A signature fuzz for Boris's guitar sorceress is a unique twist on the Big Muff formula.
Easy to navigate. Unique fuzz tones. Range-y knobs reward tweaking.
Trebly settings can be harsh.
$149
EarthQuaker Devices Hizumitas
earthquakerdevices.com
Boris know a thing or two about fuzz. As volume dealers by trade, they've spent nearly three decades dousing audiences in waves of distorted decibels. So, when the folks at EarthQuaker Devices decided to honor Boris guitarist Wata, they looked to her favorite vintage fuzz, the Elk BM Sustainar.
Let's get one thing out of the way: It's simply not possible to capture all the deep, dark, and bone-crushing tones of Wata or guitarist/bassist Takeshi in one neat little box. Whether the band is drawing from early Sabbath, playing at balefully slow tempos, or manifesting explosive sounds that evoke a five-alarm fire blazing into the night, Boris does many kinds of heavy. But while the Hizumitas can't cover every heavy Boris tone, its sounds are a treat.
Sent from the Source
The Elk Sustainar is an early-1970s Japan-made copy of the triangle Big Muff. Look for a vintage unitāusually under the name Elk Big Muff Sustainar, Elk Super Fuzz Sustainar, or Electro Sound Co. Big Muff Sustainarāand you'll encounter nutty prices that reflect their rarity and reputation. When EQD designed the Hizumitas, they checked out vintage Sustainars and Big Muffs and concluded that there was too much variation to nail down a faithful copy. So, they went to the source and Wata graciously shipped her own Elk pedal around the world to EQD HQ.
Familiar Design, Different Results
The 3-knob layout of the Hizumitas will be familiar to any Big Muff user, though Hizumitas's controls behave in some unusual ways. The output is hot and unity gain is around 9 o'clock on the volume knob for most sustain settings. The sustain knob increases distortion, but don't look for clean tones at the lowest settingsāit starts hot and goes from there. The tone control is responsive and the knob you'll probably reach for most. But heads up: Rolling the knob all the way counterclockwise is the most trebly setting and it adds bass as you work clockwise.
Because the pedal sustains so well, I could use the tone knob as an almost synth-like filter control on sustained notes, letting embers of drop-D riffs slowly burn and change shape as they decayed.
Devastating Bass
While it's easy to find tones in a pedal with three knobs, one of which is output volume, the wide range of the sustain and tone knobsāand the interactivity between those controlsāleads to surprises. Like a lot of people that will be interested in the Hizumitas, I was most curious to see how much low-end it had on tap. Using my Gibson SG and a Deluxe Reverb, I started with the sustain and tone cranked. These settings resulted in my favorite sounds. The bass is huge but doesn't get overly woofy or dark. Low power chords and riffage on the bottom three strings benefitted from the added heft, and single notes were strong and rich with sustain.
Adding treble tightens up the pedal's focus, but it can be an unusual ride. I sometimes imagined I was hearing bass bumps as I worked my way back toward trebly settings. High treble tones can be noisy and might sound harsh to some players. But others will love how cutting those settings can be. When I plugged my guitar directly into my interface using nothing but the Hizumitas and a little reverb, the sizzling tone burned right through the heavy, low-end riff I was tracking over.
The way the tone control works with the sustain control is another big part of the Hizumitas' charm. Because the pedal sustains so well, I could use the tone knob as a noise filter on sustained notes, letting embers of drop-D riffs slowly burn and change shape as they decayed.
The Verdict
Without a vintage Elk Sustainar on hand, I can't really speak to the accuracy of EarthQuaker's reproduction. And, of course, I'll never achieve Wata's tone. But Hizumitas is well-suited for anyone trying to reach noisy, slow, and low spaces. By offering tight bass-boosted tones, well-seared lead textures, waves of sustain, and knob-twisting fun, the Hizumitas will inspire you to stay there.
Boris + EQD = FILTHY FUZZ ā EarthQuaker Devices Hizumitas Demo | First Look
- EarthQuaker Devices Levitation Reverb Review - Premier Guitar āŗ
- EarthQuaker Devices Plumes Review - Premier Guitar āŗ
- Boris Wields the Hammer of Doom - Premier Guitar āŗ
- Envelope Filter Magic: EarthQuaker Spatial Delivery V3 āŗ
- Earthquaker Announces Silos - Premier Guitar āŗ
- EarthQuaker Devices Silos Delay: Your Ultimate Creative Tool - Premier Guitar āŗ
- EarthQuaker Devices Present the third Sunn O))) Life Pedal - Premier Guitar āŗ
Brent Mason is, of course, on of the most recorded guitarists in history, who helped define the sound of most ā90s country superstars. So, whether you know it or not, youāve likely heard Masonās playing.
