The Way Huge Smalls Doom Hammer Fuzz is a compact analog fuzz pedal from Way Huge, the effect brand distributed by Dunlop. It is a three-knob fuzz with a specific lineage: an op-amp-powered fuzz circuit from 1978 that Way Huge's Jeorge Tripps modified in 1998 for the San Francisco band Oranger1. The production pedal grew out of prototypes Tripps later crafted from that modded original1.
Dunlop describes the result as thick saturation with a less pronounced scoop than the classic fuzz voicing, a tighter low end, and velvety harmonics2. Gearnews found the sound less hollow than many classic fuzz pedals while still rough and assertive, with a firmer low-frequency range3.
The controls
The Doom Hammer keeps to a three-knob layout that Guitar Pedal X calls "the very standard 3-knob topology of Output, Tone, and Fuzz - very much Big Muff style territory"5. One footswitch toggles the effect on and off2.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| FUZZ | Sets the intensity of the fuzz effect2 |
| TONE | Shapes the EQ2 |
| OUTPUT | Sets the output level2 |
Dunlop says the three dials together let you tailor the pedal's velvety harmonics to your rig, and suggests trying a low Fuzz setting for what the manual calls the most delightful crunch1. Gearnews describes the range the same way: slight crunch at moderate Fuzz settings, building to "the dense sound carpet expected of it" at higher values3.
"Delightful crunch at low Fuzz settings"
Power and connections
The pedal runs on a single 9-volt battery, installed by removing the bottom plate, or on external power2. The power input is a 5.5mm x 2.1mm jack with the positive voltage on the outer sleeve2, which is the opposite of the center-negative convention on most modern pedals, so it matters that any supply matches. Dunlop names the Dunlop ECB003 AC adapter and the MXR Brick Series power supplies as compatible, and the manual notes that using an external power supply disconnects the battery2. Gearnews also lists the ECB003 as an external supply option3.
RockBoard's PedalPedia entry gives the operating voltage as 9V DC, center negative, with a current draw of 8mA4. At that draw, the pedal is easy on a power supply budget.
The manual specifies a power jack with positive voltage on the outer sleeve2, while RockBoard lists the supply as 9V DC center negative4. Check that your supply matches the pedal's jack wiring before plugging in.
An op-amp fuzz from the Oranger prototypes
The circuit story starts in 1998, when Jeorge Tripps modified an op-amp-powered fuzz circuit from 1978 for the band Oranger1. Guitar Pedal X identifies the donor circuit as a presumably 1978 Opamp Big Muff, and the pedal as based on Tripps' 1998 mod of it5. Years later, Tripps crafted a handful of prototypes based on that modded original, and those prototypes became the basis for the Doom Hammer1.
The refinement work shows in the voicing. The manual says the circuit is prized for its less pronounced scoop, and that Tripps refined the design for a tighter low end and more reliable performance when played live on stage2. Gearnews describes the pedal as an updated version of the original circuit, optimized for a firmer low-frequency range3.
Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson summed up the launch:
"It offers less pronounced scoop, thicker yet tighter low end, and more playback uniformity and reliability than the unruly original mod"
The same review noted the demos available at launch were single-pedal playthroughs, giving limited evidence of how the pedal behaves in every rig, while still finding the fuzz "pretty formidable"5.
How it differs from the Swollen Pickle
The Doom Hammer sits in the Way Huge fuzz lineup alongside the Swollen Pickle family, including the Way Huge Swollen Pickle MKII and the Way Huge Smalls Swollen Pickle Jumbo Fuzz. The difference is voicing: where the Pickle pedals follow the classic scooped Big Muff sound, the Doom Hammer's op-amp lineage gives it a less pronounced scoop, a thicker yet tighter low end, and more playback uniformity and reliability than the unruly original mod, as Guitar Pedal X puts it5. Gearnews's framing is similar: less hollow than many classic fuzz pedals, yet rough and assertive3.
Availability and price
Dunlop says the pedal is available now from retailers7. MusicRadar reported it retailing at £182 in the UK and $169 in the US7, and Dunlop's own product page lists it at $169.996.
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Questions
Is the Way Huge Doom Hammer true bypass?
Yes. The manual lists True Bypass as the bypass type, so with the effect switched off the signal passes through without active circuitry in the path. A single footswitch toggles the effect on and off.
How much current does the Doom Hammer draw?
The pedal draws 8mA at 9V DC, center negative. That is low enough to run comfortably from most isolated power supplies, and it can also run from a single 9-volt battery installed under the bottom plate.
What circuit is the Way Huge Doom Hammer based on?
It is based on an op-amp-powered fuzz circuit from 1978 that Jeorge Tripps modified in 1998 for the band Oranger. Guitar Pedal X describes the original as a presumably 1978 Opamp Big Muff, and the production pedal comes from prototypes Tripps later built from that modded original.
How is the Doom Hammer different from the Swollen Pickle?
The Swollen Pickle family follows the classic scooped Big Muff voicing, while the Doom Hammer's op-amp lineage gives it a less pronounced scoop, a thicker yet tighter low end, and more playback uniformity and reliability than the unruly original mod, according to Guitar Pedal X.
Sources (8)
- WAY HUGE® SMALLS™ DOOM HAMMER™ FUZZ, Jim Dunlop (jimdunlop.com)
- WM45.pdf, Jim Dunlop, 2025
- Dunlop Way Huge Smalls Doom Hammer Fuzz: A Vintage-Rooted Fuzz With No Compromises, gearnews.com, 2025-09-26
- Doom Hammer by Way Huge, RockBoard (PedalPedia), 2026
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-09-25
- WAY HUGE® SMALLS™ ATTACK VECTOR™ PHASER & ENVELOPE, Jim Dunlop (jimdunlop.com)
- “Will pound your ears with thick saturation… dense walls of fuzz straight from a '90s fever dream”: Players who deal in big gnarly riffs might need to add the Way Huge Doom Hammer Fuzz to their 'board ASAP, MusicRadar, 2025-09-24
- Dunlop Unveils The Way Huge Doom Hammer Fuzz, Bass Magazine, 2025-09-23
