The Spaceman Effects Sputnik III is a hand-wired, US-made germanium fuzz pedal, the third version of the company's flagship Sputnik fuzz line following the original Sputnik and the Sputnik II12. It is an all-germanium fuzz built around vintage Soviet-era transistors and a NOS Soviet germanium diode34. Guitar.com reported the company calling it "an homage to the golden era of electronics and is brimming with vintage soul"5.
What sets it apart from most fuzzes is its Drift mode. Engage the Drift footswitch and the pedal moves into territory Pedal of the Day described in unusually strong terms:
"Engage the Drift footswitch, and enter into a world so full of sonic corruption it should be illegal."
Pedal of the Day, 20204
Gearnews described the Drift mode as adding more sonic corruption to the pedal's output, with momentary functionality upgraded from the Sputnik II version: the Scan control corrupts the signal further, and you can then momentarily hit that effect at will2. Outside Drift, Pedal of the Day found the pedal covers a lot of ground: "Sometimes smooth and warm, sometimes harsh and unpredictable, the Sputnik III offers a wide range of fuzz goodness"4. Guitar.com similarly reported fuzz tones "that range from smooth and thick, to gritty and splatty"5.
The controls
The Sputnik III carries five controls plus two footswitches. Spaceman notes that, characteristic of germanium fuzzes, the controls are quite interactive and a wide variety of sounds can be observed with experimentation3.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Range | Fuzz gain4 |
| Signal | Overall output volume4 |
| Calibrate | Tone, sets frequency rolloff slope4 |
| Filter toggle | Flat or bass cut plus mid-scooped voicings6 |
| Scan | Level of corruption and chaos in Drift mode4 |
| Drift footswitch | Engages Scan / Drift mode6 |
The Signal knob sets overall output volume, of which Pedal of the Day reported "NO shortage"4. Calibrate works in conjunction with the Filter toggle, selecting differing frequency rolloff slopes so you can set the tonal filter for the fuzz4. The maker's page describes the toggle as offering mid-scooped and flat settings alongside the wide-range Calibrate control3. The soft-touch footswitches allow for silent and easy switching4.
Signal chain placement and bypass
Germanium fuzzes with vintage-style circuits often demand a specific spot on the pedalboard. The Sputnik III addresses this with the same transformer-based pickup simulation as the Sputnik II, which Gearnews noted should ensure the pedal behaves nicely anywhere in your signal chain2. The Cadet version's page makes the same claim for its input transformer7.
Bypass is true-bypass relay switching via soft-touch footswitches1, a detail Pedal of the Day also confirmed4.
The third Sputnik, and its limited colors
The Sputnik III follows two earlier versions that Pedal of the Day called "wildly successful and now highly sought-after"4. It lands in a new mid-sized enclosure: smaller than the Sputnik II, with more options than the first Sputnik, and delivering the same tones as the first two incarnations4.
The standard edition featured a textured red powder-coat with a black engraved faceplate, a red jewel and solid aluminum control knobs1. Gearnews reported that for a little extra you could order it in limited fancy color variations2, and the maker's page lists a Black & Red limited edition of just 3 units1. At launch in April 2020 the RRP ran from USD 269 to USD 399 depending on finish, which Gearnews called about what you would expect for a hand-wired boutique US-made fuzz2. The maker's product page now shows the pedal sold out3.
On the series as a whole, Pedal of the Day's reviewer said the Sputnik III might be the cake topper, combining everything the publication liked about the first two versions into one new pedal4.
The Sputnik III Cadet
In October 2025, Spaceman released a machine-made Sputnik III Cadet at $219, a reduced price compared with earlier editions7. It is the same third iteration of the all-germanium Sputnik circuit, powered by the same NOS Soviet-era germanium transistors7. While the Cadet series uses SMT components, the Sputnik III Cadet retains the NOS Germanium transistors and diodes6.
Its feature list from the maker includes:
- Input transformer for pedalboard-friendly integration7
- Foot-switchable Drift mode for wild oscillation, octave and 8-bit artifact tones7
- Filter switch with two voicing options for the Calibration tone control7
- Drift footswitch programmable for latching or momentary action7
- Multi-function jewel indicator showing Drift and bypass status simultaneously7
- True-bypass relay switching via momentary footswitch7
- Requires an external 9V DC power supply, center-negative7
The Cadet also incorporates features from the original Sputnik alongside the Sputnik II input transformer7. For players weighing the two, the Cadet is the currently available route into the circuit, while the hand-wired Sputnik III itself is sold out3.
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Questions
What transistors does the Sputnik III use?
It is an all-germanium fuzz built around vintage Soviet-era transistors, plus a NOS Soviet germanium diode. Spaceman describes it as an homage to the golden era of electronics, and the Cadet version keeps the same NOS Germanium transistors and diodes even though the rest of that series uses SMT components.
How is the Sputnik III different from the Sputnik II?
It is the third version of the Sputnik fuzz line. It keeps the Sputnik II's transformer-based pickup simulation and input transformer, but moves to a smaller mid-sized enclosure, upgrades the Drift mode's momentary functionality, and adds the Scan control for further corrupting the signal. Pedal of the Day called it a possible cake topper of the series.
What does the Filter toggle do on the Sputnik III?
The Filter toggle selects between voicings for the tone circuit: a flat setting and a bass cut plus mid-scooped setting. It works together with the Calibrate tone control, which sets the frequency rolloff slope, so the two together shape the tonal filter for the fuzz.
Does the Sputnik III work anywhere in the signal chain?
Yes. It uses the same transformer-based pickup simulation as the Sputnik II, and the Cadet version carries over that input transformer. Spaceman says this ensures the pedal will behave anywhere in your signal chain, which is not always the case with vintage-style germanium fuzzes.
Is the Sputnik III true bypass?
Yes. The Sputnik III uses true-bypass relay switching triggered by soft-touch footswitches, which Pedal of the Day noted allow silent and easy switching. The Cadet version also uses true-bypass relay switching via a momentary footswitch.
What is the Sputnik III Cadet?
The Sputnik III Cadet is a machine-made version of the same third-iteration all-germanium Sputnik circuit, released in October 2025 through Spaceman's Cadet Series at $219. It keeps the NOS Soviet-era germanium transistors, the Drift mode, the Filter switch and true-bypass relay switching, in a more affordable package.
Sources (7)
- Sputnik III: Germanium Fuzz, Spaceman Effects
- Spaceman Effects launches the new Sputnik III Germanium Fuzz, gearnews.com, 2020-04-22
- Sputnik III, Spaceman Effects
- Spaceman Effects Sputnik III Germanium Fuzz, Pedal of the Day, 2020-05-21
- Spaceman Effects’ Sputnik III germanium fuzz has entered the orbit, Guitar.com, 2020-04-22
- Guitar Pedal X, guitarpedalx.com, 2025-10-30
- Sputnik III: Germanium Fuzz, Spaceman Effects
