The Ghost Note Audio 3 Bit Fuzz is a digital bitcrusher and distortion pedal: it chops the resolution of your signal down to gritty, lo-fi fragments and hard-clips it into fuzz territory. Guitar Pedal X describes it as "an original '3 Bit Fuzz' - Bitcrusher / Distortion - with a wide variety of output textures", and it launched in October 2025 as part of the Daedalus Digital Effects Series, a line of pedals inspired mostly by 1980s rack units1. Guitar.com's Richard Purvis called the bitcrusher side "excellent, offering tight yet belligerent fuzz with lots of control over the EQ"2.
What it does and how it is controlled
The 3 Bit Fuzz offers eight bitcrusher and hard-clipper modes, numbered 1 to 8, with an ALT function1. A bitcrusher reduces the digital resolution of the signal, which is what gives the pedal its fuzzy, degraded texture; the hard-clipper stage then flattens the waveform for distortion. For players comparing it with a conventional fuzz or distortion pedal, the difference is that the texture comes from digital bit reduction rather than analog clipping alone.
The control set is unusually deep for a fuzz:
| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| Low [Scoop] | Bass EQ, with a scoop function in ALT |
| Mid [Curve] | Midrange EQ, with a curve function in ALT |
| High [Shift] | Treble EQ, with a shift function in ALT |
| Gain [Gate] | Drive amount, with a gate function in ALT |
| Tone | Tone shaping |
| Volume | Output level |
| Shape | Bitcrusher / hard-clipper shaping |
| MODE | Mode selection |
| Phase | Phase control |
Footswitches round out the controls1.
Connections and power
The pedal's ports are USB-C, a Left / 1 input, 9V DC power, Left / 1 and Right / 2 outputs, MIDI and EXP1. That gives it stereo outputs, a MIDI port for preset or program control, and a dedicated expression input for real-time control of its parameters.
The 3 Bit Fuzz draws 100mA at 9V DC center negative1, so check that your power supply can supply that on the output you use.
Where it came from
The 3 Bit Fuzz is listed by Ghost Note Audio at £1501. Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson wrote of the circuit that "Origin and provenance not known here - I believe it's an original effect", so it appears to be a Ghost Note Audio design rather than a recreation of an existing pedal1.
What reviewers said
Guitar.com's Richard Purvis, reviewing the series, found the bitcrusher "excellent, offering tight yet belligerent fuzz with lots of control over the EQ"2. That combination of aggressive texture and a full three-band EQ is what sets the pedal apart from simpler fuzz designs.
Videos
Ghost Note Audio
魔法の箱研究所
Questions
Is the Ghost Note Audio 3 Bit Fuzz analog or digital?
It is a digital pedal. Guitar Pedal X describes it as an original 3 Bit Fuzz, a bitcrusher and distortion design with a wide variety of output textures, part of Ghost Note Audio's Daedalus Digital Effects Series of pedals inspired by 1980s rack units.
How many modes does the 3 Bit Fuzz have?
The 3 Bit Fuzz offers eight bitcrusher and hard-clipper modes, numbered 1 to 8, with an ALT function. Mode selection is handled by the MODE control alongside Tone, Shape and Phase controls.
Does the 3 Bit Fuzz have MIDI?
Yes. The pedal has a MIDI port among its connections, alongside USB-C, a mono input, left and right outputs, and an expression (EXP) port.
Can I use an expression pedal with the 3 Bit Fuzz?
Yes. The 3 Bit Fuzz has a dedicated EXP port, so an expression pedal can be connected to control its parameters.
How much current does the 3 Bit Fuzz draw?
The 3 Bit Fuzz runs on 9V DC center negative and draws 100mA, according to Guitar Pedal X's report on the pedal's launch.
Does the 3 Bit Fuzz have stereo outputs?
Yes. The pedal has a Left / 1 output and a Right / 2 output, so it can be run in stereo as well as mono.
Sources (2)
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-10-20
- Ghost Note Audio Swirls review, Guitar.com, 2026-01-07
