Flare

Aion FX from Des Moines, IA has helped guitarists build studio-quality effects since 2011. Their approach to temperamental germanium circuits includes extensive biasing documentation.

The Flare recreates the ZVEX Fuzz Factory (1995), essentially a classic Fuzz Face with LPB-1 booster in front - but half the components are replaced with knobs. This allows fine-grain control over transistor bias, creating everything from thick musical fuzz to gated velcro-ripping to full-on pitch-oscillation chaos.

Matthew Bellamy (Muse) made the Fuzz Factory's wild self-oscillation a signature sound. The circuit's extreme control over bias points makes it both incredibly versatile and maddeningly unstable - settings that work perfectly one day may need adjustment when temperature changes. The Aion PCB helps builders tame this beast with clear biasing guidance.