Analog Man NKT Sun Face

Is a bit quirky, like all proper fuzz pedals, but persevere and tweek regularly and you'll find the sweet spot. Does not like non true bypass pedals before it, neutralises wah pedals (have a foxrox mod on order to try and get my fulltone clyde to work with it)

Strat, BK Apaches, various pedals, Fender Blues deluxe
I have the Sunface in it's own loop so I can switch everything else off and go straight to the sunface on it's own in one hit. The Sunface sounds great on it's own. Not as fuzzy as you might think. It's like a very thick overdrive but it can get spiky if you fiddle with the sundial. What I didn't expect was how good this thing sounds with the guitar turned down to 7-8. It's a lovely rich distortion but mild enough to strum chords. Compared to the drive channel of the amp or a tubecreamer, it's a much richer warmer sound. The Blues deluxe drive channel is great for Keith Richards style rhythm work but it sounds anaemic compared to the NKT275. Flick the vol up to 10 and you have a beautiful thick warm tone, but the lower vol tone was an unexpected bonus. Very quiet - no hiss at all - if yours is noisy, I suspect something in the chain before it is generating the noise.

Have no reason to doubt it

Always get a reply from an e-mail which is nice.

A revelation. It's a totally different sound to the gain channel of my amp and actually sounds best through the clean channel. With this in a loop on it's own and a Juicer and Bad Monkey on the other loop, I feel I have a massive range of tonal options to call upon. I thought the sunface would be for the odd Lenny Kravitz cover but it's far more than that. It is expensive, but is worth it to me.

It seems I was the last to review this great pedal. I loved the first one so much I got another for my son, and a high gain NKT275 Sunface! I got the on/off switch this time which I recommend.

My set up now is vintage style Stratocaster > RMC6 wheels of fire >> Sunface > high gain Sunface > Beano Boost > OCD v.4 > Mojo Vibe > Nova Delay > 20112 Victoria w/ celestion blue.

The high gain is a bit noisier than a regular Sunface, but it isnt any noisier than my OCD. The sound is a massive wall of sound compared to a regular Sunface. I find the sundial has much more effect on the sound than my first Sunface.

It is really fun to run both Sunfaces at the same time, or with a Beano boost to get more tones. I love the smell of Germanium in the morning!

Take a peek inside.

Only once have I had Mike respond in less than 24 hours.

I have been playing electric guitar since 1980, and finally feel like I have THE set up. I would replace this in a heart beat, but I hear Mike is running out of NKT 275s :(

I have tried many other fuzzes and it compares most directly to the FUlltone 69 which is an anemic pedal compared to the SUnface. People are now playing silly money for those now as they have been discontinued. I suppose the same will happen to the Sunface if Mike cant find more quality chips.

If you can read this you have it made. I have the nkt 275 with sundial option. I do wish I popped for the on off switch on the volume pot.

Vintage style Fender Stratocasters into Victoria amps. I have several other effects but the line up changes regularly.

This is the Fuzz I have been looking for since I started playing in 1980. This pedal is as musical as you are going to find. Easily does the fuzz face and Jimi tones that are so important, but you can sound like yourself by using a non Marshall amp. I am using a Victoria 20112 and a Victorilux and it sounds great through both.

The pedal sounds best into a slightly overdriving amp, but works great into my AC + Plus booster at lower volumes. It likes to be first in line and doesn't work well with my picture wah, but I just got the Foxrox wah mod and I hope that will go away as soon as I install it.

I have had this pedal for almost a year, and I dont like to do honeymoon reviews.

Look at the inside and it is obvious it is built to last.

Haven't needed it. I do have a Beano boost and a King of Tone on order, so I believe in his stuff.

I play classic rock, blooze, and surf, and it is a prefect match. I can confidently say I will never sell this pedal. I have tried dozens of fuzz pedals by many of the big names (ie Fulltone 69 sounds anemic by comparison) and this one is by far the best for what I like.

10s are so often given, and this is an expensive pedal, but SO worth it.

Very easy to set up and use.

