The Foxpedal Vixen is an overdrive pedal from Foxpedal, described by the maker as the evolution of the company's Foxtail Articulate Overdrive1. It is built with SMT construction, milled aluminum gold colored knurled knobs and top jacks, and runs on a standard 9 volt DC negative center supply1. The maker positions it as a pedal that covers a lot of ground, from "Always On" and preamp functions to clean boost, fat creamy leads and medium crunch1.
What makes the Vixen stand out from most overdrives is its second clipping option. Alongside a standard 1N4148 diode for traditional overdrive sounds, it carries a Nanolog N3 diode, which the maker describes as using "Quantum Tunneling Technology"12. A toggle switch on the pedal selects between the two voicings1.
Two voicings: 4148 and N3 clipping
The Vixen's toggle switch chooses between two clipping circuits, and they are voiced quite differently1.
- 4148 mode uses 1N4148 diode clipping for what Foxpedal calls traditional yet articulate overdrive: extra bite and grit, articulate harmonics, and a brightness the maker says is not harsh12. Guitar Pedal X's reviewer found this mode "a somewhat more open-pored and slightly lighter touch - with less low-end and more high frequency content" than the N3 side2.
- N3 mode uses the Nanolog N3 quantum diode1. At low gain, Foxpedal describes it as an "amp-tone sparkle booster" that enhances the amp to become "more" of itself rather than coloring its sound1.
Guitar Pedal X's reviewer noted that the two modes are quite distinct, and that the builder did not feel it worthwhile to add a second footswitch to toggle between them, so the switch is a panel toggle rather than a stompable function2. The same reviewer called the pedal "very much a medium-gain pedal"2.
The controls
The Vixen carries five knobs plus the voicing toggle1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Level | Sets the output volume1 |
| Gain | Sets the amount of overdrive1 |
| Presence | Shapes the upper-mid and high response1 |
| Bass | Sets low-frequency content1 |
| Treble | Sets high-frequency content1 |
| Voicing toggle | Selects between 4148 and N3 clipping1 |
That five-knob layout is a step up from the Foxtail, which had only Level, Gain and Tone4. In Guitar Pedal X's review, the reviewer settled on Presence around 2:30 and Gain mostly between 12 and 3 o'clock2.
Foxpedal describes the pedal's character at increased gain as buttery, smooth and extremely touch sensitive to the player's dynamics, and says it covers ground from Always On and preamp functions to clean boost, fat creamy leads and medium crunch1.
"It's not quite as harmonically rich as my Keeley-Modded Blues Driver - but replaces that pedal for this month at least w..."
How it differs from the Foxtail
The Foxtail Articulate Overdrive was reviewed by Pedal of the Day in 2015, where it was described as having "sensitivity and dynamics that play right into your hands" and a range running from clean boost to aggressive chunk4. The Vixen Dimensional Drive is a revival and considerable evolution of that pedal, released after years without a new Foxpedal guitar pedal3.
The practical differences for a player:
- The Foxtail has three controls (Level, Gain, Tone); the Vixen has five, adding Presence, Bass and Treble14.
- The Foxtail has one clipping voice; the Vixen has two, selected by toggle12.
- Both share the same 2.6"W x 4.6"H x 1.5"D enclosure and neither takes an internal battery14.
Where the Vixen came from
The Vixen name has a longer history than the 2021 pedal. It first appeared on a single custom Foxpedal built in March 2014, which was a clone of the Systech Harmonic Energizer, a filtered distortion pedal from the 1970s3.
The Vixen sits at the end of a direct line in the company's range: Foxpedal presents it as the evolution of its earlier Foxtail overdrive, carrying that pedal's articulate character forward into a new design1. Beyond that lineage, the maker's own description of the pedal does not go into the company's history.
The Vixen has no internal battery option, so it runs only from a 9 volt DC supply with a negative center plug1. If your board runs on batteries, this pedal will not.
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Questions
Does the Foxpedal Vixen take a battery?
No. The Vixen has no internal battery option, so it needs a 9 volt DC power supply with a negative center plug. That is the standard pedalboard supply, but it means the pedal cannot run standalone without power, and there is no battery door to fall back on at a gig.
What is the difference between the Foxpedal Vixen and the Foxtail?
The Vixen is built on the framework of the earlier Foxtail Articulate Overdrive but is a new pedal. The Foxtail had Level, Gain and Tone controls, while the Vixen adds Presence, Bass and Treble for a five-knob EQ section, and it adds a toggle switch selecting between 1N4148 diode clipping and Nanolog N3 clipping. Both share the same enclosure size.
How big is the Foxpedal Vixen?
The Vixen measures 2.6 inches wide by 4.6 inches high by 1.5 inches deep, the same footprint as the Foxtail Articulate Overdrive. Its jacks are mounted on top of the enclosure rather than the sides, which saves horizontal space on a pedalboard and lets pedals sit closer together.
Can the Vixen be used as an always-on pedal?
Yes. Foxpedal describes it as covering Always On and preamp functions, along with clean boost, fat creamy leads and medium crunch. At low gain in N3 mode it is described as an amp-tone sparkle booster that clarifies your amp without coloring its sound, which suits leaving it on all the time.
Sources (4)
- Foxpedal Vixen Overdrive, Delicious Audio, 2021-04-28
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2021-05-25
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2021-05-03
- FoxPedal Foxtail Articulate Overdrive, Pedal of the Day, 2015-07-07
