The JHS Pedals Mini Foot Fuzz V2 is a mini fuzz pedal from JHS Pedals, the second version of the company's small-format Foot Fuzz. It keeps the footprint of the original, which JHS describes as "1" x 3" of pure classic fuzz"1, while adding a gain toggle to the control set.
Delicious Audio described its range when the V2 was introduced: "From gated, low-gain splat to almost infinite sustaining buzz, the Mini Foot Fuzz V2 covers a lot of ground with very li[mited]" in the way of controls2.
From gated splat to sustaining buzz
The V2's control layout is minimal. Guitar Pedal X lists the controls as "Gain : +/-, Volume, Fuzz"5, and Delicious Audio describes the same set as "Volume and Fuzz knobs as well as a toggle for high or low gain settings"2. Two knobs and one switch are the whole interface.
What the toggle does is change the character of the fuzz rather than just its amount. In the low position the pedal sits in that gated, low-gain splat territory, where notes choke off abruptly instead of ringing out. Flipping it changes the picture entirely2:
"Flip it into the + mode and you get a classic yet modern high-gain buzz to blow the roof off with."
For a player, that means one pedal can cover two fairly different fuzz feels: a splatty, touch-responsive low-gain sound and a thick sustaining one, without touching the knobs2.
The original Mini Foot Fuzz worked differently, with fewer options. Pedal of the Day found in 2014 that "with the volume knob and fuzz knob up all the way you can get an incredible amount of fuzz and distortion"6, and summed up the pedal's appeal as compactness: "it packs the thick fuzz you want, by takes up very little space"6. The same review noted the price: "Sold at a relatively low price, this is a great grab"6.
History and versions
The original JHS Pedals Mini Foot Fuzz dates to Tuesday, April 1, 2014, when Pedal of the Day posted it7. JHS sells the line under the tagline "Mini Foot...Big Fuzz"1, and the pedal measures 1" x 3"1.
The V2 arrived as part of a run of new mini designs from JHS. Delicious Audio reported in November 2018 that "one of the new design is version 2 of that mini-fuzz"23. A hand-painted version of the Mini Foot Fuzz also exists in the JHS range89.
On the circuit, there is only an unconfirmed claim. UK retailer Jeds Peds notes that "internet patter also suggests that the JHS Mini Foot is based on the Bazz Fuss," a simple two-transistor fuzz circuit, but frames it as talk rather than a statement from JHS10.
The Mini Foot Fuzz V2 requires standard 9V DC negative power2. It is not a battery or multi-voltage pedal, so it needs a center-negative 9V supply like most of the pedals on a typical board.
Videos
Eirik Stordrange
R.J. Ronquillo
Mike Hermans
Questions
What power supply does the JHS Mini Foot Fuzz V2 need?
The Mini Foot Fuzz V2 requires standard 9V DC negative power, as listed when the pedal was introduced. That is the same center-negative 9V supply most pedalboards already run, so it fits a typical daisy chain or isolated supply without anything special.
What is the difference between the Mini Foot Fuzz and the V2?
The V2 is version 2 of the Mini Foot Fuzz, adding a gain toggle alongside the Volume and Fuzz knobs. The toggle switches between low and high gain settings, so one small box covers everything from gated, low-gain splat to a sustaining high-gain buzz, where the original kept its controls simpler.
When did the JHS Mini Foot Fuzz come out?
The original JHS Pedals Mini Foot Fuzz was posted by Pedal of the Day on Tuesday, April 1, 2014, which dates its arrival. The V2 followed years later, with Delicious Audio reporting it as a newly released version in November 2018.
Sources (10)
- MINI FOOT FUZZ V2, JHS Pedals
- JHS Mini Foot Fuzz V2, Delicious Audio, 2018-11-20
- JHS Unveils The Tidewater Mini Tremolo, Delicious Audio, 2018-11-21
- MINI FOOT FUZZ V1, JHS Pedals
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2022-04-26
- JHS Pedals Mini Foot Fuzz Effects Pedal, Pedal of the Day, 2014-04-13
- JHS Mini Foot Fuzz, Pedal of the Day, 2014-04-01
- MINI FOOT FUZZ HAND PAINT, JHS Pedals
- MINI FOOT FUZZ HAND PAINT, JHS Pedals
- Bass Fuzz, Jeds Peds (jedspeds.co.uk)
