The Stacks FX Fuzz Gazer is a fuzz pedal built around silicon transistors. Pedal of the Day, reviewing it in October 2016, called it "a Silicon fuzz with a ton of tone on tap," and Premier Guitar later described it as Stacks FX's "successful silicon fuzz, the Fuzz Gazer"12.
The circuit: stacked silicon transistor stages
The Fuzz Gazer uses matched and stacked transistor stages, with two silicon transistors stacked in the second stage of the circuit1. That stacked-second-stage arrangement is the heart of what the pedal does to a guitar signal, and it is what gives the Fuzz Gazer its range: Pedal of the Day described its span as "from a thick, spitty voltage starved fuzz to a soaring, flying light fuzz, and a bunch of stuff in between as well"1.
The pedal's Volume control sets the output volume1.
Where it came from and where it turned up
Stacks FX builds the Fuzz Gazer by hand, with each pedal built and tested in Long Beach, California1. The pedal also found its way onto a record most players have heard: according to Delicious Audio, it was "used on the Foo Fighter's 2018 Grammy award-winning single, 'Run'"3.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day's 2016 review summed the pedal up this way:
"Sonically, aesthetically and durability are on on the roster here, making for a well-rounded and killer addition to any"1
Pedal of the Day1
Videos
Stacks FX
Stacks FX
Pedal of the Day
Questions
Is the Stacks FX Fuzz Gazer a silicon or germanium fuzz?
The Fuzz Gazer is a silicon fuzz. Pedal of the Day described it as a silicon fuzz with a lot of tone on tap, and Premier Guitar later referred to it as Stacks FX's successful silicon fuzz. Its circuit uses silicon transistors, with two of them stacked in the second stage, rather than the germanium transistors found in some other fuzz designs.
Does the Fuzz Gazer run on a 9V battery?
Yes. According to Pedal of the Day, the Fuzz Gazer can be powered by either a 9VDC adapter or a 9V battery, so it can be used on a pedalboard with a standard supply or run standalone without one.
Where is the Stacks FX Fuzz Gazer made?
Pedal of the Day reports that each Fuzz Gazer is handbuilt and tested in Long Beach, California.
Which Foo Fighters song used the Fuzz Gazer?
The Fuzz Gazer was used on the Foo Fighters' 2018 Grammy award-winning single Run, as reported by Delicious Audio.
Sources (3)
- Stacks FX Fuzz Gazer, Pedal of the Day, 2016-10-31
- Stacks FX Unveils the Thsee Anomaly Delay, Premier Guitar, 2018-05-08
- Stacks FX Anomaly Delay With LFO, Delicious Audio, 2018-05-24
