The Nitro Fuzz is a fuzz pedal from Elta Electrolaboratory, a small builder whose pedal was reviewed by Pedal of the Day in January 2016. It is not a one-sound fuzz: the reviewer described it as "Producing ragged and gated fuzz, frequency filtered fuzz, high-gain fuzz, oscillatory fuzz and tons of other tones," which puts it in the camp of fuzzes that sweep from spluttering, gated textures into self-oscillation depending on where the controls are set1.
Controls
The front panel is four controls and one toggle. The Voltage knob is the one that defines the pedal: "The thing you notice first on the Nitro Fuzz is a giant knob right in the middle, this is the Voltage control." The reviewer called it the heart and soul of the pedal, with a wide sweep and many settings, and it is where the move from gated fuzz into oscillating tones happens1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Voltage | Giant center knob with a wide sweep and many settings; described as the heart and soul of the pedal1 |
| Fuzz | Overall fuzz amount, adjusting "how much buzzsaw you want to integrate with your dry signal"1 |
| Volume | Output level, with "plenty in the well to dip into here"1 |
| Noise | Adds "another element of surprise and excitement to the pedal's output signal"1 |
| B4/H4 toggle | Switches between Normal/Treble mode and Bass Boost mode1 |
The B4/H4 toggle is the only mode switch. In Bass Boost mode it adds deep low end, which the reviewer found useful for taming the squelches and squeals the fuzz can produce1.
Bypass and where it sits on a board
The Nitro Fuzz uses active bypass with active electronics rather than true bypass. Pedal of the Day's reviewer suggested that makes it "a great first pedal for your signal chain," since the active circuitry is designed to sit at the front of a chain of overdrive, distortion and other effects1.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day's review (Mike B, January 2016) was the published verdict on record. The reviewer's view was that the pedal's true character comes out once you start turning knobs and discovering new sounds, concluding that "the Nitro Fuzz will push the sonic envelope more than most in its class would dare attempt"1.
The review also credited the build: "I got some help from my man Arseny who built it," naming Arseny as the builder who walked the reviewer through the controls1.
Videos
Pedal of the Day
Questions
What does the Voltage knob do on the Nitro Fuzz?
The Voltage control is a large knob in the middle of the pedal, and Pedal of the Day's reviewer described it as the heart and soul of the unit. It has a wide sweep with many settings, and working through them is where the pedal's range of gated, filtered, high-gain and oscillating fuzz tones comes out.
What does the B4/H4 switch do?
B4/H4 is a toggle switch that selects between Normal/Treble mode and Bass Boost mode. In Bass Boost mode the pedal adds deep low end, which the reviewer noted helps tame squelches and squeals from the fuzz circuit.
Is the Elta Nitro Fuzz true bypass?
No. The Nitro Fuzz uses active bypass with active electronics rather than true bypass. The reviewer pointed out that this makes it a good first pedal in a signal chain, since its active circuitry is always in the path.
Who builds the Elta Electrolaboratory Nitro Fuzz?
The pedal comes from Elta Electrolaboratory. In a 2016 review, Pedal of the Day noted that a builder named Arseny built the pedal and explained its controls to the reviewer.
Sources (2)
- Elta Electrolaboratory Nitro Fuzz, Pedal of the Day, 2016-01-19
- Elta Electrolaboratory Nitro Fuzz, Pedal of the Day, 2016-01-16