Based on the JHS Pedals mastermind’s vintage EHX effects pedal that never existed, the new octave fuzz is available in big-box and Nano formats
(Image credit: Electro-Harmonix)
NAMM 2023: Electro-Harmonix has announced the Lizard Queen, an octave fuzz pedal based on a vintage EHX design by JHS Pedals’ Josh Scott that never existed. Wait, what?
Let’s recap a sec: back in February 2022, Josh Scott, accompanied by designer Daniel Danger, lived their wildest effects pedal fantasies and devised their own vintage Electro-Harmonix pedal, the Lizard Queen octave/distortion, for a video entitled “Making A Vintage Electro-Harmonix Pedal!”
EHX head honcho Mike Matthews was so taken by the design, he sought to make it a reality – no doubt emboldened by countless YouTube commentators clamoring to buy the prospective pedal – and that brings us bang up to date.
Like numerous ’70s pedal designs, the Lizard Queen features a fixed gain level for its fuzz, with a blendable Octave control for Octavia-style tones. The Balance knob, meanwhile, takes the tone from the smoother Shadow sound to the nastier Sun setting – these tweaks are more noticeable with higher Octave settings.
The pedal is available in two formats: in EHX’s widely available modern-day Nano enclosure ($99), and a JHS Pedals-exclusive big-box version ($349), which is limited to 1,000 units – 30 of which feature inverse color printing – and comes with lovingly replicated manuals and paraphernalia.
You get all the mod cons with the Nano version – 9V power supply operation, on/off LED – but the big-box features none of that, with just an internal battery and no LED indicator.
For more information on the Nano Lizard Queen, head over to Electro-Harmonix, while JHS Pedals has all the deets on the big-box version.
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Mike is Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com, in addition to being an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict. He has a master's degree in journalism from Cardiff University, and over a decade's experience writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as 20 years of recording and live experience in original and function bands. During his career, he has interviewed the likes of John Frusciante, Chris Cornell, Tom Morello, Matt Bellamy, Kirk Hammett, Jerry Cantrell, Joe Satriani, Tom DeLonge, Ed O'Brien, Polyphia, Tosin Abasi, Yvette Young and many more. In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock under the nom de plume Maebe.
