FEA Photon Fuzz II

[boomertech]

I am currently deployed. I pulled in to port on a Thursday and checked my email and the paypal link was there. Turns out that was the last day I had to purchase. Super lucky break on that. It is now sitting at home waiting patiently for my return next weekend. I can't wait, especially with the comments. I was hoping for something that could be used as an OD all the way up to fuzz and it sounds like it can do that. I'm super happy. It will join my FEA DE-CL as soon as I get home.

Have a safe journey home and thank you for your service! I hope the Photon Fuzz II serves you well.

-Frank

 

[mrwood4]

First time being able to use the photon fuzz at a gig today. Outdoor festival type of show.
I had the photon set up as a mild/medium OD. It worked great in this role. I don't use fuzz much in this band, so kicking in the octave was just the right amount of fuzz. I'm really happy I can use the photon in this dual role. It's now the only fuzz on my board. Love it!!

 

[vincent69]

Mine came it today. Just had about one hour to try it. Oh man this thing sounds incredible, it's so versatile:
low/mid OD: drive @8,bite @MIN, dry @9, low @14, high @15, ACNR @MIN, octave off
just by putting Bite between 15 and max, and it becomes a raunchy fuzz
adding the octave gives some more presence in the mids/highs.

And that's only the beginning...

With Fuzz @Max and octave around 10, and by adjusting the other settings, it can easily go on the harsher aggressive side of fuzz/distortion.

Another fun sound was Octave @Max, Drive @MIN, with ACNR around 14, and you get a very dynamic fuzz, and so on...

Plus there are the 6 deep switches inside the box the select what kind of high pass you want. I didn't even dare have a look inside mine...

I see hours of fun and tweaking this beast. It is definitely a keeper !

Thanks Frank for creating such a pedal !

 

[boomertech]

Mine came it today. Just had about one hour to try it. Oh man this thing sounds incredible, it's so versatile:
low/mid OD: drive @8,bite @MIN, dry @9, low @14, high @15, ACNR @MIN, octave off
just by putting Bite between 15 and max, and it becomes a raunchy fuzz
adding the octave gives some more presence in the mids/highs.

And that's only the beginning...

With Fuzz @Max and octave around 10, and by adjusting the other settings, it can easily go on the harsher aggressive side of fuzz/distortion.

Another fun sound was Octave @Max, Drive @MIN, with ACNR around 14, and you get a very dynamic fuzz, and so on...

Plus there are the 6 deep switches inside the box the select what kind of high pass you want. I didn't even dare have a look inside mine...

I see hours of fun and tweaking this beast. It is definitely a keeper !

Thanks Frank for creating such a pedal !

Thank you for the feedback!

-Frank

 

[DirtyDuke]

I had V1 which I sold to get V2. I I love it. But a chance to get there v1 locally just popped up an I'm grabbing that one too!!!

 

[GuzBaas]

I'm getting a second V2.

Yes it is that good.

 

[vincent69]

Just made two small demos to show the on one hand the classic kind of gated fuzz sound and on the other the all out fuzz.
Signal chain is: Rickenbacker 4003-Photon Fuzz II-Ampeg Heritage B-15N. Played with a pick Dunlop ULTEX 1.14mm.
I recorded with my phone at approx 5cm distance, no corrections whatsoever.

Settings on the Fuzz are as shown on the pictures:

Settings for "Satisfaction"




Settings for "Double Dare"

 

[GuzBaas]

Just made two small demos to show the on one hand the classic kind of gated fuzz sound and on the other the all out fuzz.
Signal chain is: Rickenbacker 4003-Photon Fuzz II-Ampeg Heritage B-15N. Played with a pick Dunlop ULTEX 1.14mm.
I recorded with my phone at approx 5cm distance, no corrections whatsoever.

Settings on the Fuzz are as shown on the pictures:

Settings for "Satisfaction"




Settings for "Double Dare"

Nice tone!

 

[Embra]

Mine arrived this morning. Love it . All my other ODs are going to be sold now.

 

[willsellout]

I've had a few days now to tinker with this little guy and I really haven't been able to make it sound bad. I've pretty much set the dry signal at about noon - two o'clock along with the ACNR, which I find to be very nuanced. It doesn't seem to make a huge impact on the overall tone even maxed out. Not to say it doesn't do anything, it definitely does a great job at limiting noise.

I find myself twiddling most with the drive, bite, and octave levels. I don't necessarily like twiddling endless knobs but I do like flexibility. I am extremely satisfied with the range of tones you can get with just those three knobs. Even with just the drive and bite you can cover a ton of ground; from a light overdrive to a balls out fuzz. And if I roll off the treble on my jazz and kick on the octave it gets real dark real quick. I haven't messed with any of the dip switches and the only one I can see myself messing with is the octave hi pass I think.

