Electro Harmonix Percolator Harmonic Saturator overdrive / fuzz effects pedal

General

The Electro Harmonix Percolator Harmonic Saturator is a modern interpretation of a notorious, rare fuzz/drive pedal from the 1970s. Its character ranges from raw, ‘chewy’ transistor overdrive to screeching fuzz with a touch of chaos. The asymmetrical clipping emphasises even harmonics, allowing your playing and dynamics to come through with extra clarity in the sound. As a result, the Percolator feels not only aggressive but also surprisingly musical: from subtly gritty to completely explosive, depending on how hard you push it.

Controls: three knobs, one switch

With three knobs and a DRIVE/FUZZ toggle, you’ve got a huge range of options. HARMONICS controls the input gain and shifts the range from overdrive to total fuzz mayhem. BIAS adjusts the bias of the gain section: from smooth drive to pseudo-octave, and even Velcro-like gated fuzz sounds. BALANCE controls the output level. With the DRIVE/FUZZ switch, you can choose whether the clipping diodes are engaged (FUZZ) for heavy fuzz, or bypassed (DRIVE) for a raw, organic transistor drive.

True bypass and extras under the bonnet

The Percolator features Mechanical Relay True Bypass, ensuring your signal remains as pure as possible when bypassed. The footswitch operates in both latching and momentary modes: a tap switches it on or off, whilst holding it down delivers a temporary fuzz or bypass ‘burst’ until you release it. Handy for accents and short bursts. Inside, there’s also a trim pot that lets you add extra gain and emphasise the sub-octave/low end for even more massive distortion with extra rumble.