JHS Fuzz Mary-K vs Subdecay Variac

The JHS Fuzz Mary-K and the Subdecay Variac are both pedals sharing smooth, compressed. The JHS Fuzz Mary-K leans warm and sustaining.

Similarity
citedBlended from circuit-archetype lineage, dynamic feel, tone-signal overlap and tone-vector distance — the tone vector itself is derived from editorial description text, not a measured acoustic signal, so this reflects how similarly the catalog copy describes the two, not a lab measurement. Shown only within a gear class, and only where there's enough evidence to be meaningful.

36% — somewhat different

Shared tone character
citedDerived from overlapping tonal signals across both listings.
  • smooth
  • compressed
Citation fame
citedCitation/mention fame — how often this gear is cited across artist rigs and gear discussion.
0%
0%
Description

The JHS Fuzz Mary-K is a boutique germanium fuzz pedal from JHS Pedals, inspired by the vintage germanium fuzz circuits of the late 1960s. Using carefully selected germanium transistors, the Fuzz Mary-K delivers the warm, compressed, and harmonically musical germanium fuzz character associated with classic British and American fuzz sounds of the era. The germanium transistors provide the characteristic bloom and sag of vintage fuzz, with a smooth decay and a sensitivity to guitar volume that cleans up well as the pickup output drops. JHS matched germanium transistors ensure consistent character across units, which is a challenge with vintage component fuzz designs. The Fuzz Mary-K suits blues, classic rock, and psychedelic styles where the warmth and organic character of germanium fuzz is central to the sound.

The Subdecay Variac is a boutique voltage-starvation pedal that simulates the effect of running an effects circuit on a depleted battery. Starving the supply voltage produces a sagging, compressed, gated response in which notes bloom unevenly and decay abruptly, with a thin, spitty, lo-fi character rather than a smooth overdrive. The degree of starvation is adjustable, moving from a mildly compressed, spongy feel through to heavily gated, stuttering breakup. It suits lo-fi, experimental and vintage-inspired playing where instability is the desired effect.

Genres
citedGenres this gear is documented as being used in.
  • Classic Rock
  • Alternative Rock
  • Blues
  • Experimental
Tonal lean
  • warm
  • sustaining
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JHS Fuzz Mary-K vs Subdecay Variac — Shared Character & Differences — NodeTone