The Jim Dunlop FFM6 Band of Gypsys Fuzz Face Mini Distortion is a fuzz pedal that puts a specific vintage circuit into a small, pedalboard-friendly housing. Jim Dunlop describes it as delivering "the biting, aggressive fuzz tone used by Jimi Hendrix for the Band of Gypsys show and other iconic performances"1. Where the classic Fuzz Face is a large round box that sits awkwardly on a board, the FFM6 keeps the format small and adds practical touches the original never had: an AC power jack and an on/off status LED2.
The circuit is not a standard Fuzz Face copy. Dunlop's engineers traced the Band of Gypsys tone to "a version of the Octavio Fuzz without the octave up circuitry"2, and Guitar Interactive called it "based on a rare vintage fuzz circuit"3. The result is a fuzz with its own character rather than a straight reissue.
Controls, connections and power
The FFM6 is simple to set up: run a cable from your guitar into the INPUT jack, and another from the OUTPUT jack to your amplifier1. The footswitch toggles the effect on and bypass, with a blue LED indicating when it is on1. Like all Fuzz Face pedals, the FFM6 features true bypass switching2.
Power comes from one 9-volt battery, installed through a battery door on the underside of the pedal, or from a 9-volt AC adapter such as the Dunlop ECB003 or ECB003EU, or a DC Brick power supply1.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Input impedance | 320 kΩ1 |
| Output impedance | 64 kΩ at 1 kHz, mid volume1 |
| Output impedance | 11 kΩ at 1 kHz, max volume1 |
| Max gain at 1 kHz, Volume and Fuzz max | 60 dBV1 |
| Max output | +9 dBV1 |
| Effect switching | THWBY1 |
The sound and the octave question
Because the octave-up circuitry of the Octavio was removed, the FFM6 is not a dedicated octave fuzz. But the octave character is not entirely gone. In MusicRadar's review, Mike Astley-Brown found that "octave overtones shine through on ringing chords, which lend this Face a unique tonal flavour, especially when you up the gain for more modern fuzz textures"4.
JHS Pedals' history of the Mini Fuzz Faces characterizes the FFM6 differently from a typical Fuzz Face, noting that it "has all the feeling of a Fuzz Face but also does an incredible distortion, almost more of a Rat-style tone, much more rock'n'roll and aggressive"5.
"This pedal almost has more of a Rat-style tone, much more rock'n'roll, a lot more aggressive."
The Hendrix connection
The pedal takes its name from the Band of Gypsys group Hendrix formed, and the tone it chases is the one he used at the Band of Gypsys show and other performances1. Dunlop holds the Jimi Hendrix license for effects, and the FFM6 sits in the wider family of Hendrix-related fuzzes alongside pedals like the Jim Dunlop Siete Santos Octavio Fuzz and the Jim Dunlop Mini Germanium Fuzz Face.
MusicRadar's review framed the pedal as "an aggressive vintage fuzz for Hendrix tones and beyond," calling it "another worthy entry in the small Face family"4.
Release and availability
The FFM6 was announced in late 2014 with an MSRP of $171.412. It was initially available at limited international retailers and exclusively in the US at Guitar Center and Musicians Friend, beginning November 1, 2014, through the end of that year, with wide domestic and international release following in 20152. Guitar Interactive reported the same exclusive US retail arrangement3.
The FFM6 was a limited initial release: exclusive to Guitar Center and Musicians Friend in the US from November 1, 2014 through the end of the year, before wider distribution in 20152.
Videos
Sweetwater
guitarguitar
JHS Pedals
Questions
Is the Dunlop FFM6 true bypass?
Yes. The FFM6 manual lists true bypass, and the launch press releases stated that, like all Fuzz Face pedals, the FFM6 features true bypass switching. The footswitch toggles the effect on and bypass, with a blue LED showing when the pedal is on.
What circuit is the FFM6 Band of Gypsys based on?
Dunlop's engineers traced the Band of Gypsys fuzz tone to a version of the Octavio Fuzz circuit without the octave-up circuitry. Guitar Interactive also described the pedal as based on a rare vintage fuzz circuit, built into the Fuzz Face Mini format.
Does the FFM6 have an octave-up sound?
The octave-up circuitry of the Octavio was removed, but MusicRadar's review found that octave overtones still shine through on ringing chords, especially with the gain raised for more modern fuzz textures. So it is not a dedicated octave fuzz, but octave character is still there.
What is the input impedance of the FFM6?
The FFM6 manual lists an input impedance of 320 kΩ. Output impedance is 64 kΩ at 1 kHz with mid volume and 11 kΩ at 1 kHz with maximum volume.
Where could you buy the FFM6 when it first came out?
At launch it was available at limited international retailers and exclusively in the US at Guitar Center and Musicians Friend, starting November 1, 2014, through the end of that year. It saw wide domestic and international release in 2015.
Does the Band of Gypsys Fuzz Face Mini use a power adapter?
Yes. It runs on a 9-volt AC adapter such as the Dunlop ECB003 or ECB003EU, or a DC Brick power supply, at 9 volts DC. It can also run on one 9-volt battery installed through a door on the underside of the pedal.
Sources (5)
- FFM6.pdf, Dunlop Manufacturing, Inc., 2019
- Eric Gales Demos Band of Gypsys Fuzz Face Mini Distortion, Guitar World, 2014-10-31
- Introducing the Dunlop Band of Gypsys Fuzz Face Mini Distortion, Guitar Interactive Magazine, 2014-11-04
- Dunlop Jimi Hendrix Band Of Gypsys FFM6 Fuzz Face Mini review, MusicRadar, 2014-12-17
- MINI FUZZ FACES, JHS Pedals
Jimi Hendrix
