28 Stompboxes Reviewed
By Chris Burgess, Kenny Rardin, Michael Ross, Sean O’Brien Smith, Dirk Wacker,
Gary Guzman, Jordan Wagner, Dan Berkowitz and Adam Moore
Fuzzes
Mad Professor Fire Red Fuzz
Hailing from the taiga forests and icy
climes of Finland, Mad Professor’s Fire
Red Fuzz brings some European civility to
the down and dirty world of fuzz boxes.
Featuring three white knobs—Volume,
Tone and Fuzz—atop a (heavily built)
fire engine red box, the first thing you’ll
notice is that this pedal would be exceptionally easy to identify on a dark stage.
The second thing you’ll notice is that
this silicon-powered circuit is quite the
chameleon, all thanks to an understated
Tone control.
With the control set at 8 o’ clock, the Fire
Red Fuzz produces a deep, mellow fuzz
reminiscent of a classic rock festival; turning the Tone to noon provides a slight
midcut and a modern tonality; rotating it
all the way to the right rewards users with
a bright, electric wire tonality, perfect for
cutting sharp solos (I should mention that
it never became too biting or thin). While
the Fuzz knob can itself provide a broad
range of thickness, from a subtle fuzz
around the perimeter to a crushing wall of
bricks, the rate of return ultimately drops
off after 2 o’clock, with some of that early
nuance disappearing. That said, this pedal
has to be one of the most versatile fuzzes
I’ve played with, and I frequently found
myself clicking it on, even with an array of
other fuzzes and ODs at my feet.
There’s plenty of volume to be had here,
the Fire Red Fuzz features a deeply compressed sound at every point and sustain
for days. Although the current weakness
of the dollar has effectively positioned this
offering from Mad Professor at the top
end of the boutique price scale, if you’re
looking for a versatile, great sounding
fuzz, you would definitely be wise to look
here. – AM
Buy if... you want a versatile fuzz that can
cover a lot of ground.
Skip if... you’re a noise aficionado.
Rating...
4. 5
MSRP $347
Mad Professor
mpamp.com
