The Gegé is a germanium fuzz pedal from TEFI Vintage Lab, an Italian maker of stompboxes. It is the company's take on the classic germanium fuzz circuit, and the circuit is built around two hand-picked germanium AC152 transistors, which are the only active components in it. TEFI describes the result as a dynamic fuzz sound with long sustain and an unusually dynamic response1.
Controls and switches
Besides the standard Tone, Volume and Fuzz knobs, the Gegé carries two toggle switches on its face1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Tone | Standard tone knob1 |
| Volume | Standard volume knob1 |
| Fuzz | Standard fuzz knob1 |
| Fuzzy/Fatty toggle | In the Fatty position, delivers an increase in the medium-low frequencies1 |
| Natural/Broken Speaker toggle | In the Broken Speaker position, emulates the distortion coming out from broken loudspeakers1 |
The two toggles give the pedal four basic voicings:
- Fuzzy, Natural: the classic and "natural" fuzz effect1
- Fatty, Natural: the classic fuzz with a lift in the medium-low frequencies1
- Fuzzy, Broken Speaker: a broken-speaker distortion character1
- Fatty, Broken Speaker: the broken-speaker character with added medium-low frequencies1
Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio notes that the Broken Speaker mode was designed especially for players making garage and beat music, where that blown-speaker distortion is part of the sound1.
The internal dip-switch
Inside the pedal there is a dip-switch, selectable at will, whose function is to regulate the behavior of the Gegé in the presence of large signals. It is there for use with single coil and humbucker guitars, so the pedal can be set up to respond correctly to whichever type of pickup is feeding it1.
The dip-switch is internal, so changing it means opening the pedal rather than flipping a switch on the top panel. Set it to match the guitar you play most.
Videos
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Questions
What transistors are in the TEFI Gegé?
The Gegé uses two hand-picked germanium AC152 transistors, and according to Delicious Audio these are the only active components in the circuit. The pedal is TEFI Vintage Lab's take on the classic germanium fuzz circuit, the same family of designs that gave fuzz its name in the early days of electric guitar.
What does the Broken Speaker switch do?
The Natural/Broken Speaker toggle changes the character of the fuzz. In the Broken Speaker position, the pedal emulates the distortion that comes out of broken loudspeakers. Delicious Audio notes this mode was designed especially for players making garage and beat music, while the Natural position gives the classic, natural fuzz effect.
What does the Fuzzy/Fatty toggle change?
The Fuzzy/Fatty toggle shapes the frequency balance of the fuzz. In the Fatty position, the pedal delivers an increase in the medium-low frequencies, thickening the sound. In the Fuzzy position it runs without that low-mid lift, leaving the standard fuzz voicing.
What is the internal dip-switch for?
Inside the pedal there is a dip-switch, selectable at will, that regulates how the Gegé behaves in the presence of large signals. Its purpose is to set the pedal up for use with single coil and humbucker guitars, so the fuzz responds correctly to whichever pickup type you play.
Does the Gegé work with both single coils and humbuckers?
Yes. The internal dip-switch exists specifically to regulate the pedal's behavior with large signals for use with single coil and humbucker guitars. You set the switch to match your guitar, which lets the germanium fuzz respond properly to the different output levels those pickups produce.
Sources (1)
- TEFI Vintage Lab Gegé Germanium Fuzz, Delicious Audio, 2020-09-22