The Fuzz Aldrin from Googly Eyes Pedals is a fuzz pedal with a light-responsive circuit at its core. Pedal of the Day described its voice as "the chainsaw-esque fuzz tone", and called the pedal "a loud, unapologetic beast of a fuzz"1. Its distinguishing feature is that the guitar signal triggers a responsive internal LED, which dynamically alters the frequency and resonance of the fuzz tone as you play1.
The LED in the loop
What sets the Fuzz Aldrin apart from a conventional fuzz is the light-based modulation. Your guitar signal drives an internal LED, and that dynamically alters the frequency and resonance of the fuzz tone1. Because the LED responds to your playing, the fuzz shifts with your attack rather than sitting still.
The Cosmos knob governs how much of this happens: it "sets the amount of the signal that gets fed to the LED/LRD system that modulates the fuzz"1. The Fuel knob works with it, providing more Cosmos expression when cranked up1.
The controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Levels | Sets your output volume1 |
| Boosters | Controls the amount of gain present, of which there is plenty on tap1 |
| Cosmos | Sets the amount of signal fed to the LED/LDR system that modulates the fuzz1 |
| Fuel | Provides more Cosmos expression when cranked up1 |
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day's review was enthusiastic, opening with "we've got another raucous gem for you today" and describing a pedal that "propels it past the confines of the known [fuzz] universe"1. The reviewer framed it as suited to experimentalists, with fun parameters1.
Fuzz or distortion?
It is a fuzz, not a distortion or overdrive pedal: the maker's naming and the review both place it firmly in the fuzz camp1.
PedalPCB sells a DIY circuit board also called the Fuzz Aldrin, with a Volume control among its controls2. That is a do-it-yourself PCB for builders, not the assembled Googly Eyes Pedals unit.
Videos
Pedal of the Day
Questions
What does the Cosmos knob do on the Fuzz Aldrin?
Cosmos sets the amount of the signal that gets fed to the LED/LDR system that modulates the fuzz. In other words, it controls how strongly your playing drives the internal light-based circuit that alters the frequency and resonance of the fuzz tone. Turning it up feeds more of your signal to that system, so the modulation effect becomes more pronounced.
How does the LED change the fuzz sound?
Your guitar signal triggers a responsive internal LED, and that dynamically alters the frequency and resonance of the fuzz tone. Because the LED is driven by your playing, the character of the fuzz shifts as you play harder or softer, giving the pedal a responsive, evolving quality rather than a static fuzz voice.
What does the Fuel knob do?
The Fuel knob provides more Cosmos expression when cranked up. It works alongside the Cosmos control, which sets how much of your signal feeds the LED/LDR system modulating the fuzz, so Fuel pushes that light-responsive modulation further.
Is the Googly Eyes Fuzz Aldrin a fuzz or a distortion pedal?
It is a fuzz pedal. Pedal of the Day described it as a loud, unapologetic beast of a fuzz, and its tone is described as chainsaw-esque. Players comparing it against overdrive or distortion pedals should expect the saturated, compressed character of a fuzz rather than a cleaner clipped overdrive.
Sources (2)
- Googly Eyes Pedals Fuzz Aldrin, Pedal of the Day, 2022-02-28
- Fuzz Aldrin, PedalPCB.com