I finally bought one of these direct from Analogman after going through several other boutique fuzz units (the Keeley fuzz; the Fuzz Factory from Zvex - both Vexter model and the handpainted one; the red fuzz face from Dunlop etc etc). I have the Analogman Chorus pedal so I knew the build quality was there. What I wanted was a fat, warm 60's germanium fuzz sound and this pedal gets it done. First I plugged it in with a 62 reissue strat and a 1957 tweed Princeton amp. That amp sounded HUGE ! Big warm sound with tons of even harmonic content. Even chords (which often mush out with fuzzes) sounded good and you could distinguish the individual notes - not just power chords but big full chord voicings. I was sold at that point. Later, I plugged it into a 1965 non top boost AC 30 which can be a bit finicky with fuzz/overdrive pedals and it sounded great there as well. This pedal really does clean up when you turn down the volume on the guitar. It keeps the tonal character of the guitar intact and gives up a less fuzzy, more overdrive type of distortion at the lower volumes. Seeeet ! Here is the best part - the pedal is really quiet. I have overdrives that are far more noisy than this. No hiss, no static, no popping when you turn it on and no radio reception ! Some fuzzes I tried were so noisy they could not be used in the studio. Here is something else, this is a small pedal so it doesn't take up much real estate on your pedal board. I am rating this against the others I tried based on my desire for the tone I described.

Build quality is very sound. Components are first rate. The pots are nice and tight. Jacks are good. Very low battery consumption which is important as this does not have a 9 volt jack (which Analogman says is detrimental to the fuzz tone). No LED either which contributes to the long battery life but this is not a problem for me. Also, I emailed Mike twice with questions and received polite replies on the same day each time. I am sure he would fix any problem quickly. I rate it 9 only because I have not had it that long but I doubt I will have any issues. By the way, one of the other boutique units I tried was defective out of the box. Not so with Analogman !

Should be great based on my exerience to date.

I have played for over 20 years, mostly classic rock and blues. I use strats (vintage, reissues and closet classics) and vintage amps. Pedals in order are: Teese Clyde Wah, Analogman Sunfuzz NKT, Zvex Box of Rock, Maxon AD999 analog delay, Analogman Chorus, Keeley compressor, Zvex Super Hard On, then to a vintage Fender reverb unit, then to the amp which is generally a vintage AC 30. I would think the SunFuzz NKT would be a great pedal for anyone seeking a classic rock fuzz that is warm and harmonic.

Mine is the NKT with a sun dial.A simple lay out yes...however as others have mentioned,getting great sounds from a fuzz pedal depends on many other factors. Others have covered features...I give it a 10 because you can tweak the pedal with the trim pot and sun dial.This pedal is easy to use if you understand fuzz.

I mostly play strats(2 stock 64's and a 69)and the pedal is perfect with all.Amps are...Carlsbro 50 top,Sound city 50+, blackface fenders and an ampeg V3.I run my amp(which ever one I am using)at a vol where it starts to break up nicely and drive it with pedals(ts9,korg OVD or Sunface)to achieve the different overdrive or fuzz sounds I need...totally old school way.The Sunface works best for me when the amp is already drivin to breakup...it can go from good wooley fuzz(like what Phil Sayce gets)or clean up nicely with the guitar vol.I have used a tube Sceamer from the time they first came out and this is the first pedal that could get me through a night without one. I find myself leaving it on almost all the time and using the guitar to control things...everything from clean,bluesy and hairy.
This thing is the real deal!

Quality build for sure...in all respects!

I have not had to contact Mike regarding service for this product but have in the past for other things....he has been wonderful with responding and helping! First class guy!

Hands down the best Fuzzface type fuzz available...I have tried several others over the years and never found a fuzz that made my socks go up and down...this does!As far as price goes...you get what you pay for. The Analogman builds great products(and mods)and takes care of his customers...Price is fair!

as with any fuzz the player has a lot do with the final result. don't expect to just plug it in with and sound like Jimi or something. i found the best result as a boost by using it with a slightly dirty amp (think a Deluxe Reverb on 4) volume maxed,and low fuzz setting. you can also adjust the F knob around 12, and use your guitar knob for great rhythm stuff without losing highs. there's also was the sunface control which i did not used, kept it center. all in all, if you know how to use this fuzz, you don't need any more OD, fuzz, dist...

a friend lend it to me to record my band live at his jam space. we did some Hendrix, Trower, even some Steve Miller!! we did the whole recording straight through in a few hours, and i used the SUN FACE throughout. the results are so great, that even analog Mike was impressed!! might even use some sample on his site.

i think that alone will convince you to get one, i know it did it for me!!

i did not own the pedal, but it looks pretty rugged. lots of people are touring with them, and it's a pretty simple circuit. easily fixable.

