The Red Menace is a fuzz pedal from Stomp Under Foot that blends two circuits into one box: the Sovtek Red Army Overdrive and a 1972 Triangle Big Muff. Stomp Under Foot describes the result as a powerful and versatile fuzz, with a gritty low end that balances deep bass against articulate clarity and a sweet, singing sustain on the high end. It is handmade in the USA and lists at $204.99 USD as of the maker's product page on 26 October 20261.
Controls
The pedal keeps a familiar fuzz layout and adds one extra control of its own12.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Overall output level2 |
| Tone | Tonal balance2 |
| Sustain | Essentially the fuzz control, setting how much fuzz the pedal produces2 |
| Mids | Fine-tunes presence in the mix, from a classic scooped tone to a mid-forward one1 |
The added mids control is the modification that sets the Red Menace apart from a straight clone: it lets a player dial presence in the mix from classic scooped to mid-forward1.
Red Army Overdrive meets a Triangle Muff
The two circuits the Red Menace blends have their own histories. The Red Army Overdrive, despite its name, is a Big Muff circuit. Josh Scott of JHS Pedals put it plainly: "Don't let the 'overdrive' label fool you. This is a Big Muff."3 Premier Guitar has likewise described it as "a Big Muff in everything but name," with a circuit and sound that are near twins of the "Civil War" Big Muff4. Kit Rae characterizes the Red Army as "Sort of a mix between the V1 and V3 Big Muffs, but with a fatter bottom end, brighter and less scooped mids, and less gain," calling it the best of the Russian-made Big Muffs5.
Stomp Under Foot, one of the foremost specialists in Muff-style pedals, used that footnote in Big Muff history as the basis for the Red Menace2. The builder's range includes other takes on the family, such as the Civil War, the '72 Tri Muff v6 Fuzz, and the Red Army Vintage Mini.
What reviewers found
Premier Guitar reviewed the Red Menace in September 2023. The reviewer found the pedal well rounded, with the added midrange edge and a Fuzz Face and Triangle Muff style rasp plainly and delightfully audible, and little sacrifice in low-end muscle in the midrange and low end2. The review rig paired the pedal with a Fender Vibroverb and an Ampeg Super Jet, and a Telecaster Custom, a Rickenbacker 330, and an E-series Stratocaster; the reviewer played it alongside a Stomp Under Foot Civil War2.
On the look of the pedal, the reviewer noted that while the candy apple red enclosure does not have the visual allure of a Sovtek original, it looms boldly on a board2.
The Vintage Mini version
Stomp Under Foot also offers the Red Menace Vintage Mini, a compact take on the same circuit6.
| Red Menace | Red Menace Vintage Mini | |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit | Red Army Overdrive blended with a 1972 Triangle1 | Red Army Overdrive blended with a 1972 Triangle6 |
| Enclosure | Candy apple red2 | Custom 4"x5" enclosure6 |
| Components | NOS through-hole components6 | |
| Bypass | True bypass1 | True bypass6 |
| Build | Handmade in the USA1 | Handmade in the USA1 |
The Red Menace was one of the first modified pedals in the Stomp Under Foot lineup, and the maker says it captures the best qualities of both circuits1. The Vintage Mini carries the same lineage with vintage-style parts in a smaller housing6.
The Red Menace runs on a 9V battery or a 2.1mm 9V adapter only1. Pedals with this power requirement may not suit supplies that share a daisy chain with higher-draw digital pedals.
Videos
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Brett Kingman
Demos In The Dark
Questions
Is the Stomp Under Foot Red Menace true bypass?
Yes. Stomp Under Foot lists the Red Menace as true bypass, meaning the pedal takes itself completely out of the signal path when switched off. The Red Menace Vintage Mini carries the same true bypass switching. The pedal runs on a 9V battery or a 2.1mm 9V adapter only.
What is the Red Menace based on?
The Red Menace blends two circuits: the Sovtek Red Army Overdrive and a 1972 Triangle Big Muff. The Red Army Overdrive itself is widely described as a Big Muff in everything but name, and Stomp Under Foot, a builder known for Big Muff-style pedals, used that footnote in Big Muff history as the basis for the Red Menace.
What is the Red Menace Vintage Mini?
The Red Menace Vintage Mini is a compact version of the Red Menace from Stomp Under Foot, built in a custom 4 by 5 inch enclosure with NOS through-hole components. It blends the same two circuits, the Red Army Overdrive and a 1972 Triangle, and is handmade in the USA with true bypass switching.
Is the Red Menace made in the USA?
Yes. Stomp Under Foot lists both the Red Menace and the Red Menace Vintage Mini as handmade in the USA. The builder is one of the specialists in Big Muff-style pedals, and the Red Menace was among the first modified pedals in the Stomp Under Foot lineup.
Sources (6)
- Red Menace, Stomp Under Foot
- Stomp Under Foot Red Menace Pedal Review, Premier Guitar, 2011-10-18
- 12 RARE PEDALS, JHS Pedals
- JHS Crimson Review, Premier Guitar, 2020-09-07
- Big Muff Versions_Quick Identifier, Kit Rae (kitrae.net), 2026
- RED MENACE VINTAGE MINI, Stomp Under Foot
