Big John Hairy Balls

Big John is a Belgian boutique pedal maker. They are known for their interesting pedal names and graphics as you can tell. This pedal is half fuzz half boost and all balls. On the face of the pedal you have a boost knob a volume knob and a gate knob. The switches either activate the boost function or the fuzz function. There is a light indicating which function is on. The green light indicates the fuzz is on and the red light indicates the boost is active. The gate knob adds a subtle phaser or synth effect to the gain it is pretty interesting. The volume knob controls how much fuzz you get from the pedal.

UTILIZATION

This pedal is pretty easy to use. The boost knob is oversized compared to the other knobs on the pedal so it is very easy to adjust on the fly with your foot. The chassis is made of sturdy metal and is very strong. Inside the pedal is nice and neat as you would expect from a boutique pedal like this.

SOUND QUALITY

Without the fuzz enabled it can give a nice crispy boost sound. The boost feature adds plenty of bite and low end to the sound. With the boost knob dimed the sound gets pretty chunky. The fuzz function adds that sour fuzz sound everyone knows. The boost function can be added to the fuzz to thicken up the fuzz sound. The synth sound the gate knob gives is pretty interesting but I dont know if I would ever use it. It is a pretty unique sound and reminds me of some electroharmonix stuff.

OVERALL OPINION

You have to buy these pedals direct from Belgium and they are pretty pricey. They are about 150 euros. For that you get a pedal with a tone you wont find any where else. Its a clean boost that can fuzz your face up or make you sound like a synth. The pedal is over the top crazy and if you are into these pedals you will love it.