Xploration • Curation • Recommendation
One of my all-time favourite versatile Multi-Fuzzes - the Shift-Line Termofuzz - gets a massive update by way of an evolved MKII Edition
I have championed the heck out of this pedal over the years and it features in 8 major articles on this site - including the ’Best Everyday All-Rounder Fuzzes’, ’Secret Weapon Fuzzes’, ’Reference Collection World Odyssey’, and ’The Fuzz Pedal Olympics’.
This is truly an exceptionally versatile fuzz - possibly in some ways even the most expansively versatile single fuzz I own - as it touches on all manner of classic and otherworldly fuzz voicings - including Extraordinary Harmonics, 8 Bit, Glitch, Random Octaves, and Self Oscillation. This fuzz has always sounded immense - and I was instantly smitten on first encounter. For some people there will be just too much of everything onboard - but that’s really what I love about it!
The main Mode rotary controller sbould really be called ’Magic!’ - as it’s kind of a Kernom style constantly changing Mood dial - which precedes Kernom by a nearly a decade and a half.
I have touched base with Shift-Line’s Oleg Barinov on a number of occasions and over a number of years - pushing for a reissue and / or update to the Termofuzz. I recall the time when he said he was finally considering a new edition - this was around 2 years ago I think. And I’m somewhat surprised I was left out of the actual launch - I had to find out about the new pedal somewhat second-hand - which I find a little decidedly odd.
The new one looks pretty cool - but I miss the style of the original Mode Knob - which was so iconic - the dial should definitely have more of a pointer shape as the core Mood / Mode control - it makes much more sense for it to function in that manner. If anything I would have placed that dial centrally and marked up the key different voicings like in the below visual - which was included with the original pedal - and there’s plenty more in-between voicing there too that can be labelled up - I would have labelled each and every major transition - while as on the new pedal the smaller knob looks somewhat insubstantial and unrepresentative of the wonders that lie within! :
MKI Contols - Level, Dirt, Gain, Harmonics Switch, Mode.
MKII Controls - Level, Blend, Gain, Harmonics Knob, Low-Pass-Filter : Deep Cut / No-Cut / Shallow Cut : , Mode, High-Pass-Filte : Deep Cut / No-Cut / Shallow Cut.
So the formerly 'Dirt' control seemingly gets re-labelled as Blend, we have a fully granular Harmonics control now instead of the toggle-switch of the original - and we have 2 additional 3-way Filters 0 LPF and HPF - which cut the most in the up position, nothing in the middle, and a more subtle cut in the down position.
All this means we now have even more ability to shape the output of this extraordinary fuzz. It's really not for the mild-mannered among you - this is a full fat in-your-face fuzz that if it was a muscle car - you would absolutely rev the shizzle out of it.
You do need to apply safe-cracker technique on the dial-in - that is to say tiny movements - as there are so many unique voicing and effects to be found along the sweep of that knob / dial - and some of the transition areas are minute - so be patient and deploy refined movements.
Getting to master this fuzz is an activity all should experience - it's very unique in how it shapes up - and it really is exceptionally good in most every area.
The Termofuzz is available for $249 and equivalent on the Shift-Line Webstore. And I hope Oleg is accommodating when I come calling!
The original was legendary - and this new one sounds like more of the same - with a few more controls - to get even more out of this wonderfully versatile Multi-Fuzz!
Demos
