The MWFX 8 Bit, 5 is a fuzz-style pedal from British maker MWFX that converts the guitar signal into a square wave using an analog, transistor based circuit1. MWFX describes it as responding to guitar in a similar way to a standard fuzz effect, but with a synthesised tone that falls in pitch as the signal trails out1. In other words, it is not a conventional fuzz: instead of clipping the signal into warmth, it rebuilds it as a stark, synth-like square wave whose pitch droops as each note decays.
The 8 Bit, 5 is one of a series of individually numbered re-releases of the original 8 Bit pedal from 2007/8, each handpainted and finished in oak wood1. It suits both guitar and bass.001.
A square wave synth that responds like a fuzz
Where a typical fuzz pedal clips and compresses your signal, the 8 Bit takes a different route: it converts the guitar signal to a square wave using an analog, transistor based circuit1. The result is a synthesised tone rather than a distorted version of your original sound. MWFX says it responds to guitar in a similar way to a standard fuzz effect, meaning it tracks your picking dynamics and note attacks, but the voice that comes out is pure square wave1.
The signature behavior is the pitch fall. As the signal trails out at the end of a note, the synthesised tone falls in pitch1. This gives each note a drooping, video-game-like tail that is part of the pedal's character rather than a defect to be tamed. Players looking for a clean octave or pitch shift or a synth pedal with stable pitch will find the 8 Bit behaves differently: it is a fuzz at heart, with the pitch drop as its voice.
The pedal's controls are minimal:
| Control | Location | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Volume | Exterior | Sets the output level of the effect1 |
| Sensitivity (trigger threshold) | Interior | Adjusts how the circuit responds to the input signal234 |
The interior sensitivity setting is a trigger threshold, so adjusting it changes how readily the circuit fires on your picking, which matters for both guitar and low-output instruments234.
History and versions
The 8 Bit is an MWFX pedal from 2007/85. The 8 Bit, 5 belongs to the modern re-release series: each of these re-releases is individually handpainted and finished in oak wood, and each carries its own number in the series1. MWFX has referred to the 8 Bit as "our square egg"6.
"The 8 Bit, our square egg"
The re-release range includes many numbered variants, among them the 8 Bit, 1, 8 Bit, 3, 8 Bit, 15, 8 Bit, 16 and 8 Bit, 18, plus the 8 Bit Pride45. The 8 Bit, 3 was listed at £175.001. The numbered units share the same core circuit and feature set: square wave conversion, true bypass, an exterior volume control, an interior sensitivity setting, and suitability for guitar and bass56.
The numbered re-releases are individually handpainted, so each unit is unique in its finish1.
Questions
Is the MWFX 8 Bit true bypass?
Yes. MWFX lists true bypass among the 8 Bit's features, so with the pedal switched off the guitar signal passes through without active circuitry in the path. This applies across the 8 Bit re-release range, including the 8 Bit, 5.
Does the MWFX 8 Bit work with bass?
Yes. MWFX states that the 8 Bit suits guitar and bass, so bass players can use it to get the same square wave conversion and fuzz-like response. The pitch-fall character as notes trail out applies to bass notes too.
Is the MWFX 8 Bit analog or digital?
It is analog. Despite the 8 Bit name, the pedal converts the guitar signal to a square wave using an analog, transistor based circuit rather than digital processing. The square wave is the synthesised output, not a digital emulation.
What does the volume control do on the MWFX 8 Bit?
The 8 Bit has an exterior volume control, which sets the output level of the effect. There is also an interior sensitivity setting that adjusts the trigger threshold, determining how the circuit responds to your playing.
Why does the pitch fall as the note dies away on the 8 Bit?
The 8 Bit converts the guitar signal to a square wave with an analog, transistor based circuit, and MWFX describes the result as a synthesised tone that falls in pitch as the signal trails out. It is part of how the circuit tracks the decaying note, giving the pedal its character.
Sources (6)
- 8 Bit - 5 | MWFX, MWFX
- 8 Bit - 9 | MWFX, MWFX
- 8 Bit - 11 | MWFX, MWFX
- 8 Bit - 4 | MWFX, MWFX
- 8 Bit - 7 | MWFX, MWFX (mwfx.co.uk)
- 8 Bit 2010, MWFX
