The Vaderin Laser 1 is a frequency multiplier fuzz pedal, announced in May 2022. Rather than simply clipping the signal the way a conventional fuzz does, its circuit randomly folds the signal in an attempt to create multiples of the frequencies going into it. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio called it "an uncompromising frequency multiplier fuzz" that "saturates your signal in wild overtones, vicious upper harmonic clang, and an often synth-like cacophony of frequencies"1.
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Intensity (left knob) | The input level. The further right it is turned, the more intensely the signal's frequencies are multiplied; turn left to reduce the intensity of the frequency multiplication1 |
| Volume (right knob) | Controls the output volume1 |
| Wave Shape (3-way toggle) | Changes the shape of the signal from smooth to harsh1 |
The three Wave Shape positions
The Wave Shape switch is the pedal's tonal center. Its three positions work like this1:
- Smooth (left): smooths out the harsh transients that result from the signal being folded and mangled
- Harsh (center): allows all the harsh transients and clang to be heard
- Combo (right): splits the difference between the two other modes
How it differs from a normal fuzz
A standard fuzz clips the signal to generate distortion. The Laser 1 instead folds the signal, which is an attempt to create multiples of the frequencies present in the input1. That is why its output is described in terms of overtones, upper harmonic clang and synth-like textures rather than the saturated sustain players expect from a distortion or fuzz circuit1.
The Laser 1 sits in a small family of fuzzes from the same builder. Vaderin has also released the Super Ram Fuzz, a modified Ram's Head fuzz with Super Fuzz characteristics, and the SAF / HP-X Percolator Distortion / Fuzz, a Harmonic Percolator-style design1.
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Questions
What does the Intensity knob do on the Vaderin Laser 1?
Intensity is the input level. The further right it is turned, the more intensely the signal's frequencies are multiplied; turning it left reduces the intensity of the frequency multiplication. The right-hand knob is Volume, which controls the output level.
What is the difference between Smooth, Harsh and Combo on the Laser 1?
The Wave Shape switch is a 3-way toggle that changes the shape of the signal from smooth to harsh. Smooth smooths out the harsh transients that result from the signal being folded and mangled. Harsh allows all the harsh transients and clang to be heard. Combo splits the difference between the two other modes.
What is a frequency multiplier fuzz?
It is a fuzz design that works on the frequencies of the signal rather than simply clipping them. The Laser 1's circuit randomly folds the signal in an attempt to create multiples of the frequencies, which produces overtones and upper harmonics well beyond what a conventional fuzz generates.
Does the Laser 1 sound like a normal fuzz?
No. Delicious Audio describes it as a pedal that saturates your signal in wild overtones, vicious upper harmonic clang, and an often synth-like cacophony of frequencies, which sets it apart from conventional fuzz designs.
Sources (1)
- New Pedal: Vaderin Laser 1 Fuzz, Delicious Audio, 2022-05-19
