The Electron Fuzz Custom Mini is a fuzz pedal from Retro Mechanical Labs, built as a special, potentially one-off version of the company's Electron Fuzz Custom. Where the standard Custom is a conventional pedal, the Mini is housed in a gorgeous wooden enclosure and carries a rare, vintage voltage meter on its face. Pedal of the Day's Mike B, who reviewed it in February 2016, called the result "one of the most beautiful pedals we've had the pleasure to lay our eyes on."1
What it does to your sound
Mike B's verdict on the circuit behind the Mini is blunt: "this pedal is a beast of a fuzz, sometimes untamable and most of the time unpredictable." He had reached the same conclusion about the Custom a few months earlier, writing that it is "an entirely different beast than most fuzzes I've heard to this point," and that it "really rocked our faces overall."12
If you have played conventional fuzz pedals, expect something less polite. The controls interact with each other, and the pedal rewards experimentation more than careful dialing-in12.
The controls and footswitches
The Mini carries the same control set as the Electron Fuzz Custom12:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Hurt | Essentially a treble boost control, adding more bright crunch into the mix1 |
| Pain | Adjusts the amount of fuzz, getting stronger and louder as you turn up the dial1 |
| Output | Controls the volume of the pedal, but also interacts with Hurt and Pain, for either a lower-gain fuzz sound or an all-out ear-bleeding fuzz when cranked up1 |
| Low/Cut switch | Adds or takes away the low end spectrum, for a higher-frequency fuzz tone1 |
| x1000 footswitch | "absolutely blasts your fuzz sound into the outer reaches of space"1 |
The x1000 footswitch is the feature Mike B singles out as "the big whammy on this pedal."1 The standard Custom also has an FB Noise knob that controls feedback, making crazy octave sounds as it increases2; the Mini's reviewed control set does not include it.
How the Mini differs from the Custom
The Electron Fuzz Custom is the pedal Retro Mechanical Labs is better known for, reviewed by Pedal of the Day in August 20151. The Mini keeps its circuit character and controls but changes the presentation: a wooden enclosure instead of the usual box, and a vintage voltage meter as a visual centerpiece1. Because it is described as potentially one-off, it is not a pedal you would shop for as a current production model; it stands as a rare take on the Custom for players who follow the maker's builds.
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Questions
What is the difference between the Electron Fuzz Custom and the Custom Mini?
The Custom Mini is a special, potentially one-off version of the Electron Fuzz Custom, the fuzz pedal Pedal of the Day reviewed in 2015. It carries the same control set, including the Hurt knob, the Pain knob, the Output control, the Low/Cut switch and the x1000 footswitch, but it is housed in a wooden enclosure with a rare, vintage voltage meter on the front.
What does the Hurt knob do?
According to Pedal of the Day's review, the Hurt knob is essentially a treble boost control, adding more bright crunch into the mix. It works alongside the Pain knob, which sets the amount of fuzz, and the Output control, which sets volume and interacts with both for anything from a lower-gain fuzz to an all-out fuzz sound when cranked up.
Is the Electron Fuzz Custom Mini a limited edition?
Pedal of the Day describes it as a special, potentially one-off version of the Electron Fuzz Custom called the Mini. That is as far as the record goes: it is presented as a rare build rather than a numbered limited run, and the reviewer treats it as a unique take on the standard Custom.
What does the Low/Cut switch do?
The Low/Cut switch adds or takes away the low end spectrum, for a higher-frequency fuzz tone. In practice it lets you thin the fuzz out when the full low end gets too heavy, which is useful for cutting through a band mix or tightening the sound up under a wah or other pedals.
Sources (2)
- Retro Mechanical Labs Electron Fuzz Custom Mini, Pedal of the Day, 2016-02-24
- Retro Mechanical Labs Electron Fuzz Custom, Pedal of the Day, 2015-08-28
