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JHS Smiley Fuzz Pedal

  • Based on 86 reviews
Condition: New
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Availability: In Stock.
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Arrives Friday, Nov 29
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Style: Smiley


Features

  • Volume control sets the overall output level of the effect; turn it up and it gets louder
  • Fuzz is the distortion control; the more you turn it clockwise, the more fuzz you create
  • On the side you will see a Mode control. Push this button to access our own unique JHS Mode
  • JHS Mode sends the Smiley into high gain / gated fuzz territory that you may never want to come back from
  • Legends like Jimi Hendrix, Jack White, Eric Clapton, David Gilmour, and Eric Johnson have used this circuit on countless albums. Now it's your turn

Description

The "Legends Of Fuzz'' series is a collection of the world's most historic, rare, and sought after circuits. At JHS, fuzz pedals have been in our lineup for over a decade. We have designed original circuits, replicated classics, and we have seen the trend of fuzz popularity come and go. The "Legends Of Fuzz'' series is our tribute to the most important fuzz circuits ever made. It is our way of ensuring that the stories of these effects live on in the music that you are going to make. From the earliest days of fuzz in the mid-60's London scene to the 1990's ex-Soviet military factories that brought the Big Muff back to life, fuzz tells a story, and that story includes guitarists just like you. There is nothing more primitive than plugging your guitar into a vintage fuzz circuit; it is raw, untamed, and so pure that it pushes the boundaries of what your instrument can accomplish. Plug into a fuzz and plug into sixty years of beautifully broken sound. In 1966, a salesman named Ivor Arbiter saw the rising British rock scene demanding the effect of fuzz. He decided that his company Arbiter Electronics needed to join the other London guitar product companies and release his own take on this trending sound. After seeing the circular base of a mic stand, he came up with the idea to put the effect in a similar round enclosure and give it a face: two eyes made of knobs, a foot switch nose, and a brand label mouth. Thus, the Fuzz Face was born. That same year an American guitarist named Jimi Hendrix arrived in London and adopted Ivor’s design as his weapon of choice, and the rest is history. The first few years of the Fuzz Face were manufactured using germanium transistors but by 1969, germanium fully gave way to silicon devices and Arbiter never looked back. Hendrix himself preferred the silicon versions over germanium because of their sound, aggressive bite, and their stability in environments where germanium proved inconsistent. The JHS Smiley is a sonically faithful recreation of what makes these early silicon Fuzz Faces great. Several vintage units from my collection were considered and analyzed so that we could be sure to perfectly capture the magic that I love in this era. The Smiley is clear and defined, straddling the line between distortion pedal and a searing sustain, sustaining low end and crisp mid-range bite that you expect from a vintage Arbiter unit. One of the most revered characteristics of a good Fuzz Face is its ability to clean up when the guitar's volume is rolled back, and the Smiley does this effortlessly. The controls are Volume and Fuzz. Volume sets the overall output level of the effect; turn it up and it gets louder. Fuzz is the distortion control; the more you turn it clockwise, the more fuzz you create. On the side you will see a “Mode” control. Push this button to access our own unique “JHS Mode”. This mode sends the Smiley into high gain gated fuzz territory that you may never want to come back from. If you want a fuzz that covers coveted classic tones, look no further. Legends like Jimi Hendrix, Jack White, Eric Clapton, David Gilmour, and Eric Johnson have used this circuit on countless albums. Now it's your turn.


Item Weight: 1 pounds


Product Dimensions: 6 x 5 x 3 inches


Country of Origin: USA


Item model number: JHSSMILEY


Date First Available: May 20, 2020


Color Name: White


Frequently asked questions

If you place your order now, the estimated arrival date for this product is: Friday, Nov 29

Yes, absolutely! You may return this product for a full refund within 30 days of receiving it.

To initiate a return, please visit our Returns Center.

View our full returns policy here.

