The Valeton Lazaro is a compact analog fuzz pedal designed for modern guitar and bass players, and Valeton describes its tone character as running "from cream overdriven to wild aggressive fuzz"1. It is a fuzz pedal in the bass pedals sense as much as the guitar one: the maker built it to sit in front of either instrument1. One thing to know up front: Valeton lists the pedal as discontinued on its own product page1.
What it does to your sound
Valeton describes the Lazaro as a Modern Fuzz with a wide tonal range, and the pedal is built around a wide range SUSTAIN control alongside its fuzz and EQ sections1. It is not a copy of an old circuit. MusicRadar's reviewer Trevor Curwen put it this way: "it's not a slavish clone of a vintage classic. (although we have to say that it can sound a lot like a Big Muff on certain settings)"2.
How far you turn the fuzz knob changes the character considerably. At lower levels of the fuzz knob, Curwen found "harder fuzz sounds suitable for taut riffing and chording," while with the fuzz up full and the tone controls fairly neutral, "the tone is fat and squidgy but with a nice crisp edge: great for di"2. Rolling back the guitar's volume knob makes it seem more like overdrive, which puts the Lazaro in territory shared with overdrive pedals and distortion pedals as well as fuzz2.
Curwen's verdict was positive on several counts: "Crisp fuzz tones. Single notes sustain for ages. Affordable." He summed it up as "a pretty versatile fuzz with tone knobs that can make things sound nasty if that's your thing"2.
The controls: volume, bass/treble, fuzz and sustain
The Lazaro keeps things simple with four controls1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| VOLUME | Controls the output volume1 |
| FUZZ | Controls the gain1 |
| BASS/TREBLE | Controls the low/high EQ level1 |
| SUSTAIN | Wide range sustain control1 |
The BASS/TREBLE knob is a single control covering both ends of the EQ, which is where Curwen found the versatility: the tone knobs "can make things sound nasty if that's your thing"2.
Build, power and specifications
The Lazaro is a small pedal, and its figures suit a crowded board21:
- Case: aluminum-alloy die cast case to withstand wear and tear1
- Footswitch: heavy duty metal footswitch with on/off status LED1
- Dimensions: 93mm (D) x 50mm (W) x 46.5mm (H)1
- Weight: 175g1
- Current consumption: 7mA1
The Lazaro is discontinued, so it will mostly be found secondhand or in remaining stock. Valeton's product page is still online and carries the user manual for download1.
How it compares
Valeton describes the Lazaro as a Modern Fuzz rather than a reissue or clone, and Curwen noted it can sound a lot like a Big Muff on certain settings while not being a slavish clone of a vintage classic2. Within Valeton's own range it sits apart from the brand's bass-oriented multi-effect and preamp designs such as the Valeton Dapper Bass, the Valeton Dapper Bass Mini and the Valeton RH-101 Rushead Max Bass: the Lazaro is a single-effect fuzz box, analog throughout, with no digital features1.
Videos
Valeton
Iga Massardi
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Questions
Is the Valeton Lazaro true bypass?
Yes. Valeton's product page lists a true bypass footswitch, which the maker describes as keeping the tone crystal clear when the effect is switched off. The footswitch is a heavy duty metal type with an on/off status LED, set in an aluminum-alloy die cast case.
Is the Valeton Lazaro analog?
Yes. Valeton describes the Lazaro as having a 100% analog signal path. It is a compact fuzz pedal rather than a digital multi-effect, and its controls are conventional knobs for fuzz, sustain, EQ and volume.
Is the Valeton Lazaro discontinued?
Yes. Valeton's own product page titles the pedal Lazaro (Discontinued), so the pedal is no longer in the maker's current range. The page, including the user manual, remains available for download.
Can the Valeton Lazaro be used with bass?
Yes. Valeton designed the Lazaro for modern guitar and bass players, so it is intended to work with bass as well as guitar. It sits among fuzz pedals built for both instruments rather than being a guitar-only design.
Where can I download the Valeton Lazaro manual?
The user manual is available for download on the Lazaro product page on Valeton's website, which remains online even though the pedal itself is discontinued.
Sources (2)
- Lazaro - VALETON, Valeton (www.valeton.net), 2026-07-27
- Valeton Lazaro Modern Fuzz review, MusicRadar, 2015-07-16
