Twilight Percolator

V3- takes the percolator to unseen heights. Check out the graphic for full explanation, there is no shortage of percolator versatility here. 

Currently saving up for a laser machine so I can manufacture my own faceplates, but they are expensive. For now, this will be discounted and sold with no faceplate, so I made a graphic explaining each knob.

This is a Harmonic Percolator Germanium/Silicon hybrid fuzz circuit with a 6 way clipping toggle for 6 unique voices that change the nature of the fuzz.

Very harmonically unusual fuzz here. The different clipping modes really make a difference in this circuit, creating new and interesting textures with each mode.

I set the switch so that the fuzz jumps in amplitude as you turn it clockwise- with no clipping diodes being the most loud and aggressive.

The Percolator is one of the most mysterious and revered fuzz/distortion circuits ever created.

Designed in the 1970s by the Milwaukee-based Interfax company, it remained virtually unknown for decades—until it became a widely known part of Steve Albini’s distinct guitar tone. Albini, known for his work in Shellac and for recording iconic records like In Utero and Surfer Rosa, used the Harmonic Percolator not as a blanket fuzz, but as a weaponized texture: brittle, mechanical, and coldly articulate. His endorsement turned the pedal into a cult obsession among noise rock, post-hardcore, and experimental players.

 the texture

 Unlike classic fuzz pedals that emphasize chaos or mid-scoop, the Harmonic Percolator delivers a unique form of distortion—clipped and aggressive, yet strangely controlled. It creates a tone that seems on the verge of failure: sharp, with a buzzy, splintering decay. Despite its brutality, the circuit preserves clarity. Chords don’t collapse into sludge, and single notes punch through with a synthetic, octave-rich presence. It has a distinctive ability to generate sustained feedback and odd overtones without losing focus, making it feel almost synth-like in behavior. What sets the Harmonic Percolator apart is its focus on producing even-order harmonics—a rarity in distortion pedals. Even-order harmonics are integer multiples of the fundamental frequency (2x, 4x, 6x) and are typically associated with warmth, musicality, and the soft saturation of tube amps.

In the Percolator, this concept is flipped. The even-order harmonic content is delivered through a hybrid of silicon and germanium transistors, often with asymmetric clipping. This creates a tonal result that is both harsh and oddly pleasing—an aggressive tone with a harmonic sweetness buried inside the noise.