The Skreddy Mayo MkIII is a fuzz pedal from Skreddy Pedals, a maker known for vintage-style fuzz and drive circuits. Skreddy describes it as heavy, aggressive fuzz in the classic early "rams head" style, a tone the maker characterizes as "creamy and huge yet tight and amp-like"1. The circuit is a vintage 4-transistor distortion, built with what Skreddy calls a tasteful blend of NOS (new old stock) and new parts1.
What it does to your sound
Skreddy's own description of the pedal is an "Aggressive wall of fuzz"2. The rams head style the Mayo follows dates to around 1973, and the maker positions the MkIII as delivering that vintage-style fuzz tone in a form that stays tight and amp-like rather than loose1. Because the circuit is a 4-transistor design in the vintage manner, it sits in the same family as other Big Muff-derived fuzzes; players who want a related but different take on that era can look at the Skreddy Lady or the Skreddy Rust Rod, both in the maker's range.
Controls and modern upgrades
The Mayo MkIII pairs the vintage circuit with a set of practical updates. Skreddy lists them as follows1:
- Small size enclosure
- Mid-boost switch
- Standard DC power
- LED on/off indicator
- True bypass switching
The mid-boost switch is the tone-shaping addition: vintage fuzzes of this type tend to scoop the midrange, and the switch gives you a way to bring mids back for a voice that sits differently in a band mix. Standard DC power means the pedal takes a normal center-negative supply rather than requiring an unusual voltage or adapter, and true bypass switching takes the circuit out of the chain when the pedal is off1.
Versions and history
The MkIII is a reissue of Skreddy's 2006 version of the Mayo, using what the maker describes as better quality, higher-gain, lower-noise transistors than the original1. The circuit lineage points back to the circa 1973 vintage-style fuzz tone and the classic early rams head style1.
The Mayo MkIII is sold as a preorder and is built to order. Skreddy states: "We build everything to order. Our current wait time is approximately 2 weeks to 1 month." A PayPal invoice is sent when the order is ready, and the listed delivery status is a lead time of about 2 weeks1.
Price and availability
The Mayo MkIII carries a list price of $3853. Skreddy's own product listings also show it at a sale price of $346.50 USD2, so the two figures differ on the maker's pages and the current price depends on whether the sale is active.
Videos
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Questions
Is the Skreddy Mayo MkIII true bypass?
Yes. Skreddy lists true bypass switching among the modern upgrades on the Mayo MkIII, alongside its small size, mid-boost switch, standard DC power, and an LED on/off indicator. With true bypass, the pedal is removed from your signal chain entirely when it is off, so it does not load down your guitar's signal when bypassed.
What does the mid-boost switch do?
The Mayo MkIII has a mid-boost switch as one of its modern upgrades. Fuzz circuits of the vintage style the Mayo follows tend to scoop the midrange, so a mid-boost gives you a way to bring mids back in for a sound that cuts through differently. Skreddy's product page names the switch but does not go into further detail about its operation.
Is the Mayo MkIII built to order?
Yes. Skreddy Pedals builds everything to order and sends a PayPal invoice when an order is ready. The maker lists a current wait time of approximately 2 weeks to 1 month, and the pedal's stock status is preorder with a delivery status of a lead time of about 2 weeks.
What is a rams head style fuzz?
Rams head refers to an early era of vintage fuzz circuits from around 1973. Skreddy describes the Mayo MkIII as delivering a classic early rams head style tone that is creamy and huge yet tight and amp-like. The pedal follows that vintage 4-transistor approach, built with a blend of NOS and new parts.
Sources (3)
- Big Muff variants, Skreddy Pedals
- Big Muff variants, Skreddy Pedals
- Big Muff variants, Skreddy Pedals
