Tim Champion Hissy Foot Fuzz

The Hissy Foot: Level, fuzz, on/off switch, in to the right, out to the left: very straightforward. What one might refer to as "uncluttered". Just the way a fuzzbox should be. But Tim did put a LED on it for those who don't dig gropping around in the dark... on stage that is. And not just any "led"; it's like having a supernova under your foot. When it's on, you'll know it. Even with your eyes closed. And four no-nonsense feet on the bottom make sure this unit stays put thank you very much. If you've ever had your stuff sliding around in the heat of battle, your foot will appreciate thse feet when finding the stomp right where you left it. Solid and right on.

For whatever it's worth, I've been apepoop for fuzz for going on thirty years now and have gone through mountain ranges of fuzzywuzzies with various amount of success and failure. I dream fuzz, I eat fuzz and I often hate fuzz cuz it's NOT user friendly. Ever. That's where people (NOT corporations)like Champion come into it. Hit the switch on the Hissy Foot, throw the knobs around, then go. Ace sound all over the spectrum. And if you're standing there with your head two inches from the front of the amp and your brain starts to sag, simply turn the vol. down at the axe: It's like the 'Foot ain't even there! Clean as kleenex man. Cool.

Short of taking your favorite jackhammer to it or using it for a wheelstop for that thing that takes the Space Shuttle to Launch Pad 39A, I think the Hissy Foot is probably harder to kill than a cockroach. And I'm not talking about those wimpy ones you have in your garage that you can get with those silly Combat bait stations. I'm talking those ones on the trees in the Brazilian rain forests that are bigger than the cover of Golf Digest magazine. The Hissy Foot is a friggin brick. And you can use it as a flashlight! What more could you ask?!

When I wanted a Hissy Foot, I found a phone number in a magazine. This was on a sunday night. Called the number. Tim Champion himself answered. It's been like that ever since. For those of you out there who've ever tried actually (how dare you) phoning Fender or Dunlop or Ibanez or etc etc etc... doing the deal with the Tim Champions and the Theo Hartmans and the Keith Vonderhulls of the music "underground" is like being put back in control of your own choice when it comes to looking for that next great grindy sputtery hummy buzzy sound.

Okay, I'm supposed to say something negative about the Hissy Foot. So I will: Ibanez Standard Fuzz Machine Fuzzbox. Electro Harmonix Big Muff PI. Ibanez Double Sound Fuzz Wah. GB Fuzz Unit Fuzzbox. Dallas-Arbiter Fuzz Face. ColorSound Tonebender and on and on... I like my stomps BIG man. I don't care about "pedalboard friendly". I come from the land of breadboxes. The word is BOXES: shoe boxes, hat boxes, tv boxes, refrigerator boxes, space shuttle boxes! The Space Shuttle should come in a box. I hope Tim Champion comes out with the Huge Hissy Foot!!!!! What was that slogan on the marque for the movie Godzilla? Oh yeah, I remember now: Size Does Matter!!!!! But that's just my personal opinion. Don't misunderstand me. The SOUND that eminates from the Hissy Foot is big enough to slay dragons. Or even those Brazilian rain forest cockroaches. Oh my.

The Hissy Foot comes with 2 control knobs, "VOLUME" and "FUZZ"and an "ON/OFF" switch. There is no easier way to get a sound outta' this pedal as long as you own a good tube amp. No manual came with the unit as none were needed. I spoke with Tim on the phone and we decided I'd be more satisfied with a brighter unit than the more darker Hissy Foot.

I'm currently using a 2002 Highway one Strat through a Marshall Bluesbreaker RI. The unit has very little noise until you run the FUZZ and VOLUME on 10. Very quiet for a fuzz unit!!! Plug the Hissy Foot into a 4 input Marshall with a Strat and you instantly have "Band of Gypsys" and add a VooDoo Lab Microvibe or Dunlop Univibe and ya' got "Machine Gun" and "Star Spangled Banner".

Ordered it late Friday afternoon and received it USPS about 11:00 a.m. this morning. I really can't answer these questions as of yet, but the Hissy Foot is built like a tank.

