I made a post very near the start of this year - which featured mostly the same visual, now a little more refined - where I indicated a desire to land the latest Nichols 1966 variant. Intriguingly Danelectro picked up on my visual and used is a couple of times on their social media - so I thought I was surely in for a discount on the Nichols 1966 - the third in the series. But no - despite some gentle nudging - Danelectro weren’t about to offer me an ounce of generosity - win some loose some as the saying goes!
In any case I had a number of priorities to juggle, where a slot as such freed up quite recently, and by happenstance I came across a Nichols 1966 at a reasonable discount. But wait - there was something different about this one, and indeed the main typography has been changed to a much neater variant. So it was probably just as well that this acquisition was somewhat delayed - as I ended up with a better looking one! Note that this can often happen for Beetronics pedals too - as some of the later variants can be much prettier than the originals
This series - which started with the Eisenhower Fuzz in the Spring of 2019 - has kind of come full circle - and each of this Trifecta has been an essential purchase for me - each is distinct and sounds great on its own terms, where perhaps this Nichols 1966 is the most versatile of them all - such is its grand degree of granularity. Of course the 3699 with its dual footswitches and optional upper octave is magnificent, and the Eisenhower Super Fuzz is no slouch either. I really don’t think you can go wrong with any of these :
All 3 of these are faux-relic’d, and have very similar markings on them. I really love this form factor - top mounted jacks and really neat vintage looking custom knobs - and that knurled washer really adds to the vintage feel too. An all-round great execution.
The Eisenhower is listed for just $149 on the Danelectro Website, while the 3699 and Nichols 1966 are both $199 - very reasonably priced really!
All 3 are excellent - while I do really love those Fuzzy-Drive sounds - so possibly the Nichols 1966 is my pick of the bunch - at least at this exact moment! I genuinely really like all 3 though! Danelectro refers you to the Sweetwater Webstore for orders - while these are generally widely available nowadays - and of course in all stores which carry the same-named guitars!
Here following brief individual overviews of each - in order of the above visual / release date rather than date of source pedal origin as in the above listing :
Controls - Volume, Treble, Fuzz, Bass, EQ : Flat-Sculpt.
A great full-flavour take on that classic Japanese 60's Harmonic Upper Octave Fuzz. The circuit has been tweaked a little with 2-Band EQ now, and a much improved Gain / Output profile. A really great take on that genre! And super good value at just $149 - a bargain really!
Controls - Volume, Fuzz, Tone, EQ : Stock / Mid Boost, Second Octave Footswitch.
Danelectro's owner Steve Ridinger created this fuzz back in 1972 - when it cost just $49. Here's he's managed to carry all that flavour in a much more slimmed down and pedalboard friendly format - which is the perfect ambassador for that Foxx Tone Machine sounds - while I do have other excellent takes on the circuit - including the BIG EAR Chaka Octave Fuzz, and Zander Circuitry Foxxton Woods!
Controls - Fuzz, Drive, Tone, Volume.
Intriguingly this was Steve Ridinger's first fuzz from 1966, which he made in the garage of his then home in 'Nichols Canyon Place' - hence the moniker assigned! This is a really interesting Fuzz with twin Gain controls essentially - Fuzz and Drive - which combine beautifully to delivery all manner of Overdrive, Fuzzy-Drive and full-on Fuzz Sounds. Probably the most granular of the 3 here, and possibly the most versatile therefore. While all of these are great really - and worthy of consideration!