Puzzle Effects has unveiled a trio of intriguing prototype pedals—the Cloudy Tremolo, the Silly Fuzz, and the Gold Digger—which present a modular solution to pedalboard tetris.
Any stompbox enthusiast knows that arranging effects on a pedalboard can be a nightmare—reconfiguring signal and power cables can get complicated, not to mention expensive should you wish to chain together multiple effects.
That said, French pedal builder, Florian Leca, has designed three stompboxes that sport jigsaw-esque connectors that slot perfectly together, plus a set of contacts for transmitting audio and power between the stompboxes.
On its Instagram account, Puzzle Effects wrote: “Once again, it doesn’t matter which one(s) is/are powered : all combinations work!”
As of yet, Leca has 3D-printed the chassis and assigned standard analog effects, such as tremolo, distortion, and fuzz, as a proof of concept. Per Puzzle Effects, the Gold Digger is a clone of the EarthQuaker Devices Acapulco Gold, while the Silly Fuzz is a recreation of the Fuzz Face with silicium transistors.
Since the stompboxes pass on audio and share power when connected, they could conserve a sizable amount of pedalboard real estate. They also come in handy for players who are looking to empty some power supply slots.
Check out Puzzle Effects’ Instagram to learn more about these innovative prototype stompboxes.
