Mongoose

The Mongoose Fuzz by Roger Mayer is a guitar effect pedal developed in 1985 to cater to guitarists seeking a pedal with substantial fuzz and ample bottom end. It is known for its modern and civilised sound, making it popular across various music genres such as metal, rock, and jazz. The pedal utilizes a combination of discrete and IC analogue design techniques, with a clipping circuit primarily derived from a passive diode circuit, resulting in smooth compression and harmonic overtones for a seamless transition from clean to overload states.

Key features of the Mongoose Fuzz include:
- Electronically combines discrete and IC analogue design techniques
- Utilizes a passive diode circuit for smooth compression and harmonic overtones
- Provides substantial sustain, enabling feedback at low amplifier volume settings
- Offers an alternative but not radically different sound compared to mass- produced units
- Suitable for recording studio and similar settings where feedback at low sound levels is desirable

The Mongoose Fuzz is designed with an ergonomic layout, making it pedal board- friendly. It operates on a 9-volt DC power supply, with a recommended regulated output and a current rating of 50mA or more. The pedal's dimensions are 170mm in width, 112mm in depth, and 57mm in height, with a weight of 618g including the battery.

Additionally, the Mongoose Fuzz features a front-end buffer that allows seamless interfacing with standard wah pedals and high input impedance for preserving the full tone capabilities of pickups without loss of detail. It also includes a fatness control for tone tweaking without compromising the overall character, as well as hard-wire (true bypass) or two buffered outputs for versatile interfacing in various situations.

The pedal's design incorporates easy battery access, standard DC powering jack, LED status indicator, rapid battery change, long battery life, and external power adapter/supply compatibility. The Mongoose Fuzz is known for its ability to maintain the guitar's original tone as the signal decays from wild distortion to the original guitar tone, offering ease of control from the guitar during live performances.

The Mongoose Fuzz is used by notable musicians such as Bono (U2) and Joe Perry (Aerosmith), and it has found a niche with guitarists seeking a distinctive yet versatile sound.