What it does
The American Geek sits in the fuzz camp but leans toward high gain, the territory where fuzz and distortion meet. Zander Circuitry's pitch is that the underlying circuit is familiar, but the pedal adds two things the original design did not have: a choice of clipping diodes and a full tone stack1.
Controls
| Control | Type | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Clipping diode selector | Rotary knob | Selects between the pedal's multiple clipping options1 |
| 3-band tone stack | Three bands | Precise control over the EQ1 |
The rotary clipping selector is the pedal's main character control. Clipping diodes are the parts of a fuzz or distortion circuit that flatten the peaks of the guitar signal, and different diodes flatten them in different ways, so switching between them changes the texture of the fuzz from one setting to the next. The three-band tone stack then lets a player dial in bass, middle and treble rather than working with a single tone knob1.
Where it sits in the Zander Circuitry range
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Questions
What is the Zander Circuitry American Geek?
It is a high-gain fuzz pedal from the UK maker Zander Circuitry. The company describes it as a fuzz/distortion circuit based on the bones of the Big M circuit, reworked with multiple clipping options and precise control over the EQ. A rotary knob selects the clipping diode, and a three-band tone stack shapes the sound.
What does the clipping selector do on the American Geek?
The American Geek has a rotary knob that selects between different clipping diode options. Clipping diodes shape how the fuzz distorts the signal, so the selector lets a player move between different flavors of fuzz and distortion character from one pedal, on top of the three-band tone stack.
Sources (3)
- American Geek, Zander Circuitry, 2024-01-01
- Zander Circuitry American Geek High Gain Fuzz Machine, Pedal of the Day, 2018-10-11
- Zander Circuitry American Geek High Gain Fuzz Machine, Pedal of the Day, 2018-10-09
