The Cascader is a fuzz pedal from Mask Audio Electronics, built as a collaboration with Collector//Emitter. Mask Audio describes it as a one knob fuzz "meant to be loud and aggressive," and the circuit combines a smooth fuzz with a low gain gated fuzz to make what Delicious Audio called "a dense yet tight mix of fuzz and distortion"12. The design is inspired by Devi Ever and EHX fuzzes1.
What sets the Cascader apart from most fuzzes is its second footswitch. Pressing the left footswitch brings in an additional fuzz at the beginning of the signal chain, overloading the other stages for an extremely saturated signal1. Guitar.com described the result as a more saturated, gainy sound3.
Where the Cascader came from
The Cascader's circuit predates its release: as Delicious Audio reported, "Earlier in 2021, we decided to revisit one of the earliest designs and breathe new life into it"2. The pedal became available to preorder on 31 October3. Its enclosures are hand screen printed by Pinebox Customs2.
The pedal became available to preorder on 31 October 2021 at a US list price of $1753. Enclosures are hand screen printed by Pinebox Customs2.
The controls: Loud, Yuh and Cascade
The Cascader keeps its panel simple, with one main knob, a voicing control and the cascade function12.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Loud | Overall output volume of the fuzz1 |
| Yuh | Changes the amount of compression, selecting between open and gated voices1 |
| Cascade (left footswitch) | Adds an additional fuzz at the beginning of the signal chain for more saturation and sustain1 |
The Yuh control is where the two sides of the circuit meet. Delicious Audio explains that "The YUH toggle switch delivers gated and open voicing, delivering respectively a more or less compressed sound"2. In the gated voice the fuzz is more compressed and cuts off sharply; in the open voice it breathes more freely. The same YUH name appears on the Germanium Part Garden, where it changes the range of the Texture control instead4.
The Cascade function is the pedal's headline feature. Guitar.com explained that "The cascade footswitch then engages another fuzz at the beginning of the circuit to overload the later stages," giving a more saturated, gainy sound3. Because the extra fuzz sits ahead of everything else, it pushes the smooth fuzz and gated fuzz stages harder rather than simply adding volume, which is what the Loud knob handles13.
How it differs from Part Garden
Both pedals come from the same two makers and the same design period, but they take different approaches. Part Garden is a dual fuzz, "essentially two fuzzes within one pedal, with both tuned to bring out the best of the other"5. The Cascader instead layers its two fuzz types into one voice and gives you a footswitch to stack a third stage in front23.
The Cascader's cascade footswitch is what sets it apart in use: it "engages another fuzz at the beginning of the circuit to overload the later stages," giving a more saturated, gainy sound3. Pressing the left footswitch brings in an additional fuzz at the beginning of the chain, overloading the other stages for an extremely saturated signal1.
Kit versions
Alongside the built pedal, the Cascader has been offered in DIY kit form through Jed's Pedz, in three options6:
- PCB & Components and off board parts: the PCB, onboard components, pots, toggle switches, footswitch, jacks and 9V parts
- Full Kit: the above with an undrilled enclosure
- Full Kit & Drilling: the full kit with a drilled enclosure6
Power and setup
The Cascader uses a standard Boss style power supply: 9V DC through a 2.1mm center negative plug1. That is the same arrangement as the Part Garden, which also uses top-mounted jacks5, and the Cascader's jacks are top-mounted as well2. Any typical pedalboard power supply with a standard 9V output will run it.
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Questions
What does the Yuh switch do on the Cascader?
Yuh changes the amount of compression and selects between two voices. In the gated position the sound is more compressed and cuts off abruptly; in the open position it is less compressed and sustains more freely. Mask Audio describes it as choosing between open and gated voices.
How is the Cascader different from Part Garden?
Both are collaborations between Mask Audio Electronics and Collector//Emitter, and the Cascader has its roots in the same design period as the Part Garden, but it is a separate circuit. Part Garden is a dual fuzz with two fuzzes tuned to complement each other, while Cascader combines a smooth fuzz with a low gain gated fuzz and adds a cascade footswitch for extra saturation.
Who designed the Mask Audio Cascader?
The Cascader is a collaboration between Mask Audio Electronics and Collector//Emitter, and is their second joint pedal after the Part Garden fuzz of 2019. The design came from an early idea the two makers revisited and reworked earlier in 2021.
What power supply does the Cascader need?
It uses a standard Boss style 9V DC supply with a 2.1mm center negative plug. That is the same connector as most modern pedals, so it works with typical pedalboard power supplies.
How much does the Cascader cost in the US?
Guitar.com reported a US list price of $175 when the pedal opened for preorder on 31 October 2021. The current price on Mask Audio Electronics' own page is £137.00 GBP, stated in pounds rather than dollars.
Sources (6)
- CASCADER, Mask Audio Electronics
- Collector//Emitter & Mask Audio Electronics Cascader, Delicious Audio, 2024-08-16
- Mask Audio Electronics and Collector//Emitter team up for the Cascader fuzz, Guitar.com, 2021-10-29
- Germanium Part Garden, Mask Audio Electronics
- PART GARDEN, Mask Audio Electronics
- Cascader, Jed's Pedz (jedspeds.co.uk)
