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Moustache Audio Whisker Fuzz
Photo: Pedal of the Day
Moustache Audio

Moustache Audio Whisker Fuzz

Fuzz
Key facts
TypeFuzz pedal1
MakerMoustache Audio1
CircuitOriginal germanium-silicon hybrid1
TransistorsNOS Soviet germanium, from a limited stock1
Works withBass or guitar1
StatusLimited-run design, built around a finite transistor stock1

The Moustache Audio Whisker Fuzz is a fuzz pedal built on an original germanium-silicon hybrid circuit, designed around a limited stock of NOS (new old stock) Soviet germanium transistors. Pedal of the Day, which featured the pedal in November 2020, described it as giving you "the best of both worlds," taking you "into classic fuzz territory and beyond" while "retaining the clarity and definition of YOUR sound."1

Because the design depends on a finite supply of vintage Soviet germanium transistors, the Whisker is a limited-run pedal by nature: once that stock is used up, the pedal cannot be built the same way again.1

Controls

The Whisker keeps its panel to three knobs.1

ControlWhat it does
Fuzz"Determines how much fight you've got in ya. Turn it up for thick brutal fuzz."
LevelControls the overall volume of the pedal.
AttitudeChanges the bias, "so you can spit on your opponent!"

Attitude is the control that sets the Whisker apart from a one-voice fuzz. Bias changes on a germanium-based circuit alter how the transistors conduct, which shifts the texture and gating of the fuzz, so the knob moves the pedal through a range of characters rather than one fixed sound.1

On bass and guitar

Moustache Audio designed the Whisker to work on both instruments: Pedal of the Day described it as "sounding great on bass or guitar," which makes it a candidate for a bass pedal board as well as a guitar rig.1

Where it came from

Pedal of the Day featured the Whisker Fuzz on 25 November 2020.1

Moustache Audio has since appeared with other designs: Delicious Audio covered the Moustache Audio Razor Boost/Fuzz.2

Videos

Moustache Audio Whisker Fuzz
Pedal of the Day
A PINK FUZZ? I Mean. It can't be bad then!
Everyday Guitarist

Questions

What does the Attitude knob do on the Moustache Audio Whisker Fuzz?

Attitude changes the bias of the circuit. Bias changes on germanium fuzzes shift how the transistors behave, moving the pedal between different fuzz textures and gating characters. Pedal of the Day put it in characteristically blunt terms: the knob changes the bias 'so you can spit on your opponent.' It is the control that takes the Whisker beyond a single fixed fuzz voice.

Can the Whisker Fuzz be used with bass?

Yes. Pedal of the Day described the Whisker Fuzz as sounding great on bass or guitar, so bass players can run it on a bass board without needing a dedicated bass version. As with any fuzz, how it sits in a bass rig depends on the amp and the rest of the chain, but the pedal was reviewed and presented as a two-instrument design from the start.

Is the Moustache Audio Whisker Fuzz a germanium fuzz?

It is a hybrid rather than a pure germanium fuzz. The circuit is an original germanium-silicon design, built around a limited stock of NOS Soviet germanium transistors. Pedal of the Day described it as giving you the best of both worlds, combining germanium character with silicon behavior in one pedal.

Is the Whisker Fuzz a limited edition?

The pedal was designed around a limited stock of NOS Soviet germanium transistors, which makes it a limited-run design by nature: once that transistor stock is gone, the pedal as built cannot be made the same way again. Pedal of the Day presented it on that basis when it featured the Whisker in November 2020.

Sources (2)
  1. Moustache Audio Whisker Fuzz, Pedal of the Day, 2020-11-25
  2. Moustache Audio Razor Boost/Fuzz, Delicious Audio, 2021-07-08