Everman Custom Audio Effects Fuzz Drive

It's got a ton of options..., the four knobs cooperate very well with eachother, so the usuable range of everything is pretty good. The dip switches then change different bias and eq settings i think, for the fuzz and the overdrives..., so i got a sweet trebly overdrive sound that was cool, and then there were wall of fuzz sounds..., and vintage crappy germanium fuzz sounds on one of the dip settings..., but overall a lot of stuff to get to know.

the sound is really good, so i'm dropping a 10 on this pedal. i use it with a bunch of my guitars..., mainly an epi elite les paul w/lollar buckers and a jackson dkmg w/emg-hzs, and a charvel surfcaster w/vintage lipsticks.

i've used it with a 6v6 based combo, but also tested it with different eq curves and it worked good with all of them.

IT"s not too noisy.., there's some cool noise that gets introduced when you make the efect go pretty intense.

the effect is super tweakable. the factory setting is very good, it's set in a very usuable range for most guitar needs..., and it's basically a mixture of fuzz and a cranked marshall sound, so pretty much the epitome of classic rock and jazz fusion sound...

it sounds nice and clear and hifi-ish and very smooth and lush character to the pedal... it's cool because there's so many different wonderful sounds this pedal has.

one of the coolest things it did was mesh really well with my hot british, which most pedals do not do. i don't like having to press the mid switch when i'm soloing on the tonebone to get the boost, so it's nice being able to use one of my non-metal pedals as a metal lead pedal.., it reacts nicely makes it sound all sinister and stuff, but in a noncheesy way for the most part.

looks fine

i'm learning jazz, i used to play thrash metal a bit. 4 years i've been playing..., i've got a handful of fuzzes..., analogman sun face, mjm london fuzz 2, nelsound apex fuzz,

got a tonebone hot british, menatone red snapper, zvex wahprobe, catalinbread chile picoso boost, and the new bbe sonicstomp...

if i lost this pedal i'd buy it again. it works well with my other pedals, which is always relieving, and it sounds awesome... it matches the hifi sound of my analogman sunface, although the two don't particularly sound good mixed. it does sound greaet mixed with the menatone snapper, and the wah and the hot british. it was supercooll..., the volume turned it down, yeah..
it basically could cover the sound of the apex fuzz, and the london fuzz2, but with it's own trademark sonic clarity... and it couldn't nail the sun-face tone, but it had similar clarity. at the price i paid this pedal is a steal.

Pretty easy to use, in that it sounds good in nearly any position. The dip switches and 4 external knobs make for a potentially complicated scenario for the scatterbrained, but a pencil and a pad should make it easy for anyone to mark down any particularly amazing settings for later review. Sure, there's more to it than most fuzz pedals, but it's worth the extra effort.

Let me clear my throat... After years of heavy reliance on a favored Sovtek Big Muff Pi (one of many I own and have owned), I took a break from loud guitar and came back several months later to find that I just couldn't handle the cheap construction and grainy high-end any more. It was time for a more grown-up sound. Thick and solid, with sharp edges and plenty of bottom, no honkey mids and no hairy high end, preferably in a box that wouldn't require a new switch and/or new jacks once or twice a year. I can't even remember all the things I tried. Different (NYC re-issue) Muffs, a TubeWorks TubeDriver, Boss Metal Zone, Frantone Peach Fuzz, Dano FabTone, Reverend DriveTrain, that Voodoo Labs fuzz, a Fuzz Face, probably some other things I can't remember.

I want all that time (and money) back! While most of the above-listed are good pedals in the right spot, the Fuzz Drive is the run-to pedal, the "this is my distorted sound" pedal. Others have said it, and it's true: this pedal sounds like a part of your amp. I'm currently running an Electra SG-copy (don't laugh -I prefer it to three Gibsons laying around my house) with some sort of high-output Seymour Duncan bridge pickup (the only one I use on this guitar) into an Ampeg VL-502 through a closed-back 2x12 cab (one Eminence Legend, one Celestion Black Shadow) with the dirty channel set right at the beginning of crunch. The Fuzz Drive just takes the whole thing two giant steps forward. It's hard to explain; it sounds heavy without getting metallic, kinda Pete Townsend-y, early Kinks-y, like a Vox with Marshall overtones. More importantly, it sounds right. Like rock music. Just like you want it to. If, of course, you are me.

