The Kernom Moho is a multi-fuzz pedal from the French maker Kernom, announced at NAMM 2023 and due to arrive in July of that year12. Instead of giving you one fuzz circuit, its Mood knob morphs continuously through a range of fuzz behaviors, from vintage Fuzz Face and Tone Bender territory through Big Muff-style tones and into modern, synth-like fuzz13. Kernom describes it as a fuzz time machine: go from Hendrix's 60s fuzz to Smashing Pumpkins' wall of sound1.
What makes the Moho unusual among fuzz pedals is how it is built. The fuzz circuits are genuinely analog, with no modeling or emulation, but a digital control layer adjusts the circuit's transistor bias points in real time14. It follows the same "augmented analog" approach Kernom used on its Ridge overdrive pedal, applied to fuzz25.
An analog multi-fuzz that morphs between circuits
Under the hood, the Moho runs five silicon transistors in a cascaded gain architecture, and their individual bias points are controlled digitally in real time4. That is what lets one knob reshape the circuit's behavior rather than just trimming a tone stack. Guitar World's reviewer put it plainly:
"There's no modeling here either; these are analog fuzz circuits empowered by digital controls for a genuine fuzz tone371."
Guitar World review3
Kernom says the Mood knob gives continuous control over what amounts to an infinite number of different analog fuzz pedals1. Reviewers map it out in segments:
| Mood range | Character |
|---|---|
| Early positions | Early and proto fuzz, thin, gated, velcro sounds inspired by Fuzz Face and Tone Bender circuits138 |
| Around 12 o'clock | Full Muff-mode, huge sound with long sustain38 |
| Later positions | Modern, heavier fuzz with synth-like texture38 |
| Final section | Nasty noise-rock sounds with ring modulation and synth-like quality3 |
Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson traced the lineage as covering early/proto, underbiased velcro, Maestro, Tone Bender, Fuzz Face, Big Muff, op-amp and more modern fuzz types across the dial8. Because the circuit is analog, Kernom also highlights that the Moho sounds the same whatever the temperature and can go anywhere in your signal chain9.
The Mood and Electricity knobs
The Mood knob is the heart of the pedal. Kernom's own description of the control is that it chooses from an infinite number of different analog fuzz pedals, morphing between vintage and modern fuzz tones1. Gearnews described it as controlling the behavior of the transistors in the analog circuit, providing unlimited sound personalities2.
The Electricity knob is the Moho's second layer, and the feature that separates it from the Ridge formula. It adds a new dimension to every Mood setting, spanning octaves, strange harmonics and ring modulation95. MusicRadar reported that it promises everything from psychedelia to synth-like textures9. Guitar World's reviewer found the first phase of the Mood knob full of classic thin, gated, velcro fuzz, with the built-in octaver and ring modulator there for players who like things weird3.
Presets, MIDI and expression
The Moho has two footswitches: one for on/off, and one for saving and selecting a single preset3. Hold the preset footswitch for two seconds to save a favorite10. That gives you two sounds at any given time without any extra hardware1.
Beyond the onboard preset, the pedal is fully MIDI compatible, with 128 presets accessible via MIDI13. MIDI connections are made through a MIDI DIN to TRS mini jack type A cable, so you will need the right cable rather than a standard 5-pin run6.
The expression input is assignable to any combination of knobs1. Guitar World notes it can sweep the Mood knob in real time3, and Pedal of the Day describes it as a way to morph between two fuzz settings live7:
"The expression pedal morphing is soooooo fun here, and. will absolutely lead to hours of tweaking, knob-twisting"7
Pedal of the Day review7
Power and build
Kernom's support documentation specifies a standard 9V DC center-negative supply rated 250mA or higher6. Press reviews list the current draw as 300mA, so a supply at or above that figure covers both numbers38. The supply is not included3. The pedal is protected against power supply inversion, so a reversed plug will not damage it6.
The enclosure is a 5mm thick aluminum casing with a smooth, high-grade painted surface1. Guitar World's reviewer called it one of the most robustly built pedals he had ever tested, and awarded the review five stars3. Guitar World's best fuzz pedals buying guide likewise says the chassis is built like a tank, with knobs made to the same standard11.
What reviewers said
Reception was strong across the press. Guitar Pedal X named the Moho its Gold winner for Pedal of the Year 202310, and Stefan Karlsson's full review went further:
"just makes this my favourite fuzz machine of all time"
Guitar Pedal X review8
In a later piece on Kernom's Elipse modulation pedal, he still called the Moho his favorite of the Kernom line, with lots of little surprises to discover along the Mood dial12. Guitar World's five-star review praised the build quality and the range of the five fuzz variants3, and the magazine's 2026 best fuzz pedals roundup highlighted the 128 presets and the spread from Satisfaction-era tones to modern synth textures, all without modeling11.
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Questions
Is the Kernom Moho analog or digital?
Both, in a specific way. The fuzz circuits themselves are analog: five silicon transistors in a cascaded gain architecture, with no modeling or emulation. The digital side handles the control layer, adjusting the transistors' bias points in real time, plus presets and MIDI. Reviewers describe it as analog fuzz circuits empowered by digital precision.
Does the Kernom Moho have an octave and ring modulator?
Yes. The Electricity knob adds octaves, strange harmonics and ring modulation on top of whatever fuzz the Mood knob is set to, which lets the pedal produce synth-like and glitchy textures as well as conventional fuzz tones. Guitar World's reviewer noted the built-in octaver and ring modulator as an option for players who like things weird.
How many presets does the Kernom Moho hold?
One onboard preset, reachable from a dedicated footswitch so you always have two sounds available, plus 128 presets accessible via MIDI. Hold the preset footswitch for two seconds to save your favorite setting. A MIDI switcher (not included) lets you recall the full 128-preset bank.
Is the Kernom Moho true bypass?
Yes. Kernom specifies true bypass switching using an electromechanical relay, and Guitar World and Guitar Pedal X list the same spec in their reviews. The pedal is also protected against power supply inversion, so a reversed polarity plug will not damage it.
Can an expression pedal control the Mood knob on the Moho?
Yes. The expression input is assignable to any combination of the knobs, so one pedal can sweep the Mood knob alone or morph several parameters at once. Reviewers found the real-time morphing between two fuzz settings particularly fun, and it opens up sounds between the fixed Mood positions.
What power supply does the Kernom Moho need?
A standard 9V DC center-negative pedal power supply. Kernom's support documentation specifies 250mA or higher; press reviews list the current draw as 300mA, so a supply rated 300mA or more covers both figures. The supply is not included, and the pedal is protected against polarity inversion.
Sources (12)
- KERNOM MOHO, Kernom
- Kernom MOHO Magmatic Fuzz Station, gearnews.com, 2023-04-13
- Kernom Moho Fuzz review, Guitar World, 2025-10-11
- KERNOM - Analog Morphing Core® | Guitar Effects Technology, kernom.com
- NAMM 2023: Did Kernom just announce the most versatile fuzz pedal ever created?, Guitar World, 2023-04-14
- Manuals - KERNOM, KERNOM
- Kernom MOHO Multi Fuzz Workstation, Pedal of the Day, 2026-06-07
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2023-12-15
- The must-have new guitar effects pedals of 2023, MusicRadar, 2023-05-04
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2023-12-21
- Best fuzz pedals 2026: add some filth to your sound with these essential pedalboard effects, Guitar World, 2022-06-09
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-02-21
