The Roland AF-100 BeeBaa Fuzz and Treble Booster is a vintage fuzz pedal from Roland, built between 1972 and 19791. It was Roland's first fuzz pedal, released in 1972, the same year the company was established2. The pedal is a huge silver enclosure that houses two effects: a fuzz with two selectable voices, and a treble booster with its own level control1.
It has been out of production for decades, and original units command high prices today12.
Two effects in one big pedal
The BeeBaa puts a fuzz and a treble booster in a single enclosure, an approach Delicious Audio called "a unique (and uniquely cumbersome) fuzz & treble booster from the '70s" whose sound "convinced enough guitarists to make do with its huge footprint"3. Pedal of the Day described it as "a huge silver beast that houses 2 effects and a lot of vintage attitude"1.
The fuzz side carries the usual controls: Volume, Tone and Sustain knobs, each with a wide range1. The boost side has its own level control, the Booster Adj knob, which sets the amount of signal boost in treble booster mode1.
In an interview with JHS Pedals' Josh Scott, Yoshi Ikegami of Roland described the design as "this fuzz with a treble booster/tone selector"4.
The three footswitches
Three footswitches adorn the pedal, each with a different function1:
| Footswitch | What it does |
|---|---|
| Effect/Normal | Switches the pedal on or off1 |
| Fuzz/Treble Booster | Switches back and forth between the two effects1 |
| Fuzz/Tone Select | While in fuzz mode, flips between the two fuzz voices1 |
The two fuzz voices are distinct. Pedal of the Day found that "one is a mean, 70s fuzz, while the other adds in elements of upper-octave bliss, wildly altering the sounds coming out of" the pedal1.
The boost mode and how it compares to a Rangemaster
The treble boost mode is treble-emphasized and has its own volume control, which means the pedal can be run as a two-channel effect: a boosted tone on one setting, fuzz on the other2. Aion FX notes that "the boost mode is capable of some grit, but is nowhere near a dirty treble booster like the Rangemaster"2. In other words, it is a softer, cleaner boost than the Dallas Rangemaster-style units players often associate with the term "treble booster."
Where it came from
Roland released the AF-100 in 1972, the year the company was founded, as its first fuzz pedal2. Godlyke describes it as "Roland's answer to the gnarly, nasty guitar boxes coming out of the USA & the UK in the late 60's"5. Production ran until 19791. Premier Guitar later called the Bee Baa a "vintage icon," writing that "with its two switchable and distinctly different tone settings, the Bee Baa produced a roaring wall of fuzz"6.
Who has used it
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day reviewed a loaned unit in June 2022 and put its market value at around $5001. The reviewer's verdict:
"if you come across one, and can afford it, you're not going to be disappointed when you plug it in and crank it up"
Videos
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Questions
What is the difference between the AF-100 BeeBaa's boost mode and a Rangemaster?
The BeeBaa's boost mode is treble-emphasized with its own volume control, and it is capable of some grit, but Aion FX describes it as nowhere near a dirty treble booster like the Rangemaster. It is a cleaner, softer boost than the classic Dallas Rangemaster-style units, closer to a second channel than a standalone overdrive.
What does each of the three footswitches do on the Roland AF-100?
Effect/Normal switches the pedal on or off. Fuzz/Treble Booster switches back and forth between the two effects. Fuzz/Tone Select, used while in fuzz mode, flips between the pedal's two distinct fuzz voices, one a mean 70s fuzz and the other adding elements of upper-octave character.
Is the Roland AF-100 BeeBaa still made?
No. The AF-100 BeeBaa was built between 1972 and 1979 and has long been out of production. Original units are vintage pieces that command high prices today, and the pedal is remembered as one of the classic icons of vintage fuzz.
How much does a Roland AF-100 BeeBaa cost used?
As of 2022, Pedal of the Day put the market value of an original AF-100 BeeBaa at around $500. Prices for vintage units vary with condition, but that figure is the most recent published estimate available.
Can the AF-100 BeeBaa be used as a two-channel effect?
Yes. Aion FX notes that the treble-emphasized boost mode has its own volume control, so the pedal can be used as a two-channel effect, switching between a boosted clean-ish tone and the fuzz via the Fuzz/Treble Booster footswitch.
Sources (6)
- Roland AF-100 BeeBaa Fuzz and Treble Booster, Pedal of the Day, 2022-06-25
- Ibex Silicon Fuzz / Roland AF-100 Bee Baa, Aion FX, 2021-10-22
- Klinger Fuzz Bee (Roland Bee Baa Clone), Delicious Audio, 2021-01-11
- BEFORE BOSS WAS BOSS, JHS Pedals
- FIRE (FF10), Godlyke Distributing, Inc.
- Black Cat Introduces the New Wee Buzz, Premier Guitar, 2012-01-21
