The Mattoverse Bad Passenger Fuzz MKII is a compact fuzz pedal from Mattoverse Electronics, built around a completely redesigned circuit that stacks cascaded transistor and op-amp gain stages1. Mattoverse describes the result as "a badass fuzz pedal brimming with brutal fuzz and distortion tones"234, and press coverage from the December 2020 launch agreed the MKII pushes into even more aggressive territory than the original Bad Passenger4. It is a deliberately simple pedal: one knob, one toggle, and a lot of gain on tap.
What it does
The Bad Passenger MKII is a high-gain fuzz with distortion in its character. The circuit stacks gain stage on gain stage, which is how JHS Pedals framed it in a roundup of one-knob fuzzes: "This pedal is essentially what happens when you stack a bunch of gain stages on top of each other"8. Guitar.com's reviewer noted at launch that "the pedal promises high levels of fuzzy distortion, even more so than its predecessor"4.
For a player, that means the pedal sits at the extreme end of the fuzz spectrum rather than the polite, amp-like end. It is aimed at players who want a thick, saturated wall rather than a subtle texture, and Mattoverse's own language ("brutal fuzz and distortion tones") points the same way1.
One knob and a character switch
The control set is minimal by design:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Single knob | Sets the output volume only4 |
| Toggle switch | Chooses between a brighter, more open sound and a darker, more compressed sound4 |
Mattoverse's own wording for the two toggle positions is a "bright aggressive grind" versus a "darker compressed filth"1. That is the whole tonal decision: the knob does not shape the fuzz, it only sets how loud it is, so the gain character is fixed and the toggle picks which of the two fixed voices you get.
Power: 9V DC, about 25mA
The MKII runs on a standard 9V DC supply with a center-pin negative plug, and the adapter is not included2. There is no battery option, so this is a pedalboard pedal rather than a throw-it-in-a-gig-bag pedal. Current draw is approximately 25mA1, which is modest by digital-pedal standards and easy on most isolated supplies.
Power is 9V DC center-pin negative only, with no battery compartment2. Any standard negative-center 9V pedal supply will work; the pedal ships without one.
What changed from the original Bad Passenger
The MKII is not a reissue. Mattoverse redesigned the circuit from the ground up, combining cascaded transistor and op-amp gain stages where the original took a different approach1. Two changes define the update:
- A character switch that toggles between the bright aggressive grind and the darker compressed filth settings, which the original did not have9.
- A redesigned output control, so the full amount of gain is available regardless of where the volume knob is set1. Guitar.com highlighted this at launch: "New for MkII of the pedal is a redesigned output section, which offers the full amount of gain independently of the volume level"4.
Gearnews summed up the update at launch as bringing "even more brutal aggressive fuzz tones than its predecessor, thanks to its cascaded transistor and op-amp gain stages"3.
Variants and related Mattoverse pedals
Mattoverse sold limited versions of the MKII with a pink LED and an engraved acrylic faceplate, in both clear and transparent blue acrylic12. Both are listed as sold out25.
The Bad Passenger circuit also lives on in other Mattoverse pedals. The BadTrashenger Fuzz and the DoubleBadTrashenger Fuzz build on the same cascaded-gain idea, and the WarbleSwellBadPassengerFuzzPhaseEcho wraps the Bad Passenger fuzz together with phase and echo in one enclosure9. Mattoverse's line also includes the AirTrash experimental fuzz and the Fuzzy Gates fuzz and tremolo pedal.
Delicious Audio's product listing noted a 7 day return policy, USA only6.
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Questions
Does the Bad Passenger Fuzz MKII take a battery?
No. The pedal runs on standard center-pin negative 9V DC power only, and the adapter is not included, so you need a 9V supply with the standard negative-center barrel plug. There is no battery option.
Is the Bad Passenger Fuzz MKII true bypass?
Yes. Mattoverse lists the pedal as true bypass, with top mounted input and output jacks, so it drops out of your signal chain completely when switched off.
What does the character switch do on the Bad Passenger MKII?
The toggle picks between two fuzz voices. One position gives a bright, aggressive grind; the other a darker, more compressed sound that Mattoverse describes as compressed filth. It is the only tonal choice besides the output volume knob.
Is the Bad Passenger Fuzz MKII still available?
As of late October 2026 the standard pedal and its pink LED variants are listed as sold out on the Mattoverse site. It launched in December 2020 in limited quantities at $99, and the current listed price is $109 to $119 depending on the listing.
What is the pink LED version of the Bad Passenger?
Mattoverse sold limited variants of the MKII with a pink LED and an engraved acrylic faceplate, offered in clear and transparent blue versions. Both are listed as sold out on the maker's site.
Sources (9)
- Mattoverse Bad Passenger Fuzz MKII, Mattoverse Electronics
- Mattoverse Bad Passenger Fuzz MKII, Mattoverse Electronics
- The Mattoverse Bad Passenger Fuzz MKII, gearnews.com, 2020-12-09
- Mattoverse revamps the Bad Passenger Fuzz with a MkII version, Guitar.com, 2020-12-10
- Mattoverse Bad Passenger Fuzz MKII, Mattoverse Electronics
- Mattoverse Bad Passenger Fuzz MKII, Delicious Audio, 2021-04-28
- Mattoverse Bad Passenger Fuzz MKII, Mattoverse Electronics
- 8 ONE KNOB FUZZ PEDALS YOU NEED TO TRY, JHS Pedals
- Mattoverse DoubleBadTrashenger Fuzz, Mattoverse Electronics
