The Fundamental Fuzz / Distortion pedal packs in classic Big Muff-style tones, giving you a choice of voices and a generous array of tone-shaping controls
(Image credit: KMA Machines)
Berlin-based builder KMA Machines has unveiled the Chief Disruptor fuzz pedal. The pedal aims to offer more Big Muff-style tones than, well, a Big Muff – bundling a huge amount of tone-shaping control, plus three classic Big Muff-style ‘voices’, into a single box.
Central to the build are a choice of three gain structures, which can be selected by a toggle switch on the top left and reflect classic sounds from across the Big Muff fuzz genre… These include Vintage, Tight and Heavy modes. There are master and clean dials, while the oversized 'Disruption' knob handles gain control.
(Image credit: KMA Machines)
“Vintage Mode (VTG) will give you every shade of discrete overdrive, while the Tight Mode will give a more focused and modern tone with less bass and super crisp harmonics,” says KMA.
“Heavy Mode is the essence of what we all love about Muffs. Heavy, sustaining and crazy thick fuzzy distortion, with bone-shaking lows and chewy mids.”
However, the innovations don’t stop with the voices. One of the pedal’s most appealing selling points is the vast amount of tonal control it offers.
Mini Bass and Treble dials offer a generous 15dB boost/cut, while there are two Mid mini dials – allowing you to not just cut or boost them, but also select the frequency range.
What’s more, the Chief Disruptor offers a separate Mids footswitch, so you can kick them in at the appropriate moment for a bit of a tonal drama. And you can even connect an expression pedal for mid-frequency sweeps, which opens up the potential for wah-y and phaser-like tones.
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Should all this start to get a bit washy, KMA has also included a top-boost mini-toggle switch to help cut through the mix – this can also be tweaked via an internal trimpot.
In addition to the EQ level controls, there’s an option to insert your dry signal pre- or post-EQ, using a toggle switch on the top right.
Finally, conscious of the possible tone-squashing side-effects of all that potential EQ cranking, KMA has ramped up the headroom on the Chief Disruptor, which reportedly has the added benefit of making it the loudest Big Muff-style box on the market. They don’t call it the Chief Disruptor for nothing, it seems…
It is an utter beast on paper and a dream for settings geeks. We suspect anyone who have grown frustrated with the Big Muff’s limitations will delight in implying the Chief Disruptor.
KMA Machines’ Chief Disruptor will ship in late January. Expect a price of around $229/£179. Head to KMA Machines for more information.
Matt is Features Editor for GuitarWorld.com. Before that he spent 10 years as a freelance music journalist, interviewing artists for the likes of Total Guitar, Guitarist, Guitar World, MusicRadar, NME.com, DJ Mag and Electronic Sound. In 2020, he launched CreativeMoney.co.uk, which aims to share the ideas that make creative lifestyles more sustainable. He plays guitar, but should not be allowed near your delay pedals.
