After a three-year collaboration, Benson Amps has launched the Deep Sea Diver Fuzz-Echo, a signature pedal designed with Jessica Dobson of the acclaimed Seattle band. This pedal combines Dobson’s iconic fuzz and echo tones into a single, highly versatile unit.
Deep Sea Diver
“I wanted to smash together my favorite fuzz tones and vintage echos,” Dobson stated, explaining the pedal’s genesis. “We started there, and it grew into something much bigger.” Dobson emphasized her desire for a pedal that could move beyond simple gated fuzz, capturing everything from “splatty” sounds to “gauzy My Bloody Valentine textures.”
Silicon three-transistor Fuzz
The Fuzz-Echo delivers on that promise. Featuring a unique silicon three-transistor fuzz circuit, a “deranged mashup of mk1.5 and mk2,” the pedal offers a broad sonic palette. Interactive “bias” and “gate” controls allow users to dial in everything from aggressive treble boosts to thick, textured fuzz, mirroring Deep Sea Diver’s signature sound.
Echo Section
The pedal’s echo section, driven by a modified PT2399 chip, is perfectly tuned to complement the fuzz. Standard time, feedback, and level controls are present, while holding down the footswitch activates a sustained feedback effect, a staple of Deep Sea Diver’s recordings.
A standout feature is the switchable fuzz and echo order. Powering on the pedal while holding the footswitch allows users to toggle between fuzz-before-echo (green LED) and echo-before-fuzz (orange LED), with the latter being Benson Amps’ preferred configuration.
Benson Amps highlights the pedal’s versatility, noting its compatibility with guitars, basses, and synthesizers. While a slight hiss is present, even on cleaner settings, the company encourages users to “play a guitar solo instead” of focusing on it.
Power: 9 vdc Boss-style center negative (no battery) with a Current Draw: Less than 100mA
Price & Availability
The Deep Sea Diver Fuzz-Echo is available now, providing musicians with a powerful tool to explore new sonic landscapes and capture the distinctive sound of Jessica Dobson and Deep Sea Diver.
MSRP – $249
More Information
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