Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Controls output level1 |
| Gain | Controls amount of gain/fuzz1 |
| Clean | Controls the amount of clipping from the diodes, which sounds like adding clean signal on top of your dirty tone, in some ways like adding more headroom1 |
| Diode toggle | Switches between germanium or a silicon + germanium pair of diodes12 |
The Clean knob is the pedal's signature control. Pedal of the Day describes it as mixing your dry signal with the dirt while controlling how much the diodes clip, like adding clean signal on top.2 The later V2 review spells out the extremes: with the Clean knob all the way down you get a thicker, more compressed fuzz suited to lead tones and punching out of the mix, while maxed out you get a sweet boosted tone, with splashes of fuzz breaking through as you dig into the guitar.3 Pedal of the Day also notes it works perfectly with your instrument's Volume knob for a wide range of sounds.2
The diode toggle
The toggle switch on the top panel selects the clipping diodes, and it is what stretches the pedal beyond fuzz. Delicious Audio describes the germanium setting as more compressed and great for noisier fuzz, and the silicon setting as more open and good for boost and overdrive-like tones.1 That range is what lets the Clean Fuzz deliver "not-exactly-clean" boost and overdrive sounds alongside more dynamic, touch-sensitive fuzz, territory that overlaps with boost and overdrive pedals as well as straight distortion.1 Of the V2, Pedal of the Day said the Clean Fuzz "is very touch sensitive and reacts to your playing, volume, and tone controls in an amazing way."3
Build and versions
Pedal of the Day describes the Clean Fuzz as "a completely hand made, point to point / terminal strip pedal, it uses only high grade parts and soft click foot switche[s]."2 Point to point and terminal strip wiring means components are connected directly rather than on a printed circuit board, an approach associated with small-batch boutique building.
A V2 of the pedal exists: Pedal of the Day reviewed the Sundance Electric Clean Fuzz V2 in January 2023, describing it as a super versatile fuzz pedal that is killer for both guitar and bass.12 The related Sundance Electric Clean Fuzz has its own page on this site.
What reviewers said
Both outlets that covered the pedal came away with the same broad verdict. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio called it "a super versatile distortion/fuzz pedal that is killer for both guitar and bass."1 Pedal of the Day, in its January 2022 review, called it a super versatile distortion/fuzz aimed to work wonders on both guitar and bass overall.2 The V2 review added the touch-sensitivity point above.3
Videos
Pedal of the Day
Noise Generator
sundance electric
Questions
What does the Clean knob do on the Sundance Clean Fuzz?
The Clean knob controls the amount of clipping from the diodes, which sounds like adding clean signal on top of your dirty tone, in some ways like adding more headroom. Pedal of the Day describes it as mixing your dry signal with the dirt. With the knob all the way down you get a thicker, more compressed fuzz suited to lead tones, while maxed out it acts like a sweet boost with splashes of fuzz breaking through as you dig in.
What is the toggle switch on the Sundance Clean Fuzz for?
The toggle switch on the top panel selects the clipping diodes: either germanium or a silicon plus germanium pair. Delicious Audio describes the germanium setting as more compressed and great for noisier fuzz, and the silicon setting as more open and good for boost and overdrive-like tones. The switch is what lets the pedal reach not-exactly-clean boost and overdrive sounds as well as touch-sensitive fuzz.
Is the Sundance Clean Fuzz made for bass as well as guitar?
Yes. Delicious Audio calls it a super versatile distortion/fuzz pedal that is killer for both guitar and bass, and Pedal of the Day's review of the V2 repeats that verdict, calling it a super versatile fuzz pedal that is killer for both guitar and bass. The Clean knob's dry blend is a large part of why it works on bass, since it keeps low-end definition under the fuzz.
Is the Sundance Clean Fuzz hand wired?
Yes. Pedal of the Day describes it as a completely hand made, point to point / terminal strip pedal that uses only high grade parts and soft click foot switches. Point to point wiring means the components are connected directly rather than on a printed circuit board, which is a build approach more common in boutique pedals than in mass-produced ones.
Sources (3)
- New Pedal: Sundance Electric Clean Fuzz, Delicious Audio, 2022-04-27
- Sundance Electronics Clean Fuzz, Pedal of the Day, 2022-01-24
- Sundance Electric Cassidy, Pedal of the Day, 2023-01-26
