United States · Est. 1995
ZVex
Hand-painted boutique pedals with extreme and unconventional sounds. Creators of the Fuzz Factory.
About the brand
ZVex Effects was founded in 1995 by Zachary Vex in Minneapolis, Minnesota. From the beginning the company set itself apart by hand-painting each pedal as an individual piece of art and by designing circuits that no other manufacturer would dare to build.
The Fuzz Factory (1995) is the most famous ZVex design — a germanium fuzz circuit with five controls that interact in deeply nonlinear ways, allowing players to dial in everything from smooth sustain to squealing oscillation. Matthew Bellamy of Muse built his signature space-rock sound around it.
ZVex's catalog includes the Vexter Box of Rock, the Inventobox DIY platform, the Lo-Fi Junky, and dozens of one-of-a-kind custom pieces. The Vexter line offers the same circuits as the hand-painted originals in a more affordable production format, making their unique sounds accessible to more players.
Key facts
- Every pedal hand-painted — each one is a unique work of art
- Fuzz Factory: the definitive boutique fuzz since 1995
- Used by Matthew Bellamy to define the Muse sound
- Designs circuits with intentionally unusual and extreme behaviours
Iconic pedals
Fuzz Factory
The most extreme and unpredictable fuzz in the boutique world. Its five interacting controls allow everything from smooth sustain to raucous oscillation.
Vexter Box of Rock
Emulation of a Marshall Plexi amplifier at maximum volume with a built-in boost. One of the best amp-in-a-box pedals in the boutique market.
Lo-Fi Junky
Bucket-brigade chorus and vibrato with deliberately dirty, degraded character. Produces modulation textures that no other pedal can replicate.
Notable musicians
- Jack White · Fuzz Factory
- Beck · Fuzz Factory
- Julian Casablancas · Fuzz Factory
- Billy Corgan · Super Hard On