Shin-Ei/Companion Fuzz Box

regarding the shin ei fy2 fuzz pedal, my story began like this...having acquired this box at a flea market for $2.00 i really hadn't given it much hope for a valid fuzz effect...i tried the unit out, and at first was quite disappointed...hardly any gain, and no seeming effect change through adjustment of the fuzz control...also, the fuzz effect seemed to be thumpy and muffled...i quickly put the box back into storage and forgot about it...about three years later, whilst browsing through the internet, i kept coming across the shin ei fy2 fuzz box...slowly and almost by surprise i found myself digging my fy2 out of storage and tried to use it again...still, the same results, very disappointed...i decided to see what was what with this pedal, and devoted some serious time to back engineering the circuit to figure out what made the darn thing tick...having studied the schematic logics i had made (i have a quite strong engineering background) it came to me that the unit could not possibly operate correctly...i devoted several more evenings to reengineering this little diamond in the rough...what finally emerged was one of the best if not the best commercially available fuzz tone effects i have ever used...i made at least four changes to the circuit design which were somewhat surprising to me as i couldn't for the life of me understand why the factory engineers couldn't arrive at the same engineering scheme i had arrived at...perhaps the unit had been altered, or just a mismatch of parts at the factory...but when fully restored elektronikally the box is about as fuzzy and mystical as one could ever hope for...it is fuzzy i'd say that about it...and i love it...there is virtually no noise or harshness on the startup...it is velvety smooth and makes other conventional fuzz boxes look like attempts at fuzz...this thing is really nasty...it is also extremely easy to play...i am using a gibson les paul custom left handed guitar with seymour duncan sh1n59 pickups...which seem to perfectly drive all of my 60's effects...the shin ei fy2 is no exception...to me, this is the stuff fuzz dreams are made of...this is what fuzz is all about...

the sound quality is a bit difficult to describe...at lower string frequencies, the unit is very buzzy with harmonic overtones...on the upper registers, the sound quality is quite in a class by itself, as i could not compare it to other fuzz box sounds...it does seem to resemble an original tone bender fuzz (two transistor germanium, reissued by vox) but in a vague sort of way...it is a stand alone sound...i did have a thought, that this unit also strongly resembles the fuzzy wuzzy buzzy bass sound on spirit in the sky...i have read that norman used an overdrive unit installed in his guitar, but i don't think it was an actual overdrive unit...if you listen to spirit in the sky, this fuzz box shin ei fy2 sounds exactly like norm's guitar fuzz...and i mean exactly...but i think norman did not play the same effect for other sections of spirit, these tones may actually have been achieved through an overdrive circuit played by russel daschiel...quite different sound, so i am refering only to the fuzzy sound played by norman...for myself, i am using a textbook guitar amp that i designed, also boss stereo delay and boss reverb...my second amp is a kustom hybrid amplifier...i also use an elaborate array of tone shaping filters that i designed to give a full british comb filter time delay effect when all the systems are adjusted just so...pretty much it is impossible to tell from bass notes exactly how a particular fuzz circuit may be designed...the upper notes give it away...true fuzz is actually a term by definition that has to be met to fall into the fuzz catagory...there is in fact, a great deal of elektronik physics at work...but definitely, low frequency notes have to be buzzy, and this babe comes across quite well...the rest is interpretive...

warranties and such are useless to me...there is no fuzz box in existance that i could not repair...a failed unit to me is moot...i doubt that there is really much that could go awry in solid state boxes, perhaps a wire not soldered correctly, or a broken wire or dirty control, or a switch that doesn't reset correctly are issues that are more likely to occur than an elektronik failure...i never put myself in a position where i have to rely on real time operation of boxes...everything i do is the result of perfecting my failures on tape...i never play in front of anyone...so i don't have to worry about packing an iron to remove wrinkles in new york...

customer support? are you kidding? even if there were warranty stations for repairs, i'd sooner chase grapefruits rolling down a hill in denmark than to send anything out for repairs...if something fails on me, i need to find out for myself why it happened...

