In 1966, 14-year-old Steve Ridinger created his first results pedal. Designed by means of trial and error (with no schematics) in his dad and mom’ storage within the Hollywood Hills of Nichols Canyon Place, he created a circuit not based mostly on any earlier design. Again then, he known as it the Liverpool Fuzz Tone, and it was a precursor to his Foxx Tone Machine Fuzz.

Now the proprietor of Danelectro, Ridinger not too long ago designed the Nichols 1966 – a ’60s-sounding cross between distortion and fuzz.

Providing interactive controls that yield a dynamic fuzz sound with out diode clipping, the pedal permits customers to show down the guitar’s Quantity for clear rhythm work. A 3-transistor circuit supplies versatility, whereas the Fuzz, Drive, Tone, and Quantity knobs work with the two-position Inventory/Mid Lower swap for added EQ and tonal colours.

Plugged right into a superstrat and a Deluxe Reverb, the Nichols provided clean overdrive, belligerent fuzz, plus a variety of medium-rude rockin’ tones with delicate decide assault. The guitar’s Quantity management was the key to real-world stage work, from crusty Inventory voicings to tremendous articulation and raspy highs and lows with the Mid Lower. It’s wired true-bypass, powers up with a 9-volt adapter, and is the proper measurement and structure for a crowded pedalboard – authentic, clean, but oh so gnarly.

This text initially appeared in VG’s June 2024 subject. All copyrights are by the creator and Classic Guitar journal. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.