Crazy Tubes Circuits has released to vintage-inspired new stompboxes, the Memphis vibrato and the Constellation Fuzz. The Memphis is a stripped-down version of the Killer V, while the Constellation makes five fuzz flavours available at the touch of a dial.
The Memphis is an amp-like vibrato with an all-analogue LFO inspired by the circuits on vintage Magnatone amplifiers. As per the amps of the 50s and 60s, there is a two-stage pitch shifting circuit that takes its power from an internal voltage multiplier. The circuit is designed to have plenty of headroom in it, warm and musical, while there's an onboard 20db of clean boost available.
Besides the Volume control, Speed and Intensity work as you'd imagine, adjusting the rate of the effect and its depth, while there is a wet/dry-wet switch to toggle between 100 per cent modulated effect and both modulated and dry signals running in parallel, giving you an Uni-Vibe, phaser style effect.
The Constellation, meanwhile, is a limited edition affair – after all, the parts incorporated in its circuit are not just found lying around. Here, Crazy Tube Circuits has really pounded the pavement in search of vintage audio components, deploying UK-made NOS germanium CV7003 transistors (military spec OC44).
Cork sniffers will be delighted to know that these date back to 1968 and were manufactured by Texas Instruments.
As far as controls go, the Constellation is straightforward, no fuss, with a five-way rotary dial for choosing fuzz voice, Volume and Gain. The fuzz modes comprise a Fuzz Face voicing, one inspired by the Vox Italian-built Tone Bender, "a soaring gain 3-transistor fuzz circuit," plus a Rangemaster and Rangemaster/Fuzz Face-style combo.
The Constellation has a laser-etched aluminium chassis and is built by hand in Athens. It arrives in a natural stained wooden box, and costs €299.
The Memphis is priced €155.
See Crazy Tube Circuits for more information.
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