Born from a battered, decades-old fuzz pedal that shaped LCD Soundsystem’s bass tones, the EarthQuaker Devices Chelsea is a rugged, stage-ready revival of James Murphy’s prized—but fragile—vintage Big Muff.
Meticulously recreated to capture every idiosyncrasy of the original, this fully analog three-knob fuzz delivers everything from tight overdrive to blown-speaker chaos, now built to survive tour rigors.
The controls are simple:
- Sustain knob: Adjusts distortion intensity and note decay
- Tone knob: Clockwise boosts treble; counterclockwise enhances bass
- Tone Switch: Removes the tone circuit for a raw, mid-forward roar
- Level knob: Sets output volume
The circuit’s dynamic range makes it equally at home on guitar or bass. With the tone engaged, it offers sculpted low-end thump; bypassed, it unleashes gnarly midrange grind. Its ability to clean up retains articulation even at extreme settings.
Named after the NYC shop where Murphy’s original was purchased in 1989, the Chelsea replicates that pedal’s “heavy but not too heavy” mojo in a roadworthy enclosure. Handmade in Akron, Ohio, it preserves the soul of a studio relic—without the fragility.
For players craving vintage fuzz character with modern reliability, the Chelsea is a cult classic reborn.
