The Wren and Cuff Phat Phuk B is a bass dirty booster pedal: a single-stage boost pedal that pushes a bass signal harder while coloring it slightly. Wren and Cuff describe it as a "germanium/JFET hybrid boost" that "adds a beautiful sheen to your bass's top end while providing just the right amount of grit"1. It is not a clean boost in the usual sense, and it is not an overdrive; it sits between the two, adding character as it adds level.
The pedal debuted in 2008, and Wren and Cuff say the original has "earned a spot on countless pedalboards, becoming a favorite among both professional musicians and everyday players"1. The current version is the V2, listed at $199.99 USD as of October 20261.
What it does to a bass signal
The Phat Phuk B is a JFET/germanium single-circuit hybrid booster designed specifically for bass, as No Treble reported when Wren and Cuff released it in January 20112. The two transistor types do different jobs in one gain stage: the J201 JFET and a NOS (new old stock) germanium transistor together shape the signal as it is boosted1.
What that means in practice, in the maker's words, is a boost that adds "a beautiful sheen to your bass's top end while providing just the right amount of grit"1. An independent circuit analysis on Guitar FX Layouts described it the same way: "A germanium/JFET booster. A unique sounding pedal which adds a beautiful sheen to your bass' top end and a bit of grit to the overall tone"3. For a bassist, that places it alongside overdrive and light fuzz territory as a way to push an amp or add edge, rather than beside a transparent volume boost.
One detail from the circuit trace: the volume sweep was deliberately reduced compared with typical clean boosts, giving finer control over how much boost you dial in3.
Controls and the V2 updates
The V2 carries three changes over the original:
- An external bias knob, replacing the original's internal trimmer, for precise control over the sound in live or recording settings1
- A phase switch, for matching the pedal's output phase with the rest of a rig1
- Top-mounted jacks, with the DC jack also moved to the top of the pedal1
The bias control is the significant one for players. On the original, the germanium transistor's bias point was set by an internal trimmer, which meant opening the pedal to adjust it. Guitar FX Layouts posted two layouts of the original circuit, the second one tweaked "to make the bias trimmer an external pot"3, which is effectively the change Wren and Cuff later made official on the V2. Because germanium transistors drift with temperature, having bias on a knob lets a player re-tune the grit and response without tools.
The enclosure is a pink sparkle finish with what the maker calls robust construction1.
The circuit and its transistors
Wren and Cuff describe the V2 as "employing a J201 JFET transistor and a carefully chosen NOS germanium transistor"1. The J201 is a common low-noise JFET in pedal building; the germanium stage is where the character comes from.
The independent trace of an original unit found more detail on the germanium side: "the Germanium Transistor in Q2 is a Chinese Transistor with the markings removed, but what can be made out is AX9"3. The gain of that transistor was unknown to the tracer3. Builders reproducing the circuit have reported good results with other germanium types: one builder wrote in 2024, "I just finished the external bias version for bass and it sounds so good. I used a P416B germanium that was sold as 80-9" (80 to 90 hfe)3.
Power and board use
The V2 runs on a 9V DC supply with a negative tip and a 2.1mm barrel connector, drawing less than 10 mA1. That is a light draw: for comparison, JHS recommends 300 mA for its Panther Cub V2 delay4, and the Wilson Effects Freaker Wah V2 draws 40 mA5. On a shared supply the Phat Phuk B is one of the cheaper pedals to feed. At 111 mm x 60 mm x 31 mm, with jacks on top rather than the sides, it takes up little board space and the patch cables sit behind it rather than beside it1.
History and price
Wren and Cuff released the Phat Phuk B in 20081. No Treble covered its release as news in January 2011, when it was available for $169.99 from the manufacturer's website2. The current V2 is listed at $199.99 USD as of October 20261. The V2's updates, external bias, phase switch, and top jacks, came after the original's long run1.
A related larger version, the Super Phat Phuk, exists with a phatness control3.
Videos
WrenAndCuff
Theo And His Pedals
Muzyczny_pl
Questions
Does the Phat Phuk B work on guitar?
The pedal is designed specifically for bass, and Wren and Cuff describe it as a bass dirty booster. Independent builders who traced the circuit report that a build with an external bias control sounds very good for bass using a P416B germanium transistor sold as 80 to 90 hfe. The maker does not market it as a guitar pedal.
What transistors are in the Phat Phuk B?
It is a hybrid JFET/germanium circuit. Wren and Cuff say the V2 uses a J201 JFET transistor and a carefully chosen NOS germanium transistor. A circuit trace of an original unit found the germanium in the Q2 position was a Chinese PNP transistor with its markings removed, with AX9 readable, and its gain unknown.
What is the difference between the Phat Phuk B and the Super Phat Phuk?
The Super Phat Phuk is a related larger version that adds a phatness control. The Phat Phuk B itself went through versions: the original had an internal bias trimmer, and the V2 brings the bias out as an external knob and adds a phase switch and top-mounted jacks.
How much current does the Phat Phuk B V2 draw?
Wren and Cuff list the current draw as less than 10 mA. It runs on a 9V DC supply with a negative tip and a 2.1mm barrel connector. That draw is low enough that it shares easily with other pedals on a typical isolated or daisy-chain supply.
Is the Wren and Cuff Phat Phuk B made in the USA?
Yes. Wren and Cuff state that the Phat Phuk B V2 is hand built in the USA, and it carries a lifetime warranty from the maker.
Sources (5)
- Phat Phuk B V2, Wren and Cuff
- Gear Watch: Wren and Cuff Phat Phuk B Bass Boost Pedal, No Treble, 2011-01-02
- Guitar FX Layouts: Wren and Cuff Phat Phuk B, Guitar FX Layouts (tagboardeffects.blogspot.com), 2017-01-16
- PANTHER CUB V2, JHS Pedals
- Freaker Wah V2 by Wilson Effects, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