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Top Amazon Reviews


  • sounds good
Style: Bender
I run this thru a Kingtone Soloist and then thru a vintage Ibanez PQ9 parametric equalizer to add brightness in front of my amp. I keep the attack and tone quite low on the Bender and also the drive and tone low on the Soloist as well. I generally keep the volume knob on my Strat rolled off to about 8. It sounds like a million bucks. When I turn the volume on my Strat up to 10 (my secret weapon), when I need more oomph, my rig sounds like two million bucks. The Bender offers way more fuzz than I'll ever need but it's good to know that the pedal has the capability to produce it. The three knobs on the Bender would be better placed on the face of the pedal, and not on the side. The pedal is light and requires velcro to secure it to a board, to keep it from flopping around. I was not able to A/B it with it's competition before the purchase. Because of the knobs being on the side of the unit, I will A/B the other JHS fuzz pedals with other brands before any future fuzz purchase. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2020 by ed l

  • Absolutely fantastic
Style: Bender
I've been looking for a pedal that sounded like this (that doesn't cost $2k) for a while. The Sun Bender from Analog Man was another option, but I wanted something that got really close to the sound of the original with the stability that germanium can't offer. Many other gain pedals are touted as being versatile, this is the first one I've had that I really noticed the touch sensitivity shine. I can play a smooth jazzy run then switch up, play some heavy fuzz rock lines, and slide right back into a more relaxed tone. All without touching any knobs at all. The pedal stays crisp and clear the whole time, giving me a sense of control and something I can only describe as being "finite". This pedal doesn't change the tone of your guitar, and it won't hide mistakes. The team at JHS has done a great job, I'd highly recommend this pedal. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2020 by Ben Grieco

  • Big Wall of Sound
Style: Crimson
This is the fuzz I was looking for. I have played a lot of common fuzz from brands like Joyo, Hotone, Biyang, EHX, and other value brands. This was worth the price for me. It is a deep thick fuzz with the tone knob turned back and tight and cutting with the tone knob turned up. The switch on the side takes it to an 11! It has everything you would want from a muff style fuzz ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2021 by Bw12535

  • Best fuzz I have “experienced”
Style: Smiley
Best fuzz face style fuzz I have ever had. I’m very happy to finally be satisfied with one after 30 plus years of trying. I have 5 others that fall short of the mark, and have owned others over the years. I didn’t give it top marks for versatility because it is a fuzz pedal (does have a separate spitty JHS mode that’s fun though). ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2021 by Wats

  • Classic sound
Style: Smiley
This pedal has the classic fuzz tone. Best I've used. Straight out of the box I noodled some Cream and Bluesbreakers tunes and this fit the bill perfectly. The only reason this isn't a 5star is no power supply.. for the price I would think a power supply could be thrown in. Couple specific points. 1) pairs perfectly with all the pedals on modulation row (after fuzz in chain). Slow deep phaser + trem sound memorizing! 2) surprisingly also sounds amazing with screamer added in front of the signal. I was expecting it to be too much but added just the right amount of boost for linear noodling. 3) does not pair well with Active PUs. Clips, fizzles and loses all sustain. If that's all your running would not recommend. My strat is S/S/H and it sounds awesome in all positions. Would recommend this to anyone with passive PUs looking to add that authentic vintage guitar hero sound to their bag-o-tricks ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2022 by Sean Linden Sean Linden

  • Very wider range of beautiful fuzz, no sacrifice in tone quality
Style: Bender
This is my new favorite fuzz pedal being used with my Fender Twin Reverb amp. It works just as well with single coil and hum buckers. I don't keep any pedal that reduces the natural tone beauty. This is a keeper.
Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2021 by Dan H.

  • This is the sound you have in your head
Style: Bender
This amazing pedal does one thing and one thing only: thick, wooly, amazing, fuzz. JHS nailed this one. I've used their Smiley fuzz and just can't bond with it but this one sounds the way I wish most other fuzzes sound. The Silicon transistors are biased to sound nice and warm and the tone knob works wonders for this circuit. Highly recommended. Maybe the best Tonebender around, especially at this price point. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2021 by Chris Gregory

  • Just what fuzz should be
Style: Bender
JHS pedals hit the mark each and every time. Excellent build quality, excellent sound. You can tell they spent hours studying the sounds from the past to bring it to you in this modern day pedal. I am pleased, very pleased with my purchase and would recommend JHS pedals to anyone searching for great sounds. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2021 by Dan Kistler

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