Two things set it apart from most fuzzes. First, a Mood control selects between fuzz voices, and a new Electricity knob adds an octave layer, spanning "octaves to strange harmonics with ring modulation" for everything from psychedelia to synth-like textures1. Second, unlike traditional fuzz designs, it can be placed anywhere in your signal chain, and Kernom highlights that the tonally analog MOHO sounds the same whatever the temperature1.
Controls and the Electricity knob
The MOHO has six knobs. Two of them shape tone on either side of the fuzz stage, one sets the fuzz itself, and the Electricity knob is the unusual one3.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Overall output of the pedal, but it does impact texture and character3 |
| Fuzz | The gain degree and saturation/sustain of the output3 |
| Pre Tone | Precedes the fuzz stage and adjusts the pedal's response to your incoming signal, particularly low-end content. Noon is neutral, counterclockwise adds more bass, clockwise filters out more bass3 |
| Post Tone | Comes after the fuzz/clipping stage and shapes the frequency profile of the output. Neutral at noon, high harmonics filtered out to the left, more presence to the right3 |
| Electricity | Essentially an octaves control: one octave down fully counterclockwise, an octave up fully clockwise, off at noon. The sweep generates extra harmonics and artifacts that can accentuate certain Mood modes. In the Ring Mod mood it controls the ring modulator's frequency3 |
| Mood | Selects the fuzz voice; MusicRadar describes the Electricity knob as spanning "octaves to strange harmonics with ring modulation"1 |
The Pre Tone and Post Tone pair is worth noting for anyone who has fought with a fuzz that either flubbed out or got shrill: shaping the bass going into the clipping stage and the presence coming out of it gives you two separate points of control over how the fuzz sits3.
Presets, MIDI and expression
The MOHO has two footswitches: an On/Off footswitch and a Preset footswitch. Holding the Preset footswitch for 2 seconds saves your current setting, and a quick press recalls it3.
Beyond that single onboard preset, the pedal is fully MIDI compatible. Plug in a MIDI switcher (not included) and you can recall up to 128 different presets with full control over all parameters3. Guitar Pedal X's reviewer, Stefan Karlsson, was direct about how much this matters to the pedal's design:
"to make the most of the MOHO you really need some sort of MIDI switcher"3
There is also an expression pedal input. Connect an expression pedal (not included) and you can adjust any and all of the six knobs' parameters on the fly3, which pairs naturally with the Electricity knob's octave sweep for moving sounds in real time. Players building larger boards may also find the MIDI pedals and expression pedals pages useful for the surrounding gear.
Karlsson's review includes a set of recommended preset settings that map the MOHO onto familiar fuzz territory, with names that tell you what each one is chasing3:
- Fuzzy Facey
- Muffy
- Superfuzzy
- Octavioid
- Tonebendy1-3
- Geiger/Velcro
- Heavy-Harmonic
- Edge of Squelch
- Ornithopter
What reviewers said
Guitar Pedal X's December 2023 review was emphatic. Stefan Karlsson called the Moho his favorite fuzz pedal of all time3:
The reviewer found the Moho more impressive than the Kernom Overdrive and called it their favorite fuzz pedal3.
The pedal also took Gold in Guitar Pedal X's 2023 Pedals of the Year roundup3.
Guitar World and MusicRadar both covered the launch in 2023, with Guitar World's Michael Astley-Brown describing it as aiming to do for fuzz pedals what the Ridge Augmented Analog Overdrive did for overdrives2.
Price and availability
The MOHO became available from July 20231. Pricing as reported:
Earlier 2023 launch coverage from Guitar World and MusicRadar gave the price as €349, approximately $39021, so the US figure moved between the announcement and the end of the first year on the market.
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Questions
Is the Kernom MOHO analog or digital?
Analog. Guitar World describes it as tonally analog, and MusicRadar reports that Kernom highlights the fact that the MOHO sounds the same whatever the temperature. It is billed as the first augmented analog fuzz in the world, following the approach of Kernom's Ridge Augmented Analog Overdrive.
How many presets does the Kernom MOHO have?
One onboard preset, saved by holding the Preset footswitch for 2 seconds and recalled with a quick press. With a MIDI switcher connected (not included), it can recall up to 128 presets with full control over all parameters.
Does the Kernom MOHO have an expression input?
Yes. Connect an expression pedal (not included) and adjust any and all of the six knobs' parameters on the fly. Guitar Pedal X's reviewer notes that to make the most of the MOHO you really need some sort of MIDI switcher.
What does the Electricity knob do on the MOHO?
It is essentially an octaves control. Fully counterclockwise gives one octave down, fully clockwise gives an octave up, and it is off at noon. The sweep in either direction generates extra harmonics and artifacts, and in the Ring Mod mood it controls the ring modulator's frequency.
How much does the Kernom MOHO cost in US dollars?
Guitar Pedal X listed it at $379 MAP in the US as of December 2023, alongside €349 in the EU and £319 RRP in the UK. Earlier 2023 announcements from Guitar World and MusicRadar gave €349, approximately $390, with availability from July 2023.
Sources (3)
- The must-have new guitar effects pedals of 2023, MusicRadar, 2023-05-04
- NAMM 2023: Did Kernom just announce the most versatile fuzz pedal ever created?, Guitar World, 2023-04-14
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2023-12-15
