The KMA Machines CHIEF DISRUPTOR Bloodstone is a limited edition of the Berlin maker's Chief Disruptor, a fuzz/distortion pedal built around a Big Muff-style stacked topology. KMA describes it as "the ultimate 'muff-style' drive, with stacked topology," with a switchable parametric mid EQ, three selectable gain structures and a clean blend for a tight low end1. The Bloodstone Edition keeps the original circuit untouched and changes only the look: a custom black finish with red highlights, limited to 100 pieces12.
Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson, who first reviewed the Chief Disruptor in January 2022, called it "one of my two most favoured extended range Muffs, alongside TX Pedals' Animalizzer"2. The standard Chief Disruptor was released earlier in 2022 as KMA's take on the flexible, do-it-all Muff-style fuzz34.
A Muff-style fuzz with a switchable mid EQ
The Chief Disruptor descends from the classic Muff circuit, the fuzz/distortion voice KMA calls "the most iconic fuzz/distortion sound the world has ever known"5. Delicious Audio framed the original as "their take on the uber-flexible, do-it-all Muff-style fuzz"3. What separates it from a straight Muff clone is the mid EQ: a parametric mid section with frequency, cut/boost and an on/off footswitch, plus a position switch that places it either before the main gain stage (PRE) or after it (POST)54.
That matters because classic Muffs scoop the midrange, which can leave a guitar buried in a band mix. Here you can cut or boost mids at a frequency you choose, and decide whether the gain stage reacts to the boosted mids or amplifies an already-shaped signal. An active Bass and Treble EQ sits alongside it52, and a switchable Top-Boost adds more crunch when required6.
KMA says the pedal is equally at home on guitar, bass or other instruments1, and Guitar Pedal X confirms it works on bass2. The pre or post clean blend, which KMA credits with a tight low end1, is what keeps low frequencies defined at high gain.
The controls and gain structures
The Bloodstone Edition shares the standard pedal's control set2. Guitar Pedal X's rundown of the Chief Disruptor lists the full panel4:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Voicing / Gain Structure | Tight / Vintage / Heavy selector24 |
| Disruption (Gain) | Gain control covering low gain drive to doom tones5 |
| Master Volume (Level) | Output level4 |
| Lows / Highs | Active Bass and Treble EQ524 |
| Mids Frequency | Sets the parametric mid's center frequency4 |
| Mids Cut / Boost | Cuts or boosts the selected mids4 |
| Mids On footswitch | Switches the mid EQ in and out24 |
| Blend Order | Pre-EQ / Post-EQ, places the blend before or after the EQ4 |
| Top Boost | Off / On, more crunch when required46 |
| Engage / Bypass footswitch | True bypass switching14 |
The three gain structures are the pedal's core voicings. KMA describes them as Vintage (dynamic), Tight (more focussed) and Heavy (sustaining and thick)12. Two further controls live inside the enclosure: internal trimmers for Mid Q and Top Boost Level1, so the width of the mid sweep and the amount of top-end crunch can be set once and left alone.
An external expression input allows for filter or pseudo-phase tones15, letting an expression pedal sweep the effect rather than leaving it static.
Power: 9V, 160mA
The Bloodstone Edition runs on a standard 9 V DC supply, center negative, 2.1 mm plug, with a maximum current draw above 160 mA; the power supply is not included12.
The Bloodstone Edition draws more than 160 mA, well above what a typical 9V battery or a low-current daisy chain output can deliver. Plan on an isolated or adequately rated power supply. The standard Chief Disruptor's own product page lists a lower figure of >30 mA51, so check the specific unit you own.
A limited edition of the Chief Disruptor
The Bloodstone Edition was announced in July 2026, roughly four years after the original Chief Disruptor launched2. Guitar Pedal X describes it as having "the exact same insides as the original Chief Disruptor"2, so the differences are cosmetic: the blacked-out enclosure with red highlights, the 100-unit run, and the direct-only sales channel.
The edition is available exclusively from the KMA Direct Store, shipping free worldwide, and KMA notes it is being sold at a very special price for a limited time12. Guitar Pedal X listed the recommended price at $219 USD, alongside €179 and £1592. The standard Chief Disruptor remains part of KMA's lineup, sold through KMA's dealers and webshop7.
What reviewers said
Published coverage of the Chief Disruptor Bloodstone Edition has focused on its flexibility rather than a single character. The pedal offers three gain structures, which KMA Machines describes as Vintage (dynamic), Tight (more focussed) and Heavy (sustaining and thick), selected alongside a Mids On footswitch that engages the mid EQ12. Like the standard Chief Disruptor, the Bloodstone Edition is made in Berlin, Germany1.
"This is one of my two most favoured extended range Muffs, alongside TX Pedals' Animalizzer."
MusicRadar covered the original's January 2022 launch, noting the active Bass and Treble controls and the switchable Top-Boost for more crunch6, and Guitar.com reported on its tone-shaping take on the Big Muff circuit at a list price of €1998.
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Questions
How many Chief Disruptor Bloodstone pedals were made?
The Bloodstone Edition is limited to 100 units. KMA Machines describes it as a custom black finish with red highlights, and the run carries the same circuit as the standard Chief Disruptor. Once the 100 units are gone, the edition is finished, though the standard pedal continues.
Does the Chief Disruptor work on bass?
Yes. KMA Machines says the pedal is equally at home on guitar, bass or other instruments, and Guitar Pedal X notes it works on bass. The pre or post clean blend, which KMA says delivers a tight low end, is the feature that matters most for bass players running high gain.
Where can you buy the Chief Disruptor Bloodstone Edition?
The Bloodstone Edition is only available direct from the KMA Machines webstore, which ships free worldwide. KMA also notes the pedal is being sold at a very special price for a limited time. The standard Chief Disruptor is sold through KMA's regular dealer network.
What does the expression input on the Chief Disruptor control?
The external expression control allows for filter or pseudo-phase tones, according to KMA Machines. Plugging in an expression pedal lets you sweep the effect hands-free, moving it toward filter or phase-like sounds rather than a fixed fuzz voice.
Sources (8)
- CHIEF DISRUPTOR Bloodstone, KMA Machines
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2026-07-16
- KMA Machines Chief Disruptor Fuzz, Delicious Audio, 2022-01-27
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2026-08-28
- CHIEF DISRUPTOR, KMA Machines
- The Chief Disruptor has arrived: it's KMA Machines' new Fuzz/Distortion pedal, MusicRadar, 2022-01-28
- Active ABY, KMA Machines
- KMA Machines’ Chief Disruptor fuzz adds a host of tone-shaping to a Big Muff circuit, Guitar.com, 2022-01-31
