The Ohmless Pedals Boar Fuzz is a compact fuzz and distortion pedal built in Germany. Pedal of the Day described it as "Part fuzz, part distortion and all-powerful," covering "everything from heavy distortion to beautiful fuzz fatness, and everything you could want in-between"1. That range is the pedal's main selling point: rather than committing to one flavor of dirt, it sweeps across territory that on other boards might take a distortion pedal and a fuzz pedal to cover.
Controls
The Boar Fuzz keeps its top panel to four knobs, with one trimmer inside1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Controls the overall output volume for the Boar1 |
| Tone | Shapes the EQ, controlling a wide range of low, mid and high frequencies1 |
| Sustain | Sets the amount of sustain and fuzz present in the signal1 |
| Bias | Changes the internal transistor's voltage, giving it more or less juice depending on where you set it1 |
| Internal trimpot | Sets the maximum gain and sustain to your personal preference1 |
The Bias knob is what lets the pedal travel its full range. Backing it off or pushing it up changes how the transistor is fed, which is how the same circuit moves between heavier distortion and fatter fuzz sounds. The Sustain knob works alongside the internal trimpot: Sustain sets the amount of fuzz in the signal as you play, while the trimpot caps how much gain is available at the top end, so you can tailor the pedal's ceiling to your amp and guitar1.
Pedal of the Day's reviewer also flagged the Volume knob's headroom, writing that it is "not lacking one bit in this department"1.
Build and switching
The pedal comes in a smaller-than-usual enclosure and uses Neutrik jacks, which the review highlights for durability1. It is wired for true bypass, and Ohmless offers a choice of switching: a standard 3PDT bypass switch or a soft switch1. A soft switch uses electronic switching rather than a mechanical click, which some players prefer for quiet operation or remote switching setups.
Related pedals
The Boar Fuzz shares its design with the Jed's Pedals Wild Boar, which Jed's Pedals describes as running "From warm and musical overdrive to searing and aggressive distortion"2. Players weighing the Boar against a more conventional dirt box may also want to compare it with overdrive pedals, which sit at the cleaner end of the same spectrum.
Videos
Eirik Stordrange
Curtis Kent
Pedal of the Day
Questions
Is the Ohmless Boar Fuzz true bypass?
Yes. Pedal of the Day's review describes the Boar Fuzz as wired for true bypass, and notes that Ohmless offers it with either a standard 3PDT bypass switch or a soft switch, so you can pick the switching style you prefer.
What does the Bias knob do on the Boar Fuzz?
According to Pedal of the Day, the Bias knob changes the internal transistor's voltage, giving it more or less juice depending on where you set it. That lets you move the pedal's character across its range, from heavier distortion toward fatter fuzz sounds.
What is the internal trimpot on the Boar Fuzz for?
The Boar Fuzz has an internal trimpot that allows you to set the maximum gain and sustain to your personal preference, per Pedal of the Day's review. It sits alongside the front-panel Sustain knob, which sets the amount of sustain and fuzz in the signal.
Where is the Ohmless Pedals Boar Fuzz made?
Pedal of the Day's 2017 review describes the Boar Fuzz as coming straight from Germany, where Ohmless Pedals builds it.
Sources (2)
- Ohmless Pedals Boar Fuzz Pedal, Pedal of the Day, 2017-08-25
- Wild Boar, Jed's Pedals (jedspeds.co.uk)
