The ThorpyFX EAO gives the Burns Buzzaround its untamed voice back
EAO stands for Explodes All at Once, and with this ThorpyFX fuzz, that is no modest name. Adrian Thorpe based the pedal on one of his favorite germanium circuits: the Burns Buzzaround. After earlier hand-wired versions, he housed the design in the compact Thorpy enclosure. Three NOS PNP germanium transistors, an NOS germanium diode, and a built-in transformer form the core. The result is distinctly vintage in character, but practically usable on a modern pedalboard.
Do not expect subtle edge distortion that neatly rolls back to a clean sound. The EAO is made for pronounced fuzz, with long, almost violin-like sustain and a wide range of texture. Sustain and Bias affect each other: from thinner and sputterier to a full, growling sound with lots of gain. Tone shifts the emphasis from thick and bass-heavy to sharp and treble-focused. That mutual interaction makes experimenting worthwhile, especially when you are looking for a lead sound that keeps singing or want to give chords a solid dose of grit.
The four controls are Sustain, Tone, Volume, and Bias. Volume works as a master to balance the sometimes forceful output levels. Thanks to the built-in transformer, the placement in your effect chain is less critical; so feel free to try different positions. The pedal has true bypass and mono jack-in and -out. The enclosure measures 65 by 125 by 53 millimeters, including knobs. Power it exclusively with 9V DC, negative center pin, and a 2.1mm connection; the consumption is 25 mA and battery power is not possible. An uncompromising fuzz pedal for those who do not want to smooth out their sound.
