The 1948 Fuzz ™ Germanium Fuzz

Extremely Pick Sensitive, Hand Made Germanium Fuzz with Matched Transistors. Big time Vintage Tones.

Handpicked germanium transistors for solid fuzz tone: I measure each germanium transistor individually and then choose the best ones. Then I design a custom supply circuit for each pedal so that it performs with a sound and tone that you can't find anywhere else.

Doesn’t lose guitar treble and preserves the full range of your wah wah before fuzz: I designed a special inline buffer that allows you to use a wah pedal before the fuzz which is ideal for full wah range. It can be switched off using a true bypass switch which enhances volume knob sensitivity.

The 1948 won’t lower your stage volume if you turn the fuzz down on the pedal. It has a second clean gain stage so that it can act as an overdrive with clean fuzz tones.

Extremely pick sensitive. Additionally, it cleans up real nice with the volume rolled back on your guitar. I designed it with an emphasis on playability and it uses a minimum of transistors in your signal path which highlights your guitar technique and nuances.

1948 Fuzz Specifications:

• 4.5 X 3 inches powder coated BB enclosure
• Control knobs for Fuzz, Volume, Level (Volume control after fuzz circuit), Buffer (True Bypass On/Off), Level Boost (True Bypass On/Off)
• Retro orange hammond box with purple graphics
• Pedal has been built with the highest quality parts available
• No power jack - 9V batteries are highly recommended. I can add a jack if you request it.

Some key features are:

• Hand selected germanium fuzz transistors. Sweet tone.
• Keep your treble with the WahSAFE FuzzSAFE guitar buffer with true bypass on/off
• Buffer is the same as the individual Clarionix Buffer that I also make and sell
• Dial in new shades of fuzz with Volume Level Boost transparent gain stage after fuzz
• Be Expressive - Extremely responsive to both pick attack and guitar volume
• Completely analog design. Germanium transistor based fuzz circuit.
• No tone sucking. High input impedance and low output impedance
• LED indicator when pedal is on
• True Bypass input and output (Will not load other pedals when off)
• Powder coated enclosure with handmade screen printed graphics
• Handcrafted in USA
• Comes with ScreaminFX return policy - full refund if you email me and then return like new within 30 days. I think it is really important to try it with your own rig.

I wanted to design a pedal that would have that true vintage fuzz sound but at the same time fix some of the things I don’t like about Fuzz pedals. I start by hand selecting old germanium transistors and measure each one individually. Then, I select ones with the correct gain and frequency response to make the best fuzz possible. I then put together the main Fuzz circuit which is based on the original Fuzz Face, but I hand tune the resistors in each guitar pedal so that the sound for every one is exactly how I want it. This is why they cost more; I have to individually hand tune each pedal. However, they can be custom tailored as well for a specific sound (more or less gain etc etc).

Additionally, it uses very few transistors (only 4 at the max) which means that your subtle inflections and guitar playing style will come through. You will love it.

Then, I fix the main two problems in Fuzz Pedals. This is what makes my pedals stand out, especially to people who are fuzz fanatics:

First Problem Fixed: Fuzz Pedals don't sound great with other pedals in front of them, especially a Wah Wah. Solution: I made a custom buffer called FuzzSAFE™ and WahSAFE™ that works extremely well with my 1948 Fuzz Pedal. It adds a little more treble that you were losing. Additionally, you can put other pedals in front and you don't have to worry about the Fuzz sound going south and sounding terrible. It sounds awesome, especially with a Wah Wah because you can get a full Wah range that you normally miss out on. This buffer is attached with a true bypass switch, so when its off, its off and not in your guitar path.

Second Problem: When you turn on a Fuzz, it is often not as loud as your stage volume. Solution: I hate pedals that aren't loud enough, so with my Fuzz pedals I added a clean gain stage that doesn't alter the fuzz sound over most of the range unless if is used as an overdriver. It is designed for a 6dB boost, which is a lot of clean boost. You can make the 1948 Fuzz as loud as you want and never loose your stage level. Additionally, because you can make it so loud, you can turn down the actual fuzz circuit and get new overdrive sounds that were unachievable at stage volume levels before. This clean boost is attached with a true bypass switch, so when its off, its off and not in your guitar path.

A note about the power supply: The way the guitar signal of a Fuzz pedal sees ground is through both the ground and the power supply. For these old vintage pedals, I just don't think they sound right if you use a power supply to power them. Instead, I highly recommend just running it off of a battery and I do not put a power jack on this pedal. I can add one if you really want though. However, this pedal consumes very little power (less than 4mA!) and will last for many hours (>100 hours) on a single battery. My personal preference is to use a cheap battery from the dollar store. I use Sunbeam brand and they are normally two for a dollar.

Please note this sometimes takes a little longer to build and ship to you because of the transistor selection process. There can be a waiting list. Pease contact me if you have any questions but I can usually get them shipped within a week.

30 Day No Hassle Money Back! You need to try the pedals on your rig at home or on stage. If you buy one and it is not for you, please send it back unharmed and I will refund the purchase price no problem.

"I really dig your fuzz pedals too!! That germanium matched transistors!! Sick!!"  Eric from Suenalo

"I have to tell you the 1948 is amazing. The boost and buffer takes it to a level I have not found. And I have owned countless brands from the oldest vintage to the newest and most costly. It has bumped my recent favorite off the board and secured a spot as my main screamin lady!" Nick D from PapaNut Blues Band

More Will be Added soon