FREDRIC EFFECTS Super Unpleasant Companion Nouveau

About the FREDRIC EFFECTS Super Unpleasant Companion Nouveau

Fredric Effects' Super Unpleasant Companion Nouveau is a celebration of 2 classic fuzz circuits designed by Japanese company Shin-Ei in the late 1960s and early 1970s. 

Shin-Ei licensed its designs out to several companies, and perhaps the most famous version of its FY-6 is the Univox Superfuzz, as used by Pete Townshend on the Who's Live At Leeds masterpiece.

This pedal packs the Shin-Ei Companion FY-2 and Shin-Ei Superfuzz FY-6 circuits into a single compact mini-wedge pedal enclosure. You can switch between the circuits with a handy toggle switch.

The 'Nouveau' moniker refers to a recent redesign, packaging the fuzz into a smaller enclosure and moving the controls to the top surface.

Companion FY-2

The Companion FY-2 is a nasty, raspy chainsaw of a fuzz. It's not super-musical but has plenty of impact, and can be heard in all its glory on The Jesus And Mary Chain's Psychocandy (incidentally, The Jesus And Mary Chain now use Shin-Ei fuzzes modded by Fredric Effects!). Tone 1 setting is mid-dominant with a dense textural edge. Tone 2 mode is like putting a blanket over your cab, but brings a more focused bottom end and a grinding edge to the mid and high notes.

Superfuzz FY-6

The Superfuzz FY-6 is a richer style of fuzz but can get really bright thanks to the Expander control (this doesn't work in FY-2 mode). The FY-6 provides a 'wall of sound'. Tone 1 mode is what founder Tim Webster describes as 'garagey' and is slightly muddy, while the second tone mode is more expansive in scope but with a more scooped mid-range.

Super Unpleasant Companion Nouveau Demos

Super Unpleasant Companion Nouveau Features

• 2 famed Japanese fuzz circuits
• Companion FY-2 and Superfuzz FY-6 modes
• FY-6 mode features 2 tone settings
• Handmade in London, UK
• Updated laser-cut enclosure for 2023
• Expander, Balance, Mode & Tone controls
• Individually numbered and signed by hand
• Power: 9V power adaptor, centre-negative or 9V battery (neither are included)