Tone Report Weekly Issue 115 | Page 69

Sabbadin himself). One is a run-of the-mill true-bypass switch, while the other is a tappable “Deform” switch, only engaged while players actively press the switch; once one lets go, it goes back to normal. This Deform is a sort of self-oscillation for the fuzz, and sends it spitting into faux bit-crushed madness, depending on where the Synth control is set. The tone of the fuzz is very much silicon, with a bright and aggressive top end. However, it is a little more subdued then most vintageinspired pedals I’ve tried, which in the Mostro’s case, is a good thing. I usually like my fuzzes wild and untamed, but the more modern voicing of this fuzz, along with the more unpredictable “synthesizer” effects, may not be incredibly conducive to noise-free musical operation. On the lower-gain side of this pedal, I was pleased to find that the fuzz responded well to my pick attack and volume knob, and had a nice high-end gnash to it, with just enough body to help it cut through a mix. Playing a couple high gain Radiohead licks, I kicked on the Deform at unsuspecting moments to sort of jar myself out of my fuzz-induced reverie, which was quite fun and seemed to match the context of the seminal experimental rock group. It never really turned dark in most of my testing, but the surely twisted Deform setting will undoubtedly knock both players and their audiences out of their comfort zones. WHAT WE LIKE Tight and bright silicon fuzz with just the right amount of body to stop it from being shrill. Deform setting quite a bit of fun for bringing on the unexpected. CONCERNS Can be a little onedimensional at times. Finding a sweet spot will take some time. ToneReport.com 69