The Expresso FX Custom Fuzz Station is a custom-built fuzz pedal that combines several fuzz and boost circuits in a single enclosure. Maker Sofiane Tebboune describes it as "a custom-built Fuzz station that combines a few circuits in on pedal," covering germanium and silicon fuzz tones plus a germanium boost, all built from hand-selected new old stock (NOS) Mullard transistors1. It sits in the fuzz family alongside other fuzz pedals, with a boost section related to the maker's Germanium Boost Mini.
The maker builds each unit custom. There were no published reviews of the Fuzz Station at the time of listing2.
Four circuits in one pedal
The Fuzz Station gathers several of Expresso FX's circuits into one box, arranged so each feeds the next. The maker describes the sections in signal order1:
- Ge/Si Fuzz: a classic germanium fuzz in which the first transistor is selectable between silicon (Mullard OC202) and germanium (Mullard CV7005).
- Fuzz Bender MkI.V/MkII: a Fuzz Bender MkI.V circuit, switchable to Fuzz Bender MkII via a toggle switch.
- Germanium Boost: last in line, a classic germanium boost with a tone toggle switch giving three distinctive voicings.
The germanium boost section is closely related to Expresso FX's standalone boost pedals, such as the Germanium Boost "Mojo Edition", and the maker has built similar combined units before, including the Custom Ge Fuzz / Ge Boost / Octave Up and the Custom Dual Ge/Si Fuzz & Ge Boost.
The controls
Each section carries its own set of controls, so the four circuits can be shaped independently12:
| Section | Controls | What they do |
|---|---|---|
| Ge/Si Fuzz | Volume, Fuzz, Bias | Level, fuzz amount, and bias for the germanium/silicon fuzz section |
| Fuzz Bender MkI.V/MkII | Level, Attack, Bias | Level, attack, and bias, plus a toggle switch selecting MkI.V or MkII |
| Germanium Boost | Tone toggle switch | Three distinctive voicings |
The two bias controls are worth noting: bias knobs are typical of vintage-style germanium fuzz designs, where transistor operating point shifts noticeably with temperature and affects the fuzz texture.
Transistors and build
Expresso FX builds the Fuzz Station from hand-selected NOS transistors and capacitors, in the maker's words following "our same tradition of extreme attention to detail when putting these pedals together"1. The parts list by section1:
- Ge/Si Fuzz side: 2x Mullard CV7005 and 1x Mullard OC202, hand-selected NOS germanium and silicon transistors
- Fuzz Bender MkI.V/II side: 2x Mullard OC75 and 1x Mullard OC76, hand-selected NOS germanium transistors
- Ge Boost side: 1x Mullard AC107, hand-selected NOS germanium transistor
- Capacitors: NOS Mullard "Mustard" C296 polyester capacitors throughout
The pedal is housed in a genuine Hammond enclosure finished in Antique Copper Hammertone, measuring 187.5 x 119.5 x 37mm (W x D x H)1.
Sources (2)
- Custom Fuzz Station (4 in 1) in Antique Copper Hammertone, Expresso FX, 2024-07-02
- Custom Fuzz Station (4 in 1) in Antique Copper Hammertone, Expresso FX, 2024-07-02
