Hartman SFZ Two-Stage Hybrid Fuzz

I found this pedal to be extremely easy to use/set-up. There is a Volume control and Fuzz control for each side (BC108 Silicon left/ NKT275 Germanium right). I don't use the two sides "stacked" as it not only results in a substantial loss of output,but has a mosquito like mess of over the top fuzz that I would never use. It just took some time experimenting with it in the rig to dial in well established tones with the different guitars I have...play with it and trust your ears.

I use a number of guitars-three Les Pauls and an American Standard Strat. One of the Pauls is a handmade repo loaded with BKP Black Dogs,one is a Gibson Flametop Standard loaded with BKP Stormy Mondays,the last is a 40th Anniversary model all stock. The Strat is loaded with Seymour Duncan Alnico II's ( left handed calibrated set put in a righty guitar upside down in a handmade pickguard allowing for the bridge pickup to be cocked away from the bridge--closest thing to getting to Jimi's set up in a righty guitar). The guitars run : axe> Morley Bad Horsie Wah> Circuitrix.com Distortion 1> SFZ> ancient B.K.Butler Real Tube Overdrive> Prescription Electronics Rx Overdrive set strictly as a clean boost> Bettencourt (Circuitrix.com) Head into either a 1972 Hiwatt 4x12 loaded with old Naylor Classic's (no longer available repo of pre-Rola Celestions) or a handmade 1x12 based size wise on a Cornford Harliquin loaded with a vintage Fane. The head is point to point.A Marshall clone with two discreet preamps into one power amp stage. Pre 1 is an exact repo of a 1968 model 1959 Super Lead Plexi.Pre 2 is an exact repo of a 1975 model 2203 JCM800. These are switchable and feed into a repo of the power stage used by Hendrix in his modified Plexi's...MercMag matched transformers using KT-88 power tubes-all tubes are NOS.There is also a Lexicon MPX-1 in the all tube parallel F/X loop. This rig allows me to reproduce pretty much anything done,clean jazz to hard rock/early metal,from the mid 60's to today (excluding de-tuned nu-metal).Note-I never use more than one pedal at a time other than the clean boost to kick up the smack to the front end of the amp for solo's. With the SFZ I was looking for the one box that would give me late 60's-mid-70's tone heaven. This does it perfectly.

It seems to be built like the cliche about a tank. Inside the workmanship is equal to the best I have seen. I truly expect to be willing it to some as yet unspecified friend or relative.

I emailed Theo about this unit and ended up having a couple of great talks on the phone. He was a pleasure to deal with and seemed genuinely excited about the rig his SFZ unit would be going into. He was helpful in explaining the mod's I wanted put in the pedal (bias on the BC108 silicon side/Hendrix mod on the NKT275 side). I have zero doubt that if anything were to go wrong with the pedal that all I would need to do was make a phone call to Theo and all would be right with world in short order.

I have been a musician for 38 years,25 of those having the 6 string guitar being my primary instrument. I play music ranging from blues and jazz,to Classic Rock,to Fusion Jazz,to Satriani type things.I was looking for something very specific with the SFZ and found it. With the Black Dog Paul I can nail early Billy Gibbons (like the intro to "Brown Sugar" just by dialing down the volume pot on the guitar using the NKT side. With the Stormy Monday Paul it is effortless to get the "Blow By Blow" period Jeff Beck type thing ( like "Cause We Ended As Lovers")using the BC side, and with the Strat go from Dave Gilmour (BC108) to Hendrix/ Eric Johnson on the NKT side. I am surprised at how quiet the SFZ is and how well it cleans up using the guitars volume pot even with the Fuzz controls set on "8" (where I leave them most of the time and control things from the guitar). My Strat is fully shielded so the noise level difference between the Strat and the Pauls is not serious. I have had it for 2 weeks and have put it through the paces live and recording and it does all it is supposed to do exactly as it is supposed to do. I would be extremely upset if it were to vanish on me. I am a former full time luthier ( now defunct Stephen's Stringed Instruments of Seattle,Wash.) who had the good fortune to have many wonderful guitars pass through my hands there and in my own private work ( no longer done due to time constraints). I wish I had half of the money I have spent on gear over the decades -I could retire to a nice island in the Carribean. I have narrowed my collection down over the years to what I have described above. I freely admit to being a total tone snob.When I find gear that really works,that is truly outstanding,I am not shy about talking it up. Like The top tier Lexicon products or BKP pick-ups... I will tell any who will listen. If they don't,hey,no skin off my butt as I already own the stuff. I will now be adding Hartman Electronic to my short list of truly terrific gear I will enthusiasticly share with players. Those who know me personally know that I don't do that lightly.

