Fender Godzilla Distortion Pedal: Roaring Op-Amp Distortion
Get the monster look on your pedal board!
5,0 / 5,0 | 
If you thought the Hello Kitty Fuzz was a bit weird, you’re in for a surprise today. Fender is introducing Godzilla Distortion Pedal! The pedal come with op-amp distortion, an active, two-band EQ, and a design inspired by the King of Monsters.
Fender and Godzilla
How did the connection between Fender and Godzilla come about? You might have noticed how important the Japanese market is to Fender. Just as was once the case with music albums, there are special Japanese models for almost every Fender series, which, especially visually, are often a very different story.
And if you’ve been following Fender’s recent releases in Japan, you might remember the midnight black “Godzilla 70th Anniversary Collection“. The three Strats featured breathtaking finishes, there was even a Masterbuilt model. Not only was it handcrafted, but it also produced Godzilla’s earth-shattering roar. Press the corresponding button, and Godzilla’s acoustic trademark comes out of the amp.
As is almost always the case with Fender Japan releases, that special edition was also exclusively for the Japanese market. The Fender Godzilla Distortion Pedal was also teased back then. But that one is available here now!
Godzilla Distortion Pedalö: Hammertone in a Monster’s Guise
Judging purely by its size and layout, the Godzilla Distortion Pedal seems to be based on Fender’s Hammertone series. Inside is an op-amp circuit, so sonically we’re probably in RATland. Here, the pedal delivers a dense, compressed distortion tone with fat sustain and enough gain for alternative rock riffs and beyond.
Unlike with a RAT pedal, which just gives you a single filter, you get an active two-band EQ. This means you can separately cut or boost the bass and treble frequencies. You can also adjust the input level (Gain) and output level (Level) separately for proper gain staging.
The advantage of an onboard EQ isn’t just the greater sonic versatility. It can also be super helpful when you ever play an amp other than your own (which isn’t all that rare when you’re frequently playing support gigs), because then, you can better tune the Fender Godzilla Distortion Pedals’s tone to match the tonality of the amp.
Godzilla Aesthetics
Otherwise, the visuals, the Godzilla look, are, of course, a real highlight. It’s a bit of a shame how much the four knobs obscure the monster graphic. Let’s hope for transparent knobs sooner or later so we can get a proper look at the monster’s face.
As far as connections and workflow are concerned, there’s nothing particularly exciting or unusual to report about the Fender Godzilla Distortion Pedal. Your input and output on the top panel, a footswitch for bypassing, it’s powered either via a 9-volt battery or an AC adapter (not included). It’s all a very familiar territory.
How much does the Fender Godzilla Distortion Pedal cost?
You can order the Fender Godzilla Distortion now for $156 / £138 / €159 at Thomann*.
More on the new Pedal from Fender
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One response to “Fender Godzilla Distortion Pedal: Roaring Op-Amp Distortion”
I remember when I was a kid, in my small room in my parents apartment in Tokyo when I heard a loud and distant noise that sounded so familiar. I looked outside my window and there was Godzilla staring into my eyes. He opened his mouth and said “Konichiwa” which is Japanese means “Hello”. I opened up the window with trembling hands and excitement. He came nearer and I crawled into his open mouth. We rode together through the city landscape as people ran screaming. I stood a little too hard on his tongue and Godzilla let out a large fireball and roasted my body into ash. I’m not a spirit floating freely through the internet.
Cool pedal