BOSS FZ-1W | Waza Craft Fuzz

Our good friends over at Boss are industry leads in just about every field, whether it's a Pedal, Multi-Effects, Cable or Amplifier, if it features the iconic Boss name you can rest assured of it being incredibly well built with the best components around. The Boss FZ-1W Fuzz delivers that classic high gain tone we all know and love.

When introduced in the 1960s, fuzz pedals changed the game for electric guitarists, giving them a bold and aggressive new voice that redefined the sound of rock music forever. Through those early days, innovative pedal builders tweaked and refined fuzz circuits based on the creative input of many now-legendary guitarists. Ultimately, this led to a small number of standout designs that became the benchmarks for the broad spectrum of players.

While developing the limited-run TB-2W Tone Bender, Boss explored and analysed many vintage fuzz pedals and gained deep knowledge along the way. This experience inspired them to reimagine the classic fuzz effect with their unique Waza craftsmanship and expertise. Unlike previous Waza Craft models, the FZ-1W does not provide a reproduction of a past design. This pedal is their modern interpretation of vintage fuzz, and it carries the number 1 in its name to show their great respect for the classic circuits that helped shape the sound of rock guitar and launch the effect pedal industry that we all love today.

With the FZ-1Ws Vintage mode, BOSS has redefined the classic fuzz voice with more gain and wider expressive range. The sound character is raspy and assertive without being harsh, and you can smoothly transition from heavy fuzz to crunch to crystal clean simply by riding your guitars volume. The powerful Tone knob simultaneously adjusts the high and low frequencies, allowing you to dial in a variety of different fuzz colors. And by turning down the Fuzz knob and cranking the Level, the FZ-1W works great as a boost for your amp and other gain pedals.         

Modern mode delivers a more refined and versatile fuzz voice with focused midrange and fatter tone, making it ideal for all types of current music styles. The gain range is even wider than Vintage mode, and cranking the Fuzz knob past three oclock conjures rich, singing sustain for inspired solo playing. The Tone knob offers a different tuning that lets you tweak the brightness without altering the midrange, ensuring your sound always cuts through. And when used as a boost, Modern mode dishes a heap of girth with rich, mid-driven character. 

Since the beginning, the engineers at BOSS have been committed to achieving the finest guitar tones using any technology necessary, from old-school analogue circuits to high-tech DSP. This enthusiastic spirit continues with the Waza Craft series, bringing you exceptional tone and touch response through carefully selected analogue components, refined circuitry, and meticulous attention to detail. In Japan, Waza is the term for art and technique, and these special edition pedals proudly carry the Waza symbol to represent the pinnacle of BOSS design and craftsmanship.