The Massive FX G.O.A.F. is a hand-wired fuzz pedal with a built-in vintage octave-up effect, launched in October 2017 as the first release from the Los Angeles-based maker Massive FX Pedals1. Its circuit is the company's take on the Baldwin Burns Buzzaround, a vintage British fuzz, with a twist: a switchable Octavia-style octave-up stage on a second footswitch1. Massive FX describes it as a dynamic heavy fuzz with "buzzy/trebly" tones, 100% analog in design, priced at $249 at launch1. By 2026, Guitar World listed its street price at $2992.
A Buzzaround-style fuzz with a vintage octave
The G.O.A.F. starts from a Buzzaround-inspired circuit but goes beyond it, in Guitar World's review2. The Buzzaround itself was a vintage fuzz pedal, and its three-transistor circuit is clearly the foundation of the G.O.A.F.'s design, as Premier Guitar's reviewer put it3. Massive FX's own launch announcement framed it as "our take on the legendary Baldwin Burns Buzzaround fuzz with a twist"1.
That twist is the octave. Alongside the fuzz, the pedal delivers Octavia-style octave-up fuzz effects, and the two can be combined or used separately2. The fuzz side is described by Massive FX as dynamic and heavy, with the buzzy, trebly character imparted by its NOS AC125 and Russian germanium transistors1.
Premier Guitar's reviewer characterized the sound in detail:
"Punchy, precise, open, and aggressive, the G.O.A.F. is, in many ways, the ideal fuzz."
He compared its sharp attack to a Tone Bender MkII and its sustain to a Big Muff, while noting it lacks a Muff's heavy low-end presence, with an airy, open balance between fuzz and empty space3. Guitar World's reviewer found the pedal "even more versatile, providing wondrous fuzz with a smooth buzz that is highly musical" that retains note-to-note definition when playing chords2.
The controls and two footswitches
The pedal has two footswitches and four knobs. The right footswitch, with a red LED, turns the fuzz on and off; the left footswitch, with a green LED, turns the Vintage Octave on and off1. Guitar World lists the controls as master volume, tone shape, fuzz/sustain depth, and timbre/tone/attack knobs2.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Master Volume | Adjusts overall volume1 |
| Tone Shape ("Balance") | Primarily a mid-range control1 |
| Fuzz/Sustain Amount | Sets fuzz depth; all the way left, you will not hear your guitar1 |
| Timbre/Tone/Attack | Primarily a treble control1 |
If you are only using the Vintage Octave, the Master Volume will not adjust the volume unless the Fuzz footswitch is on as well1.
The Fuzz/Sustain Amount knob behaves like a volume control at its minimum: Massive FX notes that turned all the way to the left, you will not hear your guitar1.
Germanium transistors and the circuit
The G.O.A.F. is a three-transistor design built around a combination of NOS AC125 germanium transistors and Russian germanium transistors12. The whole circuit is tidily laid out on a through-hole board about an inch wide that runs the length of the enclosure, mounted independently of the input and output jacks and the footswitches3. That arrangement also makes room for a 9V battery, which Massive FX says is key to extracting the best tones from the pedal3.
The enclosures are powder coated, with unique artwork and a hand-applied finish1. In the debut versions, each pedal's inside back plate is hand numbered by Tom Winkler, a former cartoonist and artist on The Simpsons1.
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Questions
Can the G.O.A.F. octave be used without the fuzz?
Yes. The Vintage Octave and the fuzz are on separate footswitches, so the octave-up can be used on its own and the fuzz can be used without the octave. One quirk: with only the octave engaged, the Master Volume does not adjust the volume unless the Fuzz footswitch is on as well.
What transistors are in the Massive FX G.O.A.F.?
The G.O.A.F. uses a combination of NOS AC125 germanium transistors and Russian germanium transistors in a three-transistor design. The circuit is Massive FX's take on the Baldwin Burns Buzzaround fuzz, a vintage three-transistor fuzz from the 1960s.
Does the Massive FX G.O.A.F. run on a battery?
Yes. The internal layout makes room for a 9V battery, and Massive FX says the battery is key to extracting the best tones from the pedal. The circuit sits on a through-hole board about an inch wide running the length of the enclosure, mounted independently of the jacks and footswitches.
Why does the Master Volume not work with only the octave on?
It is a quirk of how the two effects are wired. The Master Volume sits in the fuzz path, so when only the Vintage Octave footswitch is engaged the knob has no effect on the volume. Turn the Fuzz footswitch on as well and the Master Volume works normally.
Who did the artwork on the G.O.A.F.?
The enclosures carry unique artwork with a hand-applied finish over powder coating. In the debut versions, the inside back plate of each pedal is hand numbered by Tom Winkler, a former cartoonist and artist on The Simpsons.
Sources (3)
- Massive FX Pedals Launches the G.O.A.F. Fuzz, Premier Guitar, 2017-10-06
- Massive FX DallasDevilsPlay and G.O.A.F. review, Guitar World, 2020-07-02
- Massive FX G.O.A.F. Review, Premier Guitar, 2018-04-20
