The SoundBrut FU, also introduced as the FU Varitone Fuzz, is a silicon fuzz pedal made in Sweden by the Swedish pedal firm SoundBrut. Its distinguishing feature is a set of six mid-cut voices built into one box, selected with a six-way varitone switch, so a player can move between six different fuzz voicings without changing pedals1. SoundBrut's press release described it as "a modern voiced silicon fuzz pedal that incorporates SoundBrut's custom tone stack"2.
The pedal was announced in June 2018 and debuted at Summer NAMM 2018, held June 28 to 30 in Nashville, where it was exhibited at SoundBrut's booth #2019 alongside the company's VA Boost and DRVA Mk.II Drive & Boost pedals2. At that point no official price or release date had been announced; gearnews.com reported the RRP as TBC1, and MusicRadar wrote that "As we write, price and release date are TBC"3.
Controls
The FU keeps its front panel simple: three knobs and the selector switch that gives the pedal its character1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Overall output level13 |
| Gain | MusicRadar reports it "ranges from sharp drive to well-rounded fuzz sounds"3 |
| Tone | Standard tone shaping13 |
| Six-way varitone switch | A specifically tuned switch selecting six fuzz voicings, built around six mid-cut voices13 |
On the gain control, SoundBrut's own description of the pedal's character was that the "FU cleans up well, provide scorching amounts of gain, sharp attacks and blossoming harmonics"2.
Power and bypass
The FU runs on 9V DC power and has no battery operation, so it needs an external 9V power supply12. gearnews.com put it plainly: "We do know that is will only run from an external 9V power supply and not from a battery"1.
Because the FU has no battery option, plan for a dedicated 9V DC output on your power supply rather than relying on a spare battery compartment.
Switching is true bypass, and the pedal also includes what SoundBrut call "input regulation" to help keep what the company describes as "tonal stability"1. MusicPlayers' press release confirms the true bypass switching2.
Silicon voicing and what it means for a player
The FU is a silicon fuzz, not germanium123. Silicon fuzz designs are generally the more consistent choice across temperature and transistor batches, and in this pedal the character is shaped less by the transistor alone than by the varitone switch: the six mid-cut voices let a player dial the fuzz around the midrange, which is where fuzz pedals most often get lost in a band mix. The gain control's range, from sharp drive to well-rounded fuzz3, suggests the pedal can sit closer to an overdrive at low settings, in the territory covered by overdrive pedals and distortion pedals, before opening into full fuzz. More on the pedal itself is on the SoundBrut FU Varitone Fuzz page2.
Videos
Premier Guitar
Sound Brut
Sound Brut
Questions
Does the SoundBrut FU take a battery?
No. The FU runs only from an external 9V DC power supply and has no battery operation, so you will need a 9V center-negative adapter or a pedalboard power supply output to use it.
Is the SoundBrut FU true bypass?
Yes. The FU is true bypass, and it also includes what SoundBrut call input regulation, designed to help keep what the company describes as tonal stability when the pedal is engaged.
How much does the SoundBrut FU cost?
No price was announced. As of the June 2018 coverage, the recommended retail price was listed as TBC by both gearnews.com and MusicRadar, and no later figure is available.
When is the SoundBrut FU coming out?
The FU was debuted at Summer NAMM 2018, held June 28 to 30 in Nashville, but no official release date had been announced at that time. MusicRadar reported that price and release date were TBC.
Where is the SoundBrut FU made?
The FU is made in Sweden. gearnews.com described it as a new boutique silicon fuzz pedal made in Sweden with six different tones to choose from.
Is the SoundBrut FU a silicon or germanium fuzz?
The FU is a silicon fuzz. Both gearnews.com and MusicRadar describe it as silicon, and SoundBrut's press release called it a modern voiced silicon fuzz pedal with the company's custom tone stack.
Sources (3)
- SoundBrut FU coming soon, with six fuzz tones in one pedal, gearnews.com, 2018-06-28
- SoundBrut introduces FU Varitone Fuzz pedal at Summer NAMM 2018, MusicPlayers.com, 2018-06-25
- Summer NAMM 2018: SoundBrut unleashes its latest fuzzbox, and it's a big FU, MusicRadar, 2018-06-27
