The EWS Fuzzy Drive, also known as the FD-1, is a compact fuzz and distortion pedal from EWS, a brand known for its Arion Chorus modification. It was the first pedal produced by EWS, which stands for Engineering Work Store1. What sets it apart from most fuzz boxes is that it does two jobs at once: Premier Guitar's announcement describes it as offering "both fuzz and distortion in one pedal, along with a boost function when the gain is turned down"2. That means a single knob turn takes you from a clean-ish level boost into full-on fuzz territory.
EWS shares a family tree with Xotic, and the Premier Guitar review points out why this pedal exists at all: the sister company Xotic offers no fuzz pedals, so by entering the fuzz market first with the Fuzzy Drive, EWS carved out a niche for itself1.
Fuzz and distortion in one pedal
The Fuzzy Drive is built around the idea that fuzz and overdrive-adjacent distortion do not have to live on separate pedals. With the gain control turned down, the pedal works as a boost, pushing your amp or the rest of your chain harder. Turn the gain up and it moves into fuzz and distortion sounds. Premier Guitar's reviewer found it had real output on tap, noting it "had enough balls to hit the preamp really hard" when driving the clean channel of a Line 6 Spider Valve 1121.
The true bypass switching matters here in a practical way. As the reviewer explained21:
"Since the FD-1 has a true bypass switch, when it’s turned off, there is no battery drain or output variance due to battery strength."1
So when the pedal is disengaged, your signal passes through untouched and the battery sits idle1.
Power and connections
Powering the FD-1 is simple. It runs on an on-board 9-volt battery of the 006P type, or on an external 9VDC adapter with a negative tip, with a regulated adapter recommended21. At 7mA of current draw, it is a light load: even a small isolated power supply with a few 100mA outputs can run it alongside several other pedals without breaking a sweat2.
The input and output impedances are standard for a guitar pedal. The 1 M ohm input presents the load most passive pickups expect, and the sub-10k ohm output drives long cable runs and later pedals in the chain without losing high end2.
Size, weight and related pedals
The Fuzzy Drive is a small pedal: dimensions (W/D/H) of 112 X 65 X 50 (mm), or 4.4 x 2.6 x 2.0 (inch), and a weight of 240g (0.53 lbs)2. It fits comfortably on a crowded board.
EWS later built on the FD-1 with the Little Fuzzy Drive, a smaller fuzz/distortion pedal announced in 2014. EWS described the Little Fuzzy Drive as "designed around retro fuzz type tones utilizing modern controllability and stability," with Volume, Gain and Tone knobs, true bypass switching, and an optional external 9-volt regulated center-negative adapter31. Its Fuzzy Drive mode is a direct relative of the original:
"The Fuzzy Drive mode or shall we say a slimmer fuzzy mode, is similar to our EWS Fuzzy Drive, not a much gain and a tighter tonal response."3
So the practical difference for a player: the Little Fuzzy Drive is a smaller, space-saving pedal whose Fuzzy Drive mode takes on the characteristics of the original Fuzzy Drive and seeks to emulate it4. Pedal of the Day's reviewer, Mike B, found it offers plenty of output volume, "no worries about being buried behind your over-the-top drummer using this pedal," and called it "a very useful, small, powerful pedal" that is "built to last"4.
The Little Fuzzy Drive is a separate, smaller pedal, not a replacement for the FD-1. If you want the boost function and the full gain range, the original Fuzzy Drive is the one with both.
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Questions
Does the EWS Fuzzy Drive run on a battery?
Yes. The FD-1 takes an on-board 9-volt battery of the 006P type, or you can power it from an external 9VDC adapter with a negative tip. Because the pedal uses true bypass switching, the battery does not drain while the pedal is switched off.
Is the EWS Fuzzy Drive true bypass?
Yes. Both the announcement and the Premier Guitar review list true bypass switching. The reviewer noted that when the pedal is off there is no battery drain and no output variance, so it leaves your signal chain alone when disengaged.
How much current does the EWS Fuzzy Drive draw?
The Fuzzy Drive draws 7mA at 9VDC. That is a very small draw, so it can share a modest power supply with several other pedals without stressing the total current budget of the supply.
What is the input impedance of the EWS Fuzzy Drive?
The input impedance is 1 M ohm, and the output impedance is less than 10k ohm. A 1 M ohm input is the standard value for guitar pedals, so it loads a passive pickup system the way most pedals do.
How is the EWS Fuzzy Drive different from the Little Fuzzy Drive?
The Little Fuzzy Drive is a smaller, later pedal whose Fuzzy Drive mode is described by EWS as a slimmer version of the original, with not as much gain and a tighter tonal response. The original Fuzzy Drive offers more gain and a boost function when its gain control is turned down.
Sources (4)
- EWS Fuzzy Drive FD-1 Pedal Review, Premier Guitar, 2009-06-11
- EWS Fuzzy Drive Now Shipping in U.S., Premier Guitar, 2009-05-14
- EWS Effects Announces the Little Fuzzy Drive, Premier Guitar, 2014-05-29
- E.W.S. Little Fuzzy Drive, Pedal of the Day, 2015-06-22
