Boss's New FZ-1W Fuzz Distills learnings from the TB-2W Project to create the Perfect Everyday 60's Inspired Bullet-Proof Silicon Fuzz
The FZ-1W Waza Craft Fuzz is an original Boss Fuzz circuit - not based on anything that has come before, but made with the expertise and experience picked up during the recent TB-2W project. Obviously the TB-2W was a limited run - based on the availability of those rarer 2N404 Germanium Transistors - where only around / under 3,500 units were made in the end. The FZ-1W is somewhat different as it becomes a permanent and regular part of the Waza Craft collection - and will be made regularly alongside all the other hand-made-in-Japan pedals.
Instead of using rare Germanium Transistors - Boss is using more commonly available fully stable Silicon Transistors. The FZ-1W is another front-facing PCB circuit layout which one has to dismantle to fully see what’s going on - something which others are far more adept at than me - so we will need to wait on the reveal of the exact components and construction. From the quality of its consistent dynamic output - there’s very obviously premium parts onboard.
I had thought it might have some overlap with the FZ-3 - while it turns out that is biased quite differently - with slightly more starved voltage input - which makes it sound somewhat more buzzier and spittier at times. By contrast the FZ-1W has a far more open and even bias.
Boss Extended Fuzzology
Obviously Boss's 5 mainline fuzzes are easily distinguishable by their grey colour-coded enclosure, there have however been a couple of lesser known varieties back a while in the Boss archive - sort of Rat style, and a sort of Muff released during the height of Grunge - which was only manufactured for a total of 9 months!
The Fuzz voicings / original sources and inspirations those Boss pedals come closest to are listed below :
Note the use of the 'Roughly Equal to' symbol '≈'
- FZ-1W - nearest match ≈ Type II/III Silicon Fuzz Face / MKI I.V Tone Bender
- FZ-2 - nearest match ≈ Univox Super Fuzz
- FZ-3 - nearest match ≈ in-between Silicon Fuzz Face II and MKII Tone Bender
- FZ-5 - nearest match ≈ Silicon Fuzz Face II + Maestro FZ-1A + Octavia
- TB-2W - nearest match = sonic signature / enhance circuit replica of Sola Sound Tone Bender MKII (Unit #500)
- SD-2 - nearest match ≈ ProCo Rat Distortion
- PW-2 - nearest match ≈ Electro-Harmonix Big Muff (±Green Russian)
Boss reports that you get the very best of vintage 60's tones married to modern engineering - with more expansive range and consistency in output. This pedal positively sings at all levels - and delivers a very even and controlled output. The Tone control is of the see-saw design - meaning more high frequency and less lows in one direction and the reverse in the opposite direction. The main frequency clusters targeted are Upper and Lower Mids - so that in some ways it's a kind of Presence control clockwise too.
This is what Boss has to say about the two Modes - Vintage and Modern - which entirely matches up to my own experience - as I've highlighted in the top visual :
Vintage Mode - Classic Fuzz, Wider Expression
"With the FZ-1W’s Vintage mode, BOSS has redefined the classic (60's) fuzz voice with more gain and wider expressive range. The sound character is raspy and assertive without being harsh, and you can smoothly transition from heavy fuzz to crunch to crystal clean simply by riding your guitar’s volume. The powerful Tone knob simultaneously adjusts the high and low frequencies, allowing you to dial in a variety of different fuzz colors. And by turning down the Fuzz knob and cranking the Level, the FZ-1W works great as a boost for your amp and other gain pedals."
Modern Mode - Fat and Focused
"Modern mode delivers a more refined and versatile fuzz voice with focused midrange and fatter tone, making it ideal for all types of current music styles. The gain range is even wider than Vintage mode, and cranking the Fuzz knob past three o’clock conjures rich, singing sustain for inspired solo playing. The Tone knob offers a different tuning that lets you tweak the brightness without altering the midrange, ensuring your sound always cuts through. And when used as a boost, Modern mode dishes a heap of girth with rich, mid-driven character."
Demos
Final Thoughts
What you immediately get when deploying the FZ-1W is how warm, open and consistent its output delivery is - yes you can make it sound raspy - but it can so very easily be tuned to smooth and glassy or silky. I would expect this to be the absolute perfect Silicon Fuzz for lots of players as it is really versatile but very consistent and predictable in its delivery. It's perfect for Fuzz newbies and fuzz fanatics in equal measure and both will get a lot out of it.
This is such an even tempered and well behaved fuzz - it's really quite different to the FZ-3 which I had thought it might overlap to some extent - that is a much more 'unruly' fuzz. The FZ-1W is just one of the easiest fuzzes to dial in, and takes you right the way through clean boost, to overdrive / fuzzy-drive and buzzier / fuzzier tones.
Everything about this pedal is really smart and wonderfully straight forward. I initially thought it more of a Type II Silicon Fuzz Face, but it straddles the warmer Type III side too with ease - so this is largely a full coverage of Silicon Fuzz Face tones. It doesn't really have that dry reedy edge that takes it more towards MKI and MKII Tone Bender tones - rather - as referenced, it's closer to the MK I.V Fuzz Face forerunner. I would say you're largely in Fuzz Face territory here - It doesn't go quite raspy enough to properly cover either Maestro FZ-1A or TB MKI / MKII flavours as mentioned. But it really doesn't need to! I would imagine this in quite heavy rotation in my pedal-chain - just one of the best Silicon Fuzz Faces I've ever encountered and with plenty of range and output too! For sure the perfect marriage of Vintage and Modern - both in therms of tones, and construction.
As mentioned, this is a permanent part of Boss's Waza Craft 'Made in Japan' range - so even though I expect there to be a run on these - they will not sell out like the TB-2W - but will hopefully be available for many years to come. These should be appearing at dealers within the next few weeks or so - priced at circa €199 / $199 / £169. I expect these to be in very high demand initially once people hear the demos!
Note that the FZ-1W's enclosure is a slightly different darker grey to all the other more silvery-grey predecessors. Indeed as referenced by the visuals in this feature - albeit in the second visual - I have toned it down very slightly to sit better with the overall group!
Boss's overall fuzz collection (all-time) is now up to 7 - per my second visual. Who among you has all of them like me! And which is/are your own favourites?
12 Degrees of Saturation 2023 Compact Edition
