The Reeves Electro The Darlington Flyer is a hand-built fuzz pedal from Reeves Electro, a maker based in Northamptonshire, UK. Released on 14 November 2023, it was the maker's first PCB-based pedal and the first release in its Daughterboard series, built entirely by Izzy Reeves1. It is a single-transistor fuzz with a twist: a toggle switch lets you choose between two vintage silicon transistors, each with its own character, so one pedal covers two very different fuzz voices1.
Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio described it as "a fuzz with two very different voices both leveraging a different silicon transistor," and the builder's own notes were blunt: "Honestly it's a beast."1
A single-transistor fuzz with two voices
The core idea of the Darlington Flyer is that the transistor is the voice. A toggle switch on the right selects between the two, and each was chosen for what it does to the sound1:
| Transistor | Era | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Motorola MPSA013 Darlington | 1979 | Smooth and compressed sustain1 |
| Micro Electronics ME4003 | Early '70s | More open, gritty tone with a slightly gated character1 |
Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson, reviewing the later Etched Edition, found the same split in feel: the Darlington mode has a gated feel, while the Bipolar Junction mode is more open, gritty and slightly gated2. On the Darlington voice specifically, he wrote that it yields "open and smooth sustain - a little Fuzz-Face-y but smoother," while the BC546 Bipolar Junction type in that edition "delivers a somewhat rougher Gated and Gritty Output!"3
His overall verdict on the circuit was positive:
"It's a really great sounding versatile fuzz - whose simplicity belies its potency. One of my most favoured Reeves Fuzzes"
Controls and power
The control set is deliberately minimal. There is one knob and two toggles1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Master Volume | The only knob; sets the output level, with the fuzz level fixed13 |
| Right toggle | Selects between the two transistors1 |
| Left toggle | Two levels of "fatness," a voicing shift1 |
The fuzz level is fixed to what the builder considers the optimal level, so there is no fuzz knob to dial in; the tonal decisions are which transistor and how fat1. In the 2026 Point-to-Point variant the voicing control is labeled FAT Controller / Narrow Gauge (Skinny)3.
Power is a Boss-style 2.1mm center negative DC jack only, and there is no battery snap. Like all of the maker's silicon pedals, it needs an external supply, so plan for a pedalboard power unit rather than a battery1.
Where it is built
Izzy Reeves builds these fuzz pedals in a garden workshop in Northamptonshire, UK, and the work includes painting, drilling and screen printing the enclosures as well as assembling the circuits1. Because they are totally hand built, there can be slight cosmetic variation between each pedal, and each one is played and signed off by the builder before it leaves1. The original came in a trapezoid blue enclosure1, which Karlsson described as a royal blue colourway2.
Versions and the Daughterboard series
The Darlington Flyer has appeared in several forms since the original 2023 release, and it became the maker's most successful pedal by sales2.
- Original (2023): First release in the new PCB-based Daughterboard series, built entirely by Izzy Reeves13. Karlsson recalls a pink edition and perhaps one other edition of the original as well2.
- Hand-built variation: Each pedal is totally hand built, so there can be slight cosmetic variation between units, and each one is played and signed off by the builder1.
- Sales: The Darlington Flyer is Reeves Electro's most successful pedal by sales2.
The Daughterboard series went on to include other limited fuzzes, among them the Facet IZ, the Twin Sound, the IZZrite and the Voltone Sub-Octave Fuzz, alongside later circuits like the Z1 and the ZO Fuzz.
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Reeves Electro Guitar Pedals
Reeves Electro Guitar Pedals
Reeves Electro Guitar Pedals
Questions
Who designed the Reeves Electro Darlington Flyer?
Izzy Reeves of Reeves Electro, a builder based in Northamptonshire, UK. The Darlington Flyer was the first PCB-based pedal from the maker and the first release in its Daughterboard series, built entirely by Izzy Reeves, with each pedal played and signed off by the builder.
What is the difference between the two transistors in the Darlington Flyer?
The right toggle selects between a 1979 Motorola MPSA013 Darlington transistor, which gives smooth and compressed sustain, and an early '70s Micro Electronics ME4003, which gives a more open, gritty tone with a slightly gated character. Later editions swapped the ME4003 for a Philips Silverface BC546.
Does the Darlington Flyer take a battery?
No. Like all of the maker's silicon pedals, it has a Boss-style 2.1mm center negative DC jack only, with no battery snap, so it needs a power supply or a pedalboard power unit with that standard connector.
Does the Darlington Flyer have a fuzz knob?
No. The fuzz level is fixed at what the builder considers the optimal level, and the only knob is a master volume. The tonal choices come from the two toggle switches: one selects the transistor and the other selects between two levels of fatness.
Where is the Darlington Flyer built?
In a garden workshop in Northamptonshire, UK, where Izzy Reeves does the painting, drilling and screen printing of the enclosures as well as the assembly. The pedals are totally hand built, so there can be slight cosmetic variation between each one.
What does the fat/skinny switch do?
The left toggle switch delivers two levels of fatness, shifting the voicing between a fuller, fatter setting and a narrower, skinnier one. In the 2026 Point-to-Point variant the same control is labeled FAT Controller / Narrow Gauge (Skinny).
Sources (3)
- Reeves Electro Darlington Flyer Fuzz, Delicious Audio, 2023-11-14
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-03-27
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X
