The Tapestry Audio Fab Suisse is a compact overdrive pedal from Tapestry Audio built around the classic Marshall Blues Breaker circuit. What sets it apart from a straight Blues Breaker clone is a three-position toggle switch that offers three drive characters in one box: a transparent op-amp boost, soft clipping, and hard clipping. Tapestry Audio's own suggestion is that the pedal is "a Swiss army knife of overdrives"1.
The circuit combines the front end of a Blues Breaker along with its diodes for soft clipping in the feedback loop of the op amp, and adds LED clipping similar to the Turbo Rat circuit plus a transparent op-amp boost21. It also carries "Marshall style" 3 band tone controls, so the EQ can be shaped to match your amp rather than fighting it2.
The Blues Breaker foundation
The original Marshall Bluesbreaker was an overdrive booster pedal that, per JHS Pedals, "was based on the sound of the 1962 Marshall Bluesbreaker amp, with the bonus that it was much, much easier to lug around"3. The amp itself was the combo version of the JTM454. The pedal, though, was its own thing: MusicRadar notes that "unlike the amp it was a subtler affair, they don't really sound alike"5.
The Blues Breaker is a light-medium gain overdrive pedal with an amp-like circuit that uses soft clipping6, and its circuit topology pairs a high frequency filter tone stack with soft drive clipping7. The Fab Suisse takes that front end and its feedback-loop diodes, then layers two more clipping options on top21.
What the toggle switch does
The heart of the pedal is its on/off/on toggle, which selects between three drive modes21:
| Toggle position | Mode | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Middle | Boost (op-amp clipping) | Clipping elements are disconnected from the circuit altogether, retaining the original tone of your amp21 |
| Right | Soft clipping | Softens the tone a bit, good for high-gain amps needing a smoother lead21 |
| Left | Hard clipping | A more aggressive clipped character via the LED clipping stage21 |
Because the switch is on/off/on, the middle position genuinely removes the clipping elements from the circuit rather than blending them, which is what makes the boost mode a true clean-ish option2.
Controls, power, and layout
The pedal carries Marshall-style three-band tone controls, letting you fine-tune the EQ to match your amp21. The input and output jacks sit along the sides near the footswitch, and the power input is on the back of the chassis, requiring a standard 9VDC power supply with 50mA consumption1. The enclosure is a light gray painted metal chassis with a faded blue-jean name print, which the Audiofanzine reviewer found "very cool and stylish (and Victorian)"1.
The Fab Suisse runs on a 9VDC power supply only; there is no battery option mentioned in any listing, so plan on a pedalboard power supply or a dedicated adapter.
Size and price
The pedal measures approximately 4.5 inches long by 2.25 inches wide by 1.5 inches high (11.43 x 5.7 x 3.8 cm), a standard compact footprint1. At $149 USD at the time of its 2019 review, it was positioned as a solid buy offering multiple drive qualities and EQ flexibility1.
What reviewers said
Audiofanzine's reviewer, writing in 2019, was enthusiastic:
"Tapestry Audio developed an amazing sounding overdrive. Definitely not a one-trick pony, you have three types of drive with a very useful EQ; and the drive sounds good even when turned all the way up (no harshness, muddiness or over-saturation)."
The same reviewer found the drive held up even at maximum, with no harshness, muddiness, or over-saturation1.
Availability
No retailers are offering the Fab Suisse at this time and no classified ads exist for it, so the pedal appears to be out of production1. Players wanting one will likely need to watch the used market.
Videos
TapestryAudio
Stu Weinberg
Plunk & Boom audio
Questions
What does the toggle switch on the Fab Suisse do?
It is an on/off/on switch that selects one of three drive modes. The middle position disconnects the clipping elements entirely for a clean op-amp boost, the right position gives soft clipping that smooths the tone, and the left position gives hard clipping for a more aggressive character.
Is the Tapestry Audio Fab Suisse based on the Blues Breaker?
Yes. The circuit combines the front end of the Marshall Blues Breaker along with its diodes for soft clipping in the feedback loop of the op amp. Tapestry Audio added LED clipping similar to the Turbo Rat circuit and a transparent op-amp boost on top of that foundation.
What size is the Fab Suisse pedal?
It measures approximately 4.5 inches long by 2.25 inches wide by 1.5 inches high, or 11.43 x 5.7 x 3.8 cm. That is a standard compact-pedal footprint that fits easily on a small pedalboard.
Is the Fab Suisse still available?
As of the most recent listings, no retailers are offering the Fab Suisse and no classified ads for it exist, so it appears to be out of production. Used units may still surface on the secondhand market from time to time.
Sources (7)
- Tapestry Audio Fab Suisse, Audiofanzine, 2019-02-26
- Tapestry Audio Fab Suisse Overdrive pedal, Macdaddy Music
- MARSHALL'S GREATEST PEDALS, JHS Pedals
- Green, Gold & Blue, Origin Effects, 2026-09-08
- Is Marshall actually going to reissue the Bluesbreaker pedal after all? Looks likely, MusicRadar, 2023-02-13
- 9 Best Blues Breaker Style Overdrive Pedals & Clones (2026 Edition), Tone Island (toneisland.com), 2026
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-09-03
