32 of the Best Mini Fuzz Pedals - 2022 Ultimate Selection

Controls - Volume, Fuzz, Clip, Tone.

A great little angry Super Fuzz style fuzz - can get really buzzy and aggressive, and is quite different to some of those smoother and warmer affairs like the excellent Loe Sounds variety. This is a cool little spiky fuzz which you need to dial in diligently to tame its wild output!

Controls - Level, Drive, Tone.

A cool Ram's Head Mini Muff - going back to a time when Mini Fuzzes were still in their infancy. I prefer my Muff with an additional Mids control - while the output here is still pretty authentic. Mini Muffs are far more complicated to make than Mini Fuzz Faces because of their much larger component count - back then there weren't many Mini Muffs around - while we seem to have quite a few nowadays!

Controls - Output, Tone, Fuzz.

I caught the Dunlop / MXR Hendrix '69 Psych Series just in time - almost literally buying up the last remaining brand new pedal of each of the 4 types issued. Some of them are a little more SMD than the others - where overall the Fuzz Face is probably the best of the bunch, while the Band of Gypsys and Octavio sound pretty authentic too even with those SMD components. The Fuzz Face alone uses proper NOS full-size metal can transistors. These are still pretty solidly made though - and it really is worthwhile owning the entire series.

Controls - Volume, Transistors : SI (BC108) / GE (NTE158), Buffer : On/Off.

This Mini Fuzz Face is quite a revelation - packing in 2 pairs of Silicon BC108 and Germanium NTE158 metal can transistors. When I originally saw the pedal I was convinced the Silicon / Germanium switch involved some kind of smart diode switching - but what you get is actually full size proper component. And it sounds all the better for it. This is the only Mini Fuzz Face that I'm aware of that will deliver both Type I and Type II Fuzz Face varieties.

Controls - Level, Fuzz, Octave : On/Off.

The Octavio / Octavia is no slouch either and completes this Dunlop / MXR Trio nicely. I have several preferred Octave Fuzzes, but this one's still pretty decent. I think the 3 '69 Psych Series fuzzes are well worth having as a collection - where the Fuzz Face is particularly impressive, and the Band of Gypsys and Octavio are pretty much on a par. I obviously like extended range pedals with extra features and the Fuzz Face certainly delivers a little more than these other two - pricing ir very reasonable though.

Controls - Volume, Contour.

Before the Free Fall Diver Huge this was my first Mini Fuzz Holy Grail mission - and took almost as long to secure. This is an extreme variation of Silicon Fuzz Face known as the Os Mutantes Regulus VII - notable this Wee Beaver variety is also the fuzz that powered the Chase Bliss / Abracadabra Audio Ayahuasca Trem Fuzz. It can get really thick and aggressive - and has a huge range on those two simple dials. Just a really visceral Mini Fuzz which is one of the very best you can get.

Controls - Voice : Fuzzy Drive / Fat Fuzz, Gain, Tone, Volume.

This really cool Mini Fuzz was the mainstay of my earliest pedal-chains. It's really versatile and can get you into both Fuzz Face and Muff style tones. Before the Clusterfuzz this would probably be my favourite super versatile Mini Fuzz - it's opamp base as far as I recall - but has amazing range covered by those 4 wee controls!

Controls - Gain, Level, Tone, Mode - I Crunch / II Overdrive / III Distortion / IV Forbidden Fuzz.

This is the first fuzz here not yet available - and this has been a passion project for good friend Guillem Vilademunt of Decibelics - which has spent nearly 2 years now not just miniaturising the circuit to fit in a small enclosure - while still using premium components. The tricky challenge is not just being able to do the circuit in miniature - but to deliver the best varieties of each of those Modes. I own several Expandoras, and some tow the lower gain voicings really well but not the higher gain varieties, and for others it's the other way around. The skill is to have all 4 Modes - Crunch, Overdrive, Distortion and Forbidden Fuzz sound exceptional - which I believe Guillem has at last perfected. I believe this is not just the first Mini Expandora - but the first Expandora to get all 4 modes sounding just right! Obviously no demos available for this yet - and official launch is still probably a month or so away!

Controls - Volume, Fuzz, Girth.

As you would expect from Fortin - this is a suitably doomy heavy grinding fuzz - which needs to be cranked on all dials to really deliver the full force of that output. It's its own thing really - a sort of metal fuzz, with the low-end you get on a Meathead but with a somewhat grungier texture. I feel this mostly does one thing really well - and much like the Heavy Metal - the signature sound is surely with all controls dimed.

Controls - Volume, Sustain, Tone.

