Fridgebuzzz Electronics Fridgebuzzz Land of the Rising Fuzzz

The Fridgebuzzz Land of the Rising Fuzzz is a handmade fuzz pedal from Fridgebuzzz Electronics, built to recreate the biting tone of the Shin-Ei Companion Fuzz. Delicious Audio's review describes it as "an all analog, simply designed fuzz effect for those looking to recreate the Shin-Ei's biting tone"¹. It is a compact take on a circuit with a long history: the original Shin-Ei Companion FY-2 was an early 1970s silicon transistor fuzz², and Shin-ei itself has since issued a reproduction of the FY-2³.

The Shin-Ei Companion Fuzz connection

The Companion FY-2 sits in a small family of pedals built around the same circuit idea. Aion FX describes the original as "an early 1970s silicon transistor fuzz"², and the circuit has been revisited more than once: General Guitar Gadgets sells a DIY replica kit of the Shin-Ei Companion Fuzz FY-2 for builders who want to make their own⁴, and Coda Effects notes that "Earthquaker Devices recently issued a clone: the Terminal Fuzz"⁵. Shin-ei has also brought the pedal back itself as the Shin-ei Companion FY-2 Fuzz Box Reproduction³. The Land of the Rising Fuzzz is Fridgebuzzz's entry in that lineage.

Controls and the mode 2 switch

The pedal keeps things simple, with three knobs and one extra switch:

Delicious Audio's reviewer found that with those three controls "the LOTRF reacts organically to a variety of guita[r]"¹. The mode 2 switch is the pedal's addition beyond the basic three-knob layout: it allows more of the clean signal to pass, giving the pedal a warmer overdriven sound that can function as a clean/distorted doubling effect¹. The reviewer sums up the philosophy: "There's no EQ boost, compression or shape modulation here, just a pure and effective fuzz"¹.

What reviewers said

Delicious Audio's review, published in December 2011, frames the pedal as a way to get the Shin-Ei sound without hunting vintage gear. The reviewer, Ezra Max, wrote: "Having used a few vintage pedals of the same era, the LOTRF's aggressive tone is a convincing nod to the '60's, at a fra[ction of the price of vintage pedals]"¹. On tone, the review describes a sharper and harsher biting sound in the Shin-Ei style, suited to shoegaze and piercing lead tones: "If you're looking for a sizzling shoegaze sound or piercing lead tone, the Land Of The Rising Fuzzz is wonderfully effec[tive]"¹. On price, the reviewer called it "very affordable for a boutique handmade effect" at $119¹.

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