The JHS Pedals Coyote Octave Swell Fuzz is an octave fuzz pedal built around a single knob that blends swell, fuzz and octave, alongside a standard Volume knob. It is a replication of the Moonrock Fuzz by G.S. Wyllie, an obscure and very difficult to find circuit that JHS has reimagined under Josh Scott. gearnews.com reported the Coyote as JHS's second fuzz effect of the year1, and Pedal of the Day reviewed it in April 2026 as "the JHS Pedals Coyote Octave Swell Fuzz"2.
The Swell / Fuzz / Octave control
The Coyote's defining feature is that one knob. gearnews.com describes it as "a unique control that combines Swell, Fuzz, and Octave into a single knob, along with a standard Volume knob"1. What it does changes across its travel:
| Knob position | What it does |
|---|---|
| Lowest setting | A swelling effect: notes bloom with a gated, reversed-tape quality and a slow breathing attack that responds to picking dynamics1 |
| Lower settings | The pedal becomes remarkably touch-sensitive2 |
| Fully clockwise | An aggressive octave-up sound, using intentionally uneven clipping to emphasize even-order harmonics, specifically the second harmonic1 |
Pedal of the Day's reviewer describes the middle ground in playing terms: "light picking gives you warm, controlled fuzz while digging in triggers the swell"2.
Volume knob cleanup and dynamics
The Coyote responds to guitar volume in a way reviewers singled out. "Roll back your guitar's volume knob and this pedal transforms," the Pedal of the Day reviewer writes, adding: "It cleans up better than any octave fuzz we've ever played. That kind of dynamic response is almost unheard of in this category"2. That cleanup behavior pairs with the touch sensitivity at lower Swell / Fuzz / Octave settings, so picking and volume both shape the sound2.
Where the circuit came from
Most octave fuzzes trace back to a few classic designs, but the Coyote is not one of them. "The Coyote doesn't originate from any of these classic topologies," the Pedal of the Day reviewer notes, referring to the Octavia, Super Fuzz, and Tone Machine circuits2. Instead, "The Coyote is a complete replication of the obscure and very difficult to find Moonrock Fuzz by G.S. Wyllie"2. gearnews.com gives the same lineage, calling it "an exact replica of the incredibly rare Moonrock Fuzz, created by the late G.S. Wyllie," with the circuit reimagined by Josh Scott1.
If you want to hear how the Coyote sits among other fuzz approaches, the Fuzz Pedals type page covers the wider field, and JHS's other fuzz designs are on the JHS Pedals brand page.
Videos
JHS Pedals
JHS Pedals
R.J. Ronquillo and JHS Pedals
Questions
What is the Moonrock Fuzz?
The Moonrock Fuzz is an obscure and very difficult to find fuzz circuit created by the late G.S. Wyllie, also referred to as Glenn S. Wyllie. JHS Pedals describes the Coyote as a complete replication of that circuit, reimagined by Josh Scott, so the Coyote is the practical way most players will ever hear what the Moonrock does.
Is the JHS Coyote based on an Octavia or Super Fuzz?
No. Pedal of the Day's reviewer states that the Coyote does not originate from the Octavia, Super Fuzz, or Tone Machine topologies, the classic circuits most octave fuzzes trace back to. Instead, it is a replication of the Moonrock Fuzz by G.S. Wyllie, a rarer design that JHS has brought back as the Coyote.
What does the Swell / Fuzz / Octave control do?
It is a single knob that combines Swell, Fuzz, and Octave, alongside a standard Volume knob. At its lowest point it creates a swelling effect with a gated, reversed-tape quality and a slow breathing attack that responds to picking dynamics. Cranked fully clockwise, the circuit shifts into an aggressive octave-up sound built on intentionally uneven clipping that emphasizes even-order harmonics, specifically the second harmonic.
Does the Coyote clean up with the guitar's volume knob?
Pedal of the Day's reviewer found that it does, writing that rolling back the guitar's volume knob transforms the pedal and that it cleans up better than any octave fuzz they have ever played. At lower settings on the Swell / Fuzz / Octave control, the pedal is also described as remarkably touch-sensitive.
Who designed the original Moonrock Fuzz?
The original Moonrock Fuzz circuit was created by the late G.S. Wyllie, also given as Glenn S. Wyllie. The Coyote version of the circuit was reimagined by JHS Pedals founder Josh Scott, who JHS credits with bringing the rare design back as a current pedal.
Sources (2)
- JHS Coyote Octave Fuzz: Rare Circuit Reimagined, gearnews.com, 2026-03-31
- JHS Pedals Coyote Octave Swell Fuzz, Pedal of the Day, 2026-04-28
