The Zander Circuitry American Geek is a high-gain fuzz machine from UK maker Zander Circuitry, built on what the maker calls the bones of the legendary Big Muff circuit and reworked with multiple clipping options and a 3-band EQ1. Pedal of the Day featured it in October 2018 during a week of distortion effects, describing it simply as a high-gain fuzz machine2. Guitar Pedal X places it more precisely: a transistor-based Muff circuit, in contrast to op-amp or IC style Muff circuits like the maker's own Siva3.
Where a classic Big Muff gives you a single tone control, the American Geek splits the EQ into Bass, Mids and Treble knobs, a layout Guitar Pedal X notes came with a recent revamp to more conventional 3-band EQ tone controls13.
The controls and the six clipping options
The pedal carries six knobs and two footswitches. Zander Circuitry lists the controls as follows1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Gain control |
| Level | Output volume |
| Bass | Low end adjustment |
| Mids | Mid-range adjustment |
| Treb | High end adjustment |
| Rotary | Clipping diode selector |
The two footswitches are Engage, which turns the pedal on and off, and Blast, which activates Blast mode1.
The rotary selector chooses between six clipping configurations, and the maker describes each in character terms1:
- Germanium: Smooth, sweet, and classically amp-like.
- Silicon: Louder, brighter, and a little bit brittle.
- Transistor/MOSFET: Similar to silicon, but sweeter and crunchier.
- LED: Louder again, with less saturation and more punch.
- Asymmetrical LED: A more aggressive version of LED.
- No diodes: Loads of output and much less gain.
Read in order, the selector moves from the softer, compressed germanium character toward progressively louder and more open settings, with the LED positions the loudest of the clipped voices and the diode-free position trading gain for raw output1.
Blast mode
The Blast footswitch is the pedal's second gain stage in switch form. Zander Circuitry says it "turns the gain all the way up, and activates a second volume control for seamless t[ransitions]"1. In practice this means the main Level knob sets your rhythm volume and the Blast volume sets a lead level, so the jump to maximum gain happens underfoot rather than by hand.
Where it came from and what reviewers said
Zander Circuitry is a UK maker, and the American Geek carried a list price of £1491. Pedal of the Day featured the American Geek on 11 October 20182.
Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson reviewed the American Geek in June 2024 as one of a pair of compact Muffs alongside the op-amp based Siva, listing the pair at $189 and noting both had been revamped with conventional 3-band EQ controls3. On how the two differ, he wrote:
"they each have a slightly different character - and therefore inspire slightly different styles of playing"3
Stefan Karlsson, Guitar Pedal X3
Pedal of the Day's take was practical rather than tonal, pointing out that "the top-mounted jacks make this blue beast able to squeeze onto any pedalboard"2.
The American Geek draws 126 mA at 9V DC, center-negative1. That is well beyond what a 9V battery or a small daisy-chain output can comfortably supply, so plan on an isolated or adequately rated power supply.
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Questions
What circuit is the Zander Circuitry American Geek based on?
Zander Circuitry says it is built on the bones of the Big Muff, a fuzz/distortion circuit the maker describes as needing no introduction, reworked with multiple clipping options and a 3-band EQ. Guitar Pedal X identifies it as a transistor-based Muff circuit, distinguishing it from op-amp style Muffs.
What does Blast mode do on the American Geek?
The Blast footswitch turns the gain all the way up and activates a second volume control. Zander Circuitry describes this as allowing seamless transitions, so a player can set the second volume for a boosted lead level and jump between the two without touching a knob.
Which clipping diode setting is the loudest on the American Geek?
By the maker's descriptions, the LED positions are the loudest: LED is louder than silicon with less saturation and more punch, and Asymmetrical LED is a more aggressive version again. The No Diodes position has loads of output but much less gain.
Where are the jacks on the American Geek?
The input and output jacks are top-mounted. Pedal of the Day noted that the top-mounted jacks help the pedal, which sits in a blue enclosure, squeeze onto a pedalboard alongside other pedals.
Sources (3)
- American Geek, Zander Circuitry, 2024-01-01
- Zander Circuitry American Geek High Gain Fuzz Machine, Pedal of the Day, 2018-10-11
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-06-24
