The ThorpyFX Hanami is a germanium fuzz pedal from British maker ThorpyFX, released in May 2025. It combines the Fallout Cloud's 4-Stage Triangle Big Muff style circuit with the Boneyard Multi-Bender's germanium texture and dynamics, built around four NOS military-specification germanium transistors and a NOS germanium diode12. Gearnews described it as offering smooth, evolving fuzz tones from a simple control layout3.
The name fits the look: Hanami is the Japanese word for "Flower Viewing", usually associated almost exclusively with cherry blossom, and the pedal arrives in a cherry blossom decorated enclosure, a break from Adrian Thorpe's traditionally militaristic fuzz naming24.
A germanium fuzz with a Big Muff-style core
Guitar Pedal X called the Hanami essentially a mashup of ThorpyFX's Fallout Cloud and Boneyard pedals: the Fallout Cloud's 4-Stage Triangle Big Muff style circuit paired with the Boneyard Multi-Bender's germanium texture and dynamics2. Later, the same site described it as mixing elements of the Boneyard with the 4-transistor topology of the Fallout Cloud, a "Fallout-Yard" hybrid5.
Guitar World's Trevor Curwen reviewed it and found a lot to like in the core sound61:
"This is a pedal that sounds smooth with loads of girth in the midrange and it has a really low noise floor compared with most fuzz pedals"1
That low noise floor is unusual for a germanium fuzz, and it was a point Guitar World returned to in its verdict, calling the Hanami "a class act" with "low noise and real-world tonal flexibility via the treble and bass knobs"16.
The controls
The control set is four knobs plus a footswitch: Level, Boost, Treble and Bass1. Gearnews noted the same layout under the name Volume rather than Level3. It is deliberately simple, with Delicious Audio calling it a simple, intuitive layout7.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Level | Sets output volume; unity gain sits around 10 o'clock, leaving plenty of boost on tap1 |
| Boost | Increases the fuzz and changes the tonal content, adding presence and saturation; beyond three o'clock it transitions into a sizzly, more aggressive rasp with great note definition1 |
| Treble | Shapes the top end; with Bass it can tailor the fuzz to your guitar and amp, and reshape the midrange profile for more radical transformations1 |
| Bass | Shapes the low end; works interactively with Treble1 |
The Boost knob is the one that behaves less like a simple gain control. Guitar World's reviewer found it "doesn't just increase the fuzz, it also changes the tonal content, bringing in more presence and saturation" until, past three o'clock, it moves into that sizzlier, more aggressive territory1.
Transformer-isolated input and jack layout
The Hanami's most practical feature for pedalboard builders is its transformer-isolated input. Guitar World's reviewer explained what that buys you61:
"there's a transformer isolated input, which means you can place the pedal where you want in the signal chain, rather than..."1
Many germanium fuzzes want to be first in the chain, right after the guitar, and misbehave after buffers or other pedals. The Hanami's isolation removes that constraint, which Guitar World's buying guide echoed, noting it is "far less fussy about where it sits in your signal chain than many" fuzzes6.
Physically, the jacks are mounted on the top of the unit rather than the sides, which matters when you are planning board layout4. You can order the pedal with a custom "blossom" print Barefoot Button for the footswitch, or without it4.
From the Boneyard and Fallout Cloud
Thorpy himself describes the Hanami as "a natural successor sonically from where the Boneyard left off", sitting perfectly between the Boneyard and the Fallout Cloud1. Guitar World's buying guide puts it the same way: the Hanami sits neatly between the Tone Bender-inspired Boneyard and the Big Muff-flavored Fallout Cloud6.
The Hanami is available from the ThorpyFX Webstore and from leading dealers2. It retails at $399 USD / £329 GBP1, a price Guitar World's review also lists as $399/£3291.
What reviewers and players made of it
Guitar World's verdict, repeated in its 2026 best fuzz pedals buying guide, was positive across the board61:
"With low noise and real-world tonal flexibility via the treble and bass knobs, ThorpyFx's Hanami is a class act, delivering fat, smooth and richly textured fuzz that can attain a fierce edge"16
Guitar World's reviewer found the Hanami smooth with plenty of midrange girth, noting a really low noise floor compared with most fuzz pedals1. The germanium diodes in the circuit add further grit and harmonics to the texture2.
!That Pedal Show new pedals round-up featuring the Thorpy Hanami8
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Questions
Is the ThorpyFX Hanami true bypass?
Yes. Guitar World's review lists true bypass among the pedal's features, so with the effect switched off your clean signal passes through without active circuitry in the path.
What does Hanami mean?
Hanami is the Japanese word for flower viewing, associated almost exclusively with cherry blossom. The name matches the pedal's cherry blossom decorated enclosure, a departure from Adrian Thorpe's usual military-themed naming.
Who designed the ThorpyFX Hanami?
Adrian Thorpe, the designer behind ThorpyFX, created the Hanami. Gearnews described it as the latest fuzz pedal design from his mind and suggested it could be one of his finest.
Can the Hanami go anywhere in the signal chain?
Yes. The Hanami has a transformer-isolated input, which means you can place it where you want in the signal chain rather than being forced to put it first, as many vintage-style fuzzes require.
How much current does the Hanami draw?
Guitar World's review lists the Hanami at 35mA on a 9V DC adaptor. That is modest by digital pedal standards but worth knowing when planning a power supply.
Does the Hanami come with a power supply?
No. Guitar World's review specifies a 9V DC adaptor that is not supplied, so you need to provide your own power supply.
Sources (8)
- ThorpyFX Hanami Germanium Fuzz review, Guitar World, 2025-08-20
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-05-06
- ThorpyFX Hanami: NOS Germanium Fuzz Tones, gearnews.com, 2025-05-09
- “We were able to up the gain and the volume on tap way past the levels we would normally get”: ThorpyFX's Hanami fuzz pedal is packing NOS germanium, dynamic, and blooming lovely, MusicRadar, 2025-05-07
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-12-08
- Best fuzz pedals 2026: add some filth to your sound with these essential pedalboard effects, Guitar World, 2022-06-09
- New Pedal: Thorpy Hanami Fuzz, Delicious Audio, 2025-05-07
- New Pedals: Wampler Ego76, Keeley Manis, Beetronics Wannabee, Thorpy Hanami & Coppersound Polaris, That Pedal Show, 2025-06-27