I suppose I should mention that I'm using an MXR Micro Amp in front of the Fuzz Drive for lead tones. They work together very nicely.

The Fuzz Drive is true-bypass and not noisy in the least, especially when you consider that this is a fuzz box. No unwanted feedback, even with fuzz and gain maxed at stage volume. Try *that* with a Big Muff!

Seems very dependable. In ten years, the only pedal parts I've ever needed to repair were the reverse footswitches Soviet Big Muffs. I could probably break the switch on the Fuzz Drive if I tried, but I don't see it happening any time soon. The knobs and jacks feel solid too. These are kinda pricey, so I will definitely gig without a backup for the time being. However, like I said, I don't anticipate any problems with this one.

Haven't needed it. The website looks good though, and it appears that Mr. Everman can be contacted regarding repairs, etc. The new Fuzz Drive II just came out, purported to be even more flexible than the old one. I don't think that's particularly necessary, but it's nice to have options!

I've been playing post-punk guitar pop in a couple of fairly successful indie bands(think Pixies, Buzzcocks, etc.) for about 10 years. This is the best pedal I've ever used for such. It makes me wonder what I was thinking using other pedals for so long. If this was stolen (and I could see that happening!) I would definitely get a new one, even at full price. If one pedal costs as much as three pedals but saves you the trouble of buying and sorting through six less-expensive pedals, why not bite the bullet and go for the sure bet?

BTW: I'd like to thank all the other HC reviewers for influencing my decision on this one. Probably the most dead-on piece of equipment I've purchased in years.

It is a logically designed pedal. I wouldn't say itis hard to use. The tones are easy to find, the problem is deciding how you want to set it up. There are 3 switches inside that tweak the tone. The manual is 1 page, but it is a fuzz box, not that compicated.

I am a fuzz novice. My experience is that they thin out unless you are are almost into amp overdrive. So.... IMO, this is a very forgiving pedal, it doesn't thin at high or low volume. You can get the goods at any volume. The other reviews say it is like part of the amp, I guess that is true, but most amps don't have this kind of flexibility. The Marshall Mode Four and Mesa Road King seem to be applying this style of flexibility.
My set up is getting near where I am contented. MXR Super Comp>Teese RMC1>Jack Orman's Super Rat(buy this one)>Fuzzdrive>Hotcake to 4 loop TB Box with Ross USA Phaser, Gig Chorus, EH the Wiggler Trem/vibe, DOD FX 90 to a VH H20 int an Ampeg Reverberocket RI the ThD Yellow Jackets. I can get a LOT of tones. I'm considering putting 6L6's back in because I generally play with the volume knob low and twist to get that great EL84 power tube distortion. The 6L6's are fatter toned and I could get some fuzz and distortion with pedals. But, everytime I do this I put the YJ's back.
It is an excellent quality pedal, I got it for 125 ($100 off new off HC trade thread) It would be a little pricey to buy it new, I took a shot at 125. It was a great buy and value.

Great hand built quality. I haven't been in a band in about 2 years, but it wouldn't cause me any concern to gig without a backup.

I don't know. I bought it second hand, but have heard only positives about Justin.

I play blues based rock stuff. Trying to woodshed on ZZ Top stuff currently and having a hard time with those tones. I have been playing ten years and obsess over the tone of my gear. I think this is one of those foundation type pedals. Very versatile and great sound quality. It doesn't sound thin and lose body, the tone controls are very useful to tweak on the fly. I love that fact.
I wouldn't pay 225 for an analog stompbox (or a tube stompbox) I realize it is handmade by a small company. Stompboxes, IMO, are "color" additions to the guitar and amp combo, but if you want a quality fuzz, buy this one. If you are real picky, buy this one. Buying $100 boxes that sound bad, then wasting time and energy trying to get good tone is frustrating. It's a great box, a little high in price, but it depends on your view of effects purchases. $400 for a Bad Cat tube stompbox? Please, that's insane.

