Small Supro-inspired simplicity leads to growling, raunchy, bad-attitude drive tones and lead sounds with venom.
Dynamically responsive. Sounds a lot like a little amp made enormous when used with bigger amplifiers. Great build quality.
Some players wonāt dig the midrange focus here.
$215
Skreddy Skunk
skreddypedals.com
Most of the pedals I play that are built by Skreddyās Marc Ahlfs feel like the product of a lot of deep listening and diligent research. They always seem to go a layer deeperāmore detail, more authentic, and just more moving when you plug in and play loud. That certainly goes for the new Skunk Drive Model 1606, a simple, straight-ahead stomp designed to add vintage small-Supro sounds and dynamics to a playerās crayon box. Skunk nails a sort of sound, feel, and responsiveness that strongly evokes Supros and other low-wattage classics. And it can transform the sound of a high-headroom amp while retaining a very organic sense of touch.
Airship Inspirations
If youāre familiar with Skreddyās work, youāll know Marc Ahlfs has an affinity for old-school stomps and the players that made them famous. A few of his fuzzes are revered by the David Gilmour cult. His Little Miss Sunshine is as enveloping as any Phase 90-inspired pedal youāll ever play. And his love of Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin, among others, inspires fantastic Fuzz Face- and Tone Bender-style stomps that effectively enhance and expand upon the potential of those platforms. The Skunk is, at least in part, another product of Ahlfsā affinity for Jimmy Pageāspecifically Pageyās dalliance with a Supro, and, quite probably, a Solo Tone Bender, on Led Zeppelin I. To many Zepā fans (this author included), those tones are at least tied for Pageyās most-bitchinā-ever sounds. There are many such textures hiding in the Skunk. But Zepā tones are not the whole ball of wax here.
As is typical for a Skreddy pedal, the Skunk, which is fitted into a pretty gold-finished 1590B enclosure, is a tidy piece of pedal manufacturing. The circuit is made up of a fairly modest number of components, but they are arranged on a through-hole board with plenty of space between them. Skreddy will repair any pedal that malfunctions due to defects for three years. The build quality I see here suggests thatās unlikely. But if it happens, servicing the pedal should be no sweat.
Rippinā with Le Pew
For most of the time I spent with the Skunk, I had it hooked up to an old black-panel Fender Vibrolux Reverb. I mention this because my Vibrolux is an especially āsurfyā specimen. Itās clean and sparkly, the reverb is deep and splashy, and the treble will rip your head off if youāre not careful. In many respects, itās the antithesis of the kind of amp the Skunk is built to approximate. And what impresses in this configuration is the Skunkās ability to transform the sound and feel of an amp like my Vibrolux without sounding or feeling like you splashed a cheap coat of paint over your direct tone. Most overdriven sounds have an organic, natural aggression. And though the pedal creates a vivid illusion of a small amp, which flips the character of your amp completely, in a dynamic sense it feels seamlessly integrated with the amplifier on the receiving end. The Skunk doesnāt seem to rob the amp of its intrinsic energy, like some overdrives willāeven though it adds a pretty squishy, almost tweed-like helping of compression to the base tone. It retains responsiveness to guitar volume attenuation and can essentially approximate the clean bypassed sound of the amp (save for loss of a little top-end zing) with a just-right reduction in instrument volume. The Skunk excels at clean-boost tasks, too, with the gain low and the output volume up high, adding a little midrange focus, but never clouding over an ampās essence. At the other end of the gain range, the Skunk flirts with near-fuzz sounds that brim with delectable raunch.
