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Tim Champion Hissy Foot

Based on a vintage style Fuzz Face, which is the fuzz pedal that Jimi Hendrix used throughout his career.

Tim Champion Hissy Foot
Download example 1
Recorded with a Fender VG Strat with humbucking pickup setting. The signal went through an Avalon Vt737sp preamp recorded into Pro Tools with Native Instruments Guitar Rig 4x12 Tweed Alnico cabinet sim.
Tim Champion originally made guitar pedals for his own use in his Sandpile recording studio in New York City. The guitar pedals are based on his personal favorites that deliver that classic vintage tone, and he is now sharing his creations with guitarists worldwide.

One of the pedals he created for his studio and live work was based on a vintage style Fuzz Face, which is the fuzz pedal that Jimi Hendrix used throughout his career. Tim named it the Hissy Foot, which features point to point hand wired construction, vintage style PNP Germanium transistors, and true bypass. He took the concept of the Fuzz Face one step further by adding “Hendrix” modifications such as adding gain and toning down the biting high end aspects of PNP Germanium transistor base fuzz. The end result is a hot-rodded Fuzz Face-style pedal that has a darker tone and more gain than the original.

The pedal’s specs are simple and to the point: an on/off footswitch, input and output jacks, and Volume and Fuzz control knobs. The Hissy Foot is built very well with an aluminum box that is sturdy and road-worthy, yet very lightweight. Also, you’ll have no problems knowing when it’s on—it has the brightest LED light that I’ve ever seen on a pedal. (It can actually be blinding if you look into it directly!) I plugged into the pedal, cranked up the fuzz and was instantly welcomed with a thick, round fuzz sound. There is a ton of gain and plenty of bottom end—definitely not a thin sounding pedal at all! It has a darker quality to it with a bassy to midtoned fuzz that I liked, although the tone may be too dark for some. It responds well to both single coil and humbucking pickups and also cleans up nicely when you roll off the volume.

The Hissy Foot is a well-built fuzz box that recreates the vintage-style fuzz of the past. If you’re looking for a modded Fuzz Face-style pedal similar to what Hendrix used, then the Hissy Foot is for you. – GG
Buy If...
You like your fuzz tone like your milkshakes—very thick!
Skip If...

You fear the dark side of the Fuzz.
Rating...
4.5
MSRP $219 - Tim Champion Guitar Pedals - timchampionpedals.com