Electric Love collaborates with EarthQuaker Devices to bring you the Norrsken Northern Lights Fuzz - an evolved circuit inspired by the 1970 9-Transistor Carlin Compressor Fuzz

Despite my extensive experience with fuzzes I had not really properly connected with the 1970 Classic Swedish Carlin Compressor Fuzz until now. I was aware of its existence - but only really in passing, no one was pressing me to check it out, and there was no artist that I was following that cited this particular rare Swedish fuzz variant as a core part of their sound.

Of course it carries the same name as my good friend Ben Carlin of Electric Love - and I expect that had something to do with his picking up on that particular model. In fact it’s a circuit that has become pretty close to him, and he has several of the Moody Sounds clones in particular, where he sent one of those to me also, alongside his and Jamie Stillman’s Norrsken (Northern Lights) Fuzz evolution of that circuit.

I have a couple of 9 transistor fuzz circuits in my collection, but nothing matching the Carlin Compressor topology - which consisted of 3 knobs - Sustain, Distortion, Volume.

The Carlin has 9 x mostly BC548B transistors - which is also what’s in my Moody Sounds clone. And Jamie has used the SMT 1K equivalents to that variety in the Norrsken - which is a hybrid construction mix of SMD and full-sized THT parts.

The evolved Norrsken tweaks and modernises the circuit a little, while retaining all that classic vintage tone. There is a 10th / Q10 transistor onboard too which refines the output further. While the 3-Band EQ opens up and expands the pedal’s output profile. The original is quite warm and richly textured - and can be quite dense too at times. Those EQ’s allow you to get more air into the circuit, and more harmonics, as well as to achieve a more balanced output.

Controls - Level, Fuzz, Compression / Sustain, Active Bass, Active Middle, Active Treble.

The Carlin Compressor Fuzz is very much its own thing, while some will consider it slightly adjacent to a Big Muff - and there is some slight degree of overlap, but the Carlin / Norrsken has significantly more harmonics - and as a fuzz it kind of percolates / purrs and sustains in a really unique way. And at lower levels of Gain and Sustain it delivers superb fuzzy-drive tones. Readers will know how much I love fuzzy-drive pedals and this is a prime candidate for that special group!

Of course you can carve up the shape of this pedal’s output in several ways - while I mostly use it to enrich the pedal’s harmonic content. I’m always about maximum full fat flavour and enhanced harmonics - which is exactly what you get here. The 3-Band EQ can help smooth things out or otherwise make the output more searing an aggressive. All those transistors together deliver the most exquisite textures. Obviously those mid-gain transistors need to be well chosen and biased - for the pedal to really purr at its optimal level. Jamie is a master of fuzz - and this is another really classy circuit that he’s helped shape.

Mostly this is a beautifully textured, warm and articulate percolating and sustaining fuzz - with plenty of everything onboard via a superb control topology. I tend to cut back on the Sustain control a little as that can otherwise load in too much compression.

When playing the Carlin clone I tended to have Distortion and Volume Cranked, with the Sustain knocked back a quarter rotation or so!

For the Norrsken I get the most harmonic output with - Level @ 3 o’c, Fuzz @ Max, Compression/Sustain @ 2 o’c, Bass @ 2 o’c, Middle @ 3 o’c, and Treble @ 2 o’c - that sounds immense in my rig.

This is for sure a beautifully richly textured fuzz with a high degree of versatility, and is fairly unique in and of itself. I really love how this one sounds. This EQD Jamie Stillman Collaboration is every bit as good as the Brian Wampler Aquatone Collaboration - which similarly added 3-Band EQ to the Boss Blues Driver circuit, and made a few more modern concessions.

The Norrsken is both a fabulous fuzz pedal, and a fantastic cause - as all profits go to support the BCRF - Breast Cancer Research Foundation, which at the time helped nurse Ben’s Wife and Daughter back to full health. This is very much his way of paying those generous souls back. While the Norrsken needs no cause to underline its appeal - it’s a fantastic distinct fuzz circuit, and one that not many people have had experience of.

Most of you will be encountering and buying this circuit for the first time - as was the case for me! The Norrsken Northern Lights Fuzz is priced exactly the same as the Aquatone at $199 on the Electric Love Reverb.com Store. For this quality of pedal - it’s a steal. Well done to Ben for championing this fuzz circuit, and props to Jamie Stillman for improving on it. The original Carlin or Moody Sounds one I have sounds already great - while the Norrsken delivers more in ever department - the 3-Band EQ’s also all have centre-detents which is really cool.

Thoroughly Highly Recommended!