The Red Witch Famulus Overdrive is an analog overdrive guitar pedal built around two overdrive circuits running in parallel. One circuit is voiced with a bitey tonality, the other with more of a mid-range punch, and the pedal's Alchemy control determines the blend of circuit A and circuit B. Red Witch describes the pedal as "Servant to Your Sorcery."1
Two circuits in parallel
What sets the Famulus apart from other distortion/overdrive units, in Red Witch's words, is that it allows the user to blend between the two circuits rather than choosing one. Each circuit has its own independent gain control, so you can set the bitey circuit and the mid-punch circuit at different drive levels and then use Alchemy to set the mix.1
That parallel arrangement differs from the usual series approach, where one overdrive feeds another. Here both circuits see the guitar signal at once, and the blend control shapes the character of the combined tone. Players looking at other two-circuit drive designs can compare it with other overdrive pedals and distortion pedals on the site.
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain (circuit A) | Independent gain control for the first circuit |
| Gain (circuit B) | Independent gain control for the second circuit |
| Alchemy | Determines the blend of circuit A and circuit B |
Power and practical notes
The Famulus runs on a 9 volt battery or a DC 9 volt wall wart adapter and draws 39mA.1
Red Witch's product page lists the Famulus as Sold Out as of 26 October 2026.1
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Questions
Is the Red Witch Famulus true bypass?
Yes. Red Witch lists the Famulus as true bypass, so when the pedal is switched off your guitar signal passes through the mechanical bypass path without going through the overdrive circuits. That matters on a pedalboard where several pedals sit in front of the amp, since it keeps the effect out of the signal chain entirely when not in use.
How much current does the Red Witch Famulus draw?
Red Witch specifies a current draw of 39mA. The pedal runs on a 9 volt battery or a DC 9 volt wall wart adapter. At 39mA it is modest by modern standards, but a battery will not last indefinitely, so many players use a dedicated adapter output rather than sharing a daisy-chained supply with higher-draw digital pedals.
What chips are inside the Red Witch Famulus?
The Famulus uses LM308 and 4558 chips, according to Red Witch's product page. The LM308 is the op-amp associated with certain classic overdrive designs, while the 4558 is a dual op-amp common in overdrive circuits. With two parallel circuits, the pedal draws on both chip types for its two voicings.
What does the Alchemy control do on the Famulus?
The Alchemy control determines the blend of circuit A and circuit B. Because the two circuits run in parallel with independent gain controls, Alchemy lets you set the mix between the bitey-voiced circuit and the mid-range punch circuit, from one extreme to the other or anywhere in between.
Sources (1)
- Famulus Overdrive, Red Witch Pedals