āThough the pedal creates a vivid illusion of a small amp, which flips the character of your amp completely, in a dynamic sense it feels seamlessly integrated with the amplifier on the receiving end.ā
The pedalās midrange emphasis wonāt float everyoneās boat. Depending on the Skunkās settings, and the pickups driving it, it can sound a bit honky and filtered, not unlike a cocked wah at some settings. (Check out āCommunication Breakdownā for reference to hear what Iām talking about.) Depending on your affinity for these types of colors, the tone profile could sound narrow at first. But the midrange emphasis does not obscure clarity. The first and second strings snap and pop with authority and definition that adds heat to leads, and you hear very nice balance between strings in chording situations. Incidentally, situating a Tone Bender fuzz before the Skunk, in true Led Zeppelin I style, generates amazing nastiness. Again, the midrange focus in these sounds wonāt be everyoneās idea of fuzz perfection, but they will stand out in a mix like Wilt Chamberlain in a third-grade-class picture. Personally, they left me giddy.
The Verdict
Even though it delivers the surprise of awesome clean-boost tones. Itās not transparent, and it will shift the voice of a louder amp noticeably and profoundly. But in the process, it really does create the picture of a little amp writ large. How this sound aligns with your tone ideals will be very personal, and you should consider my tone score here as very subjective. If you dig Jimmy Page, Mick Ronson, and other sprouts from the glam, punk, and raw, electric Mississippi blues vines, youāll find a lot to love here. But any guitarist keen to carve out a distinct, visceral place in an ensemble or mix could well find the Skreddy Skunk invaluable.
MXR aims for the Goldilocks zoneāstriving for a just-right blend between silicon and germanium transistors.
Impressive blends of the most appealing characteristics of germanium and silicon transistors. Guitar volume responsiveness remains largely intact.
Players seeking more extremes might look elsewhere.
$169
MXR Hybrid Fuzz
jimdunlop.com
Fans of vintage fuzz pedals will probably debate the merits of germanium versus silicon transistors and circuits until the last zinc-carbon battery on the planet finally fades and dies. So, rather than pick one or the other, MXRās new Hybrid Fuzz uses both types of transistors with the intent to blend the best of both worlds.
As you might suspect, MXR/Dunlopās design vehicle for this experiment is the classic 2-knob Fuzz Face, an elegant device that went from germanium to silicon transistors in the late ā60s, and is archetypal in both guises. Why marry the two transistor types in one pedal? Well, the germanium transistors used in commercial fuzz pedals from the mid ā60s, made from this element, are beloved for a certain warmth, compression-like softness in the attack, and responsiveness to varied volume input. The downsideāand this is very subjectiveāis that they can sound quite ragged when pushed hard. The silicon transistors that began to be used more commonly in the late ā60s and ā70s are known for their increased gain, greater aggression, cutting power, and a smoother, if buzzy, output.
Thereās another upside to silicon transistors. They are far more consistent from unit to unit. Germanium transistors from the same manufactured batch could vary in values widely. As a consequence, vintage fuzz pedals of the same make can often sound quite different. Contemporary manufacturers using germanium transistors tend to select and match them carefully for their fuzz pedals to achieve more consistent results. MXR goes through the same process for the Hybrid Fuzz.
Dynamic Duo
The Hybrid Fuzz was designed for MXR by Jeorge Tripps, the legendary pedal progenitor behind the Way Huge brand, which is now also part of the Jim Dunlop stable. Of the Hybrid design, Tripps tells us: āA typical Fuzz Face has either two silicon or two germanium transistors. The Hybrid uses one of each type that are gain specād for their specific position in the circuit. This is what gives the Hybrid Fuzz its aggressive gain along with warmth and smoothness.ā
The Hybrid Fuzz could have branded this as a Hybrid Fuzz Face, and used that pedalās iconic enclosure. Instead, itās housed in a practical, standard compact MXR box, measuring 4 Ā¼" x 2 Ā¼" x 1 Ā¼", thatās adorned in suitably psychedelic graphics, including menacing eagles, giant mushrooms, and all-seeing eyes. The stylish, clear control knobs are easy to read. The simple 2-knob complement of fuzz and volume echoes that of the original Fuzz Faces. Elsewhere, it makes concessions to modernity with true-bypass switching, an LED indicator, and a center-negative input for an external 9V power supply. A 9-volt battery can also be used if youāre feeling nostalgic.
