We recently acquired a pedal to review called the Angry Jeff made by TSVG Pedals. What kind of pedal is it, you ask? Well, it’s a fuzz that has germanium transistors. Here is what the pedal looks like:
As you can see, there is a cool wolf on the front, which is fitting since this fuzz really howls. Lets talk about what the dials do. From left to right: Volume, Fuzz/Drive, and Bias. While the first two are self-explanitory, some might ask what the Bias control does. One way to describe it is that it changes the dynamics of the fuzz, how it reacts, its compression, and clipping. TSVG says that turning it all the way clockwise will make for more gated fuzz tones, while turned counter-clockwise will give a much more raw fuzz. I like the fact that it is a dial, so there are a ton of possibilities depending on how you feel in that particular moment.
Now lets get to the sound of the pedal. I must say, I’m very very impressed. It sounds exactly how you would think a germanium fuzz should sound. Fat, wolfy, roaring, warm, with the right amount of compression. It definitely has the ’60s vibe to it with a more creamy-like breakup. Some might find this pedal to be dark sounding, but that really is the character of germanium transistors. It does get dark with the fuzz and volume all the way up, so it makes for a good opportunity to switch to the bridge pickup.
With the fuzz and volume up, you can get some incredible controlled feedback. Just hold a high note with some vibrato, and hear how it changes into ear-pleasing feedback that is actually controllable. With the fuzz and volume maxed, it almost feels like your guitar tone is on fire, or searing if that makes sense.
I really like how well this pedal cleans up with your guitar’s volume knob. You can get a whole range of tones from relatively clean, to loads of fuzz and everything in between with just your volume knob. This really makes for some great opportunities in your solos, as you can change the tone/sustain on the fly without clicking on pedals.
Turning the fuzz knob all the way off, and keeping the volume high makes for some interesting tones. You can get some really cool sounding cleans if you do this and have your guitar’s volume rolled off a bit. Think of the term ‘pushed cleans’, which is really nice to have a good clean tone, but with excellent touch sensitivity to play quickly.
Lets talk a little more about the Bias control. This feature really makes this pedal a major player in the fuzz category. Why? Well, because you can really change the flavor of the fuzz with this control, it is kind of like having 5 different germanium fuzz pedals. It really offers so much versatility. It also is great if you have many different electric guitars that react differently to pedals.
Overall, the Angry Jeff is an amazing fuzz! You can definitely get some Hendrix tones as well as Cream-era Clapton tones. Again, with the Bias control, you can really cop many fuzz tones from your favorite guitar heroes, or create your own sound. I just love how this pedal screams, as it really makes people pay attention to your solos, and that warmth.. it just feels so big. And lets face it, no one wants a thin-sounding guitar solo. At the end of the day, I can’t believe the Angry Jeff Fuzz is only $155. A steal for a boutique pedal, I must say. Kudos to TSVG.