Strymon Fairfax Class A Output Stage Drive
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Essential Information About the Strymon Fairfax Pedal
Essential Information About the Strymon Fairfax Pedal
- Complete Analog Mini-Amplifier on your pedalboard: "tube-like" preamp, Class A power stage, and output transformer saturation emulation.
- Variable "Sag" Control to switch from reactive tube rectifier-style compression to ultra-expressive fuzz/gated textures.
- Massive Gain Range: from harmonic clean boost to a highly saturated organic drive, always natural and touch-sensitive.
- 9 V Power Supply with Internal 40 V Boost for amp-level headroom and exemplary dynamics.
Manufacturer Information
Strymon
https://www.strymon.net
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Heir to the Herzog Spirit and First of the "Series A"
Born from engineering experimentation, the Fairfax draws inspiration from the famous Herzog tube-drive device designed in the 1960s to achieve that cult record tone. Strymon miniaturized all the key elements of a small tube amp-preamp, Class A power, and output transformer behavior-into a 100 percent analog pedal. It inaugurates the "Series A" line, pedals without MIDI, USB, or DSP, designed for purists.Who Is It For, and Which Styles?
Ideal for studio and stage guitarists, from curious beginners to demanding pros. At low gain, it thickens a clean channel without altering the instrument's character; pushed, it delivers a classic rock-style crunchy tone, a refined blues drive, indie/alt colors, and with Sag fully engaged, garage, stoner, or sludge roughness. It pairs well with both traditional amps and modelers.Controls and Innovations "Like an Amp"
The controls remain intuitive: Drive as a preamp stage, Level for volume, Sag to shape voltage drop and feel under the fingers, plus a Bright switch to sculpt the highs (off to soften, on for a more open spectrum). An internal jumper allows selection of the pedal's power-on state (useful in switched pedalboards). The circuit is fully analog, with high-impedance JFET input, Class A output stage, and internally boosted 40 V isolated power supply. True bypass and compact format, mono in/out.The Sound
The Fairfax glues notes together with a harmonic richness typical of a saturating transformer: firm low end, singing mids, soft yet present highs. At low Drive, the frequency response remains flat and very transparent; as it increases, the saturation becomes meaty and addictive. The Sag control adds the "breath" of a pushed amp and can go up to gated spitting-an homage to tones made famous by Randy Bachman and the rock aesthetic of the sixties.Technical specifications
| Effects | Distortion / Overdrive / Fuzz, Preamp, Overdrive, Amp Simulator | Type | sector |
| Technology | Analog | Use | electric guitar |
| Format | Pedal | Color | Grey |
| Potentiometers | Drive, Level, Sag | Internal jumper | choice of "pedal on" state at power-up |
| Switch | Bright (On/Off) | Dimensions | 11.51 x 7.19 x 5.92 cm |
| Footswitch | bypass (true bypass) | ||
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Questions frequently asked
What sound does the Strymon Fairfax Class A Output Stage Drive produce?
At low Drive, the response remains transparent and flat in frequency to thicken a clean channel. Increasing the gain makes the mids more singing with a firm low end. The inspiration from the 60s Herzog device adds a harmonic-rich saturation.
Does the Sag control produce a fuzz gated sound?
The Sag control simulates a voltage drop and alters the playing feel. When pushed fully, it can produce a rough gated saturation suitable for garage, stoner, or sludge tones.
Is it compatible with a modeling amplifier?
The high-impedance JFET input allows use with traditional amplifiers as well as modeling amps.
What controls are available on this pedal?
The circuit offers three potentiometers: Drive, Level, and Sag. A Bright switch activates or attenuates the highs, while an internal jumper sets its state at startup. The footswitch handles bypass switching and the audio path is fully analog.
What are the dimensions of the Fairfax?
Measuring 11.51 x 7.19 x 5.92 cm, this compact mono in/out format easily fits on a pedalboard.
