Fender announces three new gain pedals

At Summer NAMM 2018, Fender unveiled three additions to its pedal range: the Engager Boost, the Pelt Fuzz and Full Moon Distortion.

The three pedals join the existing family of six—which already includes two dirt boxes—and boast all-original circuitry within rugged enclosures. Here are the deets:

Full Moon Distortion

This one really caught us by surprise. It’s a beastly, high-gain distortion that packs a bunch of sound-sculpting options. Make no mistake: This is a metalhead’s machine.

Besides a three-band EQ, the Full Moon adds another “Hi-treble” knob that shapes your high frequencies even further. A “Texture” mini toggle switches between symmetrical and asymmetrical clipping modes, while a “Bite” toggle brings out the upper midrange and harmonics. The latter is particularly useful for chugging out power chords that scythe through the mix.

And a footswitchable boost stage—adjustable via the “Boost” knob—ups the ante with another 12 delicious decibels.

The Full Moon Distortion lists for $149.99.

Pelt Fuzz

It may be a fuzz box, but Fender’s thrown in a few more adjustable parameters than what you’d find on similar pedals at this price point.

Your customary “Level,” “Fuzz” and “Tone” knobs are there, but a “Bloom” dial lets you shape your contours from soft to hard. A “Mid” toggle switches your midrange from scooped to humped, and a “Thick” toggle adds girth to your tone.

The Pelt Fuzz lists for $129.99.

Engager Boost

This is not your one-knob-only clean boost. The Engager Boost offers up to 20 dB of boost that you can fine tune via a straightforward three-band EQ, with a “Freq” toggle to change the affected middle frequency band. And with selectable true/buffered bypass, the Engager will easily slot into any rig.

The Engager Boost lists for $89.99.

For more info, check out fender.com.