Percolator

The Percolator is an analog fuzz and overdrive pedal that reinterprets an obscure 1970s circuit from a Milwaukee audio repair shop. Asymmetrical clipping emphasises even-order harmonics, so the response follows playing dynamics and ranges from raw transistor-style drive to heavy fuzz.

Three knobs and one toggle cover the main sound. Harmonics sets input gain, Bias shapes the gain circuit from smooth drive through pseudo-octave fuzz to gated tones, and Balance sets output level. The Drive/Fuzz switch engages or lifts the clipping diodes. An internal trim pot adjusts overall gain and the range of the pseudo-octave, with a counterclockwise setting giving a stronger sub-octave. It ships set to noon, and fully clockwise is closest to a vintage Percolator.

The footswitch uses a mechanical relay for true bypass and offers latching or momentary action: a press-and-hold of more than half a second swaps the bypass state until the switch is released. Power comes from an included 9V battery, which switches on when a cable is plugged into the input, or from an optional center-negative 9VDC supply.