Professional transcriber Levi Clay has done the deepest of dives into Brent Masonās hotshot licks. At one point, he undertook the massive project of transcribing and sharing one of Masonās solos every day for 85 or so days. Mason is, of course, on of the most recorded guitarists in history, who helped define the sound of most ā90s country superstars. So, whether you know it or not, youāve likely heard Masonās playing. Levi shares the insight he gleaned from digging deep, and he tells us what it was like when they shared a stage last year. Plus, Levi plays us some great examples of Masonās playing.
For the first time ever, two guitar greats, John 5 and Richie Kotzen will be heading out on the road this year. The tour will launch October 16 and run through November, hitting markets across the U.S.
Find the full tour itinerary right plus a link for tickets & VIP, including additional dates featuring John 5 only. Reserved seating tickets will go on sale Friday May 16 though a fan presale will begin today at noon local time and fans are strongly encouraged to buy early to get the best seats.
Meet and Greets for both artists will be available. For John 5 please go to: https://john5store.com/collections/vip.
Today, John 5 also announces more details of his anticipated new album. Called The Ghost, it will be released October 10 and is led by the new track āFiend,ā featuring Kenny Aronoff.
John 5 continues running public tours this month for his Knights In Satanās Service Museum of KISS Memorabilia in Los Angeles, California. Guided tours are open to the public for one month only (with a possible expansion). Current dates available are May 12-16, May 19-23 and May 27-30. Each will be led by John 5 himself who will provide tons of rich detail and answer any questions. Secure your place HERE.
JOHN 5 continues to tour with Mötley Crüe including an upcoming residency in Las Vegas in 2025.RICHIE KOTZEN &
JOHN 5 FALL 2025 TOUR
October 16 El Cajon, CA @ Magnolia
October 17 Riverside, CA @ Fox Performing Arts
October 18 Roseville, CA @ Goldfield Trading Post
October 19 San Jose, CA @ The Ritz
October 21 Phoenix, AZ @ Celebrity Theatre
October 22 Albuquerque, NM @ KiMo Theatre
October 24 Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater
October 25 Leander, TX @ The Haute Spot
October 27 New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues
October 28 Memphis, TN @ Minglewood Hall
October 29 Nashville, TN @ Fogg Street Lawn Club
October 30 Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse
October 31 Orlando, FL @ House of Blues
November 1 Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Culture Room
November 2 Clearwater, FL @ Capitol Theatre
November 4 Richmond, VA @ The National
November 5 Leesburg, VA @ Tally Ho Theater
November 6 Patchogue, NY @ Patchogue Theatre
November 11 Glenside, PA @ Keswick Theatre
November 12 Derry, NH @ Tupelo Music Hall
November 13 Foxborough, MA @ Six String Grill & Stage
November 14 Stroudsburg, PA @ Sherman Theater
November 15 Lorain, OH @ Lorain Palace Theatre
November 16 Columbus, OH @ The King Of Clubs
November 17 Warrendale, PA @ Jergels
November 19 Wyandotte, MI @ District 142
November 20 Flint, MI @ The Machine Shop
November 21 Fort Wayne, IN @ Piereās
November 22 St. Charles, IL @ Arcada Theatre
November 23 Belvidere, IL @ Apollo Theatre
November 25 Denver, CO @ Oriental Theater
November 29 Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy & Harriet's*
*John 5 only
AEROSMITH guitarist and songwriter JOE PERRY is set to return to the road for a series of August performances with THE JOE PERRY PROJECT. The 8-date run kicks off August 13 in Tampa, FL and wraps August 23 in Port Chester, New York, with an August 19 performance in PERRYās Boston hometown (see the itinerary below). For the North American trekāwhich marks the first solo shows for PERRY this yearāthe legendary guitarist will be joined by his Aerosmith bandmates Brad Whitford (guitar) and Buck Johnson (keys), along with The Black Crowesā Chris Robinson (vocals), and Stone Temple Pilotsā Robert DeLeo (bass), and Eric Kretz (drums).
