The Non-Human Audio Water Bear is a fuzz pedal in the fuzz family with a twist: the maker describes it as a glitchy, synthy fuzz, a five-transistor circuit that produces "a strange synthy attack and glitches and jumps as notes and chords decay"1. Where a conventional fuzz holds a note steadily until it fades, the Water Bear is designed to break apart on the way down, throwing out unstable, synthesizer-like artifacts as the note dies.
What it sounds like
Non-Human Audio's own description is the clearest picture of what the pedal does. The maker calls it "a 5 transistor fuzz that has a strange synthy attack and glitches and jumps as notes and chords decay"1. The attack of each note comes across as synth-like rather than guitar-like, and the decay is where the pedal earns its glitchy label: instead of a smooth fade, notes and chords jump and break up.
The maker also positions it against phase-locked loop pedals, a niche circuit type known for erratic, synthesizer-style tracking artifacts. Non-Human Audio states that "this is not technically a PLL pedal but does share some characteristics with them"1. For players, that means Water Bear-adjacent textures without committing to a full PLL design.
Controls
The pedal keeps things simple, with two knobs:
Non-Human Audio describes the range this way: "Armed with only a volume and a 'control' control, It can be more biting and glitchy, more smooth and thick, or roll your guitar volume down for a more 8-bit synth sound"1. In practice, that gives a player three broad territories from one knob: aggressive and glitchy at one end, smooth and thick at the other, and a cleaner 8-bit synth character by backing off the guitar's own volume knob.
Power and practical details
The Water Bear runs on "standard 9v center pin negative DC power"1, the same polarity convention as most modern pedals, so it should sit happily on a standard pedalboard supply.
Every Non-Human Audio pedal is hand-built and assembled, and the maker says all enclosures are finished by hand in the back yard1. A PDF manual for the Water Bear is available as a download from the maker's product page1.
Price and shipping
Non-Human Audio lists the Water Bear at $175.00 USD1. On shipping, the maker says: "I ship everywhere in the world, and most of the time without any issue"1. International buyers should know the conditions the maker attaches to that: refunds for lost packages cover the cost of the pedal only, excluding import, customs and tariff fees, and customers outside the US purchase at their own risk1.
Where it sits
Players drawn to the Water Bear's glitchy decay may also want to look at the maker's Non-Human Audio Kimchi, a design built around adjustable transistor biasing, or browse other synth pedals for related textures.
Videos
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Questions
What does the Non-Human Audio Water Bear sound like?
Non-Human Audio describes the Water Bear as a five-transistor fuzz with a strange synthy attack that glitches and jumps as notes and chords decay. With its volume and control knobs, the maker says it can be set more biting and glitchy, or more smooth and thick, and rolling back the guitar's volume knob gives a more 8-bit synth character.
Is the Water Bear a PLL pedal?
No. The maker states plainly that the Water Bear is not technically a PLL pedal, though it shares some characteristics with them. Players who know the glitchy, unstable textures of phase-locked loop circuits will recognize some of the same behavior in how notes and chords break up as they decay.
What power does the Water Bear need, and what is the polarity?
The Water Bear runs on standard 9V DC power with a center pin negative connector, according to Non-Human Audio. That is the common standard for pedalboard power supplies, so it should work with a typical isolated supply.
How much does the Water Bear cost?
Non-Human Audio lists the Water Bear at $175.00 USD on its product page as of October 2026.
Does Non-Human Audio ship the Water Bear internationally?
Yes. The maker says it ships everywhere in the world, and most of the time without any issue. International buyers should note that refunds for lost packages cover the cost of the pedal only, excluding import, customs and tariff fees, and customers outside the US purchase at their own risk.
Sources (1)
- Water Bear<br />(Glitchy/Synthy Fuzz), Non-Human Audio
