The Seymour Duncan Fooz Analog Fuzz Synthesizer is a pedal from Seymour Duncan that runs on a 9- to 18-VDC power supply through a standard center negative jack123.
What the Fooz does
The Fooz generates what Guitar World calls "a brilliant combination of fuzz, filter/envelope follower and LFO (low-frequency oscillation) effects"1. For a player, that means three processors that can work together: a fuzz for the core distortion, a filter that can be swept by an envelope follower tracking your picking dynamics, and an LFO that can modulate the sound automatically. The same announcement describes the pedal as combining fuzz, synth, wah and tremolo functions3, which places it alongside filter pedals, wah pedals, tremolo pedals and synth pedals as much as alongside ordinary fuzz pedals.
Controls and sections
The pedal is organized into three sections, each with its own set of controls1:
| Section | Controls |
|---|---|
| Fuzz | Level and gain controls, plus an on/off switch for using the LFO section for tremolo effects (on) or to modulate the Filter section (off) |
| Filter | Frequency and resonance controls, plus a switch for selecting band-pass or low-pass filtering (or off) |
| LFO | Depth, speed, wave and shape controls |
With the Filter's Control Type switch set to "ENV", a sensitivity control is engaged for adjusting the envelope follower's dynamic response1.
Other features include bypass and tap tempo footswitches1, and eight mini dip switches mounted on the rear panel that allow users to customize envelope control assignments, as well as assignments for an optional expression pedal connected to the expression pedal input jack1.
The dip switches on the rear panel are not set-and-forget trimmers: they assign what the envelope and an optional expression pedal control, so they are part of routine setup for the pedal.
Power and connections
The Fooz uses a standard center negative power jack1. It takes ¼-inch mono input and output jacks, so it connects to a pedalboard like any standard stompbox.
What reviewers said
MusicRadar's piece on the pedal was warm on the filter side:
"a standard center negative jack for a 9- to 18-VDC power supply"
Guitar World's review frames the Fooz as taking early guitar synth technology and offering the advantage of modern sound quality and reliability1.
Price and availability
The Fooz takes a 9- to 18-VDC supply through a standard center negative jack2. Seymour Duncan's fuzz line around the Fooz also includes the La Super Rica silicon fuzz and the Tweak Fuzz.
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Questions
What does the Seymour Duncan Fooz do?
It combines fuzz, a filter with an envelope follower, and an LFO in a single all-analog pedal. Guitar World's review describes it as reviving early guitar synth technology, in the spirit of units like the EMS Synthi Hi-Fli, Ludwig Phase II and Maestro USS-1, while offering modern sound quality and reliability. The three sections can be used together or the LFO can be routed to tremolo or filter modulation.
Does the Fooz have tap tempo?
Yes. The Fooz carries two footswitches: one for bypass and one for tap tempo, so LFO rates can be set in time with a song from the floor rather than by turning the speed knob by hand.
Can you use an expression pedal with the Fooz?
Yes. The Fooz has a dedicated expression pedal input jack for an optional expression pedal. What that pedal controls is set on the rear panel, where eight mini dip switches let you customize envelope control assignments as well as assignments for the expression pedal.
What power supply does the Fooz need?
The Fooz uses a standard center negative power jack and runs on a 9- to 18-VDC supply. It has quarter-inch mono input and output jacks, plus the separate expression pedal input.
What are the dip switches on the back of the Fooz for?
Eight mini dip switches are mounted on the rear panel. They allow users to customize envelope control assignments, as well as assignments for an optional expression pedal connected to the expression pedal input jack.
How much did the Fooz cost at launch?
The Fooz was announced in August 2018 with a retail price of $349, a figure Guitar World's November 2018 review also lists as the list price. A 2022 MusicRadar piece on the pedal gives a price of $499.
Sources (4)
- Review: Seymour Duncan Fooz Analog Fuzz Synthesizer, Guitar World, 2018-11-05
- Seymour Duncan unveils the Fooz, guitar.com
- Seymour Duncan Announces the Fooz, premierguitar.com, 2018-08-27
- Seymour Duncan aims to “synthesize the ultimate fuzz tone” with Fooz analog synth pedal, musicradar.com, 2018-08-28
