I’ve long been a huge Skreddy fan - picking up one from here and there as I’ve gone along! A couple here came from the old Wunjo store - back when they used to stock Skreddy, the Mayonnaise came from an Italian collector via Reverb.com - while most everything else came from my good friend Joe Light’s Joe’s Pedals Boutique!
I got a little carried away with the latest Skreddy restock / drop into Joe’s Pedals - where Marc Ahlfs made a number of long discontinued varieties for Joe - some of which hadn’t been available for a good 10 years.
A number of the following pedals are no longer available at Joe’s Pedals, and my 1966 and BC109 are the older 4-knob varieties where there are now even more extended range 5-knob varieties - with an additional ’Hot’ control - as also appears on the Serenity FuzzDrive!
So I picked up 4 new ones from the latest drop :
And these are My Essential 15 Skreddy Pedals :
Obviously a lot of Gilmourish pedals here - particularly Ram’s Head Muff variants, several Fuzz Face types and other assorted varieties. I really feel that I now have the core of everything I ever wanted from Skreddy - while there are of course a few more on the wishlist, and I won’t fully relax until I’ve arrived at the 20 mark. For now though these are just perfect - and a superb showcase for the best of Skreddy Pedals.
Individual pedal details can be found below as always!
Controls - Volume, Bias, Voice, Fuzz, Pickups : HB/SC.
A cool extended Type 3 Fuzz Face - with BC183 / 2N3904 and similar germanium-sounding Silicon Transistors. Now available in new 5-knob edition. Where we also have the more Humbucker-centric Angle Face take on that same format. I would be looking to get the Angel Face next!
Controls - Volume, Bias, Voice, Fuzz, Pickups : HB/SC.
The more searing BC109 variety vs the 1966 above - this one's also available in a newer 5-knob edition with additional 'Hot' knob, I'm pretty happy with the current version as is though - a lovely searing accentuated Fuzz Face - just like Jimi Hendrix would have loved!
Controls - Mids : Scoop / Hump, Sustain, Volume, Tone.
Realling classic sounding Ram's Head Muff take with tonnes of sustain and plenty of aggression!
Controls - Mids : Scoop / Flat, Sustain, Volume, Tone.
A tighter and more articulate take on the Ram's Head Muff - for better cutting though the Band mix - a really smartly balanced delivery!
Controls - Mids : Scoop / Hump, Sustain, Volume, Tone.
Really cool thick and fat sounding signature Ernie Isley Big Muff sound - really does that great guitarist full justice, a slightly different style of Ram's Head!
Controls : Volume, Fuzz, Tightness, Presence, Mid Boost.
This is part Hybrid Humbucker-centrick Lunar Module, and part Jimmy Page's classic 1959 Super Lead Tone. Compared to the 3 x BC109 Lunar Module - this one has 2 x BC109's, and an AC127 for additional warmth and creaminess. This is a favourite Fuzzy-Drive of mine with a wide variety of sounds onboard!
Controls - Mids : Scoop / Flat, Fuzz, Volume, Tone.
Beautiful classic Sabbath tone - based not on the early Laney Super Group sound, but the later Laney Tube Clipper amp. This one comes with plenty of snarl and bite - and that pretty much instantly recognisable Tony Iommi core sound. Marc Ahlfs has really dialled in the core texture so well on this one - it sounds fantastic.
Controls - Mids : Scoop / Hump, Sustain, Volume, Tone.
The core tone from 'That Lady' song - somewhat different to the Ernie - a beautiful somewhat liquid delivery - with a hint of zither - a really cool and distinctive tone and texture. You get instant satisfaction from that really smarty calibrated flavour - the ? Lady is quite distinct from the Ernie. Where originally I only picked up the Ernie, but on spending some quality time with the essential Isley Brothers records - including 3+3, The Heat is On, and Go For Your Guns.
Controls : Volume, Fuzz, Body (Bass), Brite (Brilliance/Hair/Edge), Range (Input Gain).
3 x BC109 Fuzz Face - recreating the 1973 'Time' Gilmour Fuzz sound - lovely searing silicon fuzz face expertly crafted after that signature sound.
Controls - Mids : Scoop / Flat, Sustain, Volume, Tone.
A fantastic take on the Siamese Dream 'Mayonaise' Fuzz sound - which is early Triangle style Big Muff. I had long wanted one of these - but at the time there were none to be found - apart from one listed by and Italian Collector on Reverb.com. Fortunately this was in the good old pre-Brexit days - before exorbitant delivery charges and import duties. There's something really unique about this Mayonnaise - it really sounds quite magical - and is totally one of my favourite fuzzes.
Controls - Mids : Flat / Hump, Sustain, Volume, Tone.
I believe this was my first Skreddy Muff-style pedal - another one with a Gilmourish connection - and yet another Ram's Head variant. Fully 1/3rd of my Skreddy Pedals consist of unique Ram's Head takes. And incredibly each of those is very distinct - with its own unique timbres and tones.
Controls : Volume, Gain, Sharpness (Edge), Brilliance, Pre-Gain.
A really unique combination of Germanium, Silicon and MOSFET Transistors - for a beautifully complex Tweedy style tone. Sounds very amp-like and is enormously versatile for a variety of those early 5E3 amp tones.
Controls - Volume, Fuzz (Output Gain), Hot (Input Gain), Presence, Body.
This is the newest Skreddy Pedal - and is an exceptionally textured Fuzzy-Drive pedal - where it's a lot to do with the interplay of the Fuzz and Hot dials - which deliver a verity of different textured from subtle overdrive, though Fuzzy-Drive and onto pretty searing Fuzz. There is some delicacy required on the dial-in to get to all those fabulous in-between tones and textures - and there is so much overall range onboard - really sounds superb!
Controls : Sustain, Volume, Tone.
Another with a Gilmourish connection - this time recreating the Comfortably Numb solo tone - beautiful smooth and creamy sort of liquid distortion!
Controls : Sustain, Volume, Tone.
Sort of a companion / adjacent to the Top Fuel - not altogether dissimilar liquid distortion tones - but this time slightly tighter and more articulate so it really cuts through the mix. My version is an early edition which comes without the Mids Scoop/Hump switch. Marc Ahlfs feels that mostly you don't need the additional Mids control, and I tend to agree with him, my version sounds really great.
There wasn't any plan of action for most of these - I simply picked out the ones that sounded the best to me - so I guess there's some degree of overlap for some of these - but truly each and everyone one of these is its own thing - has its own distinct and unique sound signature - made with unique and differentiated discrete parts. I've always felt these were pretty good quality for the level of tones they deliver - where my current reigning favourites here are the Mayonaise MKII and Serenity - alongside those also recently acquired Ernie and ? Lady pedals - all of those are particularly expcetional!
I'm really delighted with this selection - and each one of these properly earns its place in my reference collection!