214 Fuzz

The 214 Fuzz is definitely not a one-kind-of-tone fuzz, itʼs an incredibly versatile pedal.

Controls:

Ganho (Gain)

Volume

Bias

Toggle - Octave

Toggle - Equalizador (EQ) or Filtro (Filter)

1kHz or Freq

5kHz or Q

EXP/CV input - offers control over the FREQ knob

Specifications:

Dimensions: 120mm x 64mm x 57mm

Current draw: 9.5mA

Voltage and polarity: 9VDC (center negative)

Polyester Capacitors: Wima

Ceramic Capacitors: Vishay, Samsung e Wurth

Eletrolytchal Capacitors: Nichicon e Wurth

Potentiometers: Alpha e Tayda

Bypass footswitch: SCI - Soft Switch

True-bypass with Kemet relay

1/4"jack: Rean Neutrik

Lumberg power jack

Complete description:
The 214 Fuzz is the result of a long-term and obsessive quest for the square wave. Itʼs been a two-year development period since the first prototype and long before Cachalote was even a solid idea in our minds. The references were many. Among them, we could mention the Shin Ei Fy-6 and the Fy-2 (Superfuzz and Companion), the Regulus VIII (‘Mutantesʼ fuzz), the Mosrite Fuzzrite, the Maestro FZ1 and the Brassmaster, the Ampeg Scrambler, the Tonebender MK1. Each of them has a particular taste and texture, but we wished for something unique, flexible and adaptable.

The goal is exactly not to be stuck to a particular circuitʼs sound. The 214 Fuzz is definitely not a one-kind-of-tone fuzz, itʼs an incredibly versatile pedal. 

It is of great importance for us at Cachalote that the musician has absolute control over the sounds generated by the effects pedal and is able to tailor the greatest number of parameters to his taste through intuitive controls. The 214 Fuzz has a Bias (Gate) control, Ganho (Gain), Baxandall EQ (1kHz e 5kHz) or Low-Pass resonant filter with additional cutoff frequency and resonance controls. There is an Expression pedal and CV control input and an octave toggle. It can go from a psychedelic vintage fuzz to a garage fuzz. You can get a stoner fuzz, a velcro fuzz and it generates synth-like square waves.

The gain circuit came from the obscure Sam Ash Fuzz Stainer. From there, it was modified and stabilized with an input buffer. Besides that, we have also come up with extra possibilities for the distorted wave. The gain structure is directly affected by the position of Ganho (Gain), Bias (Gate), and the octave toggle. There are countless possibilities and textures to be explored when changing the combinations among these parameters. 

The octave toggle inverts the polarity of part of the wave generating the effect of a higher octave. Keep in mind that this octave sounds nothing like a digital-generated one, it is not by any means perfect, and that is exactly what we love about it. This analog-generated octave is monophonic and considerably changes the gain structure of the pedal. In case more than one note is played, you get a ring-modulator-like effect.

After the clipping stage, the tone is shaped by the equalizer or the resonant low-pass filter. These parameters share the same knobs and each knob controls a particular parameter depending on the mode selected - EQ or Filtro (filter).

The EQ circuit is Baxandall and when this mode is active, this section knobs will control the parameters 1kHz and 5Khz. These two frequencies are fixed and you can boost or cut frequencies above and below these points with a shelving curve. This way, the control over the frequency spectrum covers all the main regions - lows, low-mids, high-mids, and highs.
When Filtro is selected, a low-pass resonant filter is active. The knobs 1kHz e 5kHz now control respectively the cutoff frequency (FREQ) and Resonance (Q). In this mode, the FREQ knob can be controlled via an expression pedal or CV. When allied to the robotic and synth-like textures made possible by the clipping stage, this filter makes the 214 Fuzz travel from 1968 to 2020. With that said, aside from the classic amazing retro fuzz tones, we also get unique and modern sounds.

The 214 Fuzz is not a stuck-in-time one-kind-of-tone fuzz, it is an incredibly versatile pedal. We want you to find your tone without copying another musician or a particular decade.

We planned the 214 Fuzz as an open platform in the world of fuzz pedals. It is up to you to find your own tone among the infinite possibilities the pedal has to offer.