The FuzzHugger(fx) Pocket Arcade is a compact fuzz pedal with octave and modulation modes, built by FuzzHugger(fx), a one-man operation based in Mansfield, Pennsylvania. It is a smaller take on the maker's Phantom Arcade, a larger fuzz pedal with footswitches: as Premier Guitar's reviewer put it, the Pocket Arcade "drops a footswitch and adds a few toggles to serve up much of the same bedlam on a smaller platform."1
The controls
The top panel carries three knobs and three switches set into an 8-bit-style graphic that Premier Guitar's reviewer said "exudes Nintendo charm."1
The three switches select the pedal's modes: lo-glitch, hi-ring, and turbo. Each can be used on its own or stacked with the others. Lo-glitch on its own produced what the reviewer described as chaotic, Fuzzrite-style tones along the lines of Ron Asheton's playing on "I Wanna Be Your Dog," along with a bright but heavy fuzz carrying a touch of lower octave.1
With all three modes engaged at once, the pedal opens up its most extreme territory: high and low octaves with fragmented fuzz and beeps and boops, sounds the reviewer called "positively paint-peeling."1
Power and enclosure
The Pocket Arcade runs from a 9V barrel adapter and has no battery option, so it needs a spot on a powered board or a dedicated supply.1
There is no battery compartment. The pedal can only take power from a 9V barrel adapter.1
The enclosure is unfinished and MXR-sized, which keeps the footprint small compared with the footswitch-equipped Phantom Arcade it is based on.1
What reviewers said
Premier Guitar reviewed the Pocket Arcade in June 2023. The reviewer's verdict leaned on how much the small box does: "Lots of modulation and tone bending in a small pedal."1
Questions
Does the FuzzHugger Pocket Arcade take a battery?
No. The Pocket Arcade has no battery option and can only take power from a 9V barrel adapter, according to Premier Guitar's review. Plan for a standard center-negative supply on your board, since there is no battery fallback.
What size is the Pocket Arcade enclosure?
Premier Guitar's reviewer described the Pocket Arcade as housed in an unfinished, MXR-sized enclosure, with three knobs and three switches set into an 8-bit-style graphic. It is a compact footprint compared with its larger predecessor, the Phantom Arcade.
What do the lo-glitch, hi-ring and turbo modes do?
The three toggle modes shape the fuzz in different ways. Lo-glitch produces chaotic, Fuzzrite-style tones. Engaged together, lo-glitch, hi-ring and turbo deliver what the reviewer called positively paint-peeling sounds, with high and low octaves, fragmented fuzz, and beeps and boops.
Can the Pocket Arcade modes be used together?
Yes. The lo-glitch, hi-ring and turbo modes can be engaged at the same time. Premier Guitar's reviewer found that running all three opens up high and low octaves with fragmented fuzz and video-game-style beeps and boops.
How much does the Pocket Arcade cost?
Premier Guitar's June 2023 review listed a street price of $175 in US dollars.
Sources (1)
- FuzzHugger(fx) Pocket Arcade Pedal Review, Premier Guitar, 2013-01-02
