The Hudson Electronics Soul Face is a silicon fuzz pedal built in the style of the classic Arbiter Fuzz Face, one of the most copied fuzz designs in guitar history. Hudson describes it as a thick silicon fuzz with a good hit of rasp and cut, especially when the attack knob is turned up full1. It belongs to the wider family of fuzz pedals, and it is no longer available: the maker has moved it to its archived products category1.
What it does
The Soul Face takes the Fuzz Face approach, where a simple two-transistor circuit produces a thick, touch-sensitive fuzz, and runs it with silicon rather than germanium transistors. Hudson fits a carefully selected and matched pair of BC183L transistors, with the bias set to the sweet spot1. Matching the pair matters in this kind of circuit, since the sound depends on both transistors sitting in the right range.
The single control is the attack knob, which adjusts the amount of rasp and cut in the fuzz. Hudson describes the pedal as at its most aggressive with the attack knob at full tilt1.
"Thick silicon fuzz with a good hit of rasp and cut especially when the attack knob is at full tilt"
Where it sits in Hudson's fuzz range
The Soul Face was one of several fuzz designs Hudson Electronics built around the Fuzz Face format. The maker's line has also included the Buzzard, a limited edition fuzz with germanium transistors, the FUZZ, the Soul Bomb and the Full Range Bomb1.
The Soul Face is discontinued. Hudson Electronics lists it as no longer available and files it under its archived products1.
Videos
Stian Lerstad Johansen
Questions
Is the Hudson Electronics Soul Face still in production?
No. Hudson Electronics lists the Soul Face as no longer available, and the pedal now sits in the archived section of the maker's product pages. Players looking for a Hudson fuzz would need to find a used unit or look at the maker's other fuzz designs.
What circuit is the Soul Face based on?
Hudson Electronics describes the Soul Face as a vintage style silicon fuzz based on the classic Arbiter Fuzz Face. Instead of germanium, it uses a carefully selected and matched pair of BC183L silicon transistors, with the bias set to the sweet spot.
Sources (1)
- SOUL FACE, Hudson Electronics UK
