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Termofuzz MkII Universal Fuzz/Drive

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The Shift Line Termofuzz MkII is a universal fuzz/drive pedal which easily goes from traditional fuzz tones to wildly experimental sounds. The original Termofuzz was the most popular fuzz/drive pedal in our lineup and found its place in lots of pedalboards worldwide.

At its core, the Termofuzz MkII is a high-gain fuzz circuit with a peculiar network of internal connections which allow for a broad palette of dirt: from light overdrive through heavy distortion to mind-crushing fuzz. But that’s not all: the filters in the signal path give you even more options, and you can also add octave layers to the signal. The blend knob is the cherry on top: it allows you to retain any amount of the dry signal in the mix.

With all that, the Termofuzz MkII is a truly universal distortion tool which works equally well with guitars, basses, synths, drums, or any other signal sources.
Termofuzz MkII User Guide
Termofuzz (original)

Key Features

  • Analog fuzz/drive effect with a broad sonic palette: from classic sounds to avant-garde.
  • Analog octave up and down effect which can be blended in with any drive setting. Input-sensitive self-oscillation is also possible.
  • Bipolar wet/dry mix for proper signal phase processing.
  • Low- and high-pass filters in the wet signal path.
  • Super-broad GAIN knob range.
  • Simple and convenient UI.
  • 9-12VDC power intake.
  • Compact aluminum enclosure with top-mounted jacks to save pedalboard space.

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Connections

  • IN
    Is a high-impedance input jack for mono signal sources (passive or active electric guitars as well as anything else).
  • OUT
    Is a mono output jack which should be connected to the signal receiver.
  • POWER IN
    Is the power input jack.

Controls

  • MODE
    The MODE knob controls the effect’s character. It affects both the amount and the type of distortion introduced into the signal. Going from CCW to CW, roughly the first third of the range will give you overdrive variations, followed by fuzzes in the middle and distortions in the final third of the range. This knob’s position affects the GAIN knob and determines the drive range.
  • GAIN
    The GAIN knob controls the level of gain applied to the incoming signal. This determines the amount of harmonic distortion in the wet signal. This knob has a very wide range and can go all the way from “almost clean” to “completely unrecognizable”, depending on the MODE knob’s position.
  • HPF
    The HPF switch determines the amount of low frequencies in the distorted signal. It greatly affects the tonal balance and the character of low-frequency distortion.
    • UP: Steep low-frequency cut. Low frequencies have a minimum amount of distortion.
    • MIDDLE: No low-frequency cut. The entire frequency spectrum is processed and distorted.
    • DOWN: Medium low-frequency cut. This setting works great for classic tones.
    The filtering is mild and is placed before the cascades which form the harmonic distortion. This way, you can not only alter the effect’s character but also retain the low frequencies when blending the dry and processed signals via the BLEND knob.
  • LPF
    The LPF switch controls the brightness of the wet signal and affects its high-frequency tonal balance.
    • UP: Steep high-frequency cut. Low frequencies are accentuated in the distorted signal.
    • MIDDLE: No high-frequency cut. The entire frequency spectrum is processed and distorted, and the tone is as bright as possible.
    • DOWN: Medium high-frequency cut. This setting works great for classic tones.
  • HARM
    The HARM knob controls the level of higher and lower octaves in the wet signal. The main purpose of this control is to “harm” the signal by adding monophonic octave layers to it. Depending on the GAIN and MODE knob positions, it can give you classic octafuzz/drive/distortion tones, unpredictable glitches, self-oscillation, over-the-top distortion, and anything in between. You can also try and set up a “clean” octave effect, although it’s not the focus of this pedal.
  • BLEND
    The BLEND knob controls the bipolar wet/dry mix. The knob has a center detent, and its range is split into two sections for proper phase summing of the wet and dry signals. Between fully CCW and the 12 o’clock position, the signals are in phase; from 12 o’clock to fully CW they are out of phase (one of the signals has its phase inverted). This is needed because the wet signal chain can greatly affect the phase, so having extra control over signal phase while blending the two signals is very helpful. Depending on the MODE knob’s position, you may want to keep the signals in phase or invert one of them. Give it a try — and remember that out-of-phase signals can sound cool!
  • LEVEL
    The LEVEL knob controls the output signal’s volume. The Termofuzz MkII has a lot of gain on tap, so it’s recommended to set the LEVEL and GAIN knobs to neutral positions initially.
  • FOOTSWITCH
    The FOOTSWITCH turns the effect on or off. When the pedal is engaged, the LED glows white. True Bypass is used in the circuit.

Starter Settings

The Termofuzz MkII can produce an insanely wide range of sounds,
so we’ve prepared a few starter settings to get you going.
The pedal was designed to be very responsive to the incoming signal. This means the starter settings presented here may sound very different with your instrument, but we hope the examples can help you find a starting point. Have fun!
Termofuzz MkII User Guide
Termofuzz (original)

Specifications

  • IN
    6.3 mm, mono, unbalanced, 1 MOhm input impedance.
  • OUT
    6.3 mm, mono, unbalanced, 100 Ohm output impedance.
  • POWER IN
    2.1/5.5 mm, negative tip, 9-12V DC 85mA.
    The pedal can’t be battery-powered. Use a regulated PSU only.
  • Dimensions (LxWxH): 108x68x55 mm (4.25x2.7x2.2 in).
    Weight: 310 g (0.68 lbs).

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