The Skreddy Pedals Lunar Module Deluxe is a fuzz pedal built around the silicon Fuzz Face circuit, voiced with one specific tone in mind: David Gilmour's solo on "Time" from Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon. Premier Guitar described it as "inspired, in exacting, even obsessive, terms by David Gilmour's tone on 'Time'"1. Designer Marc Ahlfs of Skreddy Pedals calls it his take on silicon fuzz, a tone he fell in love with on that best-selling 1973 album2.
The pedal is more than a straight Fuzz Face clone. Skreddy describes the current version, the Lunar Module Mini Deluxe, as a "versatile yet aggressive silicon fuzz" with a huge range that reaches into clean, overdrive, and distortion territory23. Premier Guitar characterized the original Deluxe as a Fuzz Face-style silicon fuzz and treble booster4.
Is it a Fuzz Face?
The circuit is based on the silicon Fuzz Face, the germanium-and-silicon fuzz design most associated with Gilmour and Jimi Hendrix. But Ahlfs built in features a stock Fuzz Face does not have. Premier Guitar's review noted a variable-gain input transistor, which lets the pedal clean up and respond to the guitar's volume knob across a wider range than a fixed-gain Fuzz Face1. That is what gives the Lunar Module its reach from clean sounds through overdrive and into full distortion2.
The Deluxe was Ahlfs' second pass at the design. Premier Guitar called it "Skreddy-mastermind Marc Ahlfs' second attempt at perfecting Gilmour's Fuzz Face sound," a refinement of the first Lunar Module1.
Controls
The standard version carries three knobs: Volume, Fuzz, and Body. The Deluxe adds two more, Brite and Range1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Sets output volume, adjustable to unity gain or boosted for a fatter tone2 |
| Fuzz | Sets the fuzz amount1 |
| Body | Pre-distortion bass control, shaping the low end that feeds the fuzz1 |
| Brite | Presence control1 |
| Range | Pre-gain control1 |
The Body control is the one players coming from a stock Fuzz Face will notice most. A traditional Fuzz Face has no bass control before the clipping stage, so the Lunar Module lets you tune how much low end drives the fuzz, from tighter to fatter1.
What reviewers found
Premier Guitar reviewed the Lunar Module Deluxe in August 2021, testing it with a Japanese Fender Strat and a Gibson Les Paul Standard through a vintage Ampeg Gemini II, with a Boss DD-2 delay in the chain1.
The reviewer's verdict on the pedal's reason for being was positive:
"Copping Gilmour's simultaneously searing and singing tone was relatively easy with the Stratocaster's bridge pickup and a little delay, which I added without experiencing any additional noise."
In other words, the pedal delivered the "Time" solo tone it was built for, with the Strat's bridge pickup and delay, and stayed quiet doing it1.
Availability and price
The Lunar Module has never been a shelf-stocked pedal. Premier Guitar noted that "demand for the Lunar Module and the Lunar Module Deluxe have, at times, well exceeded supply," with waiting lists forming1. Skreddy builds pedals to order, and the maker's page lists a current wait time of approximately 2 weeks to 1 month, with the Mini Deluxe on preorder status2.
Prices differ between versions and dates. The current Lunar Module Mini Deluxe lists at $301, discounted to $270.90 USD on Skreddy's site as of 20266. Premier Guitar listed a $235 USD street price for the original Deluxe in 20211.
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Questions
Who designed the Skreddy Lunar Module Deluxe?
Marc Ahlfs, the designer behind Skreddy Pedals. Premier Guitar called the Deluxe his second attempt at perfecting David Gilmour's Fuzz Face sound, and Ahlfs describes it as his take on the silicon fuzz tone he fell in love with on a best-selling 1973 album.
Is the Lunar Module Deluxe a Fuzz Face?
It is based on the silicon Fuzz Face circuit, but it is not a copy. Premier Guitar describes it as a Fuzz Face-style silicon fuzz and treble booster, and it adds controls a stock Fuzz Face does not have, including a variable-gain input transistor and pre-distortion bass shaping.
What do the Body, Brite and Range controls do?
Body is a pre-distortion bass control, shaping how much low end feeds the fuzz. Brite sets presence, and Range sets pre-gain into the circuit. The standard three-knob version carries Volume, Fuzz, and Body, with Brite and Range on the Deluxe.
Is the Lunar Module Deluxe true bypass?
Yes. Both Skreddy's own product page and Premier Guitar's review confirm true bypass switching, along with an LED and DC power on the current Mini Deluxe version.
Why is the Lunar Module hard to find?
Skreddy builds pedals to order, and the maker's page lists a wait time of approximately 2 weeks to 1 month, with the Mini Deluxe currently on preorder. Premier Guitar noted that demand for the Lunar Module and Lunar Module Deluxe has, at times, well exceeded supply, with waiting lists.
Sources (6)
- Skreddy Pedals Lunar Module Deluxe Pedal Review, Premier Guitar, 2011-10-18
- Fuzz | Lunar Module Mini Deluxe | Skreddy Pedals, Skreddy Pedals
- Fuzzface Variants, Skreddy Pedals
- Skreddy Little Miss Sunshine Phaser Review, Premier Guitar, 2013-11-22
- Fuzz | Kusanagi | Skreddy Pedals, Skreddy Pedals
- Overdrive, Skreddy Pedals
