EarthQuaker Devices ErupterPerfect Fuzz Guitar Effects Pedal

ULTIMATEFUZZ TONE

Canwe ask you a serious question? When’s the last time you turned up yourfavorite fuzz pedal to anything but eleven? If there’s one true thingabout rock n’ roll, it’s that it sounds best cranked all the way up.But where do we go from here? We go one louder. Enter the Erupter.

TheErupter is the result of over two years’ worth of tone-chasing,tweaking, and experimentation in search of the ultimate classic fuzztone with a big low end (but not too mushy), a biting top end withoutbeing too harsh, and just enough output to politely send a tube ampover the top.

Weused every trick in the book to craft a classic fuzz Device that soundsgood with any pickup type, anywhere in the chain (even before a wahpedal!) without any tone-sucking impedance mismatching. We build eachErupter with a buffered input section, transformer-based pickupsimulation, new production 5% ½ watt carbon composition resistors,metallized polyester film capacitors, Sprague and BC electrolyticcapacitors, and low-gain, hand-matched NOS silicon transistors todeliver a well-rounded and defined fuzz tone with just enough pummelingintensity, so you can rock n’ roll all night and still get to bed at areasonable hour.

TheErupter’s simple control set stands in stark relief of its rigorousdesign process, and believe us, we tried everything. Adding controls,removing controls, measuring resistors, swapping transistors, tryingdifferent capacitor values, rolling dice, throwing darts at transformerspec sheets on the wall… Heck, we would have done WilliamBurroughs-style circuit board cut-ups if we thought it would’ve worked.If it’s good enough for the Stones, it’s gotta be good enough for us,right?

Anywho,what we finally landed on is a super-simple single knob setup thatallows you to bias the Erupter’s NOS silicon transistors for theperfect sound and feel, while still being touch responsive and cleaningup nicely when you roll back the guitar’s volume and tone controls.

Low“Bias” settings yield a rude, spongy fuzz tone with plenty of sag and ablossoming attack envelope that’s gated without entering “dyingbattery” territory. As the “Bias” control is increased, additionalharmonics stack atop the input signal, producing a stiffer, morecomplex fuzz tone with a tighter response, increased output, and longersustain. We had a custom center-detent pot made to fit the requiredresistance for the Erupter. When the Bias control is set at noon youwill feel a little click. That means the pedal is perfectly biased togive the best possible fuzz tone.

TheErupter uses a fixed master output level and gain setting for thethickest fuzz possible and to push the full frequency range of theguitar out front when you kick it on. And we do hope you’ll kick it onoften.

Eachand every Erupter is built by the hands of real-life dream warriors inthe foothills of Mt. Akron, Ohio.

Controls

Bias: Thiscontrol has a center detent for the "perfect" fuzz setting. When in thecenter position, the tone will be big and round with a slight volumeboost and great sustain. As you turn this counter clockwise it becomesmore gated with lower output. As you turn this clockwise it becomeslouder and more refined.

Measures

4.625″x 2.6″ x 2.25″ with knob

Power

TheErupter can be powered by a 9v battery or a standard 9-volt DC powersupply with a 2.1 mm negative center barrel. We always recommendpedal-specific, transformer-­isolated wall-wart power supplies ormultiple isolated­-output supplies. Pedals will make extra noise ifthere is ripple or unclean power. Switching-type power supplies, daisychains and non-pedal specific power supplies do not filter dirty poweras well and let through unwanted noise. Do not run at higher voltages!

Currentdraw is 15 mA.

Inputimpedance

500K

Outputimpedance

>1K

Switching

Thisdevice is true bypass and uses electronic relay based switching. Audiowill not pass without power.