This is the Fuzz that I've had to chase for the longest time - nearly 4 years I think as there are none for sale outside of Japan typically. I paid slightly over list price to secure a pristine used one - of course from Japan. This is just one of my favourite all-time fuzzes - so satisfactory to deploy - a really beefy muff style fuzz sound which is still pretty clear and gets a little squelchy in places too. Fantastic with overdrives in front too which delivers even more zing. It seems that I'm the only westerner really on the case of this one - which of course I recommend all should seek out. If you like the demos - then that is exactly how it sounds in my rig too!

Controls - Volume, Tone, Fuzz, 3-way Clipping : LED / None / Silicon, 8-Bit.

This is probably my go-to versatile Mini Fuzz now with its 3-way Clipping options and 8-Bit style sort of bitcrushing effect. Lots of different tones onboard here, and it kind of takes over from my former favourite versatile type - the EWS Little Fuzzy Drive - while each of those is pretty distinct really and for different usage scenarios one is typically preferable than the other. And while there are more tones onboard the Clustefuzz, the Little Fuzzy Drive can go somewhat thicker and fatter if that' what you're after. Still no demo for the mini version - which is weirdly actually more feature-rich than the compact featured in the above demo!

Controls - Tilt EQ, Level, Sustain, Timbre.

Dave Friesema certainly has a magical touch with Tone Bender style fuzzes - which is what I classify the Baldwin Burns Buzzaround as - it's kind of the other side of the coin to the TB MKIII - a little buzzier, where the MKIII can be a really smooth and creamy distortion. This really delivers that vibrant Buzzaround texture - a real killer mini fuzz, and one of Dave's most enduringly popular.

Controls - Fuzz, Level, Bias.

An incredibly version of TB MKI fuzz - amazing that it sounds so good in this tiny format. The MKI is notoriously the trickiest fuzz circuit to make as everything has tone calibrated by ear to get that cool dry reedy texture. I'm wowed every time I play this - I have several great MKI types and this mini is right up there too - undeniably cool. This is built as a custom edition with 2N404 Ge Transistors and it really does sound stellar - while there are no official demos out yet to substantiate that - you will just have to accept the word of mouth!

Controls - Fuzz, Level, Bias, Tone.

This pedal really showcases Dave Friesema's skills with fuzz circuits as it's suitably differentiated from its kissing cousin - the Hive Mind / Buzzaround. In many ways the Buzzaround inspired the MKIII - while the latter tends to be a much smoother and creamier affair. This MKIII is not quite as creamy as the King of MKIII's - the PigDog JuJu - while is mostly holds its own. It's another custom build for which no official demo yet exists!

Controls - Gain : +/-, Volume, Fuzz.

Presumably Josh Scott's take on the simple single silicon transistor Bazz Fuss - which typically uses something like a 2N5088 or equivalent - most likely SMD type in the latest production cycle. Still a pretty versatile fuzz with only 3 controls - Volume and Fuzz knobs, and +/- High/Low Gain switch. There's lots of suitably fuzzy tones here - while this is very much its own thing, and not really a fuzz face which is what I've equated it with in the past - while it can overlap with that a little if you set the dials just right.

Controls - Tone, Level, Sustain.

This is Maxon's / Ibanez's take on the Big Muff - where Ibanez called its version the 850 OD and Maxon the D&S (Drive and Sustain presumably). In any case Maxon made both pedals, and based them on the Violet Ram's Head - where the mini version is named the more logical 850 Fuzz. A very cool take on the format with the self same 3-controls - the Japanese are the masters of attention to detail!

Controls - Volume, Tone, Fuzz.

I'm a big fan of KO Amps Kevin O’Reilly but have just a couple of his to-date including this cool TB MKII style fuzz. I would typical go with the 3rd control being a Bias as a preference - while having an extra Tone control compared to the original is also really cool. This works well for those Led Zeppelin style tones - really nicely calibrated pedal.

Controls - Volume, Tone, Fuzz.

This dates back to a time when I was struggling to find a compact Skreddy Mayonaise (MKII variety) - and where Kevin O’Reilly was making a 'Mayo' clone at the time. The Skreddy Mayonaise being a fantastic take on the Triangle Big Muff - with something magical happening with its mids frequencies. Kevin was nervous at that time calling his pedal the Mayo - although he had built several with that label by then - and hence it was renamed the Rhino! Funnily enough I discovered my very own full-size original MKII Mayo around about the very same time the I received the 'Rhino'. A really cool pedal which very closely matched the magic of the original.

Controls - Level, Gain.

I have quite the number of TB MKII types by now - well over a dozen now I believe, and several of those are Mini variants - and where Sean Michael's take is suitably impressive in his Lovepedal Bonetender. It has just the two knobs of the original - where I really like to have a 3rd control for Bias or Tone. In any case the Bonetender is for sure a decent take on the format - while it's often tricky to get hold of - based on sporadic and random Sean's pedal batches are.

Controls - Drive, Volume, Voicing : Octave / Low-End Boost / Both.

