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The Contortionist II DIY Fuzzbox

Mod Kits DIY introduces the Contortionist II, a pedal building kit that will let you create an all-analog fuzz box.

The Contortionist II

This pedal kit is the successor of the first Contortionist release, carrying over the same design philosophy and tone, with the added tone shaping benefits of having a tone knob and an LED light for visual monitoring convenience.

MODKits DIY continues to expand their “kits” which allow guitar players to build their own gear, thinker with the sound and add their own tweaks to the circuitry. They’ve been churning some interesting pedals, and the latest of which is the Contortionist II.

The Contortionist II kit comes with all the circuit components that will let you build your own high-gain fuzz box. Novice builders will enjoy the straight build process, while experienced builders can further thinker with the pedal’s default design to add their own tweaks. It comes with an easy-to-follow instruction and are assembled using old-school point-to-point wiring, which helps avoid any wrong connections.

It also comes with a pre-drilled enclosure and all the necessary parts to complete the stompbox. A very basic label is included, but you can add your own sticker or band logo onto the chassis. Artists will find the enclosure to be a nifty canvass for expressing their art, either by painting, applying decals or whatever method. By modifying the both the exterior and the interior, the pedal will truly be personalized and one of a kind.

The Contortionist II

Here is what MOD Kits DIY says about The Contortionist II, “It produces fuzz with layered octave overtones similar to those produced by an electronic bow. The frequency multiplier circuitry creates harmonics that swell and recede depending on the gain setting, pick attack, neck position and pickup. This high gain circuit can put out up to two volts and provides ample amounts of sustain.”

The resulting pedal is basically a fuzz effect pedal that features modern sustainer like effect depending on your playing style. It would be ideal for classic rock, punk, metal and other musical styles that utilize distortion, and it can also be subtly applied in conjunction with other overdrive effects to sweeten up solos ala Eric Johnson.

The Contortionist II comes with three control knobs that let you control and shape the resulting sound. The volume knob lets you adjust the output level of the signal, the new Tone knob lets you reduce or emphasize the higher frequencies to warm up the signal to your preference, usually tweaked to match the type of pickups on the electric guitar. Finally, the fuzz knob lets you adjust the gain setting, from subtly overdrive to full-on high-gain.

Like regular mass produced pedals, the Contortionist II can run on a 9v battery or an optional 9-volt power adapter. To assemble the kit, you will need basic hand tools, a soldering iron and a solder. You can now order the pedal for $47.95 at Amplified Parts.

Related Article:

MOD Kits DIY Ring Resonator Deluxe

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