Earthquaker Hizumitas

From the Elk BM Sustainar to the Hizumitas: a cult fuzz brought up to date

The Hizumitas was born from a simple yet formidable request: to capture the DNA of Wata's personal fuzz, an essential figure in Boris's walls of sound. This pedal is inspired by an Elk BM Sustainar, a Japanese take on the "Triangle" spirit popularized by Big Muff-style fuzz pedals. The challenge is that these vintage circuits and their derivatives can sound very different from one unit to the next.

EarthQuaker Devices therefore worked from the original pedal in order to recapture what makes it so magical: an extremely saturated sound, a grainy character that is almost like a "loudspeaker on the verge of breakup," a huge low end, while retaining enough mids and highs to cut through a dense mix. The result is a fuzz built for heavy music, yet surprisingly articulate when you pay attention to your pick attack and Tone setting.

Who is the Hizumitas for?

The Hizumitas is aimed at guitarists (or bassists) looking for a fuzz with a strong personality, capable of filling the space without collapsing into mud. It excels in doom, stoner, sludge, noise, shoegaze, post-rock, alt rock, and any context where you want chords to "breathe" while remaining gigantic.

It is equally suitable for beginners (thanks to its ultra-simple interface) and experienced musicians, who will appreciate its response to playing dynamics and pickups: it reacts very differently depending on whether you use single-coils, humbuckers, the neck pickup for creamy leads, or the bridge pickup for more biting attacks. In the studio, it fits easily into an arrangement ; live, it delivers immediate impact on a heavy-sounding pedalboard.

Simple controls, extreme reactions

The Hizumitas gets straight to the point with three knobs, but each one has a pronounced effect. The Volume offers plenty of level on tap: the volume balance typically sits around 9 to 10 o'clock, and beyond that, the pedal can drive an amp or the next stage of your chain very hard. The Sustain acts as a blend of gain and compression: small adjustments are enough to change the density, sustain and sensation of a "wall."

The heart of the model's personality lies in the Tone, which is intentionally unconventional: turning it to the right emphasizes the lows and darkens the overall sound, with a thunderous low end ; turning it to the left brings out more highs and attack, leading to more incisive textures. Combined with the Sustain, this Tone control lets you move from a thick, dark fuzz to a sharper fuzz, ideal for cutting through a busy mix.

As for bypass, switching is handled by a true relay bypass: it is quiet and reliable, but the pedal must be powered in order to pass the signal (even in bypass). It runs on 9V DC, center-negative, and must not be operated at a higher voltage.

The sound

The Hizumitas stands out with a heavy, saturated fuzz with copious sustain, featuring an underlying grain that evokes a battered membrane, while retaining astonishing note separation for this level of gain. Power chords become immense, open chords retain their definition, and single-note lines take on a thick, "singing" quality, particularly with the neck pickup.

Its sonic signature is especially valued in massive, textured styles, which explains why it can be found in settings ranging from experimental rock to atmospheric metal. Musicians associated with this pedal notably include Wata (Boris), as well as artists known for their approach to texture and heavy sound such as Jonny Greenwood, Buzz Osborne, Neige and Frank Iero. Through an amp that is already running hot, it thickens and stretches the saturation ; through a cleaner amp, it builds an immediately usable wall of fuzz. If you enjoy sculpting a dark "carpet fuzz," turning the Tone to the right is a delight ; if you are looking for more bite and presence, bring it back to the left and let the pedal bring out the attack.

Technical specifications

Effects	Fuzz, Effects	Type	sector
Technology	Analog	Use	electric guitar
Format	Pedal	Color	Purple

Dimensions	121 x 64 x 57 mm (with the knobs)	Output impedance	less than 10 kOhm
Effect type	fuzz	Required power supply	9 V DC, center-negative, 2.1 mm barrel connector
Switching	relay-based true bypass (power required to let the signal pass through)	Power consumption	10 mA
Input impedance	approximately 150 kOhm	Usage	do not use with a higher voltage