A really cool mini take on the Uni-Vox SuperFuzz where the magic secret sauce is the internal 3-way dip-switch where you select Octave / Low-End Boost or Both together Modes. It's not quite as granular as the newer DeadFX version I have but is still very impressive in its own right with those glorious blooming breakup harmonics. I would have preferred the options to be externalised via a toggle-switch - but I mostly have 'Both' Mode engaged in any case - so it's not a big miss for me really.

Controls - Buffer : On/Off, Volume, Fuzz.

This is a touch duplication for me really as I also have the more expansive Hendrix '69 Psych Series Fuzz Face Edition - which also featured those same BC108 metal can transistors, but also has a pair of NTE158 Germanium Transistors onboard. So the 108 is simply the Type II Silicon half of that pedal. Still great sounding of course - but less than half of the potency of the Hendrix alternative. If your preference is for Silicon Fuzz Face then it of course makes great sense - less so if you already have the other pedal!

Controls - Master Volume / Gain

And here is the first of the One-Knob Mythos Trifecta, specially made for the Mass Street Music Store - as a smoother, lower gain version of the Golden Fleece. The Golden Fleece is quite similar to my Analogwise Pocket Rocket, but a slightly more wooly fuzzy-drive. For the Au79 edition, Zach Broyles has softened the fleece somewhat, and removed some of the 'wool'. I'm a big fan of these fuzzy-drive varieties, and they create the coolest of slightly gritty overdrive tones. The one knob control means they could not be easier to deploy - but still have sufficient range and depth onboard. I so liked the Golden Fleece that I had to have both varieties, while not everyone seems to enjoy both versions as much as me!

Controls - Master Volume / Gain

This is of course the original Mythos One Knob Wonder - based on the Alan Yee Fuzzy Nuts circuit. It is very suitable named as it has a somewhat woolly fuzzy-drive character - which is filtered and smoothed out on the lower-gain Au79 variant for Mass Street Music. The Golden Fleece originally started out as a compact edition, while it makes much more sense for this relatively simply circuit to sit in a mini enclosure. Note that this is actually quite a warm sounding Silicon variant, versus the Germanium Analogwise Pocket Rocket above.

Controls - Master Volume / Gain

The third of the Mythos Mini One Knob Trio takes things into more gated / spitty fuzz territory. This Joey Landreth Signature Fuzz which also started off as a rather larger compact unit has found its perfect form in the mini enclosure. This is quite different to the other two minis which are somewhat softer and warmer. The High Road has a somewhat harder hitting texture and is a little more prominent all-round - more of a true fuzz, while the other two are mostly slightly softer Fuzzy-Drives. I feel each of this Trifecta has really appealing characteristics, and I'm glad to have finally secured all 3. Would be great from others who have taken on the same mission! 

Controls - Volume, Gate, Compression, Drive, Stability (Starve).

I am generally not a fan of Clone pedals - unless there is some sort of innovation in the format or circuit. To those ends I own 3 NFYFX Fuzz Clones to date - which include this marvel of miniature engineering. To get the Fuzz Factory into Mini enclosure is one heck of an achievement and it sounds suitable impressive - per the demo. I actually own several variants of Fuzz Factory - Vertical Zvex type, CBA Bliss Factory, and Zander Circuitry Siclone among them. The only thing I don't like about the NFYFX types is that there are no labels - so you need to know the pedal topology off by heart as such. I also have a vertical ZVEX Mastotron type and compact DBA Fuzz War 2 type by NFYFX which are also superb - I've had to invest in a label-maker to mark those up myself. There's no faulting the output though. I was hoping that Zvex would get around to doing a Vertical Mastotron, but that does not look like it's going to happen - I myself still have 2 Vertical ZVEX's to acquire - the Box of Rock and '59 Sound - which will surely happen soon enough!

Controls - Tone, Volume, Sustain.

I've frequently waxed lyrically on this blog as to how much I love Björn Juhl circuits - where I own several from all his affiliated brands - BJFE, Bearfoot FX, Mad Professor and OneControl. OneConrol is now really his main day-job and his latest business card is courtesy of OneControl - where he operates as a consultant director on all their circuits. His Baltic Blue is a really clever Mini Multi-Muff variant which pretty much roughly covers off the trio of principal Big Muff types - based on largely where you set the Tone and Sustain dials - from Green Russian, through Ram's Head and onto Triangle style at its peak. Not exactly like-for-like as such, but nevertheless a fantastic innovation so cleverly calibrated - and especially at this size!

Controls - Volume, Blend, Filter, Fuzz : On/Off, Drive.

This is one that was on the wishlist a long time before it was snapped up - some pedals I wait to acquire at just the right price - and for mini pedals it's as soon as they hit the $100/£100 mark. I had wanted this for quite a long time and I was glad it was already in the collection by the time the Wampler Ratsbane arrived as I use the both of them together to creat a really cool Sunn Life Pedal style output. You can of course just use the Octave as a straight up Octaver, but it's more fun for me as an Octavia style Octave Fuzz pedal.

