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At one stage – for a circa 2 year period Sof at Expresso FX was one of my very best friends – and I used to speak to him regularly – every couple of weeks or so. In that period I acquired 6 of his best, and some of those still remain as enduring classics to this day – while one of them has been further improved with an additional Low-Cut filter Knob over the two variants I have of that type.
Sof became distant during Covid – and despite several attempts, I’ve been unable to reestablish that relationship – which is a genuine shame. As I was collaborating with him on a couple of projects at the time, and I always had further Expresso FX acquisitions in mind – which the lack of recent contact has hitherto limited.
I’ve long held Sof to be one of the very finest purveryors of Fuzz Pedals – a genuine Fuzz Whisperer and Transistor Charmer – he has the most incredible auditory prowess for selecting, matching up and tuning / biasing transistors – and he has an unequalled rare collection / archive of NOS / Vintage Transistors with which he powers his many classic circuits. He’s an absolute master of vintage classic fuzzes and treble boosters / RangeMasters – particularly Fuzz Face and Tone Bender types.
And here we have 4 of his very best, which I own in equivalent earlier additions – as below. While the Dual Germanium / Silicon Fuzz Face has been further improved since my active association.
Dual Germanium / Silicon Fuzz (Face) – £319
Germanium Fuzz (Face) – £269
Silicon Fuzz (Face) – £239
Germanium Boost (RangeMaster) – £259
Sof has made these unique and very attractive Pelham Blue Special Editions for Stephen at Northern Stompboxes. I would be first in line for these if I didn’t already own versions of each of those.
Actually I have the more classic OC44 loaded Germanium Boost – while since I acquired that I decided I actually preferred Sof’s favourite variety of that kind which uses a rare Philps OC141 Transistor – that sounds a little more open and better balanced for me. So I will most likely be coming for one of those some day in the not too distant future. I have other priorities for now – so those further acquisitions are a little on the back burner for now – while I love each of those varieties listed – and have favourite versions of each in my reference collection already.
It would of course be nice to own one or more of those Pelham Blue editions – but I would be doubling down on pedals I already have – where there are myriad new ones I’ve still to acquire.
All 4 of those varieties are still available from Northern Stompboxes as of my writing this feature. I think once people become more generally aware of their existence – they will be snapped up incredibly quickly! These are all top tier pedals!
Here follow summary individual details for each variant :
Pelham Blue Dual Germanium / Silicon Fuzz (Face) – £319
Transistors onboard – Germanium : CV7005, 2N3107, Silicon : OC202
Controls – Volume, Fuzz, Bias, Low-Cut.
Genuine Hammond aluminium enclosure, powder-coated to the highest standardHand-selected NOS germanium and silicon transistors. The silicon transistor is a Mullard OC202, the germanium ones are 1x Mullard CV7005 paired with 1x Texas Instruments 2N1307 NOS Philips moulded metallised polyester capacitors ‘Mepolesco’ type. These are the exact same ones used in the original Dallas Arbiter Fuzz FaceNOS ERO KT1801 film capacitorNOS Philips electrolytic capacitorsNOS Allen Bradley carbon composition resistorsPremium Cliff UK jacksAlpha 16mm potentiometersPremium 22 AWG solid core Silver-plated copper wire with Teflon insulation, for superior signal transmissionAudio-grade shielded wirePremium Kester Lead-free Silver-based solderTrue bypassFully hand wired3 years warrantyDimensions: 121 x 66 x 40 mmExclusive Pelham Blue finish Pelham Blue Germanium Fuzz (Face) – £269
Germanium Transistors onboard : CV7005, OC84
Controls – Volume, Fuzz, Bias.
Genuine Hammond aluminium enclosure, powder-coated to the highest standardHand-selected NOS germanium transistors – this run of pedals has been fitted with Newmarket CV7005 and OC84 germanium transistors.These are fabulous transistors with a creamy tone and excellent cleanupNOS Philips moulded metallised polyester capacitors ‘Mepolesco’ type. These are the exact same ones used in the original Dallas Arbiter Fuzz FaceNOS Philips and Frako electrolytic capacitorsNOS Allen Bradley carbon composition resistorsPremium Cliff UK jacksAlpha 16mm potentiometersPremium 22 AWG solid core Silver-plated copper wire with Teflon insulation, for superior signal transmissionAudio-grade shielded wireKester lead-free, Silver-based solderDimensions: 121 x 66 x 40 mm (W x D x H)Exclusive Pelham Blue finish Pelham Blue Silicon Fuzz (Face) – £239
Silicon Transistors onboard : 2 x BC183
Controls – Volume, Fuzz, Bias.
Genuine Hammond aluminium enclosure, powder-coated to the highest standard2 x Toshiba BC183 Silicon Transistors with a smooth soundNOS ERO ROE Roderstein KT1801 film capacitorsPhilips electrolytic capacitorsNOS Allen Bradley carbon composition resistorsGenuine Vero stripborad 0.15” pitchPremium Cliff UK jacksAlpha 16mm potentiometersPremium 22 AWG solid core Silver-plated copper wire with Teflon insulation, for superior signal transmissionAudio-grade shielded wireLead free, Silver-based solderTrue bypassFully hand wired3 years warrantyDimensions: 121 x 66 x 40 mm (W x D x H)Exclusive Pelham Blue finish Pelham Blue Germanium Boost (RangeMaster) – £259
Germanium Transistor onboard : OC141
Controls – Level, Range : Low > Mid > High.
Genuine Hammond aluminium enclosure, powder-coated to the highest standardHand-selected NOS Philips/Mullard OC141 germanium transistors – the OC141’s are creamy with a well balanced overall sound. These are NPN transistors (negative ground) so the DC socket does not require reverse polarity power and hence you can daisy chain it with standard pedalsNOS Mullard ‘Tropical Fish’ C280 polyester capacitorsPhilips/ROE/Frako electrolytic capacitorsXicon/Yageo 1% metal film resistorsPremium Switchcraft jacksAlpha 16mm potentiometersPremium 22 AWG solid core Silver-plated copper wire with Teflon insulation, for superior signal transmissionAudio-grade shielded wireLead free, Silver-based solderTrue bypassFully hand wired3 years warrantyDimensions: 121 x 66 x 40 mm (W x D x H)Exclusive Pelham Blue finish My Own 6 x Expresso FX Editions to date!
Each one of these is magnificent :
Tone Bender MKI [2 x 2N1308 + 1 x OC75]Germanium Fuzz (Face) [2 x CV7005]Germanium Boost (RangeMaster) [1 x OC44]Silicon Fuzz (Face) [2 x BC183]Dual Germanium / Silicon Fuzz (Face) [2 x CV10806, 2 x CV7351]Dual Germanium / Silicon Bender (MKII) [3 x OC75 + 1 x OC202]
The last 2 circuits have further evolved editions currently available – which have an additional Low-Cut Knob. Like the top Pelham Blue Edition!
I think I likely prefer the OC141 Exprsso FX Germanium Boost over the more classic OC44 variety that I own – a OC141 is most definitely on the cards still – it may even end up being one of these Pelham Blue editions.
I’m keen to re-establish a connection with Sof – he’s kept me in the wilderness for too long now – and I know not why!
I would quite like my next Expresso FX to be one of those Dual Pedals – but covering MKIII and MIV Tone Bender Varieties ideally – for a really cool combination liquid distortion pedal!
Hopefully better times lie ahead.
