The Stumpbox Pedals Get Fuzzed Silver Knob Edition is a silicon fuzz pedal in the Fuzz Face style, built by Merseyside engineer Andy Banks. Where classic Fuzz Face-style circuits lean on germanium transistors, this one uses a silicon pair chosen and calibrated to reach a similar place: Guitar Pedal X described it as delivering warm, harmonically rich, near-germanium textures from a smartly calibrated silicon circuit1.
Sound and circuit
The Silver Knob Edition is very much based on an Analog.Man Sun Face classic, per Guitar Pedal X's review, blending BC182B and BC183L transistors, mid gain and low gain varieties respectively1. The result, as the reviewer heard it, is a fuzz that keeps the Fuzz Face character while avoiding the temperature sensitivity germanium is known for.
Stefan Karlsson's verdict for Guitar Pedal X was strong:
"This combination of Transistors is probably the best Type III Fuzz Face that I've experienced to-date."
Controls
The pedal carries five controls, one of which lives inside the enclosure1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Output level |
| Fuzz | Fuzz amount |
| Bias 2 / EQ | External bias fine-tune, doubles as a tone shaping control |
| Internal Q2 Bias Voltage / Range | Internal trimmer that sets the bias range |
| Input Level / Gain | Input level and gain |
The bias system works as a pair: the internal Q2 trimmer sets the range, and the external Bias 2 / EQ knob fine-tunes within it. Dialling the external bias up acts as a kind of hi-cut or low-pass filter, while dialling it counter-clockwise adds more upper mids1.
The internal trimmers have their default positions marked with yellow dots, so you can easily return to the factory settings after experimenting1.
Enclosure and range
The Get Fuzzed Silver Knob Edition shares the exact same style of green enclosure as the rest of the Stumpbox fuzz range, with the editions differentiated by their knob selection1.
Videos
Philip Czarnecki
Questions
Is the Stumpbox Get Fuzzed a germanium or silicon fuzz?
It is a silicon fuzz. The Silver Knob Edition uses BC182B and BC183L silicon transistors, but the circuit is calibrated to produce warm, harmonically rich textures that sit close to what a germanium fuzz delivers. Guitar Pedal X described its output as near-germanium in character while remaining a silicon design.
What does the Bias 2 / EQ knob do?
The Bias 2 / EQ knob is the external half of a twin bias system. An internal Q2 trimmer sets the overall bias range, and the external knob fine-tunes within it. Dialling the knob clockwise acts as a kind of hi-cut or low-pass filter, while turning it counter-clockwise brings up more upper mids.
Who designed the Stumpbox Get Fuzzed?
The pedal is built by Andy Banks, an engineer from Merseyside, under the Stumpbox Pedals name. Guitar Pedal X reviewed the Silver Knob Edition in May 2024.
What transistors are in the Get Fuzzed Silver Knob Edition?
It blends BC182B and BC183L silicon transistors, which are mid gain and low gain varieties respectively. That pairing is based on an Analog.Man Sun Face classic, according to Guitar Pedal X's review.
Sources (1)
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-05-17