The KHDK My Big Fatt Rawk is a limited edition distortion pedal from KHDK Electronics, built as an artist collaboration with the comedian Brian Posehn and Joe Trohman of Fall Out Boy1. It launched on 1 April 2021, and its pastel-pink, phallic-inspired enclosure had everyone initially thinking the pink stompbox was a joke2. It was not: the pedal was sold as a pre-order limited edition, with pre-orders stopping on 31 April 2021, after which KHDK said the product would be discontinued1.
Under the innuendo, it is a high-gain dirt box. Gearnews described it as having "a very high-gain voicing best suited to hard rock"2, and the circuit is solid-state, using MOSFET technology2. Guitar.com reported that it features a MOSFET-based amp distortion placed after an in-built treble-boosting circuit3, and MusicRadar characterized the combination as "some old-school treble-boosting overdrive and an amp-like distortion"1.
The circuit: solid-state distortion with MOSFET components
The My Big Fatt Rawk is a solid-state pedal built around MOSFET components2. MOSFETs are a type of transistor often used in dirt pedals because they clip in a way players frequently compare to an amp rather than a stompbox, and here they feed what Guitar.com called a MOSFET-based amp distortion3.
What sets the design apart from a plain distortion is the front end: the distortion stage sits after an in-built treble-boosting circuit3. MusicRadar summed up the result as old-school treble-boosting overdrive feeding an amp-like distortion1. KHDK's own description, quoted by Guitar.com, says it engages a distortion that "combines aggressive sound and tone-shaping EQ" to "penetrate the mix and push blistering solos and ripping riffs to a powerful tone-gasm"3.
"a very high-gain voicing best suited to hard rock"
The four controls: Hardness, Girth, Shrinkage and Length
The enclosure carries four controls, named Hardness, Girth, Shrinkage and Length1. The names run with the joke, but each one does a conventional job, and players who look past the labels will find a familiar control set.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Hardness | Gain1 |
| Girth | Pre-distortion EQ, taking the tone "from tight bass to thick massive tone"1 |
| Shrinkage | A passive low-pass filter1 |
| Length | Output level, the volume control on a regular dirt box1 |
Hardness sets the amount of gain1. Girth shapes the pre-distortion EQ, so it changes the character of the signal before it hits the clipping stage, from tight bass to thick massive tone1. Shrinkage is a passive low-pass filter, which rolls off high frequencies and darkens the sound1. Length is simply the output, the volume or level control you would find on any ordinary dirt pedal1.
A Posehn and Trohman collaboration, sold by pre-order
The pedal was conceived by Joe Trohman of Fall Out Boy and comedian Brian Posehn3, and designed by KHDK's Antonin Salva1. The name comes from Big Fat Rock, a track on Posehn and Trohman's 2020 metal album Grandpa Metal1.
It followed on from KHDK's recent Nergal signature LCFR overdrive/boost pedal2, continuing the company's pattern of artist collaborations, which has also included the Dark Blood and pedals developed with Scott Ian, Zacky Vengeance and Gary Holt.
The My Big Fatt Rawk was a pre-order limited edition. Pre-orders stopped on 31 April 2021, after which KHDK said the product would be discontinued1. Guitar.com reported that units would ship 2-3 months after being ordered3, while Gearnews put shipping at 8-12 weeks after pre-orders ended2.
It listed for $229.991. Because production ended when the pre-order window closed, the pedal has no later list price, and secondhand units are the only route for players who want one now.
Questions
Who designed the KHDK My Big Fatt Rawk?
The pedal was conceived by Joe Trohman of Fall Out Boy and comedian Brian Posehn as an artist collaboration with KHDK Electronics. The circuit itself was designed by KHDK's Antonin Salva. The name comes from Big Fat Rock, a track on Posehn and Trohman's 2020 metal album Grandpa Metal.
Is the My Big Fatt Rawk true bypass?
Yes. Gearnews reported that the pedal is true-bypass, with a soft touch footswitch and two LED status lights rather than the usual one. When the pedal is off, your signal passes through without buffering.
Where do the jacks sit on the My Big Fatt Rawk?
All of the connections are on the top of the enclosure, not the sides. That suits tight pedalboards, since pedals can sit side by side without jack plugs getting in the way of their neighbors.
Is the My Big Fatt Rawk a limited edition?
Yes. It was sold as a pre-order limited edition, with pre-orders stopping on 31 April 2021, after which KHDK said the product would be discontinued. Pedals were set to ship in the weeks after the pre-order window closed.
How much did the My Big Fatt Rawk cost?
It listed for $229.99 at launch in April 2021. Because it was discontinued after the pre-order window ended on 31 April 2021, that launch price is the only list price it had.
Where does the name My Big Fatt Rawk come from?
It comes from Big Fat Rock, a track on Grandpa Metal, the 2020 metal album by Brian Posehn and Joe Trohman. The deliberately misspelled pedal name follows the album track's title.
Sources (3)
- KHDK teams up with Brian Posehn and Fall Out Boy's Joe Trohman for an NSFW “Dickstortion“ pedal, My Big Fatt Rawk, MusicRadar, 2021-04-13
- KHDK launches My Big Fatt Rawk, a 'dickstortion' pedal, gearnews.com, 2021-04-12
- KHDK launches the My Big Fat Rawk, a “dickstortion pedal” that compensates for low gain, Guitar.com, 2021-04-13
