Fuzz

Budget guitar effects pedal maker Tomsline’s S-Fuzz stomp is the silicon-powered counterpoint to the G-Fuzz’s germanium fuzz sound. Since it comes with a silicon transistor, the S-Fuzz can put out more gain compared to its germanium-powered counterpart. The control layout is dead simple; just dial in the amount of fuzz and output level you want with the Fuzz and Volume knobs, respectively. The S-Fuzz features Tomsline’s patented stop bar design to keep your foot from messing up the pedal’s settings when you stomp on it.

Tortuga Effects is keeping things simple with its Classic Series, a hand-made pedal line marked by simpler graphics, simpler effect names, and more affordable price tags. The tone of Tortuga’s Classic pedals, however, are anything but simple. This dual channel fuzz box features uniquely matched silicon transistors in each channel, making the fuzz tone tighter and more aggressive compared to germanium-powered fuzz boxes. The Sasquatch Classic also comes with a Feedback switch and a dedicated control knob for even wilder fuzz tones.

The 1861 is part of Vick Audio’s Tau collection of classic recreations guitar pedals. It pays homage to the Civil War model fuzzes created in Russia during the early 90s. These fuzz pedals were dubbed the Civil War model due to the distinctive gray and blue color scheme utilized on its graphics. The 1861 is a perfect choice for those who value exceptional bottom end. It works great with both bass and guitar. Similar to other Vick Audio Tau series pedals, the 1861 carries a switch for three midrange options: boost, stock, or flat.

The 73 Ram’s Head has more dirt compared to the Black Russian and is smoother than the V1 Triangle. What sets the 73 Ram’s Head apart is the unbelievable sustain it can give you. It has been built for guitarists who want their ax singing like a hummingbird, featuring a delightful violin-esque sustaining sound. You can utilize the Sustain knob to optimize lengthy sustain with some harmonic distortion. Hendrix banked on this BMP for his mellow, seamless, Electric Lady sound.

The Vick Audio Black Russian classic reproduction series features slightly less sustain and is smoother compared to its American cousins. It is prized among guitarists and bassists looking for a smooth, refined fuzz with an incredible low-end response. The Black Russian consists of controls for Sustain, Tone, and Volume. It also carries a switch for three midrange selections scooped (stock) as well as boosted and flat mids. The Black Russian comes in a powder-coated aluminum chassis.

The elusive Jordan Electronics Bosstone is widely regarded as the ultimate vintage fuzz. The Superfuzz by Voodoo Lab begins with this vintage fuzz design and incorporates distinctive tone and resonance circuits to produce a cool new myriad of fuzz tones. The tone control gives you a broad spectrum of midrange and bass timbres. The resonance knob is a sub-harmonic booster allowing you to add a unique aggressive bottom end, while attack differs the gain from creamy and rich to outrageous.

Coat your sound in thick, heavy fuzz for an over the top metallic wall of sound attack with Walrus Audio’s Contraband fuzz stomp. Don’t let its single knob control scheme and enclosure size fool you; the Contraband packs a way heavier fuzz punch than you’d expect from such a simple and small stompbox. A unique Thick and Thin toggle lets you shape the fuzz tone depending on your guitar’s pickups—a humbucker may sound better in Thin mode, for example—or just expand the Contraband’s range of tonal possibilities.

Coat your sound in thick, heavy fuzz for an over the top metallic wall of sound attack with Walrus Audio’s Contraband fuzz stomp. Don’t let its single knob control scheme and enclosure size fool you; the Contraband packs a way heavier fuzz punch than you’d expect from such a simple and small stompbox. A unique Thick and Thin toggle lets you shape the fuzz tone depending on your guitar’s pickups—a humbucker may sound better in Thin mode, for example—or just expand the Contraband’s range of tonal possibilities.

Gritty, thick, and most importantly, loud. That’s the kind of fuzz tone that boutique guitar effects pedal maker Walrus Audio was shooting for when they made the Jupiter fuzz box, and as the resulting stompbox itself shows, they hit the bullseye. V2 gives the Jupiter even more gain and an internal gate control trim pot for reining reining in any stray noises. The original Tone pot has also been updated to provide a better high end response.

Way Huge is going all out with the Conquistador Fuzzstortion pedal. This incredibly simple pedal dishes out a tone described by Way Huge as “a giant Velcro strip being torn apart with great vigor.” While it sure is an aggressively voiced grit box, the controls for fuzz, volume, and tone enable the Conquistador Fuzzstortion to be musically sounding always. If you want a bold-sounding fuzz pedal with a ferocious gated sound, you certainly have to check out the Conquistador Fuzzstortion.