Just a small correction to that last post on the Fuzz Drive. Our original Fuzz Drive is still available, the Deluxe units are about gone though and when they are sold out no more will be built. We will continue to build and evolve the normal Fuzz Drive though....
"May the tone be with you"
J.Everman

this asks for some tweaking: four knobs and six internal dips, interacting quite strange. BUT: the pedal sounds great in any setting - even with the drive souped up totally, creating strange internal whistles...

is has been said here before, but i'd like to add that this pedal acts like tubedriven: it's the most musical fuzz i ever heard in my life - except my beloved fuseblower by "jacques".
colorsound,soulbender,jen? don't waste Your precious time on these, here's the real goalsetter!
great hendrix-fuzzface tones are possible with the guitar volume also drawn back.
AND: it really cleans up marvelous with the guitar volume drawn back.

i would. it's build strong.

justin everman is a great guy. he told me, the fuzzdrive deluxe was better. i thought, he only wanted to sell me a new pedal. hearing the fuzzdrive, i start to believe him. BUT: how can he improve THIS pedal?

i play popular styles and i was looking for some germanium driven fuzz to travel the zone of kicked amps and slightly buzzin' fuzzes. i arrived at the everman. if You are just looking for a big buzz, You might like to buy something else. anybody worrying about nonmusical fuzzes: this is Your chance. the fuzzdrive isn't built anymore, but i heard some fuzzdrive deluxe are still available.

the only thing that might hold you up is deciding how to set the DIP's inside

if you have a good(tube)amp that isn't TOO clean, this pedal sounds quite good-with the wrong amp it basically won't do anything but a volume boost...does leave the bass response intact and is pretty quiet.unique but not for everyone,i'd say.

it did crap out at a gig once,but the battery was touching something on the switch-foam rubber fixed that.

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this pedal is kind of an updated Fuzz Face in a way-you can get a lot of shades with just the volume knob on the guitar,which i like...with the right amps it works great,but it should have an LED,DC power jack and should not POP when switched on.maybe this is one of the many prototypes that the builder should not have sold...

I find this pedal very easy to use...yeah it has a few components to it, but unscrewing the bottom and flipping some dip-switches is not exactly rocket-science. The maunal (well sheet of paper) is not elegant but it has all the information I'd ever want, the example settings are actually useful...when was the last time you said that? :)

I'm pretty damn picky with my tone...most guitar players are but I'll spend hours moving a mic around a speaker and that's just for shitty home sonwriting sketches.

I've always hated fuzzes. The low-end is either non-existant or just completely un-defined...I love low-end, tight juicy...sorry what was I talking about :) Anyways I have a Big Muff but hate it, it's quite good at turning simiple palm-mutes into absolute crap...so I now use it to fuck things up, particularly drums and vocals.

Anyways...I love the Fuzz Drive. It is absolutely the only gain effect I've ever heard that really sounds like great amp distortion, even all the beauty of power tube clipping. I really like going from crunchy overdrive tones to smooth fuzz tones. This pedal also works well with all of my guitar (although I have no single coil guitars to date) from active to passive pickups it works great thanks to the bias control. This pedal is also uber-dynamic...whether via the volume control on the guitar of simply playing softer it really reacts to your playing like only a tube amp can. True bypass is also great.

I did have a problem with the footswitch but I sent it back and was replaced (free of charge) and had it back in about a week...since then the thing works great. It also looks very well made.

Great customer support so far...bying this pedal direct is definately the way to go...I like musictoyz.com but I not only got this cheaper but J himself worked on it when it went down.

I got a bit of a discount for some reason at the time I bought it...but it's well worth the price. You could by the entire catalog of Boss, DOD, ProCo or Electro Harmonix and you wouldn't find a overdrive/fuzz nearly as nice as this. I don't have a lot of experience with all the boutique fuzzes (there are hundreds today) but I have no need to even bother.

I play stoner rock stuff (Sleep, High On Fire, Melvins) and this pedal works perfectly. I usually use a Les Paul with EMG 81's tuned down a 4th. as well as a Peavey Wolfgang with an Iommi bridge pickup also tuned down a 4th...I use a variety of tube amps (JCM 800 2210, modded Sovtek MIG100H, Mesa 20/20 power amp and some tube preamps (ADA MP1, Mesa v-twin)) and it really works well with all of them, especially with the amp pushing just a little bit.

