Z.Cat Fuzz Germanium

This is the classic fuzz 3 fuzz buttons (amount of gain), tone, volume.

The design is solid, the case looks like two drops of water to those that have been aluminum for DIY projects Musikding kind. But the paint is thick and nice rendering, all in a very compact body.

The interior reveals a small printed with micro-circuit components (yes for the price you will not have 100% of the non-vintage!). The knobs are welded to the passover, but they are solidements screw with nut on the chassis: safe to use or removal have the slightest concern for maintenance or power of touch buttons. It's tough.
Plus, it is obviously two big carefully selected germanium transistors that fit the beast, that's what gives his soul!

I put 8 because you need to know some specifics related to the germanium to not be disappointed.

UTILIZATION

The knobs respond well, there is a good supply of volume (I rarely makes more than the first third), the tone is effective and can adapt between single and double pickups. I often set the tone up with its simple enough to have a "open".

But for many deaf and ultimately more discrete fuzz in the mix, it also works.

The gain is not huge, it remains the germanium fuzz: we do not do the big feedback with less than a TS like to stick to side or any other overdrive (in pedal or even better than a tube amp) . Indeed, with an average overdrive pedal allows for once to have really bad sound. In short, a homogeneous pedal without extreme settings.

Warning, this is a germanium fuzz: the ideal use is directly between the guitar and the amp (or in a dedicated loop) to get the best. In a string of classic effect, like any pedal germanium better place first thing in the chain does not have its rendered totally crushed (buffers of other pedals and impedance changes will totally annihilate his otherwise). For use with wah: either have a suitable buffer (such as the one you put with his wah to play with a face fazz germanium), or leave the fuzz before

SOUND QUALITY

Whether in single or dual microphones found this why we took a germanium fuzz: heat and grain!

It really has the vintage side of germanium: it is grainy, with the right settings it can be greasy, always warm (never very showy side transistor fuzz like big muff). It is kind of soft fuzz satisfaction Stones a big, dirty fuzz with overdrive upstream.
Personally I like to use it with tube amp already pushed for a stoner's rather dirty, dark and deep enough in timbre.

OVERALL OPINION

For the price, whether new or secondhand, it's really a great effect!

Easy to use (as long as you pay attention to its placement in the chain), not very versatile settings but the SOUND is really there, typed, original, warm. With a distortion or overdrive can really have a wide range of sounds because the interaction went well with all my other pedals and amps.

Not yet tested other pedals brand but this first preview is VERY tempting A great value for this unknown brand in France. I inquired about shipping costs for an online purchase of a Q-mod: response in the half-hour, 7 euros for sending, that you ask for!