The KingTone Vintage Fuzz is a limited edition fuzz pedal from King Tone Guitar, built around two vintage germanium transistors and switchable between germanium and silicon clipping. KingTone describes its character as "instantly switchable between warm, rich germanium fuzz and aggressive, cutting silicon bite," which means one pedal covers both the softer, saggier end of the fuzz family and the harder-edged, more cutting style in a single box1.
Controls and internal switches
The front panel carries a Ge/Si switch that flips the pedal between its germanium and silicon voices. Inside, two internal switches shape the response1:
| Control | Location | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Ge/Si switch | External | Switches between germanium and silicon fuzz voices1 |
| Vintage/Fat switch | Internal | Sets the bass response1 |
| Vintage/Boost switch | Internal | Sets the output level1 |
The internal switches are worth knowing about before you mount the pedal on a crowded board: changing the bass response or output level means getting at the switches, so where you place the pedal matters. KingTone's smaller fuzz designs, the Kingtone Minifuzz Ge and Kingtone Minifuzz V2, take a different approach to the same effect type if footprint is the priority1.
Power and the battery simulator
The pedal runs on a standard 9 volt battery or a standard center negative DC jack socket1. The DC input includes a battery simulator, which KingTone says keeps the pedal sounding great even on 9V DC power; it can be switched off1. That matters with germanium fuzzes, which players often find respond to the voltage sag and lower supply of a battery differently than a regulated supply. The simulator is KingTone's answer to that, and being able to turn it off leaves both options open.
Build, size and availability
KingTone lists the Vintage Fuzz at a weight of 1 lbs1. The list price is $349.99 USD1. The circuit is built around germanium transistors, and the maker says only a small share of the units he tested made the cut2.
Where it came from
King Tone Guitar's line includes the Vintage Fuzz among its pedals, switches and other gear. In a 2018 Guitar World piece, Jesse Davey spoke about the selection behind the germanium side of the circuit:
That sorting process is the practical meaning of "carefully selected components" on the spec sheet: the transistors in each unit come from a small fraction of what was tested1. The price also appears on KingTone's own site listing for the Vintage Fuzz at $349.993.
Videos
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Questions
Is the KingTone Vintage Fuzz true bypass?
Yes. KingTone Guitar lists the Vintage Fuzz as true bypass, so when the pedal is off, your guitar's signal passes straight through without loading the front of your amp or other pedals on the board.
Does the KingTone Vintage Fuzz take a battery?
Yes. KingTone says the pedal runs on a standard 9 volt battery or through a standard center negative DC jack socket, so it can be powered either way depending on how your board is set up.
What transistors does the KingTone Vintage Fuzz use?
It uses two vintage germanium transistors, which KingTone identifies as MP10b and describes as carefully selected for sound and performance. Jesse Davey of King Tone Guitar told Guitar World that only around three percent of the thousands of germanium transistors he tested sounded good enough to use.
What is the battery simulator on the KingTone Vintage Fuzz?
The 9V DC input includes a battery simulator, a circuit that makes DC power respond like a battery does. KingTone says the pedal sounds great even when using 9V DC power, and the simulator can be switched off if you prefer.
Is the KingTone Vintage Fuzz hand wired?
Yes. KingTone describes the Vintage Fuzz as hand wired with carefully selected components.
How big is the KingTone Vintage Fuzz?
KingTone lists the size as 4.7 by 3.7 inches (120mm x 94mm) and the weight as 1 lb. A second figure on the maker's page gives 1.34 inches (34.00mm), and the two measurements do not agree.
Sources (3)
- Vintage Fuzz Germanium & Silicon Fuzz Pedal, KingTone Guitar (www.kingtoneguitar.com), 2026-10-09
- Dial in Some SRV with King Tone Guitar's Pedals, Switches and Mojo, Guitar World, 2018-01-30
- RISE V3 Guitar Preamp & Boost Pedal, King Tone Guitar (www.kingtoneguitar.com), 2026-10-12
