The EWS Little Fuzzy Drive is a compact fuzz/distortion pedal from EWS Effects, a line run by Prosound Communication. Announced in May 2014, it was positioned as the newest fuzz/distortion pedal in the company's lineup, built around retro fuzz type tones with what EWS called "modern controllability and stability"1. Its most distinctive design choice is under the hood: instead of germanium transistors, whose tone can shift with environmental conditions, it uses operational amplifier circuitry to get its fuzz character1.
For a player, that means a fuzz that behaves consistently from gig to gig in a box small enough to tuck into any board. Pedal of the Day's reviewer called it "a nice, retro-fuzz kinda feel to it, with a couple of cool options and loads of surprise sounds"2.
An op-amp fuzz with retro tones
The classic fuzz circuits players associate with the mid-1960s, like the Fuzz Face, lean on germanium transistors, which are famously sensitive to temperature and other environmental factors. EWS took a different route with the Little Fuzzy Drive. As the company put it when announcing the pedal:
"Instead of utilizing germanium transistors, whose tone can be affected by environmental elements, we've used operational amplifier circuitry."1
Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson placed the Little Fuzzy Drive in a Fuzz Face/Big Muff range of character and noted its op-amp base3. Pedal of the Day's reviewer found it had "a nice, retro-fuzz kinda feel to it, with a couple of cool options and loads of surprise sounds"2.
The trade-off shows up in what the pedal will and will not do. Premier Guitar's review of the larger EWS Fuzzy Drive FD-1, the pedal the Little Fuzzy Drive's main mode is modeled on, found a wide spread of usable dirt, from warm overdrive to near buzz-saw, but noted the circuit's limit412:
"Ironically, the weakest point in the Fuzzy Drive's repertoire is the classic mid-'60s buzz tone that can only come from discrete germanium transistors."4
The reviewer found the pedal "always maintaining a decidedly warm nuance classic fuzz tone" rather than an ice-pick buzz-saw4. Players chasing that specific vintage buzz character may find the op-amp approach warmer than expected; players who want stability and consistency get exactly that.
Controls and modes
The control set is simple: Volume, Gain and Tone knobs, plus a small toggle switch for selecting between two fuzz modes12.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Sets the output level |
| Gain | Sets the amount of fuzz/distortion |
| Tone | Shapes the tonal range; Pedal of the Day found good tonal range from it2 |
| Toggle switch | Selects between the two fuzz modes2 |
The two modes give the pedal its split personality:
- Fuzzy Drive mode: a slimmer fuzz voice that EWS describes as similar to its EWS Fuzzy Drive pedal1. Pedal of the Day's reviewer said this mode "takes on characteristics of this pedal's older brother, the Fuzzy Drive, and seeks to emulate it"2.
- Fat Fuzzy mode: a thicker tone with extra midrange, intended for higher gain settings1.
A bright blue LED indicates the pedal's status1.
Power and bypass
The Little Fuzzy Drive runs on a 9-volt battery or an optional external 9-volt regulated center-negative AC adapter1. Center-negative is the standard polarity on most modern pedal power supplies, so typical isolated supplies and daisy chains will work.
Switching is true bypass1, so with the pedal off the signal path skips the circuit entirely. On the related Fuzzy Drive FD-1, Premier Guitar noted that the true bypass switch means no battery drain or output variance when the pedal is off4, the same benefit true bypass gives here.
Size and price
The enclosure is one of the pedal's selling points: a small gray box measuring 38.5mm x 92.5mm and weighing 320g12. Pedal of the Day flagged it as a space-saving EWS pedal in that small enclosure2, and Guitar Pedal X included it in a 2022 selection of mini fuzz pedals52.
On price, the pedal launched with a $160 MSRP in the US in May 20141. Guitar Pedal X's 2022 roundup listed it at $1303, so it has been available below its original MSRP.
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Questions
Is the EWS Little Fuzzy Drive true bypass?
Yes. The Little Fuzzy Drive uses true bypass switching, so when the pedal is off your signal passes through without the circuit in the way. EWS listed true bypass switching among the pedal's features when it announced the Little Fuzzy Drive in 2014.
Does the EWS Little Fuzzy Drive take a battery?
Yes. The pedal runs on a 9-volt battery, and an external 9-volt regulated center-negative AC adapter is available as an option. With true bypass switching, the circuit is out of the path when the pedal is switched off.
What power supply polarity does the Little Fuzzy Drive use?
External power is 9-volt regulated, center-negative. That is the same polarity as most standard 9V pedal power supplies, so a typical daisy chain or isolated supply with center-negative outputs will work alongside the battery option.
Why does the Little Fuzzy Drive use op-amps instead of germanium transistors?
EWS says germanium transistor tone can be affected by environmental elements such as temperature, so the Little Fuzzy Drive uses operational amplifier circuitry instead. The aim is retro fuzz character with modern controllability and stability, and reviewers noted it avoids the unpredictable behavior germanium is known for.
What does Fat Fuzzy mode do on the EWS Little Fuzzy Drive?
Fat Fuzzy mode gives a thicker tone with extra midrange, aimed at higher gain settings. The other mode, Fuzzy Drive, is a slimmer fuzz voice that EWS describes as similar to its larger Fuzzy Drive pedal, and a small toggle switch on the pedal selects between the two.
How much does the EWS Little Fuzzy Drive cost?
The Little Fuzzy Drive carried a $160 MSRP in the US when EWS announced it in May 2014. A 2022 Guitar Pedal X roundup of mini fuzz pedals listed it at $130, so street pricing has come in below the original MSRP.
Sources (5)
- 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
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2022-04-26
- EWS Fuzzy Drive FD-1 Pedal Review, Premier Guitar, 2009-06-11
- E.W.S. Little Brute Drive, Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com), 2015-06-07