the shin ei fy2 is an effect i am still experimenting with...i suppose i would have to say that emotionally draining deep blues are what i like to play...the fy2 seems as though it could be played well in this area...in a limited sort of way...my other fuzz designs might score better for blues fuzz owing to their unusual quiet nature...jimmy page was i suppose the best elektrik blues artist i have heard...he knew how to fuzz!!!!!!!!but he also was no ordinary guitar player...somehow he figured out ways to blend emotion, technology and talent into an amazing elixer of elektrik bent note blues...and so for him, he could probably play a fuzz box with no battery inside, and still evoke emotion...what i am saying is that for myself i cannot adapt all fuzz effects to blues as their physics involved would not allow it...and so it gets back to fuzz applications...the shin ei fuzz seems to come through for this...as of yet, i have not been able to find a viable place in music for it though that would be its permanent nich...fuzz is a highly subjective experience...as i said, i am still experimenting...for the time being, it seems to work for me pretty well...

hey man all you do is push the button and hey presto,japanese nutzoid fuzz!!!!!like all the other reviewers stated,it has 2 knobs,but you only need them cranked up all the way!bbbbbbbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

yeah for sure this is ace!i rank this along side my mosrite fuzzrite.gnarly as hell carzy japanese fuzz!!!!!!forget fuzzface and big muffs,i hate em!this monster eats em and cacks em out!this fuzz wont be for everybody,but who wants naff hendrix fuzz?!?!?!?!?!!?!this pedals from the 60s and works like new!YOWZA!

only just got it,and its fine!

erm maybe not anymore.............

yes,yes,yes!!!!!!!!!!!the best!forget stinkin fuzzfaces!this is it!

2 knobs...volume and fuzz...and neither of them even do anything significant to the sound. Turn 'em all the way up and leave 'em.

Doesn't get easier than this.

This thing turns your instrument into a tuned chainsaw. Single note riffs become brutally buzzy and chords are smashed into little pieces. I've never played through a nastier fuzz box.

You've heard this box...it's what Radiohead is using on Myxomatosis on the Guitar/Bass part. It's on Exit Music for the fuzz bass at the end and it's on the bass all the way through The National Anthem. It's as nasty as you can possibly imagine.

It's so nasty, it actually does a great square-wave synth impression. Mix it with a good envelope filter (like a Lovetone Meatball) and you can make it do all sorts of boomy low-end gurgles.

Only complaint is that it cuts the volume of your overall signal by about 10% even when fully on. Not a big deal if you run a boost into it but it's kind of a pain.

Love it for what it is. This is the best brutal fuzz ever.

The thing's a bit on the fragile side...I'm going to build a clone and put it in a better case so I don't have to sweat stepping on it too much. Don't mash it...it's too hard to replace.

They don't exist anymore...

Great for crushing any sense of delicacy...if it's gotta be ear-bleeding, this is your box.

1 Vol knob(output of volume) and 1 Fuzz knob(think its supposed to raise fuzz level,but it doesnt!!)Dont need a manual,its piss easy!!

Mine is the Fuzz Box FY-2 with a "Kimbara" logo badge on it.Theres loads of differently badged versions of these pedals(Shin-ie,Apollo, Kimbara and loads more).

The sound is fantastic!Its the best Garage band sound fuzz ever!!I've had loads of Fuzz pedals in the past,including Colorsound TB Mk2, Colorsound TB Mk3,Big Muff,1970's SRS Fuzz,Boss Hyper fuzz, Jen Fuzz etc,and this is by far the only one to get that 1960's fuzztone sound.

The only one problem is that the effect vol. is a lot lower than your clean guitar sound,so there is a big volume drop when engaged,which is a shame!!If you use an A/B box(i have a Nobels one)then you can alter the levels to suit,Or does any one reading this know how to fix the problem??

Check out for these,you can pick em up cheap sometimes,although other times they are quite expensive.

Seems quite reliable,and as its only got about 17 parts inside it,it probably wont be hard to fix.If i saw another cheap,id definatly get another.

Dont think Kimbara/Shin-ie/Apollo would still exsist,they should reissue these babys for about #50-60.Theyd make a killing!!!!

I love this,but i can imagine that some people would hate it!! Its buzzy,fuzzy,dirty,nasty and its great!!I know a lot of people like smooth fuzz with great sustain and a lot of control over the sound, in that case buy a Big Muff USA reissue or a Colorsound TB Mk3.

