Fuzz

A fuzz circuit boasting adequate control to realize the classic fuzz tone in your imagination. The Pollinator V2 includes true germanium transistors and upgraded controls from the first version. JHS Pedals updated the Volume knob for more headroom and overall power. The Fuzz and Volume controls work in tandem to provide you with a hive-full of tones. If you are big on vintage fuzz and the unparalleled touch sensitivity, response, and tone offered by authentic Germanium fuzz, the Pollinator V2 is an excellent choice.

No magic of any kind gathering here; just impeccable fuzz stomp craftsmanship packed into a budget- and pedalboard-friendly pedal. The Joyo Dr. J D-56 Planes Walker fuzz guitar effects pedal gives you the power to choose between the warm, vintage fuzz of a germanium transistor or the harsher, edgier bite of a silicon transistor. It’s basically two different fuzz pedals in a compact, road-tough unit that opens up new sonic soundscapes for you to explore.

The Joyo JF-320 Purple Storm guitar effects pedal is pure vintage fuzz that can go as far back as the earliest fuzz tones ever produced. A MOSFET clipping circuit delivers classic grain and smooth sustain, while a dedicated Bias knob lets you dial in everything from classic crunch to modern fuzz. The JF-320 Purple Storm is an Ironman pedal, so it’s small enough to fit in your front pocket and features a flip cover for keeping your control dial settings safe from stray stomps.

Keeley’s Fuzz Bender is powered by a combination of high-gain silicon and germanium transistors that can serve up gobs of thick, hairy fuzz. You can create fuzz tones both classic and new via a pair of bass and treble gyrators that can act as active EQ controls, a Bias dial that adds a glitchy, velcro-style attack, and Level and Fuzz knobs that serve up massive gain. An epic level of control for epic levels of fuzz.

The Rotten Apple from Keeley Electronics is a righteously ‘90s-sounding op-amp fuzz stomp that draws heavy inspiration from the thick, cutting, and very aggressive tone popularized by the Smashing Pumpkins on their pre-2000s fuzzed-out masterpieces. On top of the three basic Loud, Buzz, and Tone knobs you get a three-position switch that lets you control the tone further. Set it to Full for added bottom end, Scoop to cut some mids, and Flat to leave the EQ unaltered.

The Fuzz Elements Air from Maxon faithfully reproduces the octave harmonics and unique square wave clipping of one of the best dirt boxes, the Super Fuzz. Pioneered by Shin-Ei, the Super Fuzz witnessed incarnations under different brands, including Memphis, Shaftesbury, Apollo, JAX, Tiesco, and most popularly, Univox. The FA10’s analog circuitry captures the crushing, compressed tone of the Super Fuzz with surgical accuracy, and carries a two-way Tone switch to move between scooped and flat EQ curves.

The FF10 Fuzz Elements Fire by Maxon is crafted to simulate the Roland Bee Baa’s enormous, bottom-heavy octave-fuzz sounds. It boasts two different but equally aggressive fuzz tones based upon the AF100’s distinctive sounds. Activating the Notch switch scoops mids and highlights upper octave harmonics, producing red-hot sustained tones suitable for lead work. As on the real AF100, Maxon maintained the foot-switchability of the Notch setting, letting you toggle between two exceptional tones in mid-song.

Built upon the precious Ampeg Scrambler, the Fuzz Elements Void from Maxon gives you plenty of even-order harmonics mixable with your dry guitar sound. These overtones are frequency-dependent and dynamic, evolving continuously with an input signal. The Void consists of Level, Blend, and Overtone knobs which control the output level, the balance of your effected and dry signals, and amount of even-order harmonics respectively. It comes in a sturdy enclosure and features mechanical true bypass switching.

The Maxon FWA10 Water expands on the classic distortion/fuzz sounds of the Fuzz Elements Earth with the addition of a parametric tone section to the circuit. The Water’s powerful parametric EQ covers a vast frequency range from 100 Hz to earsplitting 5 kHz. Choose a frequency and then cut or boost to customize your tone with dead-on precision. By tweaking the Water’s EQ, you can dial in the whole palette of Big Muff variations. The Water includes controls for Level, Tone, and Sustain.

The Crosstown Fuzz by Mojo Hand FX is a germanium and silicon hybrid Fuzz Face circuit delivering incredibly low noise operation, more flexibility, tonal control, and stability. The hand-picked combination of silicon and germanium transistors plus an internal bias control lets you sculpt the gain structure to your liking without stability concerns like overheating. You can hear every note loud and clear even at extreme settings, and when paired with your guitar’s volume control, the Crosstown Fuzz can yield pristine thick clean tones at virtually any setting.

The El Guapo by Mojo Hand FX is a nasty, gnarly fuzz featuring an extensive range of sounds from classic and smooth to gated with octave-like overtones. Handcrafted in the USA using only top-grade components, the El Guapo is capable of withstanding life on the road and sounds exceptional each time you step on it. It consists of controls for Gain, Volume, Cut, and Starve. It also features a one-button footswitch operation, LED indicator light, and standard 1/4” jacks.

David Gilmour’s iconic lead tone has always been as varied as it is sought after. A variety of fuzz pedals, boosters, and overdrives, coupled with different guitars and amps, have created some of the brightest, amazingly lush tones in rock ‘n’ roll history. The Iron Bell Fuzz by Mojo Hand FX was modified to be a broad but focused platform. It is designed to yield an open and rich voice with an almost 3D harmonic quality. It carries usual Volume and Gain controls plus Colour and Tone knobs for shaping the overall EQ spectrum.

The Thunderball is all about serving up a thunderous distortion and thick snarling fuzz specially calibrated for bass signals. This tiny pedal’s sound belies its pocket-friendly size. A two-position toggle switch lets you choose between Fuzz mode and Distortion mode. The former is a classic hairy fuzz while the latter is a surprisingly transparent high gain distortion. The Thunderball comes with dedicated Volume, Tone, and Gain knobs to give you precise control over your fuzz and distortion tone.

Big sound and expansive features in a tough, compact chassis ideal for crowded pedalboards. The Mini Maverick Switchless Wah from modulation masters Morley packs a hybrid punch of vintage and modern wah tones powered by a custom MQ2 inductor. The Maverick Mini Switchless Wah features Morley’s whole slate of wah innovations: it’s electro-optical so you don’t have to worry about worn out pots, it has True-Tone Bypass Buffer circuitry, and it has a switchless operation.