oD- 1, Super Fuzz,
and oD-Fuzz
bLACk CAt
The knob on the left is your Balance. This
controls the amount of fuzz you want to
add to your signal. The knob on the right is
the Expander, which controls your volume.
In the middle, you have a Tone selector
switch that allows you to go back and forth
between a warmer, fuzz-meets-Octavia
sound and an interesting notched lead tone
with sharper teeth.
This particular pedal may not get as much
ear time as some other pedals on your
pedalboard, but there’s nothing like being
able to whip out these tones when you
need them. It’s a classic sound, and this
pedal does it quite well. While the Tone
selector in the right-hand position wasn’t
my fave, it worked well in conjunction
with other overdrive pedals. It’ll take your
smooth, run-of-the-mill overdrive pedal and
kick it up a notch with glorious overtones.
The left position is full of awesome and
sounds great all by itself. It’s “The Sound.”
You can get beautiful upper octaves with
as much or as little dirt as you want. It’s
very musical, and once you find that sweet
spot in your guitar’s volume control, all
things are possible. Pedals like these crave
Rating:
OD- 1
you want to dabble in
the fuzz arena.
Buy If...
Skip If...
you need a fuzz that can give
you a clean boost.
Black Cat Pedals
Street $150
blackcatpedals.com
CLICKHere…
or use a mobile
device to read
this QR code to
hear sound samples of the OD- 1
in action at
premierguitar.com/jun2010
154 PrEmIEr GuITar JunE 2010
experimentation, and this particular version
is top-notch all the way around.
OD-Fuzz
The Black Cat OD-Fuzz basically takes the
Black Cat OD- 1 and a silicon Fuzz Face and
puts them into one convenient little package. The button on the left selects the Drive
channel, which is basically the OD- 1 sound.
The button on the right unleashes traditional
fuzz. These sounds can work independently
or be combined. The Drive channel has Drive
and Volume knobs, while the Fuzz channel
has Fuzz and Volume knobs. When both
channels are engaged, the Volume knob on
the Drive channel acts as a master volume.
Separate LEDs let you know what’s on or off.
The Drive channel sounds more fuzz-like than
a tight, metal-style distortion or overdrive.
Cork sniffers can debate semantics and the
technical differences between distortion,
fuzz, and overdrive, but the OD- 1 is closer to
AC/DC than Symphony X. The Fuzz channel
nails that old-school fuzz sound in the best
way possible. So, essentially, you get two different types of fuzz tones in one box—and
you get the ability to mix them together.
Rating:
Super Fuzz
you love Band of
Gypsys-era Hendrix.
Buy If...
Skip If...
you hate that sound.
Black Cat Pedals
Street $195
blackcatpedals.com
or use a mobile
device to read
this QR code
to hear sound
samples of the
The Super Fuzz
in action at
CLICKHere…
premierguitar.com/jun2010
The Fuzz channel is everything one could
want. I found all the warm, craggy, muscular
Eric Johnson sounds and time traveled back
to Woodstock just in time for the Hendrix
set. It’s one of the most authentic-sounding
fuzz pedals I’ve ever had the pleasure to
play. When you engage both channels, massive tonal thickness ensues. There can be
mayhem, but the havoc can be easily tamed
and bent to your sonic will. I liked its overall
smoothness and adjustability. And I’m sure
that using a dimed Black Cat OD-Fuzz with
a slightly dirty amp could yield wonderful
things at your next earthy rock gig.
The Final Mojo
Fuzz tones aren’t for everybody. But for guitarists who like to live in that world, Black Cat
gets a big thumbs up for making some great-sounding, reasonably affordable pedals. They
sound expensive, look great, but won’t send
you to the poorhouse. What these pedals have
in common is a lushness, articulation, and sonic
detail that you would assume are available only
to rich, first-call session cats. It’s no wonder
guys like Michael Landau, Trey Anastasio, and
Steve Lukather use Black Cat stomps.
OD-Fuzz
Rating:
fuzz tones are a way of
life for you.
Buy If...
Skip If...
you don’t need the ability to
wreak extreme havoc.
Black Cat Pedals
Street $210
blackcatpedals.com
or use a mobile
device to read
this QR code
to hear sound
samples of the
OD-Fuzz in
action at
CLICKHere…
