The Wampler Germanium Tumnus Deluxe is a limited-edition overdrive and boost pedal from Wampler, built as Brian Wampler's take on the Klon-style circuit with vintage germanium clipping diodes. Wampler describes it as his shot at "the ultimate Klon-style overdrive," using a rare stash of germanium diodes he says are electronically identical to the ones Bill Finnegan used in the original Klon Centaur1.
It arrived in July 2024 as a special edition of the Tumnus Deluxe, carrying the same circuit family as the mini Germanium Tumnus but in the Deluxe enclosure with a full 3-band EQ. Wampler says it keeps the classic vocal-like tone and throaty response of the family while adding "a meaner side" of vintage sizzle and extra bite12. Production was extremely limited because the supply of vintage germanium diodes was finite1.
This was a limited edition. Wampler states that production was extremely limited because the maker only had so many of the vintage germanium diodes on hand, so, like the first Germanium Tumnus, the run could not be a large one14.
A Klon-style overdrive with germanium diodes
The Tumnus family is Wampler's line of Klon-style overdrives. The original Tumnus, designed by Brian Wampler, was a tribute to the original Klon overdrive, and MusicRadar's mini-pedal buying guide called it "a great Klon clone that fits in with your other drive pedals"5. The Germanium variants take that circuit and fit vintage-specification germanium clipping diodes, the same diode type the original Klon Centaur used.
For the Germanium Tumnus line, Wampler hunted down a small stash of vintage-specification germanium diodes. Gearnews reported that he "sourced a set of old germanium diodes which should be as close to the ones used in Bill Finnegan's original" Klon Centaur circuit6. Guitar Pedal X identifies the Deluxe's diodes as USA-made crystal 1N34A germanium diodes, noting that earlier Tumnus versions used different diodes4. On That Pedal Show, Mick described the mini Germanium Tumnus as having "some germanium magic diodes put them in there" by Brian and the Wampler team7.
The Germanium Tumnus Deluxe is essentially the same circuit as the sold-out mini Germanium Tumnus, placed in the Deluxe format1. Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson notes it has the same topology as the standard silicon Deluxe model, with what he calls a significantly improved output profile and classic germanium grit3.
The controls: 3-band EQ and Normal/Hot switch
Where the mini Germanium Tumnus keeps the compact Klon control set, the Deluxe adds a 3-band EQ. Wampler says the EQ "just gives you finer control without losing the pedal's inherent character"1. Delicious Audio describes the regular Tumnus Deluxe's active bass and mid controls plus a treble control as the features that set it apart from the pedal that inspired it8.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Bass | Active bass control, part of the 3-band EQ18 |
| Mids | Active mid control, part of the 3-band EQ18 |
| Treble | Treble control, part of the 3-band EQ18 |
| Volume | Sets output level8 |
| Gain | Sets the amount of overdrive, from clean boost into mid-gain18 |
| Normal / Hot switch | Adds a little extra when the pedal is being pushed into higher gain1 |
The Normal/Hot switch is the Deluxe's other addition over the mini. Wampler says the Hot setting "adds a little extra when the pedal is being pushed into higher gain"1. In his own review, Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson reported flipping fairly liberally between the Normal and Hot output modes, with his typical settings at Bass 2 o'clock, Mids 11 o'clock, Treble 2 o'clock, Volume 3 o'clock and Gain 3 o'clock9.
How it differs from the regular Tumnus Deluxe
The core difference is the clipping diodes: the standard Tumnus Deluxe uses silicon diodes, while the Germanium version uses the vintage-specification germanium parts. Wampler describes the result as vintage sizzle and extra bite, a quintessential clean boost and mid-gain overdrive with a meaner side, while retaining the classic vocal-like tone and throaty response of the family1. Premier Guitar said of the mini Germanium Tumnus that it "retains all the usability of its golden sibling but introduces an extra level of aggression"10.
