Rainger FX Chop Fuzz

The Chop Fuzzz is an uncompromising all analog, full-on gated fuzz pedal – with a whole bunch of interesting ways of manipulating the signal.
It’s the latest installment in the Dr Freakenstein dynasty. It’s actually a very specific kind of multi-effects pedal; as well as fuzz, it has two types of modulation, a pressure-operated expression pedal (to do wah wah-like effects), a tunable drone facility – capable of ring modulator tones – and a noise gate.

The fuzz circuit is the same massive distortion one used in the very original Dr Freakenstein Fuzz (plus the three versions that followed, and the first Dr Freakenstein Chop Fuzz, and the six minipedal versions). It’s incredibly loud, with a ton of low-end, and searing highs available. Yet it’s weirdly quiet when you’re not playing.

The Overtone control is like a wah wah with the tone of an extreme phaser. Set it using the knob, or manipulate it in real time by foot with our Igor pressure pad controller (supplied).

The LFO section modulates the signal in a slightly more 3D way than the overtone sound. Moving in a triangle waveshape, the speed can be set using two knobs. Slow has a low speed range – for long, slowly-twisting cycles right up to fast wobbles, while the second one – fast – is in the audio range; tune it in to a specific pitch (across several octaves) underneath the notes or chords that you’re playing. Toggle between these two on-the-fly with the footswitch.

The Chop Fuzzz has a hard squarewave tremolo built-in. When locked-on, in combination with the LFO section it can create all kinds of slowly sweeping helicopter effects, or fast, bubbling synthy-sounds. Or flash it on and off at specific points for a chop accent using the Igor controller.

It has a Hi/Lo intensity switch, and can be controlled using 5V CV by sequencer or modular synth. There’s a spooky eye meter, showing the input signal level, but also – using backlight illumination – the LFO and ‘Chop’ operation and Hi/Lo setting.

The LFO and Chop switches light up – for extra clarity and LED thrillpower. The Chop Fuzz is easily the most advanced Dr Freakenstein pedal Rainger FX has produced. An extreme pedal for extreme sounds.