Controls - Bleep/Fuzz, Volume, Overtone, Mod Switch, Rate Switch, Igor Expression Controller.

For the longest time I only had a Limited Black Edition of the original oversized Rainger FX Dr Freakenstein Chop Fuzz, and now I have a trio of them - including this Mini Modulated Bleep Fuzz. David Rainger's creations are always way outside of the ordinary and all his fuzzes are modulated in one way or another. You can of course dial down the modulation - but then why would you be buying this pedal. Each of the original Dr Freakenstein, Mini DFST-1 or Bleep are all very compelling and distinct fuzzes and sufficiently different to warrant owning all 3 like I do!

Controls - Altitude (EQ), Overtone (Harmonic Overtones), Speed (Modulation Rate), Silence (Output), Awareness (Envelope Sensitivity), Pad : Guitar / Line-in, Mode : Step Modulation / Envelope.

This is essentially a limited miniature variation on the Dr Freakenstein Chop Fuzz - but with its own quirks. Very much a Harmonic Overtone Fuzz with either Envelope Filter or Step Filter type Modulation. David describes it as a full-on fuzz which bridges extreme rock with techno. The rhytmatic pattern of then modulation certainly lends itself to electronic accompaniment. A really cool fuzz for sure - but still probably a little bit of an acquired taste. I really love it!

Controls - Volume, Distortion, Gain Structure / Boost : Mids + Highs / Stock / Full Range, Filter (EQ), Voice : Classic / Modern Distortion.

This is the only Mini Rat I feature here even though I own a few - this is just quite a it more versatile than most and is really compelling for that reason. It also uses quite a different Opamp to the classic LM308 types - so it's all-round a more interesting proposition that can do the Rat thing just fine - but takes you into many more territories with its larger feature set and gain range. This can go really hard and aggressive or really quite soft and fuzzy-drive-ilke if you want to. Diligent dial-in gets your the core Rat tone with ease - while I'm more interested in the other flavours happening on the margins of its capabilities. I combine this frequently with the Pigtronix Octava for another variation of the Sunn Life Pedal - even though I of course already own an EQD Life Pedal 2, and Demiurge Doomy Oh - which do the same in one box takes - while the two minis combined have even more granularity in output!

Controls - Volume, Pulse Width : Wide / Narrow.

This is another pedal that had languished for a long time on the wishlist - but it did of course reach its ideal £100 target price and I snapped one up soon after. Another quite distinct variety - where the second knob gives you granular control over the Texture or Pulse Width of the Fuzz - going from a wide-band to narrow-band Square Wave with even spikier distortion characteristics. This is yet another really handy and surprisingly versatile mini fuzz - despite just having 2 control knobs!

Another circa 30 Mini Fuzzes that are still under consideration :

• Custom Pedalboard CPB Muff War (Civil War)
• Function F(x) Clari(not) Fuzz Micro (Midfield Clari(not))
• Function F(x) Octavus Fuzz Micro (Octavia)
• Function F(x) Professional MK I.V Micro (TB)
• Function F(x) Professional MKII Micro (TB)
• Function F(x) Skeleton Rat Micro (Rat)
• Function F(x) Violet Ram's Head Micro (Muff)
• KO Amps Aunt Peg's Rambler Octave Fuzz (Ampeg Scrambler)
• KO Amps Garage Superstar Octave Fuzz (Bumble Buzz)
• KO Amps Harmonic Fuzz (Percolator)
• KO Amps The Key Fuzz (Maestro FZ-1)
• KO Amps KOB (COB)
• KO Amps Ram's Head Muff
• KO Amps Russian Muff Green
• Menatone Fryzzl Fuzz Mini (Jordan Boss Tone)
• Mooer Blue Faze Fuzz (Silicon FF)
• Mooer Grey Faze Fuzz (Germanium FF)
• Mooer Triangle Buff Fuzz (Muff)
• Schu-Tone Accomplice (Shin-ei Companion)
• Schu-Tone Affront Super Saturator Fuzz
• Schu-Tone Back Stabber (Jordan Bosstone)
• Schu-Tone Bitter End (Octavia)
• Schu-Tone Black Widow (TB MKII)
• Schu-Tone Doomsday Device 2.0 (Opamp Muff)
• Schu-Tone Facebraker (Coloursounf Fuzz Box / Meathead)
• Schu-Tone Harpy (Foxx Tone Machine)
• Schu-Tone The Loner (Fuzzrite)
• Schu-Tone Mutation (Regulus VIII)
• Schu-Tone Shatter Machine (SuperFuzz)
• Schu-Tone Tigerjaw Fuzz (Bee Baa)