Flatiron Fuzz

The Flatiron Fuzz is an analog, op-amp based fuzz/distortion pedal built around a circuit in the style of late-1970s distortion designs. It uses symmetrical hard clipping and is presented as Electro-Harmonix's alternative to the RAT2. At low drive settings it stays fairly clean with a mild distortion, while higher settings give thicker, sustained tones. Turning down the guitar's volume cleans the sound up, though not completely.

Three controls shape the sound: Volume sets output level, Drive sets the input gain into the fuzz circuit (sustain and distortion), and Filter is a low-pass filter with a variable cut-off that tames the highs emphasised by the fuzz stage, from dark to raunchy. A footswitch toggles effect and bypass, with an LED showing when the effect is engaged.

The pedal is mono, with a 1/4" input jack and a 1/4" amp jack as the output, which connects to the next effect or an amplifier. It uses true bypass, runs from a supplied 9V battery or an optional 9.6VDC adapter (sold separately), and has a compact, pedalboard-friendly enclosure.