Fluffernutter
With humbuckers and single-coils, my first impression of the MXR is one of a classically voiced and very playable fuzz tone. I heard no extremes that I could immediately chalk up to the silicon or germanium side, but, instead, a very appealing and immediately likable fuzz sound most guitarists could easily work with. The best in-a-nutshell description is this: Itās thick and creamy, relatively smooth, yet bright and edgy enough to cut through most mixes. Iām guessing thatās exactly what MXR was hoping to achieve with this hybrid design.
Listening more closely as I moved through a range of settings, the effects of the germanium-silicon marriage become more apparent. For example, there are times when I play a good germanium fuzz and yearn for just a little more aggression and bite. The Hybrid Fuzz bridges that gap. Conversely, an otherwise great-sounding silicon fuzz sometimes leaves me longing for more warmth and forgiveness in the attack, and the Hybrid Fuzz did that, too. In fact, I yearn for few changes in the Hybrid Fuzzās core gain and voicing.
āWith humbuckers and single-coils, my first impression of the MXR is one of a classically voiced and very playable fuzz tone.ā
I did find a few gaps in the available fuzz voices that could leave other players longing. For example, there are some ripped-Velcro extreme-fuzz textures the Hybrid Fuzz doesnāt deliver. Nor does it deliver the kind of low-gain-but-in-your-face ākerrang!ā some germanium units can deliver at less aggressive levels. In the absence of those voices, some guitarists might conclude the Hybrid Fuzz is just a tad generic. But, in general, I think the potential broad appeal in these sounds still translates to a lot of possibilities.
Like many fuzz pedals, the two controls are very interactive and youāll likely need to tweak one after twisting the other to retain a similar output level. But the Hybrid Fuzz also interacts very well with the guitarās volume control, offering the dynamics and ease of adjustability that many seek and find in germanium Fuzz Faces, and find lacking in a silicon version.
The Verdict
The Hybrid Fuzz offers a very appealing new flavor of fuzz and an easily likable meeting point between germanium and silicon. Some players might seek the greater extremes of one or the other. But I imagine plenty more, in Goldilocks style, will find its gain, voice, and feel ājust right.ā
If filthy fuzz is your game, this cheeky stomp may well be your future Hall of Famer.
Cool variety of extreme/deviant fuzz tones. Nice dynamic capability at low gain settings. Fair price.
High gain settings can sacrifice articulation and introduce susceptibility to radio-frequency interference.
$139
Acorn Amplifiers F#%k Face
acornamps.com
What's with the cheeky name and graphics on Acorn Amplifiers' F#%k Face? Long story short: In 1989, the Fleer baseball-card company "accidentally" printed a short-lived card featuring Bill Ripken (Hall of Famer Cal Jr.'s less-known brother), hoisting a bat with "Fuck Face" scrawled on its butt. Besides being funny, the tie-in is that F#%k Face is inspired by the famous round 2-knob fuzz favored by Hendrix, Gilmour, and Eric Johnsonāonly it ups its progenitor's gain ante with three stages of filth courtesy of three 2N3904 silicon transistors.
I tested F#%k Face with a Stratocaster equipped with Fender Custom Shop '69 pickups, a Gibson '57 Classic-loaded Les Paul, a Tele with Curtis Novak single-coils, and an Eastwood Sidejack Baritone with Novak JM-WR pickups. Amps included a 1976 Fender Vibrolux Reverb, a KT66-driven Sound City SC30, a 6973-driven Goodsell Valpreaux 30, and a Fender Rumble 200.
Recorded into an Audient iD44 interface with no EQ-ing, compression, or effects.
Clip 1: Curtis Novak Tele-V bridge pickup into F#%k Face (level 4 o'clock, fuzz min) then a Sound City SC30 miked with a Royer R-121.
