Today, Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) announces the launch of My Bloody Valentine frontman, Kevin Shields, signature pedal, the Limited Edition Fender® Shields Blender – Fender’s first-ever signature fuzz pedal. Kevin Shields’ groundbreaking sound and his legendary pedalboard configurations have left an indelible mark on the music industry. Shields’ unique blend of distortion and feedback inspired countless musicians to experiment with new sonic textures. Now, four decades after My Bloody Valentine’s formation, Kevin Shields’ iconic sound has been captured in a new wild-but-versatile multi-fuzz octave effect.
An innovator and pivotal influence on effect-laden guitar tones, Shields awakened iconic sonic walls of fuzz like the world had never heard as he defined the tone of alternative rock in the ‘80s and ‘90s inspiring the ‘shoegaze’ genre and beyond. His tool of choice for fuzz laden chaos: an original Fender® Blender effect pedal, prized for its dynamic response and gripping fuzz splatter. Now, through over four years of co-development, Fender and Shields have resurrected this mythical 1970’s fuzz and injected a subversive feature set, creating the all-new Limited Edition Shields Blender Pedal.
“I really enjoyed the experience,” said Kevin Shields. “I’ve been using it a lot recently in the studio, it’s been great, I’m looking forward to hearing how other people use it. It’s kind of pretty extreme but also very interesting when it’s set up in a subtle way.”
The new Shields Blender pedal is a two-channel beast featuring a hand-copied version of the original Blender circuit (of which Shields is a longtime user and fan) in channel one and a powerful octave blender in channel two. It also features a footswitchable, reactive voltage sag circuit controlled by picking dynamics built to emulate a tube amp pushed to its limit. For those looking to get the lo-fi/hi-fi sound found on some of the band’s most iconic records like Loveless and m b v, explore the Shields Blender. This special edition pedal is final assembled in the USA and comes accompanied with a limited print art box, a limited print hand signed collector’s booklet telling the story of how this amazing collaboration came to be and a plaque bearing Shields’ signature.
“It is an absolute honour to collaborate with the legendary Kevin Shields on Fender’s inaugural signature fuzz pedal. Kevin’s unparalleled musicianship and visionary approach to guitar tones have redefined the boundaries of sonic exploration,” said Stan Cotey, Vice President of R&D at FMIC. “His creative genius and passion for pushing the limits perfectly align with Fender’s commitment to innovation and delivering exceptional musical experiences. Together, we embark on an extraordinary journey, crafting a pedal that captures the essence of Kevin’s groundbreaking sound with vintage-inspired fuzz, octave-up and sub-octave options, combined with a truly unique sag circuit to harness controlled chaos like no other fuzz pedal – the most revolutionary fuzz design that we have ever developed, and specifically for Kevin’s musical vision.”
Featured Specs Include:
● Designed around a classic: Designed around Kevin Shields original Fender® Blender circuit, with his added tweaks, the Fender® Shields Blender adds an octave-up push button to toggle the original octave-up fuzz voice on and off, unlocking all-new vintage fuzz tones.
● Two footswitchable channels: The Octave Footswitch toggles between two channels of fuzz. Channel one blends the fuzz voice with the original clean signal. Channel two removes the clean signal and instead blends the fuzz with a monophonic sub octave fuzz.
● Blendable fuzz: Use the Volume and Blend knobs to set the right balance of clean and fuzz signals to create unique crisp tones, then use the Fuzz and Octave knobs to craft the right mix of dual, or triple, octave fuzz.
● Reactive sag circuit: The revolutionary sag circuit uses dynamic sensing circuitry to create imploding fuzz tones. By starving the transistors of power relative to the picking intensity used by the player, you can harness controlled chaos like no other fuzz.
● Vintage style, modern appointments: Just like its predecessor, the Fender Shields Blender sports an angled, brushed aluminum chassis with vinyl appointments, while new additions like LED indicators and a 9V DC power jack provide modern convenience.
● Performance ready footswitches: An unprecedented four footswitches provide a wealth of fuzz tone and effects on tap, whether performing on stage in front of millions or recording in your home.
In true tradition, the Fender Artist Signature Series honours iconic musicians through product progression and storytelling, creating instruments and gear inspired by the unique specifications of the world’s greatest guitarists and bassists. Introducing Fender’s first ever signature fuzz pedal — the Fender Shields Blender designed in collaboration with My Bloody Valentine’s front man and effect pedal genius, Kevin Shields.
Priced at $799 (AUD), today marks the limited-edition release of only 700 pedals worldwide, available for purchase exclusively on Fender.com, all signed by the My Bloody Valentine front man himself.
For technical specs, additional information on new Fender® products and to find a retail partner near you, visit www.fender.com. Join the conversation on social media by following @Fender.