The Maxon FWA10 Water is a fuzz pedal from Maxon's Fuzz Elements series, described by the maker as a 70s Ram's Head fuzz replica with a parametric EQ built in. The fuzz engine is designed to emulate an early 70s Ram's Head Big Muff, and Maxon characterizes its sound as warm, wooly transistor distortion. What sets the Water apart from a straight replica is the added Parametric Tone circuit, which lets a player shape specific frequencies rather than working with a single fixed tone control1.
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Sustain | Fuzz sustain amount1 |
| Tone | Classic fuzz tone control1 |
| Level | Output level1 |
| Frequency | Sets the center frequency of the parametric Tone circuit1 |
| Cut/Boost | Cuts or boosts the selected frequency1 |
The parametric equalizer covers a frequency range from 100 Hz to 5 kHz, which Maxon describes as reaching from a punchy 100 Hz to an ear-splitting 5 kHz1. In practice, that means the Water can be tuned to thicken a weak low end, pull back harsh upper mids, or push a particular frequency forward, all while the Ram's Head style fuzz runs underneath.
Background
The Water is part of Maxon's Fuzz Elements series, a line of fuzz pedals each built around a distinct vintage-style fuzz engine. The FWA10 Water is a fuzz pedal with parametric EQ, and its fuzz engine is designed to emulate the early 70's Ram's Head Big Muff, which Maxon describes as producing "Warm, wooly transistor distortion"2. Like the other models in the series, it carries the Fuzz Elements approach of pairing a classic fuzz circuit with additional tone-shaping, here in the form of a parametric Tone circuit2. The pedal has since sold out2.
The Water is listed as sold out on the maker's product page1.
Videos
Brett Kingman
Dennis Kayzer
Questions
What is the Maxon FWA10 Water based on?
Maxon describes the Water's fuzz engine as designed to emulate an early 70s Ram's Head Big Muff, a vintage fuzz circuit known for warm, wooly transistor distortion. The pedal adds a parametric Tone circuit on top of that classic fuzz design, letting players shape the frequency response in a way the original unit could not.
What does the parametric EQ on the Water do?
The Water's parametric Tone circuit has Frequency and Cut/Boost controls. According to Maxon, the equalizer covers a frequency range from 100 Hz to 5 kHz, so it can reach from a punchy low end up to the top of a guitar's audible range. That lets a player dial in or remove specific frequencies while the fuzz is engaged.
Sources (2)
- WATER (FWA10), Godlyke Distributing, Inc.
- Maxon Fuzz Elements, Delicious Audio, 2014-04-10