If you love the dirty 1960's garage band sound("i wanna be your dog" by Stooges springs to mind!!)then get one of these babys,its great.

This Fuzz has two knobs, one for fuzz (ranging from "lots of" to "lots and lots of"), one for volume. The fuzz-knob actually thickens the fuzz when put lower, but don't be mistaken: it stays thin all the way! It kinda sounds like the pot-meter on your guitar. The volumeknob is totally worthless because the maximum output is actually lower than the original input. So, you understand: both knobs fully open, very easy to use. No manual here, except for a rediculous sticker about how to plug your 9v-bat in.
My version of this Fuzz-box (FY-2) is a Avora, for the Dutch (German?) market. But exactly the same as Shin-Fei, Companion etc.

This fuzz-box is incredibly dirty! Compared to (for instance) the Dunlop Jimi-Hendrix Fuzz, this FY-2 is a monster. The Dunlop is very smooth and soft in a way, whereas this baby is totally raw! It sizzles, grinds incredibly. It is DIRTY, agressif, very thin, no bass at all. I use it for bass sometimes, but from then on I play a guitarsound, for there is only this high-pitched-no-bass sound. It is an ideal fuzz-box for garage and other sixties music. (See some other reviews.) It is very quiet: though it sounds very dirty, it is quiet immediatly after damping your strings. The fuzz-sound is always the same, just more grinding noise at low tones, more high-pitched buzzing at high tones. It is thin all the time. I use a Bassman 100 tubeamp with it, and a 2*15" Dual Showman cabinet. But this is irrelevant, because the sound you get is the FY-2 sound: there is no bass, so every amp produces it the way it is. Coloring of the fuzz-sound is only possible when using tube-distortion and feedback. This is the sound of -indeed- soundtracks, or beatgroups. Because of the dirtyness of the box, you either love it or hate it, exactly for its extremeness. I love it.

There are 17 parts plus two knobs, a switch (on/off) and the in- and outputs on this box. It has the shape of a piece of applepie (GREAT LOOKS!). It is earlyseventies, it still works, I can't imagine it being broken. This thing will last.

Company? I think one needs to be at some secret service investigation bureau to get the guys who made these boxes. Repairing it yourself seems very easy, though I am told it is very "tight-fit" with fuzz-boxes. As I am told, even the length of the wires is defining the sound....

I play sixties and seventies rock, from garage to soundtracks, from Black Sabbath to Dick Dale and everything in between. This is a good match especially for sixties-players. Too thin for classic rock. I play for eight years, using a Japanese '85 Fender P-bass, a '75 Kramer Flying V Bass (Alu neck) and a Fender Bassman, as well as a Big Muff. The Big Muff sounds much more "Rock", much more versatile, much better for classic rock, stoner etc. The FY-2 is to be used for Fuzzzz only. It sounds at best with the Kramer, for the Kramer has a lot of high overtones and incredible sustain. It sounds a bit dead (not much sustain) on the Fender P-bass. If it were stolen I would not get another -let the guitarplayer play fuzz! I love the total dirtyness of the box! It is crude! I hate the low output, and the lack of versatility. What I hate most though, is its lack of bass. If it were to have enough bass for a bassplayer, this would probably be my No. 1 effect. It would be the best thing imaginable to me. It is awfully good for guitar. Comparison to other pedals: what made me buy this one are its looks, its dirtyness. I just wish it had LOW BASS! It helps making everything dirty.
The absolute killer combination for bass as well as for guitar would be a mix of the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff and this FY-2 Fuzz box. Than you have the versatility of the Big Muff, the straight sound of the big muff and the great Fuzz of the FY-2, as well as all the bass the Big Muff provides you. That would be the best combination conceivable for me!

About as easy as it gets. 2 Knobs - volume and fuzz....
The fuzz knobs seems to thicken the fuzz at the higher setting.

It sounds like it looks- 60's. I had to EQ the bottom and middle out of it a bit to get the sound I wanted and I run it into a Multivox Spit Wah on High Pass to get it even thinner and raspier... it's the exact sound i've been after - late 60's soundtrack fuzz, sharp and brittle. Even my crappy Japanese combo organ and synths sound great thru it...

It looks a bit dodgy... I haven't had it for very long, but it doesn't look to hard to fix if it did konk out.

