The Loe Sounds Germanium Blow is a fuzz pedal built around a germanium diode, described by Delicious Audio as delivering "thick and chewy tone reminiscent of classic fuzzes of the '70s"1. It is a hand-built, small-batch pedal from a boutique maker, housed in a 125B size powder-coated enclosure that glows in the dark1. Players looking at other fuzzes from the same maker can compare it with the Loe Sounds SuperFuzz, the BLow Hybrid Fuzz, the She Fuzz and the Cha'Cha Russian Muff Fuzz, or browse the wider field in the Fuzz Pedals section.
Circuit and components
The pedal's name points at its parts. The germanium transistors inside are salvaged: "We salvaged the sweet Germanium transistors from old audio equipment that was headed straight for the landfill," according to the maker's description reported by Delicious Audio1. Alongside them, the circuit uses NOS Zetex/Ferranti silicon transistors, measured and selected for optimum performance1. That mix of salvaged germanium and selected new-old-stock silicon is what gives the pedal its character, and it is also why the pedal is made in small batches rather than continuously: the germanium components, and the knobs used on the pedal, were extracted from old equipment1.
Controls
The Germanium Blow keeps things to two knobs, with no separate tone control1.
The foot switch is an easy-click type wired for true bypass operation, so the circuit is out of the signal path when the pedal is off1.
Power
The pedal runs on 9-volt DC power with a center negative connector, through a Lumberg power jack1. That is the standard arrangement for compact pedals, so a conventional center negative supply is what it pairs with.
Availability
The Germanium Blow was announced in August 2023 as a small batch of hand-built pedals1. Because the germanium parts and even the knobs come from salvaged equipment, batches are limited by what the maker can source.
Videos
Demos In The Dark
Matt Foy
Questions
Who designs the Loe Sounds Germanium Blow?
The Germanium Blow is built by hand by Aisha Loe, described by Delicious Audio as one of the few female pedal designers working in the field. The pedals are made in small batches, with the germanium components and the knobs extracted from old equipment.
Is the Germanium Blow true bypass?
Yes. The pedal uses an easy-click foot switch wired for true bypass operation, so the circuit is removed from the signal path when the effect is off.
What power supply does the Germanium Blow need?
The Germanium Blow runs on 9-volt DC power with a center negative connector, using a Lumberg power jack. As with most compact fuzzes, a standard center negative supply is what to pair it with.
Does the Germanium Blow use germanium transistors?
Yes. The germanium transistors are salvaged from old audio equipment that was headed for landfill, and the pedal also uses NOS Zetex/Ferranti silicon transistors that are measured and selected for optimum performance.
Does the Germanium Blow have a tone control?
No. The pedal has only two knobs: the left knob controls the volume and the right knob controls the amount of fuzz. There is no separate tone control.
Sources (1)
- New Pedal: Loe Sounds Germanium Blow Fuzz, Delicious Audio, 2023-08-16
