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Read the review: http://bit.ly/HovercraftIonostrofear

A couple years ago, I started to catch whispers about an amp company based out of Portland creating hot-rodded, vintage-inspired amps. The name, Hovercraft, was too cool to forget. But before long I started spotting Hovercraft Amps t-shirts at local stoner rock and metal shows—a sure sign that something was up among those notoriously gear-fixated communities. Given that, it wasn’t much surprise to hear that Hovercraft was now dabbling in fuzz. What is surprising, perhaps, is how versatile the new Hovercraft Ionostrofear Fuzz (v2.5) is. More than just another contender for the heaviest fuzz around—it’s both primed for sonic destruction and an agreeable partner in overdrive applications.

The Ionostrofear has moved through a few permutations already. V1 editions were all custom and less than 50 were made. The V2s numbered 100 units and sold out in days. That brings us to the V2.5 reviewed here. With lime green paint and a strip of white vinyl glued beneath the footswitch, it looks snatched from a muscle car customizer’s parts bin.

The three knobs look like those found on a Kustom tuck ‘n’ roll amp, and there’s one for gain, one for tone, and one for volume—beautifully simple. Two metal “roll bars” protect the knobs from accidental “adjustments” on rambunctious stages. They also hint at their amp-designer pedigree and Hovercraft’s love of all things Orange. The Ionostrofear can be powered with either a 9V battery or a 9V DC adapter. So far, so familiar.

Given that the Ionostrofear outwardly screams “stoner rock,” I grabbed a DeArmond M-75T I keep in C# standard for my first session. With the gain at a minimum, unity volume is somewhere around 12 o’clock. And as you add gain it becomes apparent just how much headroom is available—things can get loud fast. At these lower gain settings it’s easy to hear the airy but biting essence of a vintage Marshall whether you’re using it with a clean Fender or a dirtier Brit-style amp. There’s also very little white noise, which makes it easy to enjoy the pedal’s capacity for the sweet crunch that you’d hear on a ’70s Mountain or Joe Walsh cut. You also hear excellent individual note clarity and impressive, singing sustain that’s rarely, if ever, spoiled by fizzy artifacts in the decay.

To continue reading the review, visit: http://bit.ly/HovercraftIonostrofear