The Swollen Pickle Jumbo Fuzz MkIIS by Way Huge gives you the beefy high gain fuzz of a full-sized MkII in a smaller package. With a roll of the Sustain knob, you can go from gentle crunch to Armageddon. The Filter knob maintains its signature insane range of extremely bandpass-filtered tones, marked by remarkable sizzle and girth, while the Loudness gives enough volume to smack any amp. The Swollen Pickle Jumbo Fuzz MkIIS also incorporates a Scoop tone stack control and a Crunch knob for adjusting the fuzz’s compression intensity.

The Swollen Pickle Jumbo Fuzz MkII from Way Huge yields extremely high-gain fuzz with abundant amounts of smooth low-end to anyone who plugs into it. With a roll of the Sustain knob, you go from gentle crunch to Armageddon. The Filter knob preserves its signature crazy range of heavily band pass-filtered tones, marked by extraordinary sizzle and girth, while the Loudness gives enough volume to smack any amp. Additional features include a Crunch control for adjusting the fuzz’s compression intensity as well as a tone stack Scoop knob.

The Fat Fuzz Factory from boutique guitar effects pedal maker Zvex is versatile enough to keep the fuzz traditionalists happy with everything from subtle fuzz to woolly, gritty hair, while letting the more experimental push the envelope with some of the wildest and most out of this world oscillating fuzz tones imaginable. Whether you’re the former or the latter, the Fat Fuzz Factory will let you dial in your own idea of the perfect fuzz and then tweak it whichever way you like, even on the fly. This hand painted version comes with a lifetime warranty.

The Fuzz Factory stompbox from boutique guitar effects pedal company Zvex is a versatile fuzz stomp that really let you push the sonic envelope. You can dial in everything from tight fuzz tones that cut off abruptly as soon as you stop playing to lingering hairy oscillations that decay alongside your notes. Zvex’s Vexter line of silk-screened pedals feature the exact same tone, features, and parts as their hand-painted counterparts. The only differences are the painting process and the price. The more “standard” vertical orientation also makes it easier to slot this pedal into your pedalboard.

The Fuzz Probe Vexter is a fuzz pedal like no other. As part of boutique guitar effects company Zvex’s Probe line, it features a copper proximity sensor plate that lets you adjust the Stab parameter simply by moving your foot or hand closer to the plate. That’s real-time fuzz control for creating truly unique fuzz tones and effects. Zvex’s Vexter line of silk screened pedals feature the exact same tone, feature set, and internal parts and circuits as their hand-painted counterparts. The only differences are the painting process and the price.

Boutique guitar effects pedal company Zvex have built something that not a lot of stompbox makers would even think about: a dirt pedal built entirely to work with the other dirt and fuzz pedals on your chain. It’s nothing groundbreaking on its own, but put it in front of your other fuzz pedals and its crossover distortion—a true world first in any stompbox, ever—distorts the parts of our distorted signal’s waveform that most dirt and fuzz boxes don’t even touch. What you get is a new and unique distorted sound that still respects your original dirt tone.

The Octane 3 fuzz stomp from boutique guitar effects pedal maker Zvex delivers one of the most in your face Octavia-style fuzz tones ever crafted by human hands. Simple chords become crazy note combos; go complex and you get more noise. Combine the Octane 3’s high gain fuzz sound with its stratospheric octave up effect then scoop out some mids and you can get ear splitting shrieks like cars going by at lightning speed three inches from your face. Plug it into a clean channel to really hear all the nuances of the Octane 3’s roar.

The Russian Fuzz Factory 7 is the next evolution of boutique guitar effects pedal company Zvex’s Fuzz Factory 7 stomp. It’s powered by two rare Russian GT308V germanium transistors for super thick, lightning fast fuzz. It ups the ante by replacing the Fat Fuzz Factory’s three-position toggle with a nine-position rotary dial that covers everything from earth shaking low end rumble to stratospheric high frequency shrieks. The Fuzz Factory 7 also features a passive tone control that you can use to rein in your signal’s high end.

The Woolly Mammoth is designed for bass, but its earth shaking sub frequencies has since turned it into a favorite for low end obsessed guitarists as well. Boutique guitar effects pedal creator Zvex has now taken the Woolly Mammoth’s hard hitting, bottom heavy fuzz tones and powered it up with germanium transistors. The gentle noise gate and the bass-treble blend tone stack from the original are still there, as well as, of course, the Woolly Mammoth’s pure ground shaking, rib rattling fuzz tone.