JHS Coyote

The JHS Coyote is an octave fuzz pedal from JHS Pedals, announced on 1 April 2026 and priced at $149.00 USD¹². It is a complete replication of the obscure and very difficult to find Moonrock Fuzz by G.S. Wyllie, a two-knob, transformer-based circuit that JHS describes as "a new breed of octave fuzz based on a lost circuit that belongs to no known lineage"¹. Josh Scott reimagined the original circuit, and the pedal is built in the USA³⁴.

What makes the Coyote unusual is its control scheme: a single Mode knob sweeps continuously through three distinct effects, swell, fuzz and octave, with a standard Volume knob alongside it¹³. It is a compact, two-knob box that covers territory most fuzz pedals need multiple switches to reach.

What the Coyote does: swell, fuzz and octave on one knob

The Coyote has two knobs: Volume and Mode. The Mode knob sweeps continuously through three distinct zones, and where you set it determines which of three effects you hear¹⁶.

JHS describes the knob as going from a swell when fully counterclockwise, to a fuzz at 12 o'clock, and an octaver when turned further clockwise⁴. Because the sweep is continuous rather than switched, you can find points between the three zones.

The three zones each have their own character. In the Swell zone, notes do not attack, they breathe, with a gated, reverse-tape character that swells in behind your pick⁶. The Fuzz zone is midrange-forward, with a full low end and aggressive mids that cut without being harsh, and Guitar World notes JHS's promise that the Fuzz mode can handle chords⁶². The Octave zone adds a biting high end to what is played, an octave up rather than down, channeling late '60s Hendrix and Stones territory⁶².

The Coyote is also touch-sensitive in ways octave fuzzes usually aren't. Delicious Audio found that rolling back your guitar volume makes it clean up, and digging in brings the response back⁶. Pedal of the Day's reviewer found the same thing: light picking gives warm, controlled fuzz while digging in triggers the swell, and rolling back the guitar's volume knob transforms the pedal⁷.

The Coyote is also touch-sensitive in a way octave fuzzes usually are not. At lower settings on the Swell / Fuzz / Octave control, light picking gives warm, controlled fuzz while digging in triggers the swell, and rolling back the guitar's volume knob transforms the pedal⁷. Pickup choice matters too: the reviewer found humbuckers push the swell and octave harder, while single coils give more clarity, and both sound great⁷.

Pickup choice matters too. Pedal of the Day found humbuckers push the swell and octave harder, while single coils give more clarity, and both sound great⁷.

Power and connections

The Coyote runs on 9V DC with a center negative plug and draws only 5mA¹. Connectivity is simple: an input, an output and a 9V DC input⁴.

The 5mA draw is low enough that the pedal is easy on any isolated power supply, and the true bypass switching means it leaves your signal alone when switched off¹⁶.

From G.S. Wyllie's Moonrock Fuzz to the Coyote

The Coyote is a complete replication of the Moonrock Fuzz by G.S. Wyllie, an incredibly rare original that JHS calls one of the rarest pedals of all time¹³². Glenn Wyllie's Moonrock fuzz was the source circuit, and Josh Scott reimagined it for modern production³⁶. Guitar World reports Scott and co. took their time to master the tribute².

Josh Scott has made a career of digging up lost circuits and handing them back to guitar players⁶⁷¹, and the Coyote is a complete replication of the obscure and very difficult to find Moonrock Fuzz by G.S. Wyllie¹. Glenn Wyllie's Moonrock fuzz was the source circuit for the pedal⁶.

A transformer-based octave circuit

The Coyote's circuit is transformer-based, which is part of why it sounds unusual⁶. Guitar World's reviewer notes the pedal has an unusual topology, using a transformer, but not in the normal way you would expect for an octave pedal⁴. JHS says the transformer is used as an inductive element shaping how the fuzz stage responds, and the result is "a texture and feel that doesn't exist anywhere else"¹.

Importantly, JHS states the Coyote does not originate from any of the classic octave fuzz topologies: not the Octavia, not the Super Fuzz, not the Tone Machine¹. That sets it apart from most octave fuzzes on the market, which trace back to those circuits.

What reviewers said

Early coverage was largely positive on the concept. Guitar Pedal X called it a decent, versatile and honest take on the original two-knob G.S. Wyllie circuit, though the reviewer felt it could have been a lot better overall⁸. The same site noted the Coyote's level at 12 o'clock is a fair bit below unity volume on the test unit, across a range of pickups⁴.

Pedal of the Day praised the pedal's touch-sensitive dynamic response, particularly at lower settings on the Swell / Fuzz / Octave control, where the Coyote becomes remarkably touch-sensitive⁷.

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