The ZVEX Fuzz Factory 7 USA Vexter is a fuzz pedal for guitar, the latest edition of ZVEX's flagship fuzz, built around a pair of NOS 1960s GT308 germanium transistors1. It carries the same circuit as the hand-painted Fuzz Factory 7, but finished with UV printed art instead of individual hand painting, which makes it a slightly lower cost version of the pedal12. The transistors themselves are hand-painted and set into a little window on the pedal, backlit so you can see them13.
A germanium Fuzz Factory with UV art
ZVEX Effects released the Fuzz Factory 7 USA Vexter in February 2023 as the newest edition of what MusicRadar called its "venerable flagship fuzz pedal"4. The circuit is based around a pair of NOS GT308 germanium transistors recovered from the 1960s, and the pedal is hand-wired and made in the USA4.
What sets this edition apart visually is the finish. MusicRadar's Jonathan Horsley described it as "refinished with an eye-popping UV paint job"4, and the maker's page notes that the hand-painted NOS 1960s GT308 germanium transistors are on display through the enclosure1. MusicRadar's review of the Fuzz Factory 7 noted that the transistors are "set into a little window and backlit"3.
"The transistors that power the Fuzz Factory 7, named for its 7 rotary controls, are set into a little window and backlit"
The Fuzz Factory circuit itself was designed by Zachary Vex5. The Fuzz Factory 7 arrived in 2013 as "a new version of the Fuzz Factory with 7 knobs and two stomp switches," announced by Z.Vex Effects in Premier Guitar6.
The controls: Volume, Gate, Comp, Tone and the nine-position switch
The Fuzz Factory 7 takes the five-knob Fuzz Factory formula and adds to it. Guitar Pedal X lists the full control set as Tone, Volume, Gate, Comp, Drive, Stab (Stability / Starve), a Fat nine-position low-end rotary dial, a Tone Bypass footswitch, and the main Bypass footswitch2.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Controls overall output4 |
| Gate | Kills extraneous noise after notes fade out; can also be set for a controlled feedback pitch4 |
| Comp | Adjusts attack; can be used for "fat feedback-y fuzz"4 |
| Drive | Sets the gain, for dialing in the pedal as a conventional fuzz4 |
| Stab (Stability / Starve) | Part of the six-knob core shared with other Fuzz Factory 7 editions5 |
| Fat | Nine-position rotary switch covering the low-end range12 |
| Tone | Passive tone control to roll off high end if needed, with its own footswitch14 |
The Fat control is where the Fuzz Factory 7 differs most from the Fat Fuzz Factory: where that pedal has a 3-position toggle, the FF7 has a nine-position rotary switch, which the maker says "covers enormous sonic territory, from earthshaking low frequencies to 'dog whistle' (figuratively) high frequencies"17.
The Tone control is passive, there to roll off high end if you need it, and it is brought into play by its own dedicated footswitch so you can switch it in and out on the fly14.
Versions and editions of the Fuzz Factory 7
The Fuzz Factory 7 has appeared in several editions since 2013, most differing only in transistors or finish while keeping the parts otherwise identical to the standard pedal89.
Guitar.com reported that ZVEX considered the Russian edition the "new standard-issue Fuzz Factory 7" at its 2018 launch10. Gearnews noted that "there have been a few limited edition Fuzz Factory 7 models, like the Russian and the Silicon"11.
How the Vexter differs from the hand-painted model
The difference is the finish, not the circuit. ZVEX states plainly that in the USA Vexter, "the parts inside are identical to the hand painted model"1. Guitar Pedal X describes the Vexter as "a very slightly lower cost version of the Fuzz Factory 7 (i.e. not hand-painted)"2. On hand-painted pedals, the maker notes that colors and details may vary from unit to unit7.
The Vexter treatment is not unique to the FF7: the Fuzz Factory Vexter and Fat Fuzz Factory Vexter carry UV printed art on the same circuits, part of a 25th Anniversary Vexter Series12131.
Price and availability
The maker's product page lists the Fuzz Factory 7 USA Vexter at $429.00 USD1. At its February 2023 release, MusicRadar reported a US price of $3994, and Guitar Pedal X listed it at $399 in a March 2024 buying guide2.
As of March 2024, Guitar Pedal X reported the Fuzz Factory 7 Vexter was "still not available really outside of the USA"2. Players outside the United States may need to order directly from ZVEX.
Videos
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Questions
What does the Gate knob do on the Fuzz Factory 7?
The Gate control kills extraneous noise after your notes fade out, so the pedal goes quiet between phrases. It can also be set to hold a controlled feedback pitch, letting the pedal sustain a chosen note instead of going silent.
Does the Fuzz Factory 7 Vexter run on a battery?
Yes. The Fuzz Factory 7 USA Vexter takes a 9V DC pedalboard power supply or a battery, so it works on a board or standalone. Current draw is generally between 10mA and 50mA depending on settings.
What transistors are inside the Fuzz Factory 7 Vexter?
The Fuzz Factory 7 USA Vexter uses two NOS 1960s GT308 germanium transistors, hand-painted and set into a window on the pedal. The Fuzz Factory 7 line was built around this pair of recovered 1960s germanium transistors.
How is the Vexter different from the hand-painted Fuzz Factory 7?
Only the finish. The parts inside the USA Vexter are identical to the hand-painted model, but the Vexter carries UV printed art instead of individual hand painting, which makes it a slightly lower cost version.
Can you buy the Fuzz Factory 7 Vexter outside the USA?
As of a March 2024 buying guide from Guitar Pedal X, the Fuzz Factory 7 Vexter was still not really available outside of the USA. Players outside the United States may need to order directly from ZVEX.
Who designed the Fuzz Factory?
The Fuzz Factory circuit was designed by Zachary Vex, founder of ZVEX Effects. The Fuzz Factory 7 expanded the circuit with seven controls and two stomp switches, announced by Z.Vex Effects in 2013.
Sources (13)
- Fuzz Factory 7 USA Vexter, ZVEX Effects
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-03-11
- The FX files: Z.Vex Fuzz Factory, MusicRadar, 2019-10-23
- ZVEX Effects gives the Fuzz Factory 7 a UV makeover with the USA Vexter edition, MusicRadar, 2023-02-07
- ZVex Silicon Fuzz Factory 7, gearnews.com, 2018-08-07
- Z.Vex Launches New Fuzz Factory 7 & More Pedals, Premier Guitar, 2013-07-11
- Fuzz Factory 7, ZVEX Effects
- Fuzz Factory 7 — G011 — ZVEX Effects, ZVEX Effects
- Laura Bennett Fuzz Factory 7 — G012 — ZVEX Effects, ZVEX Effects
- ZVEX introduces the Russian Fuzz Factory 7, Guitar.com, 2018-08-14
- ZVex Abbey Road Fuzz Factory 7: Celebrating The Beatles with a 12-unit limited run, gearnews.com, 2019-09-28
- Fuzz Factory Vexter, ZVEX Effects
- Fat Fuzz Factory Vexter, ZVEX Effects
