OC201 Preamp

FUZZ

Limited to just 50 pedals worldwide, the OC201 Preamp puts a new spin on the familiar two-transistor fuzz design, coaxing everything from lean boost tones and rootsy drives to raw, organic fuzz from this rudimentary circuit. It’s all thanks to a pair of unusual NOS (new-old-stock) transistors. The OC201 was the first silicon transistor developed by Mullard, manufactured using the same method as their germanium devices. Though the OC201 was quickly superseded by higher-performance designs and newer construction methods, its limitations – relatively low gain and limited bandwidth – make it ideal for our purposes. The result is an articulate, richly textured fuzz that sits somewhere between the germanium and silicon archetypes. It’s extremely dynamic and expressive, with fantastic volume-knob clean-up.