Jhs Pedals Coyote

A resurrected Moonrock Fuzz: G.S. Wyllie's lost circuit

The CoyoteSwell is part of a unique story: that of the Moonrock Fuzz, an obscure model conceived by G.S. Wyllie, a discreet builder from North Carolina, known for crafting "old-school" (sand-cast enclosures, hand-etched circuits) and especially for developing a fuzz using a transformer in an unconventional way. The result does not fit into any classic category: it's neither a Fuzz Face variant, nor a Big Muff, nor a simple Octavia. This is a new species of octave fuzz, built on a circuit long considered lost.

For which guitarists, styles, and contexts?

The CoyoteSwell is aimed at musicians who appreciate effects with a true personality, from the intermediate guitarist seeking a signature sound to the advanced player looking for expressive and inspiring fuzz. The Fuzz mode (center) excels for shoegaze, psychedelic rock, stoner, and all dense rhythm parts where chord clarity is desired. The Octave mode naturally leans towards vintage rock and Jimi-style leads, while Swell opens a perfect field for ambient, cinematic intros, or textured layers in the studio.
Live, it's a "highlight moment" pedal: just one control to manipulate, and you change your sonic language. In the studio, it becomes a texture box: guitar doubling, mono lines transforming into wild synths, or reverse tape effects without complicated reamping.

One central control, continuous progression: Swell, Fuzz, Octave

The heart of the CoyoteSwell is its Swell / Fuzz / Octave control. These are not three separate modes toggled by a simple switch: the potentiometer's sweep evolves the circuit and lets you settle precisely "between two" if you wish.
Swell zone: notes "appear" progressively, with a gate texture and a character reminiscent of reverse tape. The attack is delayed and softened because the circuit's final stage activates gradually, introducing the signal smoothly. The result: a natural swell, very sensitive to dynamics and touch, ideal for transforming a guitar into a pad or a saturated violin line.
Fuzz zone (around noon): you get a full, thick fuzz with rich lows and aggressive mids. The feel is closer to a Tone Bender family fuzz by grain and attack, with sustain that remains usable on chords. It's a "mature" fuzz: present, textured, ready to carry a wall of guitars without collapsing.
Octave zone (to the right): clipping becomes deliberately asymmetric, altering the harmonic balance and emphasizing even harmonics, especially the second harmonic. On single notes, you get a powerful upper octave effect, very expressive and particularly musical when playing higher up the neck.

The sound

The CoyoteSwell stands out by its "living" behavior: it doesn't just add saturation, it reacts. In Swell, you find that organic, almost unstable side of gated fuzz, but with a progressive rise reminiscent of reverse tape, instantly giving identity to a simple phrase. In the center, the fuzz is dense, grainy, with a bite that highlights the pick and a nice fullness in the low end.
Moving toward Octave, the tone becomes sharper and more harmonic: on a monophonic line, the upper octave emerges with an incandescent quality, very much in the "Greenwich Village spirit," perfect for leads in the tradition of great octave fuzzes. Playing tip: neck pickup, slightly rolled-off guitar tone, and crisp attacks often produce the clearest octave reading.

Technical specifications

Effects	Octaver / Harmony, Distortion / Overdrive / Fuzz	Type	sector
Technology	Analog	Use	electric guitar
Format	Pedal	Color	Green

Inspiration	full reproduction of the Moonrock Fuzz (G.S. Wyllie)	1 footswitch	effect on/off
Design	fuzz based on a non-conventional use of a transformer	Input	6.35mm Jack (instrument)
Behavior	continuous progression between Swell, Fuzz, and Octave	Output	6.35mm Jack (to amp or other effect)
Clipping	evolves toward asymmetric clipping in the Octave zone	Required power	9V DC
1 main potentiometer	Swell / Fuzz / Octave (continuous sweep across 3 zones)	Consumption	10 mA