āWellā¦itās time to let the music do the talkin again,ā PERRY says. āIām really excited about the JPP line up this year!!!! Most of these guys played with me at The Roxy in L.A. at the debut event for my latest solo album [Sweetzerland Manifesto] in January 2018. Theyāre all busy as hell but thankfully theyāre able to carve out some time for this run. And Iām not only lucky enough to have Brad Whitford onstage with me but Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes! [who sang āFortunate Oneā on Sweetzerland Manifesto MKII], Robert DeLeo and Eric Kretz from STP!!! and Buck Johnson who plays keys and sings with Aerosmith, the Hollywood Vampires, and is also a solo artist in his own right.ā
For the shows, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee says āthe set list is gonna include my fav JPP cuts, STP, Black Crowes, and with Brad weāll be hitting the Aero hits and some deep cuts and then ya never know!!!! Gonna be a BLAST, and if youāve ever been to one of my shows you know the words GARAGE BAND on STEROIDS come to mind! See you there!!!!ā
DATE | LOCATION | VENUE |
Wednesday, August 13 | Tampa, FL | Seminole Hard Rock - Tampa |
Thursday, August 14 | Hollywood, FL | Seminole Hard Rock - Hollywood |
Saturday, August 16 | Toronto, ON | HISTORY |
Sunday, August 17 | Muskoka, ON | Kee to Bala |
Tuesday, August 19 | Boston, MA | Wang Theatre |
Wednesday, August 20 | Hampton Beach, NH | Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom |
Friday, August 22 | Mashantucket, CT | The Premier Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino |
Saturday, August 23 | Port Chester, NY | Capitol Theatre |
A sample page from the authorās analog log.
Seasonal changes are tough on your acoustic. Hereās how you can take better care of your prized instrument.
As you read this, spring is in bloom in most of the US, or maybe it has been for some time. Iām timing this column specifically to ask acoustic guitarists, in this season of increasing humidity and comfortable conditions, to prepare for whatās coming. Itās never too soon, and time flies. Before you know it, weāll be back to the maintenance phase and you might be blowing up the phones of your local guitar shops, luthiers, and techs. Iām here to encourage a decidedly old-school approach to preventative guitar maintenance, and yes, it starts now.
Why, you ask? Well, as the lead luthier at Acoustic Music Works, I can tell you that in my nearly 15 years in this position, this was the worst winter ever for preventable repairs on acoustic guitars. Fret sprout, bridge lifts, top sink, soundboard cracks, back cracks, loose binding, general malaise⦠These hit us very hard in the winter that spanned 2024 and 2025. Am I complaining? On the one hand, no. This is part of how we make our money. On the other hand, yes! Repair schedules related to dryness and humidity issues can stretch into weeks and even months, and nobody wants to be without their favorite instruments for that amount of time. With a little thoughtfulness, however, you might get through next winter (and every one thereafter) without hefty repair bills or time apart from your musical companion.
Our preparation is going to start with an unlikely but very important guitar accessory: the humble notebook. Plain, lined, grid, day planner⦠it doesnāt matter. We all need to actively participate in our instrument maintenance, and in my experience, fancy apps that track humidity via Bluetooth breed a kind of laziness, a feeling of safety that might prevent us from actually physically looking in on conditions. Better we keep an analog, well, log, so that we know where things stand, and I suggest checking in daily.
āThis was the worst winter ever for preventable repairs on acoustic guitars.ā
Track your relative humidity, both in the case and in the room where your instruments mostly reside, but also take notes on your action height, top deflection (StewMac has some great tips for measuring this) and anything related to playability that you believe you can observe empirically.
Dryness is the root cause of most guitar issues that manifest in the fall and winter months. Symptoms of dryness include sharp fret ends, falling action and dead frets, sunken top around the sound hole, and cracks and bridge lifts. With your trusty notebook, youāll get a feel for the sensitivity level of your instrument, and that knowledge is power!
A few other basic implements will not only assist you in your observations, but may also satisfy your need to buy guitar-related things (at least for a minute). Getting quick and comfortable with a fret rocker is a great skill to have, and is invaluable in diagnosing buzzes due to high frets or frets that have come unseated due to dryness. A well-calibrated relief gauge might seem luxurious, but it can prevent you from making unnecessary or extreme truss rod adjustments. A string action gauge, or even a simple machinistās rule or set of feeler gauges, will help you keep track of your action. Get a three-pack of hygrometers so you can average their readings, rather than depending on one.
Lest we forget: A guitar can not only be too dry, it can also be too wet. By beginning your maintenance diligence in the spring/summer, youāll also be able to tell if your instrument is the victim of a too-humid environment. The signs of over-humidification are subtle: Your action may rise from a puffed-up top, and in extreme cases, glue joints could begin to fail. In my experience, an over-humidified guitar will suffer from dulled tone, almost like a sock in the sound hole. If youāre sensing a lack of clarity in your guitar all of a sudden, start with new strings. If it persists, it might be due to over-humidification, and you may want to introduce a desiccant to the case for a time. The more lightly built your guitar is, the more sensitive it will be to seasonal changes.
By getting into these habits early, youāll be empowered by knowing your instrument more intimately. Youāll understand when and why changes in tone and playability might have occurred, and youāll hopefully save on repair bills year-round. Feel free to reach out with any questions. Who knows? I might just send you a notebook with an AMW sticker on the cover!