The Keeley Rotten Apple is a fuzz pedal from Keeley Electronics, announced in May 2017. Keeley described it as "a mutilated op-amp fuzz that tastes like the '90s," built around the Big Muff tones Billy Corgan used with the Smashing Pumpkins1. It is an op-amp fuzz circuit, the topology Electro-Harmonix used in its version 4 Big Muff, the version most associated with that era of guitar sound.
The pedal is discontinued. gearnews.com confirmed in 2021 that it was no longer part of Keeley's lineup2.
What it does to your sound
The Rotten Apple is voiced for the Siamese Dream-era Pumpkins fuzz: heavy bass, a scooped midrange, and a lot of gain. Keeley's announcement described the result as "a thick dose of bass, gain for days, and a perfectly scooped midrange that recalls the 1990's on speed dial"1. gearnews.com called it "crammed full of those cutting, full-on fuzz tones so reminiscent of that era" and noted its bass-heavy, mid-cut character2.
MusicRadar highlighted three traits Keeley promised: a wide gain range, touch sensitivity, and fat bass response3. The gain control has a wide range on tap and reacts to your guitar's volume and how hard you strum, so you can clean it up from the instrument like a fuzz that responds to playing dynamics1.
Controls
Three knobs control the op-amp fuzz circuit, plus a mode switch2:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Loud | Sets the fuzz circuit's output level2 |
| Buzz | Sets the gain of the fuzz2 |
| Tone | Shapes the tone stack2 |
| Full mode | Adds some bass to the tone stack2 |
The Full position on the mode control fattens the low end, useful if the scooped tone stack leaves your rig sounding thinner than you want2.
Where it came from
The design target was Billy Corgan's Big Muff tones. MusicRadar reported that Keeley considers the "Muff V4-inspired tone" spot-on, referring to the op-amp Big Muff version Corgan favored3. To voice it, Keeley's team tested the pedal extensively with an Eric Clapton Stratocaster loaded with Lace Sensor pickups, "just like Billy used to do"3. gearnews.com reported the same, noting the Lace Sensor-loaded Strat was Corgan's setup throughout that era2.
The enclosure leans into the reference too: a black and white box with a concentric circle graphic similar to the one on the Smashing Pumpkins' "Aeroplane Flies High" EP box set2.
What reviewers said
gearnews.com's reviewer was charmed but candid about the pedal's narrow focus:
"Of course, other fuzz pedals are a lot more versatile. This one is limited in its appeal to Pumpkins fanboys like me2."
That reviewer's view, in other words, was that the Rotten Apple does one era-specific thing well and is not an all-purpose fuzz2.
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Questions
Is the Keeley Rotten Apple discontinued?
Yes. The Rotten Apple is discontinued; gearnews.com noted in 2021 that it was no longer in the lineup. It was announced in May 2017 and sold for $149 at launch. Keeley later revisited the op-amp Muff concept with the Moon Op Amp Fuzz in 2022.
How much did the Keeley Rotten Apple cost?
It listed at $149 when it launched in 2017. MusicRadar reported it as available from Robert Keeley Engineering for $149, and gearnews.com gave the same RRP in USD at announcement.
Is the Rotten Apple based on the Big Muff V4?
In spirit, yes. MusicRadar reported that Keeley aimed for a Muff V4-inspired tone, the op-amp Big Muff version associated with Billy Corgan's Smashing Pumpkins sound. It is an op-amp fuzz circuit rather than a clone of a specific unit.
What guitar was the Rotten Apple tested with?
Keeley's team tested it extensively with an Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster loaded with Lace Sensor pickups, the kind of setup Billy Corgan used during the Siamese Dream era, according to MusicRadar and gearnews.com.
Sources (3)
- Keeley Electronics Launches New Guitar Pedals 2023, www.premierguitar.com, 2017-05-26
- Keeley Electronics' Rotten Apple Fuzz and a Siamese Dream, gearnews.com, 2017-05-28
- Keeley channels Smashing Pumpkins for Rotten Apple OpAmp Fuzz pedal, MusicRadar, 2017-06-12
Billy Corgan
