Germanium Fuzz
Temperature-stabilized germanium fuzz using matched 2N527/2N404 transistors with Automatic Thermal Bias.
Benson Amps was founded in 2012 by Chris Benson in Portland, Oregon, after his years as a repair tech at Verellen Amps and Old Town Music. Known for handwired, roadworthy amplifiers, Benson expanded into pedals that capture the same ethos: player-friendly designs built for working musicians.
The Germanium Fuzz brings Benson's Automatic Thermal Bias technology to a classic 1960s Fuzz Face-inspired topology. Using carefully matched 2N527 and 2N404 germanium transistors, it delivers the sputtery, touch-sensitive character of vintage units while eliminating their notorious temperature instability.
A Class A buffer input with pickup simulator ensures consistent response regardless of what's before it in your chain—solving the "fuzz first" placement problem. The circuit requires a 2-3 minute warm-up period as the thermal bias stabilizes, then maintains rock-solid performance through temperature changes.
The result is germanium fuzz that actually works on a modern pedalboard: dynamic, harmonically rich, and gig-reliable.
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