Mike seems like a responsible guy, who stands behind is stuff.

a superb pedal that really gives you THE sound!! i wouldn't mind an LED or an adapter jack. but my friend, (the owner of the pedal) told me that you get a better sound that way.

After trying many fuzzes, i finally setled down with analogmans nkt and bc108 fuzz. this is a review for the bc108. how easy is it get a nice sound out of this? well if you know what you are doing it is very easy. first of all you need the right amplifier, the right speakers, the right guitar, if you don't, don't expect magic. if you do got all the ingredients, this unit isn't hard to set up. much easier than a germanium fuzz that needs to be biased correctly. this fuzz you just turn up (max or backed of a bit) and there you go. the manual describes everything you need to know.

silicon fuzzes got a bad reputation, but i think thats mainly due to the new bad new fuzzes out there of mass manufactures. not matched probably and no vintage transistors. this one gets the job done!
on a nice vintage marshall that is turned up loud, you can definately expect the hendrix sound.
although batteries sound better, i personally use both fuzzes with a pedal power 2. i practise a lot and then i dont bother to use batteries. i can always install batteries or not. to use a power supply ask to get the jack installed, i personally just made it myself.

reliability is perfect. i wouldn't know what could go wrong.

customer support is very good. you always get your answers. that's something to appreciate these days.

the unit is for those who search a vintage sound. a sound like hendrix had during band of gypsies.

Mine is the NKT-275 model with the Sun Dial control.

The Sun Face has 3 external controls: Volume, Fuzz & Bias. The on/off switch is a 3PDT true bypass. There is also an internal trim pot. I give it 9 for 'ease of use' simply because there are so many sound possibilities, so you must be able to use your ears rather than have simply read the manual.

The sound is really wonderful. From simple fuzz overtones to full on compressed square wave in-your-face-fuzz. The Sun Face is a reverse-engineered Fuzz Face, but with great care and attention given to matching the germanium transistors (unlike the Fuzz Face).

Germainium transistors were used in all the great early fuzz pedals before silicone transistors came along, but they are very sensitive to temperature changes, hence the surface-mounted Bias control.

Once you've used the Sun Face for a bit, you'll know what sort of sounds you'll want from it. Some of these are achieved by setting it pretty full-on, then backing-off the volume control on your guitar, but I also backed-off the internal trim pot for a less fuzzed-up maximum setting.

The fuzz control is exactly that, but increasing the volume control also appears to increase the compression, so how you combine the two is important.

It looks really well-built. The box is a die-cast case of the type used by MXR on their smaller pedals (it's also beautifully painted in gold, with a red Sun Face in the middle).

Analog Mike is extremely pleasant to deal with. Prompt replies to emails, patient when I changed my order from a silicone to a germanium model. Really good shipping (with tracking number) via USPS to the UK for USD 30.

Been playing for about 35 years & have used various pedals over the years. I never much liked the original Fuzz Face (used a Big Muff for years), but have since discovered that they were incredibly variable & often sounded bad (Hendrix reputedly played through loads til he found one that sounded good, then had Roger Mayer modify it). None of those problems here!

Very easy to use. There are external controls for level, fuzz and bias. There is also an internal trim pot for input level. I gave this a 9 as the internal trim is pretty tweaky but once you get it set to your taste, you don't really need to mess with it again.

The Sun dial adjusts the amount of power going to the transistors and is very effective for customizing the character of the fuzz. Less juice gives a fizzier sound and more smooths it out. Personally, I like it set just a hair past center which gives it plenty of character without sounding like a buzz saw.

