DOD says the Chthonic Fuzz is voiced for low-output pickups, and it’s easy to see how its gain structure and tone profile would work in that scheme. A quieter guitar leaves more headroom for more gain from your fuzz, and you can crank the fuzz here while operating your guitar wide open, too. The lower overall output volume, incidentally, did not push my amps in a way that left me wanting. It isn’t exclusively for low output pickups, either. A SG and Fender Tremolux turned up to eight sounded colossal, if a little toppy. If you’re looking for tonal reference, a 3-knob Tone Bender nudged to its bassier side and running at lower output volume is a close match. It’s grindier in the midrange than a Fuzz Face, and has little of a Big Muff’s low-end thunk or raw horsepower. What’s awesome about the Chthonic Fuzz is that I didn’t find many obvious parallels, and it’s really nice to try a new restaurant every once in a while.
The allure of that original overdrive had a lot to do with a very specific “secret” germanium diode, dubbed “unobtanium” by the original creator, Bill Finnegan. It was said that these diodes were the heartbeat of the coveted tone, but they had run out long ago. Despite this Wampler fans have been asking Brian to create a Tumnus using the exact vintage diode from the original.
After a massive hunt, Brian found a small stash of these elusive diodes and used them to create a limited-edition run of pedals - the Germanium Tumnus. This pedal will satisfy both the pedal connoisseur and those seeking a new workhorse on their board. The Germanium Tumnus retains all the usability of its golden sibling but introduces an extra level of aggression, an “Alien Silver” finish, and premium red anodized knobs.
The Germanium Tumnus’s streamlined 3 control knobs (Volume, Gain, and Treble) are designed to allow you to quickly dial in your tones. Set the gain around 9 o’clock for a beautiful smooth overdriven boost and at noon for a fuller-voiced, meaty drive. Turn the gain all the way up for a brutal, yet creamy overdriven tone.
Stack it with another pedal to help push or shape the total amount of gain, use it as a standalone overdrive, or as a slightly dirty boost to push the front end of your amp over the edge. Just like the original Klon, this pedal is not a “true bypass”.
This edition is steeped in a level of exclusivity with a tone that’s set to become legendary. This stash of “secret diodes” is limited, giving you a rare opportunity to own a piece of tone-shaping history. But once they’re gone, they’re gone and this pedal will be discontinued.
Features
- Built-in USA
- High-grade components selected for superior sound and response
- Special edition of Wampler’s best-selling Tumnus Overdrive
- Volume, Gain, Treble controls
- Premium textured “Alien Silver” finish and anodized controls
- Vintage-specification clipping diodes for extra bite and sizzle
- Dimensions: 1.3” x 3.6” x 2” in size (38mm x 63.5mm x 50mm)
- Power draw: 19mA at 9V
- 9V power jack – DC supply only, no battery connection within
- Includes a limited 5-year warranty
- Wampler-quality construction