The SFZ Fuzz pedal is Easy to use, and puts out Beautiful,infectious Fuzz of the highest pedigree.
The Hartman SFZ brings two classic fuzz circuits together in a single pedal. Starting with a pair of meticulously crafted clones of the original Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face circuit, the SFZ stacks 2 stages of fuzz end-to-end using gain-selected Germanium and Silicon transistor pairs (NOS NKT275 and BC108, respectively).



Each fuzz stage has its own Fuzz and Volume controls, heavy-duty true-bypass footswitch, LED indicator, and may be selected individually or combined as a pair for greater depth, detail, tonal coloration and sustain. Both fuzz stages respond exceptionally well to touch, player dynamics, changes in guitar volume--and to each other! Split internal 18v power with power kill switch permits mixing and matching carbon-zinc and alkaline batteries for even more tonal options.



Optional Internal Bias Trim is available for either or both fuzz circuits. Other options available include the Mayer-Hendrix mod (Germanium stage) and hybrid pairing of Germanium and Silicon within a single stage

I own a few boutique Fuzz pedals, and until I purchased this pedal, My go-to pedal was an incredible BLACK BEAUTY BALANCE Lovepedal, that is until I got this orgasm inducing mutha right here. From the first time I plugged it in, with a fuzz setting at 11:00, and low drive setting on the Germanium side, this pedal put out an awsome tiger growl, that gave me goosebumps!! and it only got better from there!! Especially bringing up the drive beside the Fuzz!! I was not experienced with Silicon Fuzz prior to this, so the anticipation got the best of me and I kicked the BC108 side on, at the 11:00 position, and to be honest I was not expecting anything great, but what a double damn surprise!! I LOVED it!! I was in fuzz heaven AGAIN!! and it only got more impressive as I turned it up!! I could not believe how happy I got with just another effects pedal. But this double whammy made my week!! Best sounding Fuzz pedal I have ever owned, and Favorite PEDAL I own to this day, Believe it or not it has been a week I have owned this pedal, and I still have not played BOTH sides simultaneously yet!! I am afraid to!! I think I will blast off the planet into MEGA fuzz ville!!! I cannot recommend a better pedal than this SFZ right here. I usually do not give 10's for anything but this Pedal gets a perfect score in all categories

Not only is it DEPENDABLE, but it is built like a tank, and I only wish it came in the incredible amber color on some of Hartman's other pedals!! It is built to the highest quality standards you could expect from a company that knows, and cares about great craftsmanship.Besides they are great guys over there, and you can tell just by their website, some of their customers(FAMOUS), and by just rappin with them. THEY KNOW their stuff!! You can tell they take pride in their work, just by how much they put into each pedal!! THEY KNOW THEIR STUFF!!, I think they are closet scientists!!

Like I said above, You have nothing to worry about. I WISH EVERY AMERICAN COMPANY WAS THIS DEDICATED TO THEIR PRODUCT, and CUSTOMERS.
I just wrote to them to tell the guys how much I loved this pedal, and they responded back immediately, being most humble, and thanked me. TOP NOTCH COMPANY!!

I play Rock, blues, Metal, and my own Hendrix type stuff. I have only been playing guitar for a year, Played drums for 30 years. I have put a lot of research into my equipment, because playing guitar is not cheap, if you want great tone and stuff that lasts, you pay for it. I have a 68 Strat, A Dean Evo Signature select, a Joe Tursor 335 immatation(great guitar) and for amps I have a Fender Princeton 65, a Peavey Classic 30, and a Peavey 5150 stack.
If this Hartman SFZ was ever lost or stolen, I would first cry like a sissy, and then track down whoever stole it and Brand "I love Hanson" on their back with 5 inch block letters.
If anyone is looking for an incredibly made, high quality,Super Fuzz pedal of the highest order, and worth every penny. this is it. you do not need to look any further. This pedal has replaced 5 of my favorite pedals, which I will now sell, and make all my money back and then some..... it is that great.I have never recommended a product of any kind before, until now.