Operational notes:

Note: The FreezeZone pedal operates at 1 amp positive ground. Most guitar pedal power-supplies and daisy chains are less than 1 amp. If your power supply is less than 1 amp , use the included 2 amp power adapter.

There are three dials on the FreezeZone Pedal (Volume, Fuzz, and Bias). Use the Volume dial to achieve unity with the true bypass mode. The Fuzz dial determines how much fuzz you want. Turning the Fuzz dial all the way up on the pedal and using the volume on your guitar to decrease the fuzz creates a cleaner, brighter sound than using the fuzz control by itself. The FreezeZone pedal cleans up well. Turning the Bias dial from noon to the left or right, increases or decreases the bias voltage. The transistors were biased with the Bias control at noon. Turning the Bias to the left creates more sustain and warmer tones, turning the Bias to the right produces a brighter spitty sound with hard velcro-like clipping, similar to heating up the transistor.

The thermostat provides two temperature readings. The top reading (in red) indicates the temperature of the germanium transistors, while the bottom reading (in blue) indicates your target temperature. The pedal comes factory-preset to 50° Fahrenheit (10° Celsius), which is the temperature at which the germanium transistors are biased.

The two buttons on the thermostat serve different functions: the top button sets the target temperature, and the bottom button changes the reading from Celsius to Fahrenheit. 

To adjust the target temperature:

  1. Press the top button once; the lower (blue) temperature display will start flashing.

  2. While it is flashing, you can adjust the target temperature up or down using the top and bottom buttons.

  3. Once you have reached your desired temperature, stop pressing the buttons, and the setting will be saved. 

When the thermostat is in use, the top temperature displayed in red will naturally oscillate a few degrees above and below the target temperature (this is normal operation). 

The switch on the left side of the pedal turns the refrigeration system on; the fan and red LED will come on. As the refrigeration unit turns on and off, controlled by the thermostat, the fan and red LED will stay on.

When the pedal is plugged in to the power and the refrigeration unit is turned off, the temperature will rise up to 80° or higher depending on the ambient temperature. This is due to the voltage supplied to the transistors.

Do not completely block the air vent on left side or the airport on the bottom end of pedal. This may prevent the pedal from achieving the target temperature. Leave at least a half inch clearance.

The external bias control allows you to explore different fuzz textures: Instantly switch between smooth, vintage fuzz and harsh, gated velcro effects without needing to open up the pedal.

Tailor the fuzz to your guitar: Compensate for differences between your guitar's pickups. For example, you can use a higher bias for lower-output single coils and a lower bias for higher-output humbuckers to get a consistent feel.

Clean up with your guitar's volume knob: Many fuzz pedals respond dynamically to your guitar's volume, but the bias setting can influence this interaction. Turn your bias control all the way to the left to achieve the best cleanup response with your volume control.

Download The FreezeZone operational notes. Click here for (PDF)