Guitar Pedal X's reviews found practical differences beyond tone. The Germanium Deluxe has a slightly lower output profile than the standard Tumnus editions, which the reviewer attributes to the different clipping profile, so the Volume control needs to be set higher to reach unity gain9. Overall, though, he called the Germanium Deluxe his favorite of the family:
"Overall the Germanium Deluxe Model is my favourite here - it has a slightly superior output profile with a richer grittier texture and more harmonics than the standard editions"2
In his Klon Klone collection catalog he went further, calling it "my favourite Tumnus for sure"3.
A limited run of the Tumnus Deluxe
The Germanium Tumnus Deluxe was released in July 2024 at $3092. Wampler built it as a limited edition because the supply of vintage germanium diodes was finite1. Guitar Pedal X's reviewer reported that securing one took him 40 to 50 checkout attempts across a 9.5-hour period, at a purchase price of $353 or £285, with a final cost of acquisition of $448 or £360 equivalent after roughly $95 in import and customs charges9.
The pedal carries a premium textured Alien Silver finish with anodized controls, and is built in the U.S.A. with Wampler's limited 5-year warranty1.
The limited nature follows the pattern of the mini Germanium Tumnus, which MusicRadar reported was a limited run because of the limited supply of germanium diodes, and which sold out very fast11. Wampler states plainly of that pedal: "Once they're gone, they're gone and this pedal will be discontinued"12.
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Questions
Is the Wampler Germanium Tumnus Deluxe discontinued?
Effectively, yes. It was a limited edition whose production was capped by a finite stash of vintage germanium diodes, and the 2,500-unit run sold out on launch day in July 2024.
How many Germanium Tumnus Deluxe pedals were made?
The run was 2,500 units, and it sold out shortly after release on 25 July 2024 amid website crashes, with cancellations possibly leaving a few units available afterward. Production was limited by Wampler's supply of vintage-specification germanium diodes.
What diodes does the Germanium Tumnus Deluxe use?
Vintage-specification germanium clipping diodes that Wampler describes as electronically identical to the ones Bill Finnegan used in the original Klon Centaur. Guitar Pedal X identifies them as USA-made crystal 1N34A germanium diodes, which differ from the diodes in earlier Tumnus versions.
Can the Germanium Tumnus Deluxe run on a battery?
Yes. Unlike the mini Germanium Tumnus, which has no battery connection, the Deluxe includes a battery connection alongside its 9V power jack. The LED flashes three times when battery power is getting low. It runs at 9V only.
Is the Germanium Tumnus Deluxe true bypass or buffered?
Wampler's page lists the bypass as buffered or true bypass. Premier Guitar notes of the mini Germanium Tumnus that, just like the original Klon, it is not true bypass, and Gearnews reports the circuit uses the same bypass as the originals.
How is the Germanium Tumnus Deluxe different from the regular Tumnus Deluxe?
The Germanium version swaps the silicon clipping diodes for vintage germanium ones and adds what Wampler calls a meaner side, with vintage sizzle and extra bite. Guitar Pedal X found it has a slightly lower output profile than standard editions, so the Volume control needs to be higher for unity gain.
Sources (12)
- Germanium Tumnus Deluxe, Wampler Pedals (www.wamplerpedals.com), 2026-05-27
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-09-08
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-09-03
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-07-26
- Best mini pedals: Small-scale stompboxes, MusicRadar, 2023-02-23
- Wampler Tumnus Germanium, gearnews.com, 2023-12-07
- Wampler Tumnus Germanium & J Rockett The Jeff Effector Du Jour, That Pedal Show (YouTube), 2024-03-05
- Wampler Tumnus Deluxe Overdrive, Delicious Audio, 2021-08-09
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-08-05
- New Limited-Edition Germanium Tumnus by Wampler, Premier Guitar, 2023-12-07
- Wampler has made a new version of its wonderful Tumnus overdrive pedal, MusicRadar, 2023-12-07
- Germanium Tumnus, Wampler Pedals, 2026-05-27
