Zvex Guitar Effects

There aren't many ringtone modulators out there like this, so this pedal is pretty unique in terms of what it does. Basically, it generates a signal with each of the small miniature pots. You can tune those pots to whatever frequency you want and create this musical ... noise. It has eight different pots to tune, a switch to select between how you want to select the frequencies, a speed knob to run through the different frequencies at your desired speed and a hidden pot underneath to allow you to mix the original amp signal with the ringtone modulator's signal. UTILIZATION Zvex really outdid himself with this pedal. There's so much going on inside this tiny box, but it's all easy to use and handle. Simply select a pot and turn it to whatever frequency you want. It's really that simple. The manual is decent in terms of what it does, but I find it's best to just play with this pedal as there aren't too many things like it out there. Most ringmods simply have one or a few frequencies, but this has tons of them to choose from. Be sure to check out Zvex's video on this pedal. SOUND QUALITY The pedal really does sound great. You can get all kinds of bizarre and unique sounds with this pedal, just like most Zvex pedals out there. The coolest feature I've found is the ability to let the pedal run through the frequencies at the speed you're looking for. This allows you to play a phrase and not have to keep hitting the pedal every time you want to change it. Very trick. The actual frequencies have some nice sweep going on, and you can get some interesting sine wave-esque tones going on. The randomized feature is a bit bizarre, but that's mostly just for random noise. OVERALL OPINION If you've never tried a ring modulator before, check this pedal out. It's one of the kings of the ring modulator world, and the features it has packed inside this little box are ridiculous ... in a good way. The price is a bit expensive, so I recommend trying to buy one used if you can. Also, be sure to watch Zvex's various videos on this pedal if you've never actually heard a ringmod before.

I bought one of these pedals a few years ago. I wanted to get a tone from a fuzz box similar to what I like about the Big Muff but with a few more options. Well after about 30 seconds with the pedal I found out it doesn't anything like a Big Muff. It wasn't very thick and warm. To me the sound was thin and metallic and not very pleasing to the ear. It had a unpleasant buzzing sound to the tone that I really didn't care for. UTILIZATION The Fuzz Factory from ZVex is a 5-knob fuzz pedal with 2 old-stock '60s germanium transistors. Though the circuit isn't modeled after any one specific classic fuzz effect, it delivers tones straight out of the 1960s. These 5 knobs control the Fuzz Factory's parameters at various operating levels, letting you shape your own personalized fuzz. ZVex designed the Fuzz Factory to consume less energy than other effects pedals. When on, the Fuzz Factory's current is less than 3 mA. This fuzz pedal is hand-painted and assembled by hand too so each is unique. Includes a 9V DC power jack and green on/off LED. ZVex Fuzz Factory Controls Volume: Output level Gate: Squelches noise after end of sustain. Turn to the right to eliminate squeals, hiss, and buzz, stopping just as they disappear, or use to tune in exact feedback pitch. Turning to the left opens gate. Compress: Adds attack characteristic when turned to the left, which gets softer to right, and suddenly pinches tone when all the way right. Also tunes in fat, feedbacky fuzz. Lower the Stability and see what happens to this control. Drive: Increases distortion when used as a "normal" fuzz and adjusts feedback pitch and tonal thickness. Stability: Use to control feedback pitch. This is one of the pedal's more finicky controls, so it will take some experimentation to get it right. SOUND QUALITY I was not a fan of the sound as I had previously mentioned. I was recording with the unit and I did get a fun usable oscillating feedback noise that tracked very well. But the overall tone of the unit was not what I wanted. If you want to know how this thing sound in a recording situation then listen to the band Muse and the song "Plug in Baby". The opening guitar riff is all Fuzz Factory. I have to say that the pedal tracks quite well. And if you are going for a sound that is unlike most distortion boxes then this pedal might be up your alley. OVERALL OPINION I am just not a fan of how this thing sounds. I don't find it to be very pleasing to my ears. Many people like the unit and it is for some, just not me. If you want a thinner sounding fuzz tone instead of the thick meaty tone of the Big Muff then this might be your pedal. I'm just so used to the Big Muff as far as the standard of fuzz pedals that this unit didn't please me. At new they come in at around $300 for the hand painted, They have other versions of that the hand painted that come much less in price but with the circuit inside.

The Zvex Super Duper is a two in one booster and overdrive pedal for electric guitar. It's an analog pedal that has the basic make up of 1/4" connections for input and output and requires nine volt power from a battery. It's not rackable as it's a stomp box to be engaged by your foot while you're playing. UTILIZATION The make up of the Zvex Super Duper makes it really easy to use. The first and second channels have almost the same circuitry, but the second channel has a master volume knob in addition that gives it all the more gain. Each just has a gain knob as well as the master volume knob that is present in the second channel. It's possible to have each one on or off independently as well as use the two of them together. Each has it's own foot switch. The pedal shouldn't require a manual for use as it's really simple to get the hang of it. SOUND QUALITY The sound of the Zvex Super Duper can vary quite a bit, from giving you a really subtle drive boost to full on mayhem. It's possible to get some wild drive sounds out of this, but I really like it for subtle boosting for leads and such. The best part about it has to be it's versatility, as you can do a lot of things in it since it's really got two drives in one. Each of the two channels are somewhat unique, as the master volume knob adds a lot to the second channel. It's when the two of them are engaged together where you really can make some noise... OVERALL OPINION The Zvex Super Duper pedal is a really cool one for those who like versatile booster/overdrive pedals. It's super easy to use and it's not at all hard to get a wide collection of different sounds between the two channels. It's also got true bypass so no worries when it's not engaged or at lower volumes. The price isn't cheap but it's about right for a two channel pedal for this type. Probably a bit out of the price range for amateurs, but semi-professionals and professionals definitely need to check this one out.