TARPITLAB

TARPITLAB is the collaboration arm of M-tone Guitars.

The Thermal fuzz is a collaboration between M-tone, jeweler Gary Swank and amp builder Eddie Wang.  The Thermal was released as a onetime edition of 25 units in April 2020.

About the Thermal

The Thermal is the best touch-sensitive, interactive fuzz that can be built. It uses carefully matched RCA NOS germanium transistors, a tin/paper Jupiter cap (like a vintage Fender amp), and the highest quality components throughout. The Thermal uses terminal strips and point-to-point wiring for the most direct signal path and best performance (no circuit board). All components are selected and individually matched to maximize tone and touch sensitivity.

The enclosure is made from 1/8” aluminum pieces slotted into each other and held firmly together with brass nuts and bolts. The top surface has a sheet of 1/16” blackened steel below the aluminum enclosure. The steel is cut with images of birds in flight (catching a thermal). Below the steel is a sheet of brass that gives the birds a golden backdrop. The amber indicator light is threaded into the aluminum enclosure top. The indicator and the true-bypass foot switch have custom steel washers patinaed to contrast visually with the aluminum. The knobs are custom made for the Thermal.

The sides of the enclosure are dressed with steel elements that imply the thermal image of an airplane in flight. The nameplate on the front of the pedal is also the battery compartment. It can be opened by removing four brass bolts to reveal the battery clip which is welded to a removable steel plate for easy access. The Thermal can operate using the internal 9V battery or from a high quality isolated power supply. The back of the Thermal is a beautiful open-weave motif to show the meticulously wired interior. The back and top are not intended to be removed, as this will cause the pedal to break into its component pieces which will damage the wiring. Enjoy the wiring visually from the open-weave back and access the included battery from the nameplate.

The pedal visuals were designed by Matt Proctor and Gary Swank. All of the enclosure components are hand finished, patinaed and assembled by Matt Proctor to create a cool work of art. The electronics are hand wired by Eddie Wang and are crazy beautiful, like a wonderful abstract sculpture hanging inside the box. The Thermal was offered in a one-time limited edition of 25 units. Every pedal is stamped with its own number and each is slightly different and unique due to the hands-on build process. These are truly precious objects, so have fun and enjoy yours. Thanks!