First pedal, KGR Harmony Tokyo Fuzz - Kurofune

[1060 W Addison]

Well, even though I've got a Boss 110, I decided to fork over more cash for my first pedal. I did some research, and ended up hearing about KGR Harmony through a video from A Flash Flood of Gear's YouTube channel. I found some for basically the same price as a normal Big Muff, so I figured I'd give it a try. Kurofune means "Black Ship," as in the European trading ships that showed up in the 1500s.

Got it shipped from Japan within 3 days, and its really nice. The whole pedal line is made from cast iron, and both the outside and the electronics inside are definitely quality. I threw in a fresh 9v and jammed a bit, this thing sounds *nasty* in the best pissed-off Smashing Pumpkins way possible. I can't find almost any info on it, most of what I've seen if for guitar pedals, so I got lucky with a shot in the dark.

Best link I could find: 南部鉄器の魂が宿るファズペダル 黒船 "KUROFUNE"で、あなたのサウンドを新たな境地へ！｜kgr harmony

 

[triviani]

Yeah, good pedals. But that's not the "Kurofune" iron cast version. The Kurofune is not a bass fuzz per se; and the bass pedals are from their standard line (normal enclosures and cheaper price point, cast iron ones are expensive).

The あられ cast iron overdrive got a minute of fame when they released a limited edition made for Lollar. These iron enclosures are impressive and quite heavy, and it also sounded very good.

Cast iron line: 南部鉄器エフェクター | kgr harmony powered by BASE
Standard line: ベース向け | kgr harmony powered by BASE

 

[1060 W Addison]

Wow, that is wonderful information, thank you so much! Can you please tell me, what do I have, exactly?

I have seen a raw metal version on the KRG Reverb store, and the other bass versions have a "step" on the housing instead of my smooth version. Here is a picture of the box, if that helps.

Thank you for any help!

 

[hayabusa]

Kurofune means "Black Ship," as in the European trading ships that showed up in the 1500s.

American ships in the mid-1800s!

And I have never heard of this maker. Thank you for introducing them.

 

[triviani]

Wow, that is wonderful information, thank you so much! Can you please tell me, what do I have, exactly?

I have seen a raw metal version on the KRG Reverb store, and the other bass versions have a "step" on the housing instead of my smooth version. Here is a picture of the box, if that helps.

Thank you for any help!

View attachment 7483030

It's the Tokyo Bass Fuzz from the standard series, in a regular aluminum case (with an added iron cast switch nut, I believe). For what I've gathered it seems to be based on the Roger Mayer Voodoo Bass.

They also sell these as DIY kits.

The Kurofune is housed in an iron cast enclosure, made by hand using a centuries-old technique known as Nanbu-tekki.

USA site: KGR HARMONY USA

 

[BassBrass]

American ships in the mid-1800s!

And I have never heard of this maker. Thank you for introducing them.

in the 1500s it's the Portuguese. That's Shogun (the 1975 book) 101 when in 1600 one English ship sneaked in and it's revealed the Portuguese had been "given" the Far East by the Vatican, which certain Japanese regional leaders (daimyo) didn't appreciate.

 

[1060 W Addison]

Yep, the Treaty of Tordesillas, it gave Spain the New World and Portugal everything else.

I love the pedal, and will definitely try to pick up a proper cast iron version of a KGR pedal at some point in the future. I should've known it was aluminum, it wasn't a brick lol