I was looking for a real garage band fuzz and I got exactly what I was after even with my cheapo guitar. I'd definately buy another one if this one got misplaced, though maybe not for the same price.

It's my first fuzz so I can't compare it to anything...I've managed to get near to this sound in the past by patching up various bits and bobs, but this is just dead on what I was after....

I almost feel like Davie Allen with this thing.

It's a fuzz...how hard can it be?
It's a wedge-shaped box with two knobs and a little metal plate that says "companion" on top. The other marking says FY-2 Fuzz Box, on the end with the knobs. On the bottom are some instructions on how to connect a battery, full of typos! The Japanese must have thought Americans were really dumb.

Sounds really hoarse, with a touch of octave (up) when you go higher up the neck. Sounds good with bass. Sounds really good when you put an overdrive pedal in front of it, like a Tube Screamer set for low gain, and a high volume boost. Then it just goes crazy with all kinds of noise and feedback!
Its too extreme for most people, but I love it.

I don't use it live because it's not loud. I mean with both knobs on full, it makes your guitar quieter than when the pedal is off, which sucks ass in a big way. Otherwise, it works good, even though it's from the 60's or early 70s and it looks like a carbon battery leaked in it years ago.

Me no speaka Nipponese, ah?

Its a really cool pedal for playing weird noisy stuff. If you want a classic rock sound like those guys from the early 70's with bellbottoms and poodle haircuts like Clapton and Page, forget it, buddy. It won't sound like that even if it IS from that era. It sounds like a tinny metallic fart fuzz with a hoarse midrange and no bass. Like an electrical appliance, sort of. I really like it and I will buy it again if I see one!

Stomp switch, vol and fuzz knobs. Fuzz doesnt seem to do much at all, its full-on all the time. Volume does its usual job. Just set the volume knob around 5 or 6 and jump on the switch.

Rather noisy, but this pedal is so extreme that if you want one in the first place, you won't care about the background noise. If you want early Cramps / Cannibals style, downright vicious and disgusting fuzz breakup, this is the ultimate. Throws all subtlety out the window. I suspect one of these was used on the theme tune to the "Roobarb" kids TV series in the early 1970s, I've honestly never heard a fuzz as nasty as this. I want another one!

The steel case is quite sturdy, I would have no problem using it live. For a cheapo early Japanese pedal, its actually quite well made, except for the brittle plastic knobs. The internal circuitry is a tiny little PCB with about 10 easy to find components, so mending a broken one should be within the scope of most electronic hobbyist types. It really mashes batteries though, bring spares with you!

n/a

Immediately I plugged in, I wanted to play "Psychotic Reaction" very loud. This pedal really is evil beyond all belief. I tried a strat, a Vox and a Rickenbacker through it, and messed with the guitar settings, and couldnt tell much difference except for guitar volume affecting the amount of attack. It is utterly revolting. I LOVE it! If you play 60s style garage/trash, its brilliant. If you don't, look elsewhere, you'll hate it :) This pedal is the closest I've ever got to the lo-fi fuzz guitar sound on the early Cramps records. I'll eventually get round to drawing out the circuit diagram so I can build a clone of it, in case this one gets lost or stolen. I'd hate to lose it. For the bargain price of 5 pounds, this was a great buy.

Easy: you plug in, and then you despersately twiddle the knobs in hope of finding a useable sound! The two knobs are fuzz and level, level is (obviously enough) output volume, where as the fuzz knob only controls the fuzz TONE, not the amount of fuzz!

Using this fuzz with a '65 Jaguar and a '65 Jazzmaster and a '62 Fender Super amp. The Shin-ei is always noisy and the fuzz is always full-bore. No way of turning it down: lowering guitar volume just yeilds less sustain. All notes decay abruptly, total attack collapse in all registers...very extreme. I like 60's biker movie soundtrack fuzz sounds and this one does it alright.

This is an old (60's) box. If it still works it must be reliable!

Build me a time machine and send me to Tokyo c.1968 and I'll tell ya!

I like extreme fuzz but this is ridiculous! I just can't understand what the people that built this were thinking: It's either off or producing so much fuzz you can't hear what note you're playing. The Shin-ei successfully answers the question "what would plugging a Black&Decker tool into an amp sound like?"