Clip 2: Curtis Novak JM-V neck pickup, then JM-V and Tele-V bridge,, then bridge position, into F#%k Face (level noon, fuzz min) then into a SoundBrut DrVa MkII, a Ground Control Tsukuyomi mid boost, an Anasounds Element reverb, and a Vibrolux Reverb miked with a Royer R-121.
Clip 3: Les Paul 57 Classic bridge pickup into F#%k Face (level 4 o'clock, fuzz min) then a Sound City SC30 miked with a Royer R-121.
Clip 4: Les Paul 57 Classic bridge pickup into F#%k Face (level moved from 10 o'clock to max, fuzz at max) then a Sound City SC30 miked with a Royer R-121.
Clip 5: Custom Shop '69 Strat bridge pickup into F#%k Face (level and fuzz at max) then into a SoundBrut DrVa MkII, a Ground Control Tsukuyomi mid boost, an Anasounds Element reverb, and a Fender Vibrolux Reverb miked with a Royer R-121 and a Fender Rumble 200 miked with an Audix D6.
Clip 6: Curtis Novak JM-WR bridge pickup into F#%k Face (level at 11 o'clock, fuzz at max) then into a SoundBrut DrVa MkII, a Ground Control Tsukuyomi mid boost, a Solidgoldfx Electrooman MkII, an Anasounds Element reverb, and a Fender Vibrolux Reverb miked with a Royer R-121 and a Fender Rumble 200 miked with an Audix D6.
Often Fat, Always Nasty
Cutting to the question undoubtedly at the fore of your own face, yes, F#%k Face is nasty. In many respects it reminds me of the vintage-Mosrite-inspired Jordan Fuzztiteāa silicon-transistor unit with a switchable high-gain mode that's been my go-to fuzz for years. Both units furnish buzzy, Velcro-y tones that are categorically not for the faint of heart. Put another way: If you're looking for sweetly singing Jimi leads, F#%k Face will do exactly as its name says.
Despite its lack of an EQ control, F#%k Face's tone profile shifts a bit, depending (primarily) on where its level knob is set. Unity gain tends to be anywhere from 10 o'clock to noon, and from there to about 2 o'clock, tones are more mid-dominant, while past 2 it becomes increasingly corpulent and low-mid heavy. In general, lower fuzz-knob settings are thin and spitty (I like the wasp-in-a-tin-can metaphor), while increasing gain past noon simultaneously smooths out the sound, focuses frequencies in the low and low-mid range, and introduces huge, frothing, effortlessly infinite steroidal cello sustain.
If you're looking for sweetly singing Jimi leads, F#%k Face will do exactly as its name says.
At higher gain settings, there were many times when F#%k Face's riotous rotundity felt a little too indistinct and same-y in any pickup position other than the bridge. This might lead one to surmise F#%k Face is for doomy folks. And at extreme settings, many will certainly miss the cushy attack dynamics you typically get from neck or middle pickups. But there's enough interactivity between the pedal's controls, and a decent enough ability to clean things up with guitar-volume tweaks, that you can still get some in-between flavors. A silver lining to this apparent "limitation" is that F#%k Face sounds very consistent from guitar to guitar, regardless of pickup type.
āThe Verdict
If you're a fuzz deviant like I am, F#%k Face offers a lot to be intrigued byāespecially in a stomp category where staid often seems to be the MO. My main wish while playing F#%k Face was that tone shifts were either a little more perceptible or more responsive to volume-knob tweaks at high gain settings. I loved that F#%k Face could make a Les Paul sound like an overloaded arcing Jacob's ladder. But sometimes the gain was so thick it was difficult to predict, rhythmically, how riffs or leads would come out the other end. (Granted, some might view that as a plus.) Interestingly, one of my favorite settings was fuzz at minimum and level at 3 or 4 o'clock, whichāwith my Tele volume down a tad and my Sound City SC30 dialed to a Vox-y recipeāyielded a responsive, bristlingly dynamic, and hyper-charged Kinks vibe.