The Googly Eyes Pedals Synthfuzzizer is a synth fuzz pedal: a synth effect and a fuzz combined into one pedal-sized enclosure. Pedal of the Day reviewed it in April 2020, noting that synth pedals pair well with fuzz and that combining both effects into one enclosure saves a player from needing two units on the board.1
Controls
The Synthfuzzizer keeps things simple. There are just two knobs and a toggle switch, three controls in total1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Sets the overall output level1 |
| Gain | Sets the amount of drive and fuzz character1 |
| Toggle switch | Selects between two modes of prominence: up puts the synth style more at the forefront, down is less synth-y and more fuzzy1 |
"Just two knobs, Volume and Gain, give you all the control you need."
That small control set is the point of the design. Pedal of the Day described it as "a really fun plug-and-play effect" with just the three controls, meaning a player can dial in a sound in seconds rather than working through presets or menus.1
Synth and fuzz together
The pedal's character comes from the pairing of its two effects. Pedal of the Day noted that "Synth pedals are usually excellent for this task, and when you pair it with a fuzz, it sounds even better," and the Synthfuzzizer builds that pairing into a single circuit. The toggle switch is how a player steers the balance: switch it up and the synth style moves to the forefront; flip it down and the sound becomes less synth-y and more fuzzy.1
What it is not
Players looking for a subtle effect should know where this one sits. As the review puts it:
"if you're looking for a clean boost or transparent anything, you're not gonna find it here."
In other words, this is a heavily colored effect rather than a boost: it changes the guitar's voice substantially, and that is what it is for. As the review puts it, "if you're looking for a clean boost or transparent anything, you're not gonna find it here."1
Videos
Pedal of the Day
Questions
What does the toggle switch do on the Synthfuzzizer?
The toggle switch selects between two modes of prominence. In the up position, the synth style of the effect is more at the forefront of the sound. In the down position, the pedal is less synth-y and more fuzzy. Together with the Volume and Gain knobs, it gives players a quick way to shape where the effect sits between synth and fuzz.
Is the Synthfuzzizer a transparent pedal?
No. Pedal of the Day's review is explicit that this is not a clean boost or a transparent effect: if you are looking for a clean boost or transparent anything, you will not find it here. The Synthfuzzizer is a heavily colored effect that combines a synth character with a fuzz, and it is meant to change the sound of the guitar noticeably.
How many knobs does the Googly Eyes Synthfuzzizer have?
The Synthfuzzizer has two knobs, Volume and Gain. Along with the two-position toggle switch, that makes three controls in total, which the review describes as making it a really fun plug-and-play effect with all the control a player needs.
Sources (1)
- Googly Eyes Pedals Synthfuzzizer Synth Fuzz, Pedal of the Day, 2020-04-24
