Xploration • Curation • Recommendation
Blue FX's very first wholly original design - the Fuzz Fields is the most magnificent and aptly named Ultimate Dynamic Modulated Fuzz - with sophisticated layers and waves of killer textures and tones
The Fuzz Fields is an incredibly versatile Modulated Fuzz with several smart Modes you can ramp up and down through on-the-fly. The Main Right Footswitch flips Modes by press-holding the switch, while the Left Footswitch flips through the Freq and Gravity Combinations via quick double presses - so you can apply the Modes singularly or in tandem combinations. You essentially have 8 different combinations for how you can combine the Main Fuzz, Fazer Mode, and Freq and Gravity Modes.
The default Mode is just the core Fuzz on its own - which is a kind of 3 Transistor Silicon Fuzz - with a single Transistor for the Input Gain, and then a BC108 into a JFET for the Main Gain Section. You have a Gain Structure switch which allows you to select ⬆ High or ⬇ Low Gain - which also impacts on the Frequency Mode - with Higher Gain pitching up those frequencies.
There are 4 main Control Knobs - the Mini Level Knob, the 2-way Filter Knob, the Fuzz Gain and Frequency Knob, and the Gate Knob. Generally I ride the Level and Fuzz up quite hight - albeit default at Noon - with the Filter neutral in the middle, and the Gate wound all the way back. I only felt I needed the Gate really when messing around with the Filter control - and having the Fuzz Gain fairly maxed out. With default values you get the most amazing Classic Fuzz Textures and Tones.
I love using Phasers with Fuzzes - and so the Fazer Mode is fantastic for me - I much prefer the Phaser Option to the Vibrato - while both have their uses! And then we have Gravity - which combines Input Gain with Feedback - to bulk up the core of the Fuzz Voicing (Gain Tremolo essentially), and finally the Frequency Mode Engages an Oscillator which ranges from 50Hz to 150Hz in Low Gain Mode - onto 50Hz up to 265Hz in the High Gain Mode.
All those elements wholly justify the price of admission - so much deep thought has gone into the design and engineering of this pedal - it’s a most magnificent accomplishment for a first attempt And my now good friend Archie is obviously an incredibly talented engineer. You really don’t need the ’It...’ LFO Modulator - which adds another layer of controlled oscillation / flutter - as the ultimate Ramp Up element. It is alas Always engaged when on - where I would really have liked to have had a means to bypass it - as it means you can’t fully ramp up through the Modes any more. It’s really an ultimate second level punch-in effect - which there ideally should be some way to activate and disengage on the fly - that is the only niggle really.
I’m also not sure the Expression Pedal really adds much to proceedings - it seems to somehow get in the way of my rapidly gearing up and down through the modes - having to think about the position of the treadle also - just complicates proceedings - and while you can ramp up the Sensitivity Manually in different parts of the circuit - I I found the Main pedal’s operation much more elegant without the Expression being connected.
Really to improve the already perfect device - I would like to be able to engage / and disengage he ’It...’ LFO Modulator somewhat more dynamically. I have the ’It...’ on a separate power source - which I need to switch off manually to disengage that effect.
Of course if you just have the main unit - none of this is an issue!
Controls - Level / Output, Fuzz / Gain / Frequency, Filter (< LPF | HPF >), Gate, ⬆ 1kHz Notch Switch (for Filter), Gain Structure ; ⬆ High / ⬇ Low, ⬆ Phaser / ⬇ Vibrato Switch, Sense (Envelope Sensitivity), Left Punch-in Modes Footswitch : Double Press to switch Mode - Gravity / +Frequency, Right Bypass / Main Footswitch : On/Off & +Fazer (Phaser or Vibrato) - hold switch to Engage / Bypass Fazer Mode.
Dip Switches - Smooth, +Sense, +Time, Latch. (Mostly to do with SENSE / Expression)
Ports - TS In, 9V DC [-] 80mA, TS Out, CV In, Envelope Out, Expression (Fazer & Gravity).
My default core settings tend to be Level @ Noon, Fuzz @ 3 o'c, Filter @ Noon, Gate : Off, Sense (Sensitivity) at around Noon too - that delivers the most exceptional classic core fuzz tones and textures - and you can of course ramp up from there in various different directions. My main default is really having the Fazer Mode applied also - so you get the wonderful Phasey-Fuzz Texture. Oh - and the Gain Structure switch is normally in the ⬆ Up High Gain position for me.
There is so much range from those controls - it's really all so cleverly thought out. You can pretty much figure out most everything fully intuitively. And while the Press-Hold and Double Click Footswitch actions are an interesting choice (they both started off with the same mechanic). Everything about this circuit seems very natural, logical and organic.
The only thing that needs targeting is the ability to engage and bypass the 'It...' LFO Modulator on the fly!
Oh - and also - those Mini Knobs really need to have white positional markers - otherwise it's impossible to figure out where they're set from a standing position.
The 3-Balls icon for the Gain Structure switch is kind of upside down really - but not an issue.
Note that the 4 x Dip switches come default with #4 set to Latching Mode (for the Left Footswitch) - the other Dipper Modes - Smooth, +Sense, and +Time are all related to the action of the Envelope SENSE / Sensitivity settings. Smooth adds a sort of of damping effect when using Expression in particular - and then you can also adjust the range of Sensitivity, and a sort of offset timing +Time for he Expression Taper. I never felt the need to touch any of those!
Blue FX Devices' Archie kindly gave me some of his time to explain the main decisions made for his pedal - and he was able to furnish me with a lot of interesting details on the inner workings of the circuit.
This is an all-custom build - with the main unit a little oversized - but not really a challenge for me to accommodate on the board - it all slotted in very nicely - and performed at peak levels right from the start. No real surprises here - you just marvel at how well it all works.
As mentioned - I don't really feel the benefit of using an Expression Pedal - when constantly ramping up and down through those various Modes - so I've disconnected the Expression Pedal for now - it just doesn't really add anything for me - and largely just gets in the way.
I love each and every Mode - and it never gets too much - even with Fazer, Gravity, Frequency, and the 'It...' LFO Modulator all engaged at the same time. I actually genuinely love all the Modes - and ramp up and down through them constantly when I deploy this device. My usual bare minimum is having the Fazer Mode engaged with the Main Circuit!
There's obviously a lot of nuance here - ramping up and down though all those different modes - and adjusting the vast range of Gain, and Frequency. And you can get incredibly experimental too by playing around with the 2-Way Filter and Gate in particular - that combination reveals so many interesting tones.
This is an amazing Fuzz Tone and Texture Machine - and surely the finest take on Modulated Fuzz to date. This is for sure a Top Tier - Special Tier pedal - up there with the likes of the relatively recent Horrothia Lütz and Hangman fx Atomic World Ender!
The Fuzz Fields Bundle is very well priced @ €399 for both the Fuzz Fields and 'It...' combined - which is my recommendation - I don't think anyone would fail to be massively impressed by that combination. Of course available to order on the Blue FX Devices Webstore.
Many will feel they don't need the 'It...' as the Fuzz Fields device is already magnificent on its own - which will set you back €349.
It's incredibly ambitious for Blue FX Devices to have made this as their first fully original and custom engineered project - they have invested so much time and money into the R&D of this pedal - and it's nigh perfect at first attempt. This whole approach shows a lot of bravery - married to that smart creative thinking and slick engineering - which bodes very well for the future of this brand!
This is one of the very smartest Fuzz Devices conceived to-date - a total triumph as far as I'm concerned.
Demos
