The Wilson Effects Mordant is a germanium fuzz pedal built on the vintage Baldwin Burns Buzzaround circuit. Wilson Effects describes it as "PNP NOS Motorola Germanium fuzz," using three Motorola germanium PNP transistors, and says it delivers "everything from smooth fuzz overtones to an aggressive, biting fuzz tone"1. The maker positions it as a modern reiteration of the classic Uber Fubar Fuzz, which was itself based on the Buzzaround, one of the lesser-known historic fuzz circuits1.
Delicious Audio, covering the Mordant Fuzz V2 in April 2022, framed the lineage this way2:
"The Wilson Effects Mordant is a third cousin of the Baldwin-Burns Buzzaround Fuzz, one of the lesser-known historic fuzz circuits, but it still inspires plenty of boutique builders and musicians with its tight low-end, mid bump, and prolonged sustain."2
Paolo De Gregorio, Delicious Audio2
The Buzzaround was a fuzz made by Baldwin Burns, and the Mordant follows that circuit rather than the more familiar Fuzz Face or Big Muff templates3. For a player, that means a fuzz voice with its own character, voiced here through germanium transistors and a two-mode toggle.
What it does: a germanium Buzzaround-style fuzz
The Mordant's circuit is a descendant of the Baldwin Burns Buzzaround, a British fuzz from the same era that produced better-known germanium boxes. Wilson Effects says the pedal is "based on a vintage Baldwin Burns Buzzaround circuit in classic Wilson fashion I added some extra options"1. The core of those options is a two-voicing toggle, covered below.
The germanium side matters to how the pedal behaves. Germanium transistors, especially PNP types, are the same class of part used in the classic fuzzes of the 1960s, and the Mordant uses three Motorola germanium PNP transistors, which Wilson Effects describes as new-old-stock1. Delicious Audio noted that the configuration stays "true to the original," matching the three Motorola germanium PNP transistors used in the Uber Fubar Fuzz that came before it24.
On range, the maker says the pedal covers "everything from smooth fuzz overtones to an aggressive, biting fuzz tone"1. Delicious Audio's write-up put it in similar terms, saying the pedal "can go from light fuzz overtones to a downright nasty fuzz tone" and calling it "great for everything from Rock to Blues to Doom and Metal"2.
The controls: Stock and Loose modes
The current Mordant keeps its control surface simple. A single toggle switch selects between two fuzz voicings15:
| Mode | What it does |
|---|---|
| Stock | The stock BBBA (Buzzaround) sound, described by the maker as "a bit tighter sounding" and a tighter, classic Buzzaround sound15 |
| Loose | A looser, more open fuzz sound1 |
Delicious Audio refers to this as a Shape toggle switch giving "the stock BBBA sound and a looser fuzz"4.
This toggle is a change from the pedal's own history. The older version of the Mordant had a 6-position switch for more voicing options and offered a battery connection; the V2 dropped both2. Wilson Effects explains the decision on the product page: "I decided to remove the 6 position switch and use a toggle switch to toggle between the stock BBBA sound and a looser fuzz"5. The trade is fewer variations in exchange for a smaller box and a simpler panel.
Power and connections
The Mordant runs on a 9V DC power supply with an industry-standard 2.1mm center-negative plug15. There is no battery option, which Wilson Effects attributes to space limitations in the downsized enclosure1. Delicious Audio reports the same reason, noting that the battery option was removed "due to space restrictions as all of our pedals use through hole components"2. Through-hole components take up more room inside the box than surface-mount parts, and the smaller enclosure left no space for a battery.
The Mordant has no battery compartment. It needs a 9V DC center-negative supply, the same standard plug used by most modern pedals and pedalboard power supplies.
The enclosure itself is part of the V2 story: the original circuit has been downsized to a more pedalboard-friendly enclosure, using what Delicious Audio describes as "the exact same circuitry" in a smaller box12. The pedal is handmade in the USA with high-quality through-hole components1, and it carries a one-year warranty covering parts and labor12.
Videos
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Questions
Is the Wilson Effects Mordant true bypass?
Yes. Wilson Effects lists the Mordant as true bypass, which preserves your clean signal when the pedal is disengaged. Delicious Audio's write-up of the Mordant Fuzz V2 also describes it as true bypass, consistent with most of the builder's pedals.
What transistors are in the Wilson Effects Mordant?
The Mordant uses three Motorola germanium PNP transistors, described by Wilson Effects as new-old-stock parts. The same three-transistor Motorola germanium PNP configuration appears in the earlier Uber Fubar Fuzz it descends from, staying true to the original Buzzaround-style circuit.
Is the Mordant related to the Uber Fubar Fuzz?
Yes. Wilson Effects describes the Mordant as a modern reiteration of the Uber Fubar Fuzz, which was itself based on the Baldwin Burns Buzzaround circuit. Delicious Audio calls the Mordant a third cousin of the Buzzaround, one of the lesser-known historic fuzzes.
Where is the Wilson Effects Mordant made?
It is handmade in the USA. Wilson Effects builds the Mordant with high-quality through-hole components, and the builder's use of through-hole parts rather than surface mount is the reason the battery option was dropped from the current enclosure.
Sources (5)
- Mordant | Wilson Effects, Wilson Effects
- Wilson Effects Mordant Fuzz V2, Delicious Audio, 2022-04-11
- Buzzaround History, British Pedal Company
- Best Burns Buzzaround Fuzz Clones & Evolutions In 2023, Delicious Audio, 2023-02-15
- Mordant | Wilson Effects, Wilson Effects
