Fender The Pelt is a silicon fuzz pedal released by Fender in 2018, in the second wave of the company's pedal releases that year1. It is an analog, silicon transistor based effect23, and rather than cloning a vintage circuit it is an original design developed in response to player requests3. Between its Bloom and Fuzz controls, players can dial in sounds ranging from small, bluesy amp-like breakup all the way to intense, thick wall-of-sound tones4.
Reviewers were broadly positive. Guitar World's reviewer wrote:
"The Pelt delivers wonderfully raspy and buzzy fuzz with tons of fat body that somehow also manages to maintain clarity and definition."
MusicRadar's Rod Brakes called it a "Characterful modern fuzz with a ton of options to dial in your exact needs"6, and RockBoard's PedalPedia entry suggested that, combined with its great range of drive, it would make an ideal first fuzz for newcomers or those yet to be convinced2.
A silicon fuzz from bluesy breakup to a wall of sound
The Pelt is a classic silicon fuzz with a series of added tonal controls4. Its range of dirt is quite wide: from drive and distortion at lower levels of the Fuzz knob through to unmistakable full-on sustaining fuzz6. Delicious Audio described the two ends of that range as "small, bluesy amp-like breakup" and "intense, thick wall-of-sound tones"4.
The silicon clipping matters for how the pedal behaves. RockBoard's entry frames the Pelt as "a silicon fuzz pedal for modernists less bothered by the a hallowed land of Germanium"2, and guitar.com's review confirms it is a silicon transistor based effect3. Where germanium fuzzes are prized for their warmer, temperature-sensitive character, silicon designs like this one lean raspy and buzzy, which is what Guitar World's reviewer heard5.
The circuit is not a rehouse of an older design. Premier Guitar's launch coverage called it "An all original design" with "a few tricks hidden up its sleeve"8, and guitar.com reported the circuit was developed in response to player requests rather than cloned from a vintage fuzz3. Fender also said it can be placed anywhere in the signal chain, providing added tonal flexibility10.
The controls
The Pelt supplements the standard fuzz controls of Fuzz, Output Level and Tone with a Bloom knob and a pair of toggle switches to shape its silicon-based fuzz6. Guitar World lists the full set: level, tone, bloom and fuzz knobs, mid and thick mini toggle switches, and a single bypass footswitch5.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Fuzz | Sets the amount of fuzz, from drive/distortion at lower levels to full-on sustaining fuzz6 |
| Level | Sets the output level5 |
| Tone | Deals with the overall brightness4 |
| Bloom | Ranges from soft to hard, acting on the upper harmonics and adding complexity as it advances3 |
| Mid toggle | Three-way mid-voicing switch that lets you boost or cut the middle frequencies311 |
| Thick toggle | Fattens the sound, boosting the effect's low range34 |
| Footswitch | Single bypass footswitch5 |
The Bloom knob is the unusual one. MusicRadar's review found it "adds versatility"6, and guitar.com called it "a mysterious bloom control that ranges from soft to hard"3. Delicious Audio described what happens at the clockwise end: splattery and zippery silicon fuzz sounds4. RockBoard's entry refers to this control as a Blend control and was especially taken with the versatility it affords2.
The two toggles handle the frequency balance. The Mid switch is a three-way mid-voicing control for boosting or cutting the middle frequencies311, while the Thick switch fattens the sound by boosting the lows34.
Build, power and placement
The Pelt is housed in a lightweight, durable anodized aluminum case about an inch narrower than Fender's Full Moon Distortion, but it shares that pedal's spring-loaded battery compartment door and LED switch for illuminating the control knobs5. The knobs are LED-backlit and the pedal carries a Fender Amp Jewel LED4. It is made in China3.
Power comes from 9V DC, center negative, drawing about 50mA2, or from a 9V battery behind the magnetically latched hinged door4. Fender stated the pedal can be placed anywhere in the signal chain10.
As of February 2023, MusicRadar reported the Pelt was "not very easy to find from the main retailers right now," with Fender UK listing it at £109 and the Fender US store at $149.991. A Pelt V2 was listed at $229.99/£159 in October 202612.
What reviewers and players said
Pete Thorn demonstrated the Pelt on his YouTube channel, using it after a vibe pedal in a solo running into a slightly overdriven amp channel, on the advice that fuzz sounds best with the vibe up front:
"I also used this fuzz hiding back here the Pelt from fender after the vibe pedal Nikko advised me it would sound best that way to have the vibe up front and then run any fuzz after"
In Thorn's demo, the Pelt sits late in the chain, after the vibe pedal and feeding an overdriven amp, and he solos the parts separately so viewers can hear the fuzz's range with the knobs turned13.
Where it sits among Fender fuzzes
Videos
Premier Guitar
Fender
Fender
Questions
What does the Bloom knob do on the Fender Pelt Fuzz?
Bloom ranges from soft to hard and acts on the upper harmonics, adding complexity to the fuzz as you turn it up. Turned clockwise it produces splattery, zippery silicon fuzz sounds, while lower settings keep things smoother. It works alongside the Fuzz knob, which sets the amount of dirt from drive and distortion at low settings to full sustaining fuzz.
Does the Pelt Fuzz use silicon or germanium clipping?
Silicon. The Pelt is a silicon transistor based fuzz, which Fender positioned for players who are not attached to germanium. Silicon fuzzes are generally more consistent in tone across temperatures than germanium designs, and reviewers described the Pelt's sound as raspy, buzzy and thick with clarity.
What is the Pelt Fuzz's list price?
It launched at $129.99 in the US in 2018, with a UK price of £96. By February 2023 the US price was $149.99, and a 2026 Guitar World listing gives $149. A Pelt V2 was listed at $229.99 in October 2026. The original has become harder to find from main retailers.
Is the Pelt Fuzz based on an older fuzz circuit?
No. Rather than being a clone of a vintage fuzz, the circuit is an original design developed in response to player requests, according to guitar.com's review. Premier Guitar's launch coverage likewise described it as an all original design with a few tricks hidden up its sleeve.
Does Fender The Pelt take a battery?
Yes. The Pelt has a magnetically latched, hinged 9V battery door, and Guitar World's review also mentions a spring-loaded battery compartment door shared with the Full Moon Distortion. It also runs on 9V DC center negative power, drawing about 50mA.
Sources (13)
- Is Fender's The Pelt the most underrated fuzz pedal around?, MusicRadar, 2023-02-13
- The Pelt by Fender, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- Fender Engager Boost, Full Moon Distortion & The Pelt Fuzz, guitar.com, 2018-10-10
- Fender Pelt Fuzz, Delicious Audio, 2021-10-20
- Review: Fender Full Moon Distortion and The Pelt Pedals, Guitar World, 2019-07-08
- Fender The Pelt Fuzz review, MusicRadar, 2019-02-02
- Summer NAMM 2018: Fender launches three new effects pedals, gearnews.com, 2018-06-29
- Fender Unveils New Pedals: Engager, Pelt, & Full Moon, Premier Guitar, 2018-09-06
- Fender Hello Kitty Fuzz pedal review, Guitar World, 2024-11-23
- Take a Look at Fender's Three New Effects Pedals, Guitar World, 2018-09-05
- Fender expands pedal range: Engager Boost, Pelt Fuzz and Full Moon Distortion, gearnews.com, 2018-09-08
- Crazy Tube Circuits Triptychon review, Guitar.com
- MAGICAL VINTAGE VIBE TONES! SABBADIUS FUNKY VIBE, YouTube (Pete Thorn channel), 2019-09-06
