KMA Machines’ Chief Disruptor fuzz adds a host of tone-shaping to a Big Muff circuit
There’s a footswitchable parametric mids EQ, as well as an active two-band EQ and a top-boost.
Image: KMA Machines
KMA Machines has introduced a new fuzz pedal, the Chief Disruptor. It’s a Big Muff-style circuit, although it offers a host of additional control features that build upon the classic three knobs of the Muff.
The pedal features knobs for both volume and distortion (Master and Disruption respectively). However, in pace of a single tone control is an active two-band EQ section, offering cut or boost for both bass and treble. The midrange also gets a whole portion of the circuit: a secondary footswitch engages either a mid-cut or a mid-boost, with a knob that selects the centre frequency of the adjustment. This centre frequency can also be swept with a footswitch for a fuzz-wah-like effect, or subtle textural shifts.
Atop-boost, engaged with a toggle switch below the Disruption knob, adds some extra harmonic complexity to the top-end. The distortion has three voicings overall: Tight, Vintage and Heavy. Vintage reduces the saturation in favour of a more dynamic sound, Tight focuses the low end, while Heavy ups the saturation for doom-infused results. The clean blend section can be placed either before or after the EQ, and adjusted with a blend control.
Other construction notes include soft-touch relay true-bypass switching, and top-mounted jacks for the input and output. Check the pedal out in KMA Machines’ video below.
The pedal lists for €199. Find out more over at kma-machines.com.