This is a matter of taste. I own three other various Fuzz Face clones including a Foxrox Hot Silicon, a Foxrox custom germanium Fuzz Face and a Vox Tone Bender MK II reissue (two transistors, unlike the original MK II) and I always end up going back to the Sun Face NKT 275. The custom Foxrox is very similar, but has a slightly brighter sound in comparison to the mellower Sun Face which I prefer. The Hot Silicon is also a great sounding fuzz, but a different variety since it uses different transistors. The Vox reissue is not very good at all and I use it only once in a while if I want a more muddy tone.

I prefer the sound of single coil pickups with fuzzes as humbuckers tend to sound too thick with them; my favorite with fuzz is my Strat but my Tele also sounds very good with the Sun Face. There are *lots* of great tones to be had simply by using the volume knob on your guitar; one of my favorites is using the neck pickup of my Strat with the volume down around "8" which gives a nice, mellow, smokey sound similar to what you would hear on Hendrix's more mellow songs like "Wind Cries Mary."

This pedal, like all fuzzes, sounds best when using an amp that is already starting to break up on it's own. I use my Sun Face with my Mesa Stiletto Deuce (sort of like a Marshall). I also own an old blackface Fender Champ but I find that all fuzz pedals sound too bright with this amp; I might have to spend more time messing with that amp though.

I own several other Analogman pedals and all of them are top quality. I would depend on it without a backup.

I've been dealing with Analogman - Mike Piero - for about a year and a half now with several purchases and pedal modifications. He's always been straight up and informative; he'll never try to sell you something you don't need or isn't right for you.

I play various forms of hard and classic rock. This pedal not only turned out to be a good match for me, it's actually help to expand my style. I've been playing for around 25 years and, while the styles I am into now are not really what I grew up with per se, it's the style I've evolved to.

If it were lost or stolen, I would replace it in a second. It's really become a very key part of my sound with a Strat and is one of my favorite effect pedals.

Germanium fuzzes are inherently difficult to operate as they are very temperamental and sensitive to temperatures. Since this is in the nature of these, even though you only have 3 knobs, it can be tricky to get the right sound immediately. While the sheet of paper is very informative, it's no manual per se.

Still, if you know your way around fuzzes it can be quickly set to your liking and playing style.

I only wish it had the bias control outside as my Fulltone '69 to amke it easier to adjust.

Here's my setup:

Gibson LP/ Strat>>Proctavia>>SunFace>>Fulltone '69>>Modified Cry-Baby Wah>>Voodoo Lab Fulltone FD2 Mosfet>>Fulltone OCD>>Digitech RP50>>Dunlop Univibe>>ChoralFlange>>Fulltone Fat Boost>> Option5 Destination:Phase>> Line 6 Echo Park>> stereo outs to Marshall, Soldano amps.

I use both the '69 and the Sunface set up for different things. The Fulltone fuzz seems to like my Strat better than the LP and the Sunface likes them both. Comparing the two fuzzes, the Sunface has a more refined and beautiful tone but the '69 is very close and more versatile.

The Sunface is really not noisier than any other gain pedal.

If you know how to play with a fuzz, the Sunface really sings. Hendrix and Trower tones are readily available but what it really shines at is letting your own musical voice come through. It is very sensitive to pick attack and dynamics and one has to use the guitar's volume very carefully as minor knob adjustments result in major tone changes.
All in all, an incredible tone tool.

Oh yeah. Looks solid and very reliable. So far not even a scratch.

Analog Mike is the best. He answers your emails and is always nice and acommodating.

A true example to be followed.

I play classic rock a la Zeppelin, Cream and Hendrix so this pedal is an incredible match. Truly, it is like having a great sounding Fuzz Face that never fails.

I have been playing for 22 years now and own and have owned a lot of pedals, guitars and amps. This is a keeper, for sure.

The best comparison I can make is to the Fulltone '69 - another gem of a pedal - and, as I said, the Sunface has a bit of a more refined tone that growls without being too harsh. The only thing I wish it had, and I know it creates some noise in my '69, is a power jack. Analog Mike will make your volume knob disconnect the battery if you ask him but I forgot to ask and now I can't have it permanently set in my pedalboard - I attach it with an elastic band - because of the battery access. No major issues, just a practical thing.

If it were stolen I would most certainly get another one.

The Sunface is a great, great pedal that will take your tone to new heights