The Z.Vex 20th Anniversary Fuzz Factory is a limited-edition version of the Fuzz Factory fuzz pedal, made by Z.Vex. Zachary Vex unveiled the pedal in April 2016 as a run of just 25 hand-painted units, priced at $499 and available directly from Z.Vex at launch1.
A limited run of 25 pedals
The 20th Anniversary Fuzz Factory was announced on 28 April 2016, with MusicRadar reporting that only 25 pedals would be made and that, according to Z.Vex, they would never be made again1. Guitar Interactive Magazine confirmed the count: "There are only 25 available"3. gearnews.com described the run as limited to 25 units worldwide2.
Each pedal carries a plate commemorating the 20th anniversary of ZVEX and the Fuzz Factory, with the edition number inscribed on it3. The box also holds a certificate of authenticity, signed by Vex and by painter Lisa McGrath; gearnews.com described it as "a little certificate, inside a vellum envelope in the box"12.
"Okay, these 25 pedals will no doubt sell out pretty quickly."
The paint job
Every unit in the run was hand-painted in a Bauhaus-inspired design by Lisa McGrath, described by MusicRadar as a longtime Z.Vex artist1. Hand-painted finishes mean no two pedals in the run look alike, which is part of what sets this edition apart from the standard Fuzz Factory and its other variants, such as the Z.Vex Fuzz Factory F7 or the Z.Vex Abbey Road 50th Anniversary Fuzz Factory 7.
Will it be made again?
No. MusicRadar reported that, according to Z.Vex, the 25 pedals will never be made again1, and Guitar Interactive Magazine stated the same: "This design will never be made again"3. For players looking at the used market, that makes the 20th Anniversary edition a closed run of 25 numbered pedals rather than an ongoing product.
This was a one-time 2016 release. Z.Vex has since released other Fuzz Factory variants, including the Vertical Vexter Fuzz Factory and the Ukraine Flag Fuzz Factory, but the 20th Anniversary design is not among them.
For more on the family it belongs to, see the site's guide to Fuzz Pedals.
Sources (3)
- Z.Vex celebrates 20 years of the Fuzz Factory with limited-edition guitar effects pedal, MusicRadar, 2016-04-28
- ZVex Fuzz Factory is 20 years old! How much is a paint job worth?, gearnews.com, 2016-04-30
- To Celebrate 20th Year of ZVEX; Introducing Limited Edition Fuzz Facto, Guitar Interactive Magazine, 2016-04-29
