The Go To Fuzz is a fuzz pedal from MidValleyFX, and the small builder's debut pedal. Pedal of the Day, which reviewed it in July 2018, described it as a "scorcher of a fuzz" and summed up its character as "loud, heavy and unapologetic", sitting somewhere between fuzz and distortion1. It is a three-knob design with a Tone toggle, aimed at players who want their fuzz on the aggressive side.
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Controls the output of the Go To Fuzz1 |
| Sustain | Sets the distortion: to the left, dying-battery, zippy fuzz tones; as the level increases, heavy gated fuzz territory1 |
| Tone toggle (left) | A treble-cutting, ripping and searing crunch tone1 |
| Tone toggle (right) | A treble-boosting, tonal-shifting excursion1 |
The Sustain control is where the pedal's split personality lives. At low settings it produces what Pedal of the Day called "cool dying battery, zippy fuzz tones", and as the level rises it moves into heavy, gated fuzz territory, the kind of compressed, chopped-out fuzz that stops cleanly between notes1.
The Tone toggle works in both directions rather than as a simple treble roll-off: left for a treble-cutting crunch, right for a treble boost that shifts the whole tonal balance1.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day found the pedal more flexible than its three controls suggest1:
"While the controls seem simple, there are many differing settings and combinations to be explored, with pretty much all of them being useful in some capacity."
On overall character, the same reviewer took a measured view: "the Go To Fuzz might not be for everyone, but those of us that don't mind our eardrums bleeding a little will be in glorious, fuzz-laden heaven"1.
Where it sits in MidValleyFX's range
The Go To Fuzz was the first pedal MidValleyFX released. The builder followed it with the Distorter, a high-gain fuzz distortion that Pedal of the Day covered a few weeks later, noting it came after checking out "this one and the Go To Fuzz a couple weeks back"2. Players looking for a related but more distortion-leaning take on the same territory can also read about the Double-Amp Distorter, an op-amp distortion the company announced later in 2018.
Videos
Mid Valley Fx
Mid Valley Fx
Sean Pierce Johnson
Questions
What does the Tone toggle do on the MidValleyFX Go To Fuzz?
The Tone toggle shifts the pedal's tonal character in two directions. To the left, Pedal of the Day describes a treble-cutting, ripping and searing crunch tone. To the right, it is a treble-boosting, tonal-shifting excursion. Combined with the Volume and Sustain knobs, it gives the pedal a wide range of usable settings despite its simple layout.
Is the Go To Fuzz MidValleyFX's first pedal?
Yes. Pedal of the Day, reviewing the pedal in July 2018, called it MidValleyFX's debut pedal. The builder followed it with further designs, including the Distorter high-gain fuzz distortion, which the same publication covered shortly after the Go To Fuzz.
Does the Go To Fuzz get gated at high Sustain settings?
It does. According to Pedal of the Day, the Sustain knob sets the distortion: turned to the left it produces dying-battery, zippy fuzz tones, and as the level increases the pedal moves into heavy, gated fuzz territory. The reviewer described the pedal overall as loud, heavy and unapologetic.
Sources (2)
- MidValleyFX Go To Fuzz Effects Pedal, Pedal of the Day, 2018-07-05
- MidValleyFX Distorter High Gain Fuzz Distortion, Pedal of the Day, 2018-08-10
