The Rocket Surgeon Codename: Black Hat is a fuzz pedal built around three transistors, two silicon and one germanium. Premier Guitar's reviewer heard shades of vintage Tone Bender, Fuzz Face, and Fuzzrite in it, while noting that it avoids those designs' quirkier, less predictable aspects1. It was new at the time of the review in September 2023.
Controls
The Black Hat keeps things simple with two knobs, and the reviewer found both do real work across their travel1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Sets output level, with unity gain around 11 o'clock; raising it further increases saturation and harmonic complexity |
| Fuzz | Changes the character from lean and muscular to a warmer, more filled-out response; at maximum it reaches the threshold of singing sustain |
How it responds
Cleanup with the guitar's volume control is the headline behavior. Premier Guitar's reviewer wrote1:
"no matter how you dial it, Black Hat cleans up like a killer tube amp when you rein in your guitar's volume knob1."
Premier Guitar reviewer, 20231
The same review described the pedal as offering uncommon touch sensitivity and handily linear fuzz tones, without squealing gated sounds, corpulent octave overtones, or busted-AM-radio fizz1.
What reviewers said
Premier Guitar's quick-hit review listed these points in its favor1:
- Wonderfully responsive to playing dynamics and guitar-volume manipulation
- Incredibly useful range of lean-and-mild to muscular-and-bristling sounds
If you are comparing it with other fuzzes, the Rocket Surgeon Boris Fuzz is the maker's four-transistor take on a 1990s Russian Big Muff-style circuit, and the Fuzz Pedals page covers the wider field.
Videos
Nordstrand Audio
Demos In The Dark
Nordstrand Audio
Questions
How many knobs does the Rocket Surgeon Black Hat have?
The Black Hat has two knobs: a volume control and a fuzz control. The volume knob sets output level, with unity gain around 11 o'clock, and raising it further increases saturation and harmonic complexity. The fuzz knob changes the character of the effect from lean and muscular to a warmer, more filled-out response, reaching the threshold of singing sustain at maximum.
Does the Black Hat use germanium or silicon transistors?
Both. Premier Guitar's review describes the Black Hat as a three-transistor design using two silicon transistors and one germanium transistor, a hybrid approach that pairs with its stated lineage of vintage Tone Bender, Fuzz Face, and Fuzzrite fuzzes.
Does the Black Hat clean up with the guitar volume knob?
Yes. Premier Guitar's reviewer wrote that no matter how you dial it, the Black Hat cleans up like a killer tube amp when you rein in your guitar's volume knob, and found it wonderfully responsive to playing dynamics and guitar-volume manipulation.
How much does the Black Hat cost?
Premier Guitar's September 2023 review listed the Black Hat at a street price of $169 in US dollars.
Is the Black Hat like a Fuzz Face or a Tone Bender?
Premier Guitar's reviewer heard shades of vintage Tone Bender, Fuzz Face, and Fuzzrite in the Black Hat, while noting that it avoids those designs' quirkier, less predictable aspects, such as squealing gated sounds, corpulent octave overtones, and busted-AM-radio fizz.
Sources (1)
- Quick Hit: Rocket Surgeon Codename: Black Hat Review, Premier Guitar, 2019-02-06
