The Spaceman Sputnik IIb is a germanium fuzz pedal from Spaceman Effects, described by the maker as the next generation of the famed Sputnik II: Deluxe Germanium Fuzz, part of the Sputnik fuzz series alongside the Sputnik I, II and III1. It runs on NOS Soviet-era germanium transistors and diodes in a discrete, all-analog circuit built with through-hole components, and Spaceman says it delivers complex textures, beautiful sustain, gritty crunch, pseudo-octaves and 8-bit artifacts1.
What sets the IIb apart from a straightforward fuzz is its second personality: a footswitch-actuated Drift mode that adds a level of corruption to the otherwise mild-mannered pedal, bringing oscillation, pseudo-octaves and 8-bit artifacts1. The pedal is completely soldered and wired by hand in Portland, Oregon, and carries a limited lifetime warranty1.
The Sputnik IIb is listed as sold out on Spaceman's product page, priced at $399.00 to $439.00 USD1.
A germanium fuzz with a Drift mode
The Sputnik line goes back to the original Spaceman Sputnik, a unique all-germanium fuzz featuring vintage Soviet transistors, with three main control knobs enabling an uncommonly wide range of fuzz tones3. Its Range control delivered everything from light overdrive tones to thick sustain-laden fuzz, and its Calibrate control dialed in the tone and interacted with Range for extra versatility3. A mini knob labeled Scan added a layer of control to that double personality, with all other controls becoming very interactive in the Drift setting3.
The IIb carries that lineage forward with the same Soviet germanium heart. In its normal state it is what Spaceman calls a mild-mannered germanium fuzz; hit the Drift footswitch and it becomes an unstable instrument in its own right, producing oscillation, pseudo-octaves and 8-bit artifacts1. Guitar Pedal X, covering the related Sputnik IIb Deluxe announced in November 2024, described the Drift mode as delivering "wild oscillation, octave and 8-bit artifact tones"2.
The controls
The IIb's front panel mixes knobs with toggle switches, and several controls interact with each other1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| RANGE | Controls the gain of the fuzz1 |
| CALIBRATE | Adjusts the tone with an uncommon sweep1 |
| SCAN | Acts as a squelch control to either tame or unleash the wild unpredictability of Drift mode1 |
| FILTER switch | Selects between three different voices for the CALIBRATE control1 |
| BASS switch | Three levels of bass response: Original, More, and the new Less1 |
| X-Former switch | Bypasses the input transformer for even wilder sounds2 |
Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson noted that the Level knob is the same as the Type II's Signal knob with a changed label, and that the Scan knob, which he called the "Chaos Scrambler," and the Calibrate tone control carry over as before2.
Drift mode and the transformer bypass
Drift mode is the IIb's headline feature. Spaceman frames it as a level of corruption added to an otherwise tame fuzz, resulting in oscillation, pseudo-octaves and 8-bit artifacts1. The Scan control is the key to living with it: as a squelch control it can either tame the mode's wild unpredictability or let it run loose1.
The switchable input transformer is the other shape-shifter. Spaceman specifies it this way: Out gives a looser feel and a wider frequency range, while In makes the pedal play nice after other pedals and sound more focused1. Guitar Pedal X put it more bluntly, describing the X-Former switch as a way to "bypass the transformer for even wilder sounds"2. For a player running the IIb first in a chain, the transformer-out setting opens things up; for a crowded pedalboard, transformer-in keeps it behaving.
Colors and the White Light Edition
The Sputnik IIb comes in three signed and numbered color options: Black, Gray and White1. A limited White Light Edition is available only through stores, not direct from the maker1. The pedal sits in a cast-aluminum enclosure with a durable, engraved vinyl faceplate and jewel indicator lights on top1.
How it differs from the Sputnik II
Against the previous Sputnik II, the IIb brings a smaller footprint with top-mounted jacks, the new Less setting on the bass switch, and the switchable input transformer1. Guitar Pedal X's take on the IIb Deluxe was measured:
"I'm not convinced the Sputnik II needed further updates - but I guess those that favour larger footprint pedals have som"2
Where the Sputnik IIb stands apart is its footswitch-actuated DRIFT mode, which Spaceman says adds a level of corruption to the otherwise mild-mannered circuit, bringing in oscillation, pseudo-octaves and 8-bit artifacts1. Like the rest of the Sputnik fuzz series, which Spaceman describes as "an homage to the golden era of electronics," it is a discrete all-analog design built with through-hole components1.
He filed the changes as nice-to-haves rather than things he needed for his own use, while noting the pedal is somewhat non-pedalboard friendly in size2. The IIb's top-mounted jacks and smaller footprint are Spaceman's answer to exactly that complaint1.
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Questions
Is the Spaceman Sputnik IIb true bypass?
Yes. Spaceman specifies true-bypass switching actuated by soft-click footswitches, so the pedal's all-analog germanium circuit is taken fully out of the signal path when disengaged. The pedal carries two footswitches in total: one for Drift mode and one for bypass.
What does Drift mode do on the Sputnik IIb?
Drift mode is a second footswitchable personality that adds corruption to the otherwise mild-mannered fuzz. Spaceman describes the result as oscillation, pseudo-octaves and 8-bit artifacts, and the Scan control acts as a squelch that either tames or unleashes the mode's wild unpredictability.
What does the transformer bypass do?
The Sputnik IIb has a switchable input transformer. With it out of the circuit you get a looser feel and a wider frequency range; with it in, the pedal plays nicer after other pedals in your chain and sounds more focused. Guitar Pedal X described bypassing the transformer as giving even wilder sounds.
Can you use an expression pedal with the Sputnik IIb?
Yes. The pedal has an EXP / control-voltage jack that accepts 0 to 5V DC on a TRS jack, and it is protected against over-voltage and reverse voltage. That makes it possible to control the pedal remotely with a suitable expression or control-voltage source.
Where is the Spaceman Sputnik IIb made?
It is made in Portland, Oregon. Spaceman states that the Sputnik IIb is completely soldered and wired by hand there, using a discrete all-analog circuit built with through-hole components, and it carries a limited lifetime warranty.
What is the difference between the Sputnik IIb and the Sputnik II?
The IIb is the next generation of the Sputnik II: Deluxe Germanium Fuzz. It keeps the same core controls but adds a smaller footprint with top-mounted jacks, a new Less setting on the bass switch, and a switchable input transformer. Guitar Pedal X's writer was not convinced the Sputnik II needed further updates.
Sources (3)
- Sputnik IIb: Deluxe Germanium Fuzz, Spaceman Effects
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-11-15
- Sputnik: Germanium Fuzz, Spaceman Effects
