The Sweet is a fuzz pedal from Frantone, described by the maker as a "Germanium Transistorized Fuzztone" and, more colorfully, as a "Truly insane fuzztone!" It is built with germanium transistors, the older transistor type behind the classic fuzz sounds, and Frantone claims it is "the longest sustaining and smoothest sounding all-transistor fuzztone you will ever own."1
Vintage Guitar magazine reviewed it in its December 2001 issue, listing the price at $179. The reviewer's verdict on the sound: the pedal "were able to create a retro fuzz tone with a sweeter, warmer tone than most of other fuzz pedals we've tested."2
Controls
The Sweet keeps things simple: three knobs and an indicator light. Vintage Guitar's review describes the layout directly: "The Sweet features volume, sustain, and tone controls with an LED indicator."2
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Sets the pedal's output level |
| Sustain | Sets the amount of fuzz and sustain |
| Tone | Shapes the treble response |
| LED indicator | Shows when the effect is engaged2 |
Frantone's own page specifies the indicator as a green LED.1
Build, bypass and power
The pedal sits in a tough cast aluminum case with a black enamel finish, with a steel bezel around the controls. Frantone says all new Frantone effects come with full signal bypass and a status light, so the guitar's signal passes through unaltered when the pedal is off. Power comes from an external power jack; the maker's page does not list a battery compartment or a current draw figure.1
The maker's page gives no voltage, polarity or current draw for the external power jack. Before putting The Sweet on a shared pedalboard supply, confirm the power requirements with Frantone rather than assuming a standard center-negative figure.
Where it came from
Frantone's designer states on the product page: "I have designed many fuzztones, including the 2000 New York City Big Muff for Electro-Harmonix." The Sweet is that designer's own germanium fuzz under the Frantone name, and each unit is hand-made in USA by Frantone.1
Frantone also built other fuzzes in the same family, including the Frantone Peachfuzz and the Frantone Cream Puff, along with the Frantone Bassweet for bass players.
What reviewers said
The published verdict on record comes from Vintage Guitar's December 2001 review. The reviewer found the pedal "able to create a retro fuzz tone with a sweeter, warmer tone than most of other fuzz pedals we've tested," which lines up with the maker's own claim of a smooth, long-sustaining germanium fuzz.2
Videos
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Questions
Is the Frantone The Sweet a germanium or silicon fuzz?
It is a germanium fuzz. Frantone describes The Sweet as a Germanium Transistorized Fuzztone, built around germanium transistors, which the maker calls the classic tone behind its over-the-top fuzz sound. Germanium is the older transistor type associated with 1960s fuzz designs, and it is the reason the pedal is described as an all-transistor fuzztone.
Is the Frantone The Sweet true bypass?
Frantone says all new Frantone effects come with full signal bypass and a status light, so the pedal passes your guitar's full signal when switched off. The maker does not use the phrase true bypass on the product page, but full signal bypass describes the same idea: the effect is taken out of the chain when it is not engaged.
Who designed the Frantone The Sweet?
The Sweet was designed by Frantone's own designer, who states on the product page that he designed many fuzztones, including the 2000 New York City Big Muff for Electro-Harmonix, before building The Sweet under the Frantone name.
Does the Frantone The Sweet run on a battery?
The maker's product page lists an external power jack and a green indicator LED but does not list a battery option for The Sweet. If you plan to run it on a pedalboard supply, use the external power jack and check the maker's guidance on the voltage and polarity it expects before plugging in.
Where is the Frantone The Sweet made?
In the United States. Frantone states that each one of The Sweet fuzztones is hand-made in USA by Frantone, in the company's tough cast aluminum case with a black enamel finish.
Sources (2)
- The Sweet, Frantone Electronics, 2026
- Frantone “The Sweet” Fuzz, Vintage Guitar magazine, 2003-07-29
