The Rare Buzz Effects Piccolo Falsetto is a hand-built germanium overdrive released in 2020, described by Delicious Audio as "a Germanium based Rangemaster variant overdrive (bordering on a fuzz)". At its core is the classic Rangemaster treble booster circuit, the boost made famous by Eric Clapton, Brian May and Tony Iommi, but with two changes aimed at modern pedalboards: a four-mode Filter knob that reshapes the boost, and buffering at both input and output so it can sit anywhere in the chain rather than only first in line1.
What it does
A traditional Rangemaster is a one-trick circuit: a fixed treble lift that pushes the front of a cranked amp. Delicious Audio notes the limitation the Piccolo set out to fix: "the traditional Rangemaster filter response can be too bright for many modern rigs", and the Piccolo instead lets the player tune the response of the boost to match their rig1.
It does that with two controls:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Filter | Four-mode knob: Full Band, Low-Mid Through Treble, Mid and Treble, Treble. Gives the player a choice of tonal options for the boost1 |
| Tone | Designed like the tone control on a guitar, allows the user to fine tune the tone of the pedal1 |
The Full Band setting is the one that departs furthest from the original circuit, which passes only the top end. The other three settings narrow the band in steps toward a straight treble boost1.
The Rangemaster lineage
The Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster is a discontinued germanium treble booster; GuitarPCB notes that "the limited supply of this discontinued effect make it a perfect target for builder and guitar pedal enthusiasts"2. The circuit biases its germanium transistor intentionally on the low side, around 1.0V base voltage rather than the center of the linear region, which GuitarPCB's analysis says creates "mild distortion of the output signal" along with asymmetric gain3. That mild distortion is why a Rangemaster variant can drift toward fuzz territory, as the Piccolo is described as doing1.
The circuit has been recreated many times since. ThroBak Electronics makes the Strange Master Treble Booster, "a recreation of the Germanium Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster"4. TONEHOME documents a JMI Rangemaster reissue, hand-built in England for JMI as a limited run of 100 units, complete with a packing carton that reproduces the original cardboard box5. DIY Fever's build notes sum up why players keep returning to the design: "Having some sort of a treble booster at the front helps shape the sound of the guitar"6. The Rangemaster style has also surfaced in fuzz-adjacent pedals from other makers, such as the Wren and Cuff J Mascis Garbage Face, described by gearnews as "a germanium Rangemaster-style treble booster"7.
Parts and build
Delicious Audio describes the Piccolo as featuring "military grade resistors and hand selected surplus parts including the germanium boost transistor and silver mica capacitors in several locations"1. Surplus germanium transistors are the reason Rangemaster-style pedals vary from unit to unit, and hand selection is the usual maker's answer to that variability.
The Piccolo is buffered at both input and output, unlike the original circuit. That makes it usable later in a pedal chain, where an unbuffered treble booster would not behave as designed1.
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Questions
Is the Rare Buzz Effects Piccolo Falsetto a fuzz or an overdrive?
Delicious Audio describes it as a germanium based Rangemaster variant overdrive, one that borders on a fuzz. In practice it sits between the two: a boosted, slightly compressed treble boost that pushes an amp into distortion, with enough gain on tap that the edges can read as fuzzy. It is best thought of as an overdrive with a fuzzier ceiling than most.
Does the Piccolo Falsetto use a germanium transistor?
Yes. The pedal uses a germanium boost transistor, and according to Delicious Audio the parts are hand selected surplus components, including the germanium transistor and silver mica capacitors in several locations, along with military grade resistors. Surplus germanium parts are a defining feature of the Rangemaster style of circuit.
Where is the Rare Buzz Effects Piccolo Falsetto made?
The Piccolo Falsetto is built entirely by hand in Columbus, Ohio, according to the Delicious Audio product page that announced it in October 2020.
Does the Piccolo Falsetto work anywhere in the pedal chain?
Yes. Unlike the original Rangemaster circuit, the Piccolo is buffered at both input and output, so Delicious Audio reports it can be placed anywhere in the pedal chain. A traditional treble booster is usually run first into a cranked amp; the buffering frees the Piccolo from that restriction.
What is a Rangemaster?
The Rangemaster is a germanium treble booster, originally made by Dallas and later associated with JMI. It boosts the treble frequencies into an amp to create sustain and bite, and it was famously used by players including Eric Clapton, Brian May and Tony Iommi. Original units are discontinued, and the circuit has been widely recreated since.
Sources (7)
- Rare Buzz Effects Piccolo Falsetto Overdrive + Filter, Delicious Audio, 2020-10-13
- Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster Analysis, GuitarPCB
- Analysis-of-the-PURP.pdf, GuitarPCB, 2023
- ThroBak Strange Master Treble Booster, ThroBak Electronics, 2026
- TONEHOME, TONEHOME
- Effects > Dallas Rangemaster : DIY Fever, DIY Fever (diy-fever.com)
- Dinosaur Jr tones on tap with the Wren and Cuff J Mascis Garbage Face, gearnews.com, 2020-04-10