I definitely love this pedal. It's like that dirty filthy fuzz that grew up in the hood but then made it big and found itself living in a mansion on long island. It has those nasty fuzz roots but it's more refined.

Build quality is impeccable. It will outlast me.

 

[boomertech]

I've had a few days now to tinker with this little guy and I really haven't been able to make it sound bad. I've pretty much set the dry signal at about noon - two o'clock along with the ACNR, which I find to be very nuanced. It doesn't seem to make a huge impact on the overall tone even maxed out. Not to say it doesn't do anything, it definitely does a great job at limiting noise.

I find myself twiddling most with the drive, bite, and octave levels. I don't necessarily like twiddling endless knobs but I do like flexibility. I am extremely satisfied with the range of tones you can get with just those three knobs. Even with just the drive and bite you can cover a ton of ground; from a light overdrive to a balls out fuzz. And if I roll off the treble on my jazz and kick on the octave it gets real dark real quick. I haven't messed with any of the dip switches and the only one I can see myself messing with is the octave hi pass I think.

I definitely love this pedal. It's like that dirty filthy fuzz that grew up in the hood but then made it big and found itself living in a mansion on long island. It has those nasty fuzz roots but it's more refined.

Build quality is impeccable. It will outlast me.

Awesome! I love this... "It's like that dirty filthy fuzz that grew up in the hood but then made it big and found itself living in a mansion on long island." Thanks!

The pre fuzz filters are the only high pass filters on the DIP switch. The octave and clean filters are low pass filters.

-Frank

 

[willsellout]

Oh yeah that makes sense. Thanks for the clarification. Great job on this one. I definitely love it!

 

[GuzBaas]

I know that most of you must be tired of me posting how awesome this pedal is but every time I play the photon fuzz I feel sad for all my lost years. I'm not selling my other fuzzes (yet) because I promised myself that I would not do that.

Right now I just have the Photon Fuzz and the Cornish Bass Drive on my board, every day feels like the "Clash of the Titans".

I'm waiting for my second Photon Fuzz to arrive so I can use one for low gain and the other for a dark mid gain... worst case scenario I'll have a backup fuzz
Also, I'm dying to hear how both octaves sound one into the other

 

[Mosfed]

I can't wait for mine

 

[DirtyDuke]

Picked this up locally to go to the V2

 

[btmpancake]

I've been waiting and wanting a pedal that gives me fuzz/od with positive reviews. I think this is the one. Who are the dealers or is this a manufacturer order per request?

 

[boomertech]

I've been waiting and wanting a pedal that gives me fuzz/od with positive reviews. I think this is the one. Who are the dealers or is this a manufacturer order per request?

We do not have dealers. We have notification lists that you can be placed on and we will contact you when a pedal is available for you.

We should have Photon stock for the website shortly, so you will be able to buy directly from the product page.

Thanks!
-Frank

 

[monkeyfinger]

I received the Photon Fuzz II the other day. I've spent about an hour total with it so far. Initial impressions: The most dynamic fuzz I have ever played. I reacts like a really good overdrive, but with heavy distortion. The sound is very full and modern, preserving much of your original bass character. It's more like really heavy overdrive than fuzz, polite and controlled. Even at the heaviest settings, it keeps some of the attack. The other distortions I have on my board are the Brimstone Crossover Distortion, the Dark Glass Duality and the 3Leaf You're Doom. The character of the Photon is much closer to the Brimstone than the other two. It is more like some of the tamer settings on a Volt Thrower, which it replaced. BTW, I changed the dip switches. I came with them all off. Now I have 2, 3 and 6 on. I think it really improved the sound.

 

[boomertech]

I received the Photon Fuzz II the other day. I've spent about an hour total with it so far. Initial impressions: The most dynamic fuzz I have ever played. I reacts like a really good overdrive, but with heavy distortion. The sound is very full and modern, preserving much of your original bass character. It's more like really heavy overdrive than fuzz, polite and controlled. Even at the heaviest settings, it keeps some of the attack. The other distortions I have on my board are the Brimstone Crossover Distortion, the Dark Glass Duality and the 3Leaf You're Doom. The character of the Photon is much closer to the Brimstone than the other two. It is more like some of the tamer settings on a Volt Thrower, which it replaced. BTW, I changed the dip switches. I came with them all off. Now I have 2, 3 and 6 on. I think it really improved the sound.

Thanks for the review!

I too like the dry blend low-pass filtered with sw 2. It makes the dry level more of a clean bass knob. Thanks for the switch settings.

-Frank

 

[jwr]

Still love mine!

The only thing I wish was there was a way to make the octave up stronger. That's literally the only change. Or does one of the dip switches do that and I'm just forgetting? LOL