Hello Sailor Effects births the monster 'Voodoo Sailor' by transforming and evolving the Joyo Voodoo Octave Fuzz

Readers should have noted per my recent #2 Alternative Guitar Show report - that I picked up a new Hello Sailor Effects pedal at that show. It’s actually an HSE-transformed version of the somewhat budget Joyo Voodoo Octave Fuzz - with primo component parts replacements, added functionality, and a whole new look.

These are the Mods as such :

• New 3-way Clipping Selector on top edge : Silicon [1N4007] / None / Germanium [D9E]
• 2 x Tropical Capacitor replacements
• 2 x Sprague Electrolytic Capacitor replacements
• New Artwork / Paint Job, relic’ing, and new knobs

Controls - Clipping switch on top : Silicon [1N4007] / None / Germanium [D9E], Fuzz (Gain), Tone, EQ Profile : Flat / Mid-Cut, Volume, Octave Up Footswitch, Fuzz Engage / Bypass.

The original was already a very decent sounding Upper Octave Fuzz - sort of in Foxx Tone Machine territory - while HSE Joe’s mods bring further fuzz flavours, characteristics and textures to bear - with a healthy dose of SuperFuzz textures too. The Voodoo sailor does that wonderful SuperFuzz blooming ebb and flow movement - particularly on Germanium Clipping which really accentuates the circuit’s harmonics.

This is a raw, visceral, vibrant and full-on fuzz - at times ’nasty’ in the best possible way. And there is copious range on each of those 3 dials. It’s hard to pick a favourite sound - as all 3 Clipping modes deliver something exceptional and distinct, and the pedal sounds equally fabulous with Flat EQ Profile and Scooped.

There’s a sinewy wiriness to its output - which you can temper with the controls, particularly the Tone control. It really does deliver the most extraordinary and at times pretty wild textures - which I utterly love!

A favourite setting for me has Clipping on Germanium, EQ Profile on Scooped, Fuzz @ 2:30 o’c, Tone @ 10:30 o’c, Volume at Noon. And both Footswitches On of course.

The HSE Mini Monmouth Octave Fuzz I have is somewhat smoother and more refined in tis output - while still bold and cutting and full-on - but most definitely a little more polished. I love both fuzzes pretty much equally - while the 2-knobs / controls of the Monmouth are somewhat outperformed in range, versatility and granularity - by the 5 controls and 2 footswitches of the Voodoo Sailor. That’s not to say the Monmouth doesn’t have plenty of range of its own - indeed its 2 controls interact and interplay magnificently to deliver a variety of textures - while the ’Voodoo Sailor’ certainly has a little more hands-on versatility.

I would not want to be without either - as they’re really both quite different sounding pedals - and with a distinctly different character profile - even though they are very much both Upper Octave Fuzzes. Each of those overall will probably appeal to slightly different players - while fuzz fanatics and noise-makers will want to have both.

Joe has been so pleased by this pedal experiment and how well it’s been received - that he’s determined to make more. There will surely be a few more modded varieties - as they simply sound amazing. While Joe is also considering doing his own tagboard take on that circuit with even more enhancements, embellishments and tonal possibilities.

You will find an excerpt from HSE’s Friday YouTube Vlog below - which explains how Joe went about modifying this pedal. In this format (Modded Voodoo Fuzz) - it will probably have a price tag of £150, while later wholly handmade tagboard varieties with additional clipping options will be quite a bit dearer - and are still a few months away - while when inspired - Joe can work very quickly indeed. I expect to see a few of these ’Voodoo Sailors’ popping up on the Hello Sailor Effects Store every now and again.

Joe truly never fails to impress - this is my 7th superior HSE Pedal as such - and all have been utterly brilliant!

You should definitely keep your eyes peeled for another one or two ’Voodoo Sailors’ coming to the HSE Webstore any day soon!