Convincing Marshall tones in a very tiny package. Rich high gain, and detailed low-gain sounds. Cool fuzz.
Channels lack independent EQ.
Tech 21 Character Plus Fuzzy Brit
tech21nyc.com
As adjectives go, “cute” and “raging” are usually an odd fit. But apart from, perhaps, a rabid pug with vampire fangs, few things are as deserving of both descriptors as Tech 21’s Fuzzy Brit. This light, solidly built, and miniscule menace machine is an all-analog, 2-channel approximation of Marshall amps from the Bluesbreaker to ’60s plexi and ’70s JMP models—all paired with a cool take on a Fuzz Face. And it’s a satisfying substitute when you can’t lug a massive Marshall head and 4×12 along to the show.
At just 7.75″ x 2.75″ x 1″, the Fuzzy Brit is smaller than it looks. It’s slender enough to stuff in your back pocket, which makes its capabilities impressive. Channel A is the cleaner of the two channels. It’s lively, clear, and present, sounds particularly pretty and chimey with a Telecaster, and readily lends sass and energy to mid-scooped tube amps that get flat and characterless at lower-club volumes. Channel B is dirtier. It responds exceptionally well to advanced-gain levels that generate a plexi’s signature punky, fat, and growling distortion, but also excels at recreating the creaky nuances of a loud, unadorned Marshall at lower-gain settings. Speaking of adornments, the Fuzz Face rips and is a superb pairing, particularly in Channel B. The Fuzzy Brit’s one obvious limitation is a lack of independent EQ for each channel. Still, it’s a very convenient and satisfying way to get Marshall might from a backline amp that’s easy on the back and the bank.