I spoke with Tim Champion before ever purchasing the pedal and the guy knows his business and insisted if I didn't care for the tone to send it back and he would upgrade to what I preferred.

I play anything from Hendrix to Andy Summers, Frank Marino, Billy Gibbons, Waylon, Willy to Dime and Zakk and originals. This pedal fits me, my instruments and amps to a tee!!! I've been playing since I saw Ace Frehley on the "Destroyer" tour 30 years ago. I own a Gibson LP Classis w/ EMG Zakks, 2002 Hamer Standard USA, MIJ Fender 60's Tele-custom sunburst/binding w/EMG-T's, 1985 Gibson SG, 2007 ESP LTD Eclipse 1000 VB w/ EMG's and 2008 ESP LTD White Viper 1000 w/ Seymour Duncan's. This pedal definitely will hold a note and let her sing beyond forever!!! It alsom arrived in my favorite color...University of Tennessee " VOLUNTEER ORANGE", or as Tim calls it "Great Pumpkin".

Recently purchased this pedal. Very easy to use. Standard Volume knob and a Fuzz knob. There wasn't a manual but I don't think I'd need one. Has a light in it that indicates whether the effect is on or not. Has true bypass as well.

I'm using this Fuzz with an old Gibson BR-6 and a modified Epi Valve Jr. (Gibson has 6V6's, Epi has an EL84) Guitars are either Strats or a Les Paul/SG.

Sounds great with all the combinations. (particularly likes solid state rectifiers i think).

Nice fat "round" fuzz sound with a tight bottom end. Not at all thin or tinny like a lot of other fuzz's I've heard over the years

With my Strat I can really nail the Hendrix tone and vibe.

Only had it for a few weeks, but so far so good. Built well. Would and have gigged with it.

So far dealing with Tim has been a piece of cake. He's very easy to reach and he even offered to adjust the pedal or tweak it if I needed.

I've been playing for about 15 years. Play mostly blues and blues rock. I am a Hendrix and Clapton Fanatic. I really love this pedal. It's the best fuzz I've ever owned. It's VERY musical, it cleans up real nice when you roll down the volume and it responds well to both humbuckers and single coils. I also own a wah, a TS9, a Fulltone OCD and another Champion pedal - the Clapthena - which is a great Rangemaster clone - and the Hissy Foot really fits in nicely.
I'm thinking about picking up another one before the word gets out and these get hard to find.
I learned about these through a friend n NYC and it's my understanding that Tim only recently started making these but if you are looking for a good fuzz, I highly recommend the Hissy Foot.

Staight ahead with a volume and fuzz nob. Nice LED light when effect is on. Very easy to dial in killer and I mean KILLER 60's Hendrix - Clapton fuzz face tones. You can get right to it. No messing around!!!!

Tim says the Hissy Foot is a point to point hand wired version of a modded late 60's Fuzz Face and uses vintage PNP Germanium Transistors. The sound is THICK like a milkshake and has a HUGE fuzz face type sound. It seems to be a bit darker than other fuzz faces I've tried and I like that. Tons of output gain. Very "Hendrixy" with my strat and 18 watt marshall combo also surprised it nailed the Cream era Clapton with Les Paul sound too. Wow!!! Cleans up nice when volume is rolled off to about 7. Sounds great LOUD!!! and at moderate volumes. Also, I didn't expect to but loved it with my tele.

I just got it and it seems solid. Hand made point to point wiring. Seems to be very well built. Also, very cool looking!

Tim is very easy to deal with. I've dealt with him in the past. Never any problems.

I play Blues, Classic Rock, Country, etc. and have been playing for 38 years. This pedal is just to much fun. If I lost it I'd have to get another. I picked the Hissy Foot because I was looking for a fuzz face type pedal but wanted one that was closer to the modded ones that Hendrix was using back in the late 60's. When I checked it out, I had one of those - Ooooh, thats how they got that sound moments!!!. my guitar sounded big and thick with tons of output gain but not overly bright - Tons of personality. Killer.