The Violet Oscillation is a hand-made, limited edition fuzz pedal created by Life is Unfair in collaboration with Pedal Partners, built for what Delicious Audio calls "the grating yet dreamy soundscape of shoegaze rock"1. It is a compact pedal with top-mounted jacks, and its circuit is described as at least in part inspired by the sound of the Boss HM-21. The pedal was specially developed for Luca of Pedal Partners' band "violet oscillation" and their debut single "a nation of pilots"1.
What sets it apart from a standard fuzz is a second footswitch. Press it and the pedal triggers oscillation and octave down, and the knobs change function entirely, turning the pedal into a small self-oscillating noise instrument1. Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson called it "a compact, top-mounted-jack Shoegaze fuzz with a rich, woolly wall of sound" and named it one of the ultimate shoegaze fuzzes of 2023, noting it is "as indeed used by Slowdive"23.
A wall-of-fuzz pedal with a Violet oscillation switch
Delicious Audio describes the Violet Oscillation as "optimized for the classic wall of fuzz" made popular by shoegaze, able to deliver "a variety of fuzz tones from transparent to full-on"1. A two-band EQ of Bass and Treble knobs allows for a wide range of tones in normal fuzz mode1.
The pedal was developed in the UK, hand assembled with hand-screen printed artwork1. A Pink Glow-in-the-Dark variant edition was also produced, which Guitar Pedal X noted "just happens to be glow-in-the-dark too"2.
In Guitar Pedal X's 2023 roundup of the year's best new fuzz pedals, Stefan Karlsson's verdict on the Violet Oscillation was direct:
"Generates the most amazing wall-of-sound textures with or without the oscillation engaged."
Guitar Pedal X, 2023 fuzz pedals of the year3
He also praised its more pedalboard-friendly format overall compared with larger shoegaze fuzz designs3.
The controls and the second footswitch
The pedal has two footswitches: an On/Fuzz footswitch for the main fuzz, and an Oscillate footswitch that engages the oscillation channel2. A Violet switch on the pedal engages the oscillation/octave down mode1.
The four knobs do one job in fuzz mode and a different job when the second footswitch is pressed1:
| Knob | Fuzz mode | Oscillation mode (footswitch pressed) |
|---|---|---|
| Volume / Output | Overall volume | Output level |
| Fuzz | Fuzz amount | Glitch and gating effects |
| Bass | Bass EQ | Oscillation pitch |
| Treble | Treble EQ | Oscillation level; right-hand side delivers octave down oscillation |
So in oscillation mode, the Fuzz knob adds glitchy and gated effects, the Bass knob controls the oscillation's pitch, and the Treble knob controls the oscillation's level1. Guitar Pedal X describes the same mapping: "in place of Bass we now control Pitch," with the Treble's right-hand hemisphere delivering octave down oscillation2.
Inside the enclosure there are twin DIP switches for latching or momentary modes, one pair per footswitch, and a trim-pot for the oscillate channel output level, which can boost the signal if required. Life is Unfair advises consulting a qualified tech before opening the pedal21.
Power, warranty and availability
The Violet Oscillation runs on standard 9V DC power supplies with a negative center plug, and takes no batteries1. Life is Unfair offers free repair for any problems with the pedal, excluding cosmetic damage1.
The pedal is limited to 100 units and is available exclusively through the Life is Unfair webstore at www.lifeisunfair.co.uk1. Small batches appear every now and again and typically sell out very quickly2.
Videos
pedal partners
Andy Bungert
Raccoon Point Studios
Questions
Does the Violet Oscillation take a battery?
No. The pedal is powered by standard 9VDC negative centre adaptors only, with no battery option. Life is Unfair notes the absence of a battery compartment as a deliberate choice, describing it as less landfill. You will need a pedalboard power supply or a wall adaptor to run it.
What power supply does the Violet Oscillation need?
It runs on a standard 9V DC power supply with a negative centre plug, the same format most pedalboard power supplies use. There is no battery option, so a daisy chain or isolated supply with 9V center negative outputs is the way to power it.
How many Violet Oscillation pedals were made?
The pedal is a limited edition of 100 units, hand assembled in the UK with hand-screen printed artwork. A Pink Glow-in-the-Dark variant edition was also produced. Small batches have appeared on the Life Is Unfair webstore and typically sell out very quickly.
Where can you buy the Violet Oscillation?
It is available exclusively through the Life is Unfair webstore at www.lifeisunfair.co.uk. Batches appear every now and again and typically sell out very quickly, so catching a release means watching the store.
Can the footswitches on the Violet Oscillation be set to momentary?
Yes. Both footswitches can be set to latching or momentary operation via internal DIP switches, one pair per footswitch. There is also an internal trim-pot for the oscillate channel output level, which can boost the signal if required. Life is Unfair advises consulting a qualified tech before opening the enclosure.
Sources (3)
- Life Is Unfair / Pedal Partners' Violet Oscillation, Delicious Audio, 2024-06-11
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2023-11-17
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2023-12-18