FuzzHugger Algal Bloom Modified 7k

The FuzzHugger Algal Bloom Modified is a limited-edition fuzz pedal that starts from FuzzHugger's classic chord-friendly, overdriven fuzz circuit and pushes it further. FuzzHugger describes it as letting you "dial in more gain and thickness than ever before," with a slightly higher-fi character, lower overall noise levels, and a touch more sustain¹.

It ships in a Graphic, Deluxe Clear Finish as a limited edition, in a 3.7 x 4.7 aluminum enclosure with top-mounted jacks¹. As of late October 2026 it is listed as out of stock on FuzzHugger's product page, at a price of $195.00¹.

A chord-friendly overdriven fuzz with more gain

The Algal Bloom family is built around one idea: a fuzz that stays articulate when you play chords. FuzzHugger's own copy calls the base circuit its "classic chord-friendly, overdriven fuzz," and the Modified versions take that circuit and enhance its best qualities²³⁴. This limited edition pushes that enhancement further: more gain and thickness than before, a slightly higher-fi voicing, lower noise, and a touch more sustain¹.

The Headroom knob is central to the chord-friendliness. FuzzHugger says it "improves on the pedal's chord-friendliness, delivering extra clarity and definition as you turn right," shifting to a hot-yet-clear, less clipped tone. The maker also calls it great for cleaning up the tone, and for lower tunings and bass¹.

The controls: Gain, Headroom, Level and Voltage

This version carries the control set of the Algal Bloom Modified line. FuzzHugger describes each knob's job on its product pages⁵³⁶:

The Voltage control is the unusual one. Rather than a fixed operating point, the pedal's internal voltage is on a knob, so you can starve the circuit the way you would by using a dying battery in an older fuzz, but with repeatability. Turned right it runs at whatever your adapter supplies between 9V and 18V; turned left it drops to just a few volts, relaxing the gain and response⁶.

Power: 9V to 18V DC

This pedal requires a 9V to 18V DC center-negative adapter, which is not included, and it takes no batteries⁷⁸⁶. That power range is shared across the whole Algal Bloom line: the Algal Bloom, the Modified, the 4k, and the compact Algal Bloom S all accept 9V to 18V DC through a center-negative adapter with no battery option⁹¹⁰¹¹.

Versions and editions of the Algal Bloom

The Algal Bloom family spans several formats and finishes. Alongside the standard Algal Bloom and the Algal Bloom Modified, FuzzHugger has offered¹²¹³¹⁴:

• Algal Bloom Modified 4k: a horizontal version in a smaller 2.7 x 3.7 aluminum enclosure, carrying four essential controls from the newest Algal Bloom¹⁵¹⁶
• Algal Bloom 4k: the four-knob take on the same enhanced circuit¹⁴
• Algal Bloom S: a compact 2.7 x 3.7 enclosure version¹¹
• Burlap Deluxe Finish versions: one-of-a-kind burlap-finished enclosures across the line¹³
• Custom 2-in-1 pedals: double units pairing two Algal Bloom circuits, each side with its own control set¹⁷

How the Modified differs from the 4k

The practical difference between the full-size Algal Bloom Modified and the Algal Bloom Modified 4k is size and control count. The full-size build comes in a 3.7 x 4.7 enclosure³¹⁶¹⁵; the 4k is a horizontal version in a 2.7 x 3.7 enclosure³¹⁶¹⁵, described by FuzzHugger as carrying "four essential controls from the newest Algal Bloom"¹⁵. Both start from the same enhanced Algal Bloom Modified circuit, both accept 9V to 18V DC, and neither takes a battery⁴¹⁴¹⁰.

On price, the two were listed at different points: the full-size Modified at $195.00¹, while a Modified 4k appeared at a $148.00 sale price for a unit with a minor clear coat imperfection, and an Algal Bloom 4k at a $149.00 sale price¹⁸¹⁹. Both variants are out of stock as of late October 2026⁷²⁰.

Warranty

FuzzHugger backs this pedal with an endless, transferrable warranty covering free parts and labor on repairs¹. The same warranty applies across the Algal Bloom line, from the standard Graphic Deluxe versions to the 4k and the Algal Bloom S⁹¹⁰¹¹.

Questions