ZVEX VERTICAL VEXTER FUZZ FACTORY GUITAR EFFECTS PEDAL

Packed with knobs that let you control everything from tight, radically fuzzy sounds that gate off instantly when you stop playing, to intermodulating oscillations that fight for control of your guitar as your notes decay, to shortwave radio sounds, ripping velcro and octave-like fuzz.

VERTICAL VEXTER FUZZ FACTORY

The original ZVex Fuzz Factory is considered by many, myself included, to be a modern-day classic fuzz pedal. Everyone will recognise its extreme, gated, ‘velcro’ tones from hits like Muse’s song “Plug In Baby”.

The one and only issue with the original pedal was the format, as it never played nicely with a regular layout on your pedal board. That’s because it is a ‘landscape’ format unit which doesn’t sit well with standard ‘portrait’ pedals like those by Boss and many others. I always have my Fuzz Factory sideways on my pedal board layout, so I can squeeze it in nicely.

Zachary Vex, the owner of ZVex and pedal designer extraordinaire has finally seen sense and released a more ‘regular’ format for his fuzz. I think this is a sensible move, and one which those players will appreciate who were put off the original by the size and orientation – no excuses now.

VEXTER

Being a ‘Vexter’ edition, this Fuzz Factory has a screen-printed exterior, unlike the original pedals, which were hand painted. It comes in at USD 199, making it a fair bit cheaper than the regular Fuzz Factory, which costs USD 319 each. So you can save money and pedal board space with this new edition.

Controls

• VOLUME: Output Level
• GATE: Squelches noise after end of sustain. Turn to right to eliminatesqueals, hiss and buzz, stopping just as they disappear, or useto tune in exact feedback pitch, if you’re that kind. Turning to leftopens gate.
• COMPRESS: Adds attack characteristic when turned to left, which gets softerto right, and suddenly pinches tone when all the way right. Alsouse to tune in fat feedback fuzz, if you’re that kind. Lower theStability and see what happens to this control.
• DRIVE: Increases distortion when used as a “normal” fuzz and adjustsfeedback pitch and tonal thickness, if you’re that kind. This controlbecomes meaningless when Compress is all the way right.
• STAB: Use all the way right. Do not adjust this control below 2:00, unlessyou like your fuzz soft and squishy. Use to control feedbackpitch.

• Type: Fuzz
• Controls: Vol, Gate, Comp, Drive, Stab
• Power: 9v DC / battery (not included)
• Bypass: True Bypass