The Pelican NoiseWorks Half Horse Fuzz is a fuzz pedal built around what Pedal of the Day describes as "a dynamic JFET fuzz circuit that has been slightly modified"1. It grew out of the company's earlier Pelitaur, a dual fuzz pedal, when Pelican NoiseWorks decided that one of the sides of that pedal needed to branch out on its own1.
History and versions
The Half Horse comes from the Pelitaur, Pelican NoiseWorks' fuzz pedal that Pedal of the Day reviewed in a Limited Silver Edition in 201713. The Pelitaur is made up of two fuzz circuits running in parallel: in Pedal of the Day's words, "one side is a giant, sputtery, vintage-sounding beast, while the other is a classic, mid-scooped, familiar-sounding fuzz"3. That pedal also hides internal trim pots inside, which can be used to adjust the gain level of each fuzz circuit3.
The Half Horse takes one of those two circuits and gives it a pedal of its own, with changes along the way. As Pedal of the Day put it: "The deviated circuit gives you a wider gain range, tasty dynamics and some tonal upgrades for a smoother sound overall."1
Controls and design
The Half Horse keeps things simple, with one large control doing most of the work1:
- Grain: a gain and texture control, and the pedal's main knob1
The Grain knob is oversized to the point of being playable from where you stand. Pedal of the Day noted that "the Grain knob is SOOOO big, you can adjust it with your foot, giving you the option to control your fuzz amount hands-free"1. That makes it possible to sweep the fuzz amount mid-song without bending down or rolling your guitar's volume.
Two other design points matter on a board. The pedal uses a silent soft touch true bypass relay switch, which Pedal of the Day calls "always a welcome addition to ANY pedal"1. And the jacks are mounted on top, which the same review says lets the Half Horse fit right in on any board1.
What reviewers and players said
Delicious Audio published a demo of the Half Horse in May 2017, linked from the maker's product page, using a signal chain of a Fender Telecaster and a Gibson Les Paul into the Half Horse, a TC Electronic Alter Ego X4 and a 1974 Marshall JMP 100w Super Lead head2. Pedal of the Day's 2019 review was warm on the whole package, opening with "A fun one as always from Pelican NoiseWorks"1.
The pedal has also held standing with players since. In a 2026 piece on the greatest pedals of the century published by JHS Pedals, Josh Scott wrote: "Luckily, I still have the Pelican Noiseworks Half Horse Fuzz, which is pretty darn comparable and is a really great choice"4.
Videos
Eirik Stordrange
shnobel
Eric Merrow
Questions
What is the difference between the Half Horse and the Pelitaur?
The Pelitaur is a dual fuzz pedal made up of two fuzz circuits running in parallel, one a giant, sputtery, vintage-sounding beast and the other a classic, mid-scooped fuzz, with internal trim pots to adjust each circuit's gain. The Half Horse takes one of those sides and branches it out on its own, with a deviated circuit that gives a wider gain range, tastier dynamics and tonal upgrades for a smoother sound overall.
Can you adjust the Half Horse's Grain knob with your foot?
Yes. Pedal of the Day notes that the Grain knob is so big you can adjust it with your foot, giving you the option to control your fuzz amount hands-free while playing.
Does the Half Horse Fuzz use a relay for bypass?
Yes. The Half Horse uses a silent soft touch true bypass relay switch, which Pedal of the Day describes as a welcome addition to any pedal.
Where are the jacks on the Pelican NoiseWorks Half Horse?
The jacks are top-mounted, which Pedal of the Day says lets the Half Horse fit right in on any pedalboard.
Is the Half Horse Fuzz a JFET or a germanium fuzz?
It is a JFET fuzz. Pedal of the Day describes it as a dynamic JFET fuzz circuit that has been slightly modified.
Sources (4)
- Pelican NoiseWorks Half Horse Fuzz, Pedal of the Day, 2019-01-04
- Pelican NoiseWorks Half Horse Fuzz, Delicious Audio, 2017-05-12
- Pelican NoiseWorks Pelitaur (Limited Silver Edition), Pedal of the Day, 2017-02-01
- GREATEST PEDALS OF THE CENTURY, JHS Pedals
