The Roger Mayer Mongoose is a fuzz pedal, one of the designs Mayer sold in the same "rocket" enclosure as his better-known Octavia. In the early '80s, Mayer sold the Axis Fuzz, Metal Fuzz, and Mongoose using that enclosure1. The Mongoose Fuzz itself was developed in 1985, in Mayer's words, "for guitarists who demand a guitar effect with lots of fat fuzz"2.
What it does
The Mongoose is a fat, sustaining fuzz with a voicing of its own. Mayer's description says it "sounds as if it has a pre-set type wah voice that gives the distortion distinctive focus," so the fuzz carries a fixed, filtered character rather than a flat distortion2. The clipping circuit "primarily comes from a passive diode circuit resulting in smooth compression and harmonic overtones"2. With the amount of sustain it produces, Mayer notes that "feedback is possible at the lowest amplifier volume settings," which matters for players who want controlled feedback at bedroom or stage-low volumes2.
Electronically, the pedal "uses a combination of both discrete and IC analogue design techniques," a hybrid of transistor stages and integrated circuits rather than one approach alone2.
How it compares
Mayer positioned the Mongoose against his other fuzzes of the period: it is "more modern sounding and civilised sounding than the Axis or Classic Fuzz"2. Players looking at that family today can read about the Axis Fuzz, the Classic Fuzz, the Stone Fuzz and the Spitfire, or browse the wider field of Fuzz Pedals.
Roger Mayer describes the Mongoose as more modern sounding and civilised sounding than his Axis or Classic Fuzz, so players weighing it against those pedals are comparing circuits with a deliberately different character2.
Videos
Nikita Demchenko
Nuum HybridTone
WESTBALL FAMILY
Questions
When was the Roger Mayer Mongoose released?
The Mongoose Fuzz was developed in 1985, according to Roger Mayer's own description of the pedal. It followed the earlier Rocket series pedals such as the Axis Fuzz and Classic Fuzz, and an updated Mongoose-X version was announced in August 2008 as part of the X-series revisions of the Rocket pedals.
How does the Mongoose differ from other Roger Mayer fuzzes?
Roger Mayer described the Mongoose as more modern sounding and civilised sounding than the Axis or Classic Fuzz. Its clipping comes primarily from a passive diode circuit, giving smooth compression and harmonic overtones, and it has a pre-set wah-like voice that gives the distortion a distinctive focus.
Sources (2)
- Classic Gear: Roger Mayer's Octavia Pedal, GuitarPlayer (www.guitarplayer.com), 2021-11-02
- Guitar FX Layouts: Roger Mayer Mongoose, Guitar FX Layouts (tagboardeffects.blogspot.com), 2012-09-04
