Xploration • Curation • Recommendation
David Main's Signature Robert 'Loop' Hampson Amphetlabs Silicon Fuzz is briefly available again courtesy of Joe's Pedals
Key Points
David Main’s Amphetlabs Silicon Fuzz was engineered in 2014 for Loop guitarist Robert Hampson to replicate a one‑off quirky 3 x BC549C Colorsound Jumbo Tone Bender.
Main’s build preserves the quirks, uses 3 x BC547B transistors, DAM parts, Volume/Fuzz/Tone controls and BB‑size enclosure; batches ran in 2017 as custom orders and numbers are low.
They go on sale at 17:00 on March 4 from Joe’s Pedals Boutique in limited numbers; As of March 4, the price was £359.
No official demo; references include a Jumbo Tone Bender demo and Loop’s single.
For electrical safety or opening/modifying, consult a qualified tech.
The Main Amphetlabs Silicon Fuzz was originally engineered back in 2014 for Space Rockers Loop’s lead guitarist Robert Hampson. Up until that time Robert’s signature fuzz had been the 3 x BC549C Silicon Transistor loaded Colorsound Jumbo Tone Bender Fuzz - which actual individual pedal had an odd manufacturing fault / quirk / glitch - which made it sound quite out of the ordinary and was how it endeared itself to Robert. Note that the Jumbo Tone Bender is actually not a Tone Bender type at all - rather it is a 3-transistor take on a Big Muff circuit.
David Main took on the mission to replicate that one off quirky unit - and so the Amphetlabs Fuzz was born. We know there was for sure a batch or two made in 2017 largely as custom orders - while the overall numbers of Amphetlabs pedals are not known to me - but is likely they are very much on the low side.
David has made a very exacting take on that original Jumbo Tone Bender fuzz - with that one pedal’s circuit quirks fully intact. His version features the typical D*A*M superior parts selection - and makes use of 3 x BC547B Transistors. Same 3 controls - Volume, Fuzz and Tone, regular power-supply and all. It inhabits the same BB-size enclosure which most recently (few years ago!) was used for a version of the Emanating Fist Electronics Dope Priest series.
These pedals go on sale officially at 17:00 today March 4th - for the princely sum of £359 - and are only available from Joe’s Pedals Boutique - in strictly limited numbers. If you’re a fan of David Main or Robert Hampson / Loop - now is definitely the time to get onboard as these batches occur so very rarely and sporadically - that it will likely be another few years until, if and when another batch gets made.
I’m certainly looking forward to getting my hands on one.
Anyone else tempted?
Note that there is still no official demo for this pedal - and so for my references I have made use of a decent demo of a Jumbo Tone Bender - but not necessarily the quirky one that is key to this edition. I’ve also referenced the latest Loop band single - which was out at the end of last month! As below :
Tangential References
