The SolidGoldFX Tone Mob Model 001 Fuzz Generator Aluminum Edition is a limited-edition version of the Model 001 Fuzz Generator, a fuzz pedal built as a collaboration between the pedal maker SolidGoldFX and The Tone Mob. Pedal of the Day's review called the Model 001 "a multi-level, super-dynamic piece of musical gear," with a full, bold fuzz sound and crisp tones, and described the Aluminum Edition as "an aluminum fuzz masterpiece."1
The pedal works in the usual fuzz way: as Pedal of the Day puts it, "Fuzz controls how much distortion is present in your signal, from a slightly buzzy fuzz to all-out fuzz pandemonium."1 Inside, it is filled with BC183 transistors, which the review credits for that full, bold fuzz character.1
Controls
The Model 001 keeps its control layout simple: a Level knob and a tone toggle switch1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Level | Adjusts the volume level of the pedal, with plenty available for any given situation1 |
| Tone toggle | Sets the tonal response; the Far Left position gives a normal, flat tonal response1 |
Pedal of the Day's advice on the tone switch is straightforward: "If you want a normal, flat tonal response, set this guy to the Far Left position."1
The Aluminum Edition and the original Model 001
The Aluminum Edition takes the original Model 001's circuit and wraps it in a thick brushed satin aluminum faceplate. In Delicious Audio's demo video, the pedal is introduced with the words "We took that gloriously versatile fuzz and turned the classiness dial up to 11."2 The original Model 001 run was already a dressed-up pedal: Andrew Jackson of Stohn Guitars described it as looking like you "put a tuxedo on your pedalboard."2
Pedal of the Day treated the Aluminum Edition as a special edition, thanking "everyone from SolidGoldFX and The Tone Mob for letting us get our hands on one of these special editions."1 The review's overall impression was of "a pedal that is expressive both visually and sonically, and one that's sure to make you take a step back in wonder the moment it's engaged."1
Where it sits in SolidGoldFX's fuzz range
The Model 001 belongs to a maker with a deep fuzz bench. SolidGoldFX's other fuzz designs include the If 6 Was 9, a Fuzz Face-inspired circuit, the 76 MKII octave-up fuzz, the Lysis polyphonic octave fuzz modulator, and the Fuzzbox, a Tone Bender Mk II style fuzz. For more on the effect type itself, see the site's guide to Fuzz Pedals123.
Hearing it
Delicious Audio's demo video features Eirik of Living Room Gear Demos playing the Aluminum Edition through a Fano PX6 and a Fender Baja Telecaster into a Tone King 20th Anniversary Imperial amp.2
Videos
SolidGoldFX | Diamond Pedals
SolidGoldFX | Diamond Pedals
SolidGoldFX | Diamond Pedals
Questions
Is the Tone Mob Model 001 Aluminum Edition true bypass?
Yes. Pedal of the Day's review of the Aluminum Edition describes it as a true bypass pedal, so when the effect is switched off your guitar's signal passes through the pedal without any of the fuzz circuitry loading it down. That matters on a pedalboard, where a chain of buffered pedals can gradually dull your clean tone.
What transistors are in the Model 001 Fuzz Generator?
The Model 001 Fuzz Generator uses BC183 transistors, a silicon transistor type that Pedal of the Day credits with giving the pedal its full, bold fuzz character. BC183s are a classic choice in silicon fuzz designs, and the same transistor family turns up in other SolidGoldFX fuzz circuits.
Where is the SolidGoldFX Tone Mob Model 001 made?
Pedal of the Day reports that the Model 001 is made in Canada, describing it as built in 'our great neighbor to the North.' SolidGoldFX is a Canadian pedal builder, and the Model 001 came out of a collaboration between SolidGoldFX and The Tone Mob.
Who is Tone Mob?
The Tone Mob is the outfit that collaborated with SolidGoldFX on the Model 001 Fuzz Generator. Delicious Audio's demo video notes that the pedal is the result of a collaboration between the two manufacturers, and the Aluminum Edition was produced as a special edition marking that partnership.
How is the Aluminum Edition different from the original Model 001?
The Aluminum Edition takes the original Model 001's fuzz circuit and adds a thick brushed satin aluminum faceplate. Delicious Audio described it as turning the classiness dial up to 11 on a fuzz whose original run already drew comparisons to putting a tuxedo on your pedalboard. The circuit itself is the same gloriously versatile fuzz.
Sources (3)
- SolidGoldFX Tone Mob Model 001 Fuzz Generator, Pedal of the Day, 2017-04-05
- Tone Mob Model 001 Fuzz Generator (demo), Delicious Audio, 2016-12-02
- SolidGoldFX Tone Mob Model 001 Fuzz Generator - Pedal of the Day, Pedal of the Day
