EH Switchblade to Harmonic Jerkulator (Redux)

A request for interesting fuzz pedals on an online forum made me suggest a number of circuits. The Harmonic Jerkulator was chosen. I took a commission and built a version of Tim Escobedo's circuit (with silicon transistors and no clipping diodes) into an EH Switchblade pedal. I think it was a success, from treble boost to chunky, gated-fuzz.



It's not going to make all guitarists sound like Steve Albini, but it has a character unlike many other fuzzes and overdrives that is fun to play. I was not trying to recreate the original Harmonic Percolator (by Interfax), but to make a pedal which could give a range of tones that would have impact when used live, and would deliver useful shelving (without needing to use extra EQ) when used in a studio.

It creates plenty of hiss and rumble, and even had traces of radio ghost voices in some settings; It does a great job of distorting that is not done by digital plug-ins.