Strymon Fairfax Class A Output Stage Drive

General

Strymon's Fairfax is actually a miniature analogue amplifier based on the original Garnet Amplifiers Herzog unit, designed for Randy Bachman in 1965 to create the sustain sound of a cello for electric guitar. The sound is reminiscent of a tube amp but with added saturation coming from a custom-made circuit. The variable Sag control lets you control the behaviour of the Sag circuit. The amount of Sag is dynamic and depends on the level sent to the power amp and on your playing style. The Bright control determines whether you slightly attenuate or leave the high frequencies untouched. Further controls are provided to determine level and drive.

Wide range of sounds

A transformer power supply internally converts the 9-volt DC input voltage to 40 volts. This gives Strymon's Fairfax enough power for plenty of headroom and an amp-like feel. This allows for a wide range of sounds. At lower gain settings, this pedal remains soft and mainly creates a lot of extra harmonic richness. At higher gain levels, the sound can get a bit more angular and aggressive. This drive pedal feels very natural to play and preserves the natural sound of your guitar. An internal jumper was built in to determine the power-up status so you can automatically switch the pedal on using a loop switcher.