Not the easist to dial in, the internal dip switches are a little bit of a pain, but worth the effort.

I have an earlier production unit, it doesn't have an led or power jack (what's up with that?)and is from a run they made which had one of the caps installed backwards. In truth I think it sounds much better with the cap in *wrong* (this would depend on your point of view...). It does take a second or two to power up, but has a raspier edgy type of sound. With the cap in correctly it's smoother, but seems to have less cutting power.

This is one of the best pedals I've owned (out of something like 20 or 30). I been using it for about a year now and it's got a permanent home on my board. It can produce several variations, but I have my switches set for the heaviest sound (the Big Muff I believe). It takes time to figure out all the settings but worth the effort.

Fairly hifi, non-compressed pedal.

I find the best sounds from fuzz pedals are with the guitar volume set around mid point, so I dial my amp in a little hot to leave some head room. Once above a 7 or 8 on the guitar it starts to turn to white noise. But otherwise will cut through a band mix no problem.

No problems to date after over a year of regular use.

One of the best pedals I've tried or owned. I highly recommend it, which is saying a lot since the majority have gone by the wayside.

I'm a gig level musician playing mostly blues and rock in a working band.

The manual was pretty solid but I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer. 4 knobs. I think i just cranked the first 2 all the way! It does take some time to get the sound I was looking for.

This sounds HUGE! I play a Fender '52 Tele reissue, or an old Epiphone Casino with P90's through a newer (evil) Twin. I run through a Rat 2, Everman Fuzz Drive, Dan-Echo, Boss Tremelo/Pam, some weird gain booost pedal (similar to the Z Vex Super Hard On) and a Boss TU-2 tuner. This pedal always sounds great! At this point I have all the internal switches up except 4. To me it sounds like 3 Big Muffs cranked! HUGE bass response (although the Big Muff setting on the instruction guide cuts better) and this thing is amazingly versatile. True BYpass so it's super quiet (although I'm not much on sound quality). It can do the Siamese Dream Pumpkins tone and can be a pretty good boost if used right.

This thing is a rock. I can't imagine having any problems. I do use a few distortion/gain pedals but this is my only "fuzz" pedal and I wouldn't hesitate to use it for everything (I can't wait to get in the studio with this one!)

Justin was great and answered all of my questions promptly. I only got the pedal around 2 months or so ago, but he's been great so far.

I sort of play rock stuff (I love Elvis Costello, Radiohead, and early Counting Crows) and I don't use a fuzz much. But when I do this gets the job done right and loud! If it were lost or stolen I may get something else (I change my mind on pedals every 3.8 minutes so who knows? I like it now). I like it's versatility (it sounds great with any guitar/amp combo). I haven't tried too many fuzzes (Boss Fuzz, Big Muff) but this was the best. Hands down!

This is a re-submission of a review for this pedal. I sent the first one in before I had played live with it and I want to report that it has exceeded my expectations. I settled on the internal DIP switch set up of 1,3,4,6 on and 2 and 5 off. The sound is really defined and clear and though I have a Klon Centaur and TS9 in the line-up as well, I end up using the FuzzDrive alone about 80% of the time. It really maintains great high end when I turn my guitar volume down. I can do most of the gig with just the volume control on the guitar going from clean to semi-clean to overdrive. This REALLY works!

Clapton Strat through a '65 Super Reverb. This combo already produces a great sound of course and the FuzzDrive sets it free. Maintains bottom end, high end is crystal clear and it really offers an unlimited array of tone and eq options. The overdrive is great: Not Tubescreamer. It had it's own sound that you can make your own because it has a transparent quality that allows you to sound like you.

It's well built and I would do a gig without a back-up.

Customer support is very good. Prompt responses.

I've been playing for 29 years. It helps me play better because it really enhances the tone that I already like. I play several styles but my technique involves playing with my fingers in addition to a pick and this pedal really helps that style of playing. It makes my guitar more responsive to string attack. That's important with fingerpicking because you don't get the volume you do with a pick. This pedal is worth the $225 you'll pay for it.