The PastFx Patriarch is a fuzz pedal in PastFx's Spectrum Collection, a faithful recreation and expansion of the Buffalo FX Patriot MKI and MKII, which was modeled after the Sovtek "Civil War" (Blue & Gray) Muff1. That circuit has a Gilmour connection: PastFx notes the Sovtek Civil War Muff was famously used by David Gilmour during Pink Floyd's 1994 Division Bell tour and captured on the band's acclaimed Pulse live album2. PastFx describes the sound as characterized by booming low end, cutting lead tones, and jaw-dropping sustain and power, all while maintaining a surprisingly quiet noise floor1.
Controls
The pedal carries five knobs, two of which work in a direction you might not expect from a standard Big Muff layout2.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Level | Output volume of the effect, from quiet up to a huge decibel boost1 |
| Sustain | Fuzz sustain control2 |
| Tone | Tone control2 |
| Mids | Mids boost when turned clockwise2 |
| Lows | Lows cut when turned clockwise2 |
The Mids and Lows knobs are the expansion over the original Patriot, and they also hold the key to the original sound: the default settings from the original Patriot MKI are achievable by turning Mids and Lows fully counter-clockwise when the internal micro switch is set to "Stock", or with Mids fully clockwise if the switch is in "Scoop" mode1.
Power and connections
The Patriarch requires a 9v center negative power supply, drawing under 10mA, or it can run from a 9v battery21. The under-10mA draw is low enough that it sits comfortably on any daisy-chained supply, and the battery option means it can be used without a supply at all. Connections are Neutrik instrument jacks and a Lumberg DC jack1, and the input impedance is 1 MΩ2.
PastFx states that product specifications are subject to change without notice2.
Where it came from
The lineage runs through Buffalo FX, whose Patriot pedal was described by Guitar World in February 2019 as an update to the company's original Patriot muff circuit3. PastFx's version is a faithful recreation and expansion of that Patriot MKI and MKII1, adding the Mids and Lows controls and the internal Stock/Scoop switch. The Patriarch sits alongside PastFx's other reproductions of classic and hard-to-find circuits, such as the PastFx Jet Phaser and the PastFX M-1-A Stacked Sheep's Head Fuzz. For more circuits in this family, see the site's guide to Fuzz Pedals.
Videos
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Questions
Is the PastFx Patriarch true bypass?
Yes. The PastFx manual lists true bypass operation, so when the pedal is off, your guitar's signal passes straight through without loading or buffering. The pedal uses Neutrik instrument jacks and a Lumberg DC jack, and it runs on a 9v centre negative supply drawing under 10mA, or a 9v battery.
What is the difference between the Patriarch and the Buffalo FX Patriot?
The Patriarch is a faithful recreation and expansion of the Buffalo FX Patriot MKI and MKII, which was modeled after the Sovtek Civil War Muff circuit. The Patriot itself was described by Guitar World as an update to Buffalo FX's original Patriot muff circuit. The Patriarch adds Mids and Lows controls and an internal micro switch on top of the original design.
How do I get the original Patriot MKI sound from the Patriarch?
Set the internal micro switch to Stock, then turn the Mids and Lows knobs fully counter-clockwise. That returns the default settings of the original Patriot MKI. If the switch is set to Scoop mode instead, turn the Mids knob fully clockwise to reach the same original settings.
Can I dim the LED on the PastFx Patriarch?
Yes. The Patriarch has a dimmable LED that is adjustable internally, so you can lower its brightness to suit a dark stage or a pedalboard where the indicator light is distracting.
What size is the PastFx Patriarch enclosure?
The enclosure measures 112 x 60 x 31mm, which is 4.4 x 2.36 x 1.22 inches, and that figure is for the enclosure only, not including jacks or knobs.
Sources (3)
- PastFx_Manuals_-_Patriarch.pdf, PastFx, 2021
- Patriarch Fuzz, PastFx, 2026
- Buffalo FX Announces the Patriot Mk II Pedal, Guitar World, 2019-02-05
