The Third Man Hardware Old Zoo-Lion Meat is a limited-edition fuzz pedal made in collaboration with Beetronics, the effects maker known for its bee-themed pedals. It packs a heavy burst of fuzz into a small enclosure styled like a can of tuna, and it keeps things deliberately old-school: there is no gain control, no tone control and no switchable modes. Instead, the amount of fuzz is set by the Volume knob on your guitar12.
Guitar World describes it as offering "thick, vintage-inspired tones" and a no-frills single-dial design, promising an articulate clean when the guitar's Volume knob is rolled back and a "roaring wall of vintage fuzz" at its most extreme1.
One knob, and your guitar's Volume does the rest
The pedal's single control is labeled the Phlegmatic Roar, and it sets the overall output volume of the fuzz circuit3. Beyond that, all fuzz character is dictated by the Volume knob of the electric guitar plugged into it: roll the guitar back for a cleaner sound, open it up for more fuzz12.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Phlegmatic Roar | Sets the overall output volume of the fuzz circuit3 |
| Guitar Volume knob | Shapes the fuzz itself, from articulate clean to full vintage fuzz1 |
This is the same approach as many vintage fuzzes, where the guitar's volume control is effectively part of the circuit. On That Pedal Show, the presenters noted the pedal's stripped-back control scheme123:
"It has the sum total of one control which is called flegmatic growl"
The tuna can and the bee inside
The enclosure redresses Beetronics' tuna-can design, so the pedal looks like a small tin of tuna1. The can's artwork was designed by Rob Jones, also known as Animal Rummy, an artist who has worked with Jack White before; gearnews.com reports Jones collaborated with White on the design123.
On the underside, a transparent back cover leaves the circuit board visible, and Beetrons' bee-themed PCB bears the image of a bee123. The collaboration's own statement leans into the imagery:
"Eat up, then plug in to give your guitar a belly full of bees, like the carcass of Samson's legendary leonine corpse"
What it is based on
The design is inspired by Beetronics' own Tuna Fuzz, with a unique look created for the Third Man Hardware collaboration2. The Beetronics Old Zoo Lion Meat Fuzz page covers the Beetronics side of the release. Third Man Hardware, the Jack White-related company, has a history of collaboration pedals, including the Fuzz-a-Tron and the Knife Drop octave fuzz built with Eventide.
Availability and price
The Old Zoo-Lion Meat was a short run limited to 333 units, each priced at $150, sold through Reverb13. The run sold out quickly: Guitar World reported the drop had already sold out at the time of writing on July 27, 2026, and Guitar.com confirmed the same the next day12.
The Old Zoo-Lion Meat is sold out. It was a one-time limited run of 333 units, so new stock is not expected. Guitar World noted Reverb suggested favoriting the listing in case second-hand units appear1.
What reviewers said
Guitar World called it a fuzz that "keeps things simple and decidedly old-school," pairing thick, vintage-inspired tones with the single-dial design1. Guitar.com's Emily Swingle found it lets you produce strong vintage tones without the frills2. The pedal itself is a collaboration between Beetronics and Third Man, the Jack White related company, which the press treated as exactly what you would expect from the pairing4.
Videos
Beetronics FX and Reverb
Questions
How many Old Zoo-Lion Meat pedals were made?
The Old Zoo-Lion Meat was a limited run of 333 units, a collaboration between Third Man Hardware and Beetronics. The pedals were sold through Reverb and the run sold out quickly after launch in July 2026.
Is the Third Man Hardware Old Zoo-Lion Meat still available?
No. The pedal was sold exclusively through Reverb and the run sold out shortly after launch. Guitar World noted the drop had already sold out at the time of its report, and Guitar.com confirmed the pedal was sold out the following day.
Who designed the artwork on the Old Zoo-Lion Meat?
The can's artwork was designed by Rob Jones, also known as Animal Rummy. Jones has worked with Jack White before, and gearnews.com reports he collaborated with White on the design of this pedal.
What is the Old Zoo-Lion Meat based on?
The design is inspired by Beetronics' own Tuna Fuzz, with a unique look created for the Third Man Hardware collaboration. It keeps the tuna can-style enclosure and adds new artwork along with a bee-themed circuit board visible through a transparent bottom cover.
How much did the Old Zoo-Lion Meat cost?
Each pedal was priced at $150 when it went on sale through Reverb in July 2026. The run of 333 units sold out, so that price applied only to the original new units.
Sources (4)
- Jack White and Beetronics launch Old Zoo Lion Meat fuzz, Guitar World, 2026-07-27
- Jack White cans up some fuzz for the Old Zoo-Lion Meat tin-can pedal, Guitar.com, 2026-07-28
- Guitar Journal: Old Zoo Lion Meat Fuzz & More, gearnews.com, 2026-07-28
- MXR Joshua Echo, Peace Hill ODS Tube Preamp, MXR Super Badass OD & Beetronics Old Lion Meat Fuzz, That Pedal Show (YouTube), 2026-08-28
