The Fredric Effects Deeply Unpleasant Companion is a fuzz pedal built for bass guitar, an improved version of the vintage Shin-Ei FY-2 Companion Fuzz circuit. Where the original FY-2 could swallow a bass player's low end, Fredric Effects modified the circuit to preserve more of the low frequencies and added a clean blend, so you can mix your unaffected signal back in under the fuzz1. It was announced in December 2015 as a bass-oriented follow-up to the company's Unpleasant Companion MKII2.
The name is a joke with a point: the FY-2's character is famously harsh and scooped, and this pedal keeps that uncompromising voice while making it usable on bass. As Premier Guitar's reviewer put it after dialing in more bottom end, the pedal delivered "deep, raspy, meat-grinder fuzz"3.
A Companion Fuzz voiced for bass, with a clean blend
The Deeply Unpleasant Companion started life as a modified Companion Fuzz optimized for bass guitar4. Fredric Effects says the changes came directly from player requests: "Following requests from bass players, we've modified this circuit to preserve more of the low frequencies"1. The clean blend function lets you mix the clean signal with the fuzz, so the fundamental of a bass line stays present even when the fuzz circuit is at its most aggressive4.
The blend circuit does more than preserve low end. Guitar Interactive Magazine reported when the pedal was announced that "the buffers used in the blend circuit also have the added bonus of bringing a touch more clarity to the fuzz than the standard Unpleasant Companion while retaining its uncompromising character"2. Like the standard Unpleasant Companion, the pedal also features a volume boost circuit1.
The original MkI keeps the control set simple, in the spirit of the FY-2 it descends from31:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Fuzz tone | Sets the character of the fuzz, from sizzling highs to darker grind3 |
| Volume | Sets the output level3 |
| Blend | Mixes the clean signal in with the effected signal3 |
Premier Guitar's reviewer found this a "simple control set for big-fuzz storm" and called the mix dial "a nice feature"3. With both the fuzz-tone knob and blend dial set at 3 o'clock, the reviewer got "a sizzling, nasty wash of grind that definitely favored the highs but wasn't too nasally"3.
From the Shin-Ei FY-2 to the MkII
The Shin-Ei FY-2 Companion Fuzz was an early 1970s silicon transistor fuzz, and its scooped midrange character is the seed of everything in the Unpleasant Companion family5. The original unit also suffers from excessively low volume, one of the practical problems a modern rebuild can address5. Vintage FY-2s also circulated under various brand names, which is part of why the circuit's history is tangled6.
Fredric Effects' family tree around this circuit has grown over the years:
- The Unpleasant Companion MKII, the straight FY-2 variant7
- The Deeply Unpleasant Companion, the bass-oriented version with clean blend2
- The Super Unpleasant Companion, a fuzz and octaver take8
- The Nouveau Super Unpleasant Companion, a four-voice Shin-Ei-inspired fuzz reviewed by Guitar.com in 20229
The Deeply Unpleasant Companion MkII is an evolution of that FY-2 variant, and it is where the pedal's control set expands considerably4.
What the MkII adds over the MkI
The MkII Deeply Unpleasant Companion adds gain, tone and mid-scoop controls on top of the low-frequency preservation and clean blend of the original4. Below the knobs sit a series of push-buttons that allow the tone and blend circuits to be bypassed completely, along with a further button to switch the order of the tone and scoop circuits4. Guitar Pedal X's review lists the full control set10:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Sets the fuzz intensity, added on the MkII4 |
| Volume | Sets the output level3 |
| Blend | Mixes the clean signal with the fuzz4 |
| Tone | Shapes the fuzz's frequency balance10 |
| Scoop | Cuts the midrange, added on the MkII4 |
| Blend Bypass switch | Removes the blend circuit from the signal path10 |
| Tone Bypass switch | Removes the tone circuit from the signal path10 |
| EQ order button | Switches tone into scoop, or scoop into tone10 |
That EQ order button is the detail that caught the press's attention. On Guitar Pedal X, Stefan Karlsson wrote that "Tim has designed this pedal so smartly," referring to Fredric Effects' designer10. The same review characterized the MkII's voice as "a gated, scratchy, starved and spiky silicon fuzz character," and described it as "somewhat more unruly and 'nasty' gated sounding" than Fredric Effects' Standard Fuzz Machine, noting it "really makes you work for your musical tones" when it comes to dial-in ease10.
Does it work on guitar?
Yes. Although designed with the bass player in mind, Fredric Effects says the pedal also sounds great on electric guitar, especially when used with distortion and overdrive pedals4. The maker has said the same of the MkI1. In practice, the Premier Guitar review of the original was a guitar review, and the reviewer got where they wanted to be for deep, raspy fuzz after dialing in more bottom3.
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Questions
What is the difference between the Unpleasant Companion and the Deeply Unpleasant Companion?
The Unpleasant Companion is Fredric Effects' straight take on the Shin-Ei FY-2 Companion Fuzz. The Deeply Unpleasant Companion is a modified version of that circuit, voiced for bass: the maker changed the circuit to preserve more low frequencies and added a clean blend so you can mix your unaffected signal back in. It also carries a volume boost circuit like the standard version.
What did the MkII add over the MkI?
The MkII adds gain, tone and mid-scoop controls on top of the original's volume and blend setup. It also brings push-buttons to bypass the tone and blend circuits completely, plus a further button that switches the order of the tone and scoop circuits, so you can shape where the mid cut happens in the chain.
Does the Deeply Unpleasant Companion work on guitar?
Yes. Fredric Effects designed it with the bass player in mind, but the maker says it also sounds great on electric guitar, especially when used with distortions and overdrives. The Premier Guitar review that put it through its paces was a guitar review, and the reviewer got deep, raspy fuzz tones after dialing in more bottom end.
What does the Scoop control do on the Deeply Unpleasant Companion MkII?
Scoop is a mid-scoop control added on the MkII. It cuts the midrange, echoing the scooped-mid character the original Shin-Ei FY-2 was known for. A push-button lets you reorder the tone and scoop circuits, so the mid cut can come before or after the tone shaping.
How much does the Fredric Effects Deeply Unpleasant Companion cost in the US?
Premier Guitar listed a street price of $139 for the original Deeply Unpleasant Companion. The MkII is listed by the maker at £140 direct from Fredric Effects in the UK. Fredric Effects sells direct and through selected shops and online retailers.
Sources (10)
- Shin-Ei FY-2 Companion Fuzz clone FY2 with clean blend for bass guitar, Fredric Effects
- Fredric Effects Announce the new Deeply Unpleasant Companion Bass Fuzz Pedal, Guitar Interactive Magazine, 2015-12-04
- Fredric Effects Deeply Unpleasant Companion Review, Premier Guitar, 2016-07-08
- Shin-Ei FY-2 Companion Fuzz clone FY2 with clean blend for bass guitar, Fredric Effects
- Constellation Vintage Fuzz / Shin-ei Companion FY-2, Aion FX, 2019-11-25
- Earthquaker Devices Terminal Fuzz review, MusicRadar, 2014-11-14
- Unpleasant Companion, Fredric Effects
- Super Unpleasant Companion by Fredric Effects, RockBoard (www.rockboard.de), 2026
- Fredric Effects Nouveau Super Unpleasant Companion review: An uncompromising multi-fuzz pedal for channelling your inner rage, Guitar.com, 2022-05-20
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-03-19
