EarthQuaker Devices (EQD) has announced the highly anticipated return of the Dirt Transmitter fuzz pedal, a long-discontinued favourite first released in 2008. This reissued pedal, dubbed the Rancho de la Luna Dirt Transmitter, marks a significant collaboration and a nod to a legendary desert studio.
Rancho de la Luna Dirt Transmitter
The genesis of the original Dirt Transmitter was rooted in the classic Fuzz Face circuit, a benchmark for rich, saturated guitar tones. However, the spark for its unexpected return ignited in 2023 when EQD founder Jamie Stillman received a special invitation: to contribute to a record celebrating the 30th anniversary of Rancho de la Luna.
Rancho de la Luna: A Desert Rock Legacy
For those unfamiliar, Rancho de la Luna holds a revered place in rock history. It was at this iconic studio in 1997 that Josh Homme famously convened The Desert Sessions, a series of improvisational and collaborative recordings that have since achieved cult status.
These sessions brought together a star-studded roster of musicians, including Mark Lanegan, Josh Freese, Dean Ween, Homme’s Queens of the Stone Age bandmates, and many more.
Notably, Dave Catching, an alumnus of earthlings? and a former touring member of both QOTSA and Eagles of Death Metal, also contributed to these legendary sessions.
The reissued Dirt Transmitter is a direct result of this connection, celebrating the studio’s enduring influence.
Unveiling the Dirt Transmitter: Controls and Features
The Dirt Transmitter, one of EQD’s earliest and most beloved circuits, originally debuted in January 2008.
Inspired by the Fuzz Face, its unique voice comes from its design around rare low-gain silicon transistors, expertly blending the warmth typically associated with germanium circuits with the gritty, articulate top-end of silicon.
The reissued Rancho de la Luna Dirt Transmitter maintains the intuitive control set that made the original so versatile:
- Fuzz: This knob dictates the amount of fuzz. Turning it clockwise delivers thicker, heavier tones, while counter-clockwise settings yield lighter, more subtle fuzz.
- Tone: Control your brightness with the Tone knob. Clockwise adds a sharper, more cutting edge, perfect for solos, while counter-clockwise rolls off the high-end for mellower, warmer textures.
- Bias: This is truly the heart of the Dirt Transmitter’s sonic palette. The Bias control adjusts the voltage to the transistors, allowing you to sculpt a wide range of fuzz voices. Turn it counter-clockwise to starve the voltage, creating unique gated, “Velcro” fuzz tones characterized by a sputtering, ripping sound. When the Bias is fully clockwise (at 5 o’clock), the pedal is “properly biased,” delivering a thicker, more natural fuzz sound.
- Level: Simply controls the output volume of the effect. Clockwise increases the volume, counter-clockwise decreases it.
It’s important to note that, due to its relay-based switching, the Dirt Transmitter requires a standard 9V pedalboard power supply (and no more) to pass the signal, even when bypassed.
Price & Availability
The return of the Rancho de la Luna Dirt Transmitter is a special run, and so you may want to grab one before they sell out.
Preorders are open now.
MSRP – $179/£189
More Information
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