Z.Vex Instant LoFi Junky Vexter Series - Test / Review

 Preface:

Good day to all of you fuzz lovers out there. Over the course of the last 5+ years, I had the pleasure to test out a lot of drive pedals. This blog is supposed to help you find not only your sound, but also a device that is well built, nice looking and, ideally, affordable.

And if you are not interested in owning the pedal, the post hopefully makes for a good read on bathroom break!

1. Optics and General Built Quality

It doesn't mean a lot when it comes to pure quality or tone itself, but I really like all Z.Vex pedals and especially the Vertical Series, due to their utilitarian nature in terms of pedalboard real estate. The pedals, albeit being team-made with a lot of care and quality control, still exhude a home-cooked and artsy vibe that makes me want to pick them up and play them. In terms of optics, the 2018 Limited Edition Instant LoFi Junky I have used in order to write this review, fits perfectly with the Z.Vex theme and is, on top of that, extremely rugged. The pots turn smoothly and the waveform switch clicks into position with pinpoint accuracy.

The following shot should convey the vibe I spoke of:

 

 

Inside the pedal there is, unfortunately, not much to see. I totally get that some manufacturers try to keep the circuit from the eyes of the consumer respectively try to protect the intricate parts from the unprofessional touch of seeking hands. Maybe it's even due to the assembly being easier or more practical. I, however, really love to marvel at a beautiful circuit board and the parts chosen for the build. In this case, the Instant LoFi Junky does not entirely cater to me, see: 

Finishing this chapter, the Instant LoFi Junky is a beautiful device with an immaculate build quality. Moreover, I absolutely love that Z.Vex went with the option to power the pedal using a standard 9V battery. It really fits us players who want to encorporate a different sound by quickly chaining another piece of gear into the existing chain of effects without routing a power cord first.

2. Sounds and Tonal Options

Before reviewing the individual sounds this pedal yields, I should first define what it does and what it won't do. It is advertised as a quick fix for those players who seek a retro sound reminiscent of a broken records. Basically, the "LoFi" part of the name is supposed to speak for itself. And guess what, it really does!

I started my tour of the pedal with listening to the first half of the "comp / lo-fi" knob and found the Instant LoFi Junky to have a very pleasant and sparkling compression circuit that has, compared to other compressor pedals, a lot of spank, top end, and, due to the wide range of the master volume, a lot of output on tap. The amount of noise the compression circuit adds ranges from very little to almost unnoticeable and the circuit is, generally, extremely usable. It pairs well with all types of pickups and stacks well with drives that are put behind the device. I could absolutely see myself buying a Fuzzolo-sided guitar pedal with just the compressor part of the Instant LoFi Junky in it.

Twisting the aforementioned mix knob to the other side delivers a very distinct and dark modulation sound that I am a bit unsure about. There is still some compression present, however, even with the tone knob, which only affects the modulation side of the pedal by the way, on full brightness, the sound is still muffled and it prevents the pedal from going full-on sea-sick. Don't get me wrong, there is a warm, analog, and extremely smooth chorus present, but the magic has to lie somewhere within the range of the "comp / lo-fi" mix knob.

And indeed, again, it does! At the halfway mark, the pedal produces, depending on the waveform switch, either a very mellow and smooth sine-wave chorus or a distinct up-and-down motion with the triangle-wave option. The square-wave side of the switch is a world of its own and will be discussed in the Unique Features section of the review. Dialling the modulation as well as the depth- and speed-knob up, however, quickly sends the pedal into pitch vibrato territory, which is very pleasant at first and borders sea-sick at the highest levels. As mentioned before, the only thing that keeps it from toppling over is the ever-present high-cut associated with the modulation signal. I feel that a bit more brightness would have given the pedal some more extreme options that I personally enjoy a lot. 

Coming to a close for the main part of the review, I feel like it is important to give some honorable mentions to functions I really liked. With the mix knob all the way down, the compressor can shine and not only fence your most extreme signal spikes, but also add some spank as well as warmth to your signal. It may not be the most flexible, but it is perfectly tuned in my opinion. Furthermore, the option to finely choose the speed of the modulation, after dialling it in of course, is really welcome and the accompanying pot has a lot of travel and variety, from almost still-standing to feverishly quick.

3. Unique Features and Special Use Cases

As mentioned afore, the brightness and the dynamics that the comp circuit of the Instant LoFi Junky lends to your signal, stack really well with drive pedals downstream. Pumping your distortion into the device is not such a good idea, since the volume boost is stopped by the compression circuit of the pedal and the dark modulation does not pair too well with overdrive or even fuzz in my opinion. You will always get something out of it, however, whether it is to your taste, you will have to decide ultimately. 

On top of that, the square-wave function of the modulation is a cool addon, however, I think that its simplicity, delivering a satisfying bleep-bloop jump of modulation, is a bit of its own curse, since the jumps are not infrequent or varied enough to be heard as a broken record, with the needle irregularly jumping around. Don't get me wrong, it is cool and can be adjusted with the speed knob in order to fit your song, however, a randomizer function with varying jumps may have yielded even cooler, more special results. Keep in mind that both the sine- and the triangle-wave switch positions are by themselves very distinct and usable, so treat the square-wave as a cost-free addon to experiment with. If you desire more broken and randomized sounds or even a separate noise/crackle feature, feel free to go with the myriad of VST-plugins available when it comes to recording.

4. Conclusion Time

Z.Vex is well known for producing complex and highly interactive pedals, which holds true for the Instant LoFi Junky as well. I personally adore the compression circuit, however, the chorus/vibrato section is nothing to frown upon, either. Please be aware that you are buying into a highly specialized device that will not deliver you the typical 80s metallic distortion plus chorus sounds, but rather focuses on keeping its promise to beautifully degrade your guitar signal with warble and noise. And while it may not serve as a permanent addon to my pedalboard due to its specific nature, I can absolutely see its use as a studio tool!