or in bypass; the LED is lit when engaged1 |
That two-knob simplicity is the point of the pedal, and it is also what separates it from its successor56.
Satisfaction vs. Satisfaction Plus
In 2023 Electro-Harmonix released the Satisfaction Plus, which Premier Guitar described as an evolution of the 2014 pedal rather than a replacement in spirit: where the original circuit was a focused tribute, the Plus treats the classic tone more broadly49. The maker says the Plus delivers "a wide palette of tones from classic '60s snarl to creamy lead tone to thick, earth-shaking sludge"4.
| Satisfaction Fuzz (2014) | Satisfaction Plus (2023) | |
|---|---|---|
| Controls | Volume, Attack563 | Volume, Attack, Tone, Bias1056 |
| Modes | None | FAT/NORM switch4 |
| Circuit | Boss Tone with two diodes removed8 | NORM position has the same overall circuitry as the original4 |
| Bypass | True bypass1 | True bypass7 |
| Price | $69.54 US list at launch (2014)6 | USD 99 MSRP (2023)7 |
On the Plus, the Tone knob runs an active tilt-shift EQ that is flat at noon, matching the original pedal, and the Bias knob dials the fuzz character from balanced and open to gated and snarly411. The FAT/NORM switch is the key difference: in NORM the Plus has the same overall circuitry as the original Satisfaction, while FAT gives a bigger, bassier fuzz that still cuts through a mix4.
The Satisfaction Fuzz is discontinued, so it is found only on the secondhand market. Players who want its exact circuit new can get it in the NORM mode of the Satisfaction Plus4.
Power and bypass
The Satisfaction Fuzz ships with a 9V battery included, and can also run on an optional EHX 9.6-Volt/DC200mA AC adapter, which is not included15. Its current draw of 2mA is low enough that a battery is a practical long-term power option1. The pedal uses true bypass switching, which Electro-Harmonix describes as updated circuitry for optimum signal path integrity, so the dry signal passes through untouched when the pedal is off15.
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Questions
Is the Electro-Harmonix Satisfaction Fuzz discontinued?
Yes. Electro-Harmonix lists the Satisfaction Fuzz as discontinued on its product page. The circuit lives on in the Satisfaction Plus, which the maker describes as a wider-ranging evolution of the same fuzz, with added Tone, Bias and FAT/NORM controls.
Does the Satisfaction Fuzz run on a battery?
Yes. The pedal ships with a 9V battery included, and it can also be powered by an optional EHX 9.6-Volt/DC200mA AC adapter, which is not included. Current draw is a very low 2mA, so a battery lasts a long time.
Is the Satisfaction Fuzz true bypass?
Yes. Electro-Harmonix lists true bypass for the Satisfaction Fuzz, and the maker describes it as updated with true bypass circuitry for optimum signal path integrity, so it leaves your dry signal alone when switched off.
What fuzz circuit is the Satisfaction based on?
Electro-Harmonix describes it as a fuzz circuit inspired by early '60s fuzz pedals, and as a tribute to the fuzz sound of Keith Richards on "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," played on a Maestro FZ-1 Fuzz-Tone. JHS Pedals describes the circuit as a Jordan Boss Tone with the two diodes removed.
What is the difference between the Satisfaction and the Satisfaction Plus?
The original has only Volume and Attack knobs. The Satisfaction Plus adds a Tone knob (an active tilt EQ), a Bias knob, and a FAT/NORM switch: NORM matches the original circuit, while FAT gives a bigger, bassier fuzz. The Plus carried an MSRP of USD 99 in 2023.
Sources (11)
- Satisfaction, Electro-Harmonix
- Electro-Harmonix fattens up Keith Richards-channeling Satisfaction fuzz pedal, Guitar World, 2023-04-27
- Electro-Harmonix adds beef to the Keef with the expanded Satisfaction Plus fuzz debuting an all-new Fat mode, MusicRadar, 2023-04-28
- Satisfaction Plus, Electro-Harmonix
- New EHX Pedals: tortion, Holy Grail Max & Satisfaction, Premier Guitar, 2014-01-22
- NAMM 2014: Electro-Harmonix Introduces Satisfaction Fuzz Pedal, Guitar World, 2014-01-24
- Electro-Harmonix Satisfaction Plus Fuzz: More satisfaction guaranteed?, gearnews.com, 2023-04-27
- THE LEGACY OF JORDAN ELECTRONICS, JHS Pedals
- Electro-Harmonix Unveils the Satisfaction Plus Fuzz, Premier Guitar, 2023-05-03
- Electro-Harmonix is unleashing demons with its new Hell Melter distortion, Guitar.com, 2023-05-10
- Electro-Harmonix Satisfaction Plus Fuzz, Delicious Audio, 2023-06-16
Keith Richards
