Strymon Fairfax Class A Output Stage Drive - Effects Pedal

The Strymon Fairfax Class A Output Stage Drive Pedal is a fully analog amp-in-a-box overdrive designed to recreate the feel, response, and harmonic richness of a cranked vintage Class A tube amplifier in a compact pedal format. Inspired by the legendary Garnet Herzog drive unit used on classic rock recordings, the Fairfax delivers everything from edge-of-breakup warmth to saturated, sputtering fuzz-like textures with exceptional touch sensitivity and dynamic response.

Features

• Fully analog Class A amp-inspired drive circuit
• Inspired by the vintage Garnet Herzog tube drive unit
• Custom discrete preamp and power amp stages
• Transformer emulation circuitry for authentic tube-style saturation
• Variable SAG control for compression, voltage sag, gating, and sputtering textures
• DRIVE control ranges from clean boost to saturated fuzz-like gain
• LEVEL control for precise output balancing
• BRIGHT switch for enhanced high-frequency clarity and tonal shaping
• Internal voltage conversion boosts 9V input to 40V internally for increased headroom and amp-like feel
• Touch-sensitive response that reacts naturally to pick attack and guitar volume changes
• True bypass switching
• High-impedance JFET buffered input
• Mono input/output configuration
• Internal startup-state jumper for pedal switcher compatibility
• Designed and built in the USA

Players and reviewers have highlighted the Fairfax for its “alive under your fingers” feel, organic gain structure, and distinctive sag behavior that can move from subtle tube compression to broken-speaker-style gated textures.