Tru-Fi's killer 3-Mode Germanium Zonked Machine is my favourite Zonk to date!

Tru-Fi’s Teddy Rasch has really pushed the boat out with this one - finding the perfect combination of Germanium Transistors to create the ultimate Germanium Zonk. The literature talks of 2G381 (TI) and Mullard OC75 black glass transistors. While in my unit I have the superb combination of AC125 + NTK278 + OC75 - for a weapons-grade searing harmonic output.

Here Fuzz is Gain, and Swell is Level essentially - there’s so much of both onboard that I don’t really take the Fuzz above Noon, or the Swell above 2 o’c. For this kind of circuit you don’t get that great a guitar volume cleanup - so while you can back it off a smidge, you really need to set it at your preferred level of output - while on many other fuzzes I like to overload them a little and temper them with the guitar volume knob - which doesn’t really work for this circuit.

What’s totally unique about this pedal is the 3-way Mode Selector. My JDM Elektrika has a 2-ways switch - which takes you from Darker Fatter MKI output to Brighter / Sharper Zonk levels. Teddy has created an even better middle position - which somewhat opens out and mellows the profile slightly for a more elegant output with a hint of cream. It’s his favourite setting, and mine too!

I love the MKI setting too with its dry reedy darkness, and the searingly bright core Zonk voicing is stellar too. You can clearly here the differences in the 3 voicings - making this a genuine 3-in-1 pedal.

It really sounds phenomenal to me - so harmonically and texturally rich - I’m sure that will hit some players like 120 day dry-aged beef - with perhaps too intense a flavour - but you can easily dial it down - and the middle ’Nice’ goldilocks setting should be to everyone’e liking for sure. That setting alone is worth the price of admission - but you get an incredible Zonk voicing too, and a near as darnit MKI voicing as a bonus.

There are some great Zonks out there - where mine include the Basic Audio one, the DanDrive Secret Weapon, Reeves Electro Zo, and I have two versions of the JDM Elektrika. The Tru-Fi Zonked Machine moves into a commanding lead over all of those - it really is next level for me.

I don’t think the Zonk is necessarily for everyone, but this version will surely win over a few more. A fantastically richly textured fuzz with overflowing harmonics.

The Zonked Machine is incredibly just $225 on the Tru-Fi Webstore, and £229 from Joe’s Pedals Boutique from whence I got mine. That first batch sold out incredibly quickly - so you’d best get onto Joe to get on the list for the next one - this Zonk deserves to sell by the bucket load - while note that the NOS stocks of those killer transistors are dwindling fast - so there is a degree of urgency here!

I’m delighted to have gotten my hands on one - everything about this pedal is just spot on - and the price is a steal for this level of quality! A magnificent fuzz every which way - I really love the vibrancy of its turquoise paint job too - which the picture doesn’t do full justice. Killer!

This is my 3rd Tru-Fi Fuzz - where each of them is stellar - I also have the Ghost Vibe and Tremolo - which are fantastic too. My Tru-Fi Capsule is currently only 5-strong - but it is still mighty! 

The Super-Fuzz is still on my list, as is the 18V Colordriver - we’ll see where I’m at in another year’s time. There’s so much to love here - and the pedal comes in a gorgeous latched wooden box - there’s nothing else out there that delivers this degree of satisfaction at this price point - a genuine delight every which way!