The Valco KGB Fuzz JR is a fuzz pedal from Valco. Its central feature is an Impedance Selector, which changes the input impedance value and with it the tonality of the fuzz, the dry signal, or any other pedal further down the chain; Valco describes it as recreating the lower impedance sounds of vintage fuzz pedals and altering the transient and dynamic response1. The pedal also carries a Dry Out jack, which passes a permanent thru dry signal taken before the impedance selector, alongside a standard 1/4" input and 1/4" output1.
What the JR keeps from its bigger sibling is the feature that defines the KGB line: a variable input impedance selector. GuitarPlayer's reviewer described it on the original as "a variable input impedance selector that allows further tone sculpting," where lower settings deliver softer dynamics and transients and higher settings produce sharper high-frequency response with more transients and perceived gain2.
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Impedance Selector | Changes the input impedance value, altering the tonality of the fuzz, the dry signal, or any other pedal down the line; recreates the lower-impedance sounds of vintage fuzz pedals and alters the transient and dynamic response1 |
| Voice switch, OFF | "Tone Bypass": acts as a two-knob fuzz, using the Fuzz and Level controls only1 |
| Fuzz | Fuzz amount1 |
| Level | Output level1 |
On the impedance selector, De Gregorio writes that "Lower settings yield softer dynamics/transients with a notable 'rounded/vintage' feel and tone," while higher settings give a sharper high-frequency response with a more direct, aggressive transient feel and more perceived gain1. In practice, that makes the selector a tone control of a different kind: instead of shaping the output, it shapes how the guitar hits the fuzz circuit, which is why it also affects the dry signal and anything else in the chain.
The Dry Out jack carries a permanent thru dry signal taken before the impedance selector, so it always passes your unaffected guitar tone no matter how the fuzz is set1.
How it compares
The JR sits alongside Valco's other compact release, the KGB Dist JR, a more compact version of the four-mode KGB Dist distortion pedal with the same 7.09" x 4.33" x 3.43" footprint3. The Dist JR's op-amp circuit is based on the LM308 chip found on some RAT pedals3, so the two Juniors cover adjacent ground: silicon fuzz versus RAT-style distortion, both with the smaller enclosure. Against the full-size KGB Fuzz, the JR trades the Blend fader for a smaller, simpler package while keeping the impedance selector1.
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Questions
What is the difference between the Valco KGB Fuzz JR and the KGB Fuzz?
The KGB Fuzz JR is a smaller sibling of the KGB Fuzz, built on the same silicon circuit but without the Blend fader of the full-size pedal. It keeps the variable input impedance selector for tone sculpting and adds a three-way voice switch, including a Tone Bypass mode that turns it into a two-knob fuzz using only the Fuzz and Level controls.
What does the input impedance selector do on the KGB Fuzz JR?
The impedance selector changes the input impedance value, which alters the tonality of the fuzz, the dry signal, or any other pedal further down the chain. Lower settings give softer dynamics and transients with a rounded, vintage feel, while higher settings produce a sharper high-frequency response with a more direct, aggressive transient feel and more perceived gain.
Can the Valco KGB Fuzz JR run on a battery?
Yes. According to the product page on Delicious Audio, the KGB Fuzz JR can be powered by a standard 9V center-negative AC adapter or a 9V battery, so it works on a pedalboard with a standard supply or as a standalone pedal without one.
What does the Dry Out jack do?
The Dry Out jack carries a permanent thru dry signal, taken before the impedance selector. That means whatever you plug into it hears your unaffected guitar signal regardless of how the fuzz and impedance controls are set, which is useful for routing the dry tone separately from the fuzzed output.
What size is the Valco KGB Fuzz JR?
The KGB Fuzz JR measures 7.09 inches long by 4.33 inches wide by 3.43 inches high, which is 180mm by 110mm by 87mm. That is the same footprint Delicious Audio lists for the KGB Dist JR, Valco's compact version of its four-mode distortion pedal.
Sources (3)
- New Pedal: Valco KGB Fuzz JR, Delicious Audio, 2022-11-16
- Valco KGB Fuzz Review, GuitarPlayer, 2021-12-17
- New Pedal: Valco KGB Dist JR, Delicious Audio, 2022-11-16
