A hand built heavy fuzz the Massive FX Pedals Alchemist is the company’s take on the vintage, Germanium Burns Buzzaround from the late ’60s / early ’70s.
The pedal features an master volume knob, while the other controls faithfully recreate the ones of the original: amount of fuzz, bias and tone.
Massive FX owner/designer Yosef Sanborn came to our Stompbox Booth at NAMM to shoot this video of the limited white edition of the Alchemist.
See more of our pedal demo shot at NAMM 2019 with 60 Cycle Hum here. We also have a list organized by kind of effect in two pages here and here.
Having now appeared a third time, flourished beautifully, and brought forth fragrant and Golden Seed. It took many long years to discover how the blood of the Red Tiger Lion and the glue of the White Eagle were to be extracted, and how these were to be mixed in their natural proportions, enclosed, sealed, and committed to the secret fire producing abundant molten Germanium ore. We have, indeed, studied the writings, parables, and various figures of the tone philosophers with singular industry, and labored hard to solve their manifold wonderful enigmas, most of which are simply the vain products of their imaginations. It was long before experience taught us that all their obscure verbiage and high pretensions are mere folly and empty phantasms, shewn and imparted to all the Sons of G.O.A.F.
Rising from the buzz and ash of night from the early mist decades of old fuzz lore. The Alchemist hath cometh!WTF is It?
The Alchemist is a hand built Heavy Fuzz Monster. Dynamic Heavy Fuzz with Massive “buzzy/trebly” tones imparted by Triple NOS AC125 Germanium transistors. Our take on the legendary and rare Buzzaround insane-o-matic fuzz sound. Hand selected components and extensive listening to each component yields one of the most usable tone monster fuzzes to grace your pedal board.If you are looking for the typical fuzz, the door is closing, go elsewhere. If you are looking for a unique fuzz few have experienced in their arsenal of tone madness, come in to the cave and plug in and fly your freak flag high and proud.
User Controls:
“Master Volume” Knob:
- The “Money” knob symbolized by the Deniro symbol.
- Below 50% = Dark Energy and above 50% = Light Energy. Go into the light.
Tone Shape or “Balance” – Primarily “Mids” Control:
- In General – Above 12 o’clock position increases level to “Mids.”
- In General – Below 12 o’clock position reduces level to “Mids” and thins tone.
- This is adjusting the Fuzz Bias with a direct effect on the mid EQ range.
- This directly works with the Fuzz/Sustain Amount control and affects the mid range of the fuzz.
- Symbolized by the Moon, you must feel where this knob needs to be set. The phase of the moon directly affects this depending on day and hour.
Fuzz/Sustain Amount
- Controls the amount of Fuzz.
- Note if you turn this all the way to the left you will not hear your guitar. This is also know as “the sound of one hand clapping” effect.
- Symbolized by the Alchemical Lead symbol, as things can get heavy with this knob.
- This knob is also associated with Saturn, which should remind us to use self-control.
Timbre/Tone/Attack Knob – Primarily “Treble” Control
- Timbre/Tone/Attack – Interacts with the Fuzz Bias (Moon knob) and can have a dramatic effect on your Fuzz Treble as well as a slight effect on your pick attack.
- In general – Above 12 o’clock adds treble.
- This can be subtle but increasing changes your tone based on the house Jupiter resides in, in your birth chart.
- Symbolized by the Alchemical Tin symbol, mix to taste. This knob is associated with Jupiter so beware of excess, and overindulgence.
