Summer School Electronics Unveils The Pep Rally Fuzz

Summer School’s latest release brings new flavors and capabilities to a familiar fuzz sound.

Summer School is back with their first new pedal of 2023 which, ironically enough, is dropping just in time for the kick off of summer school around the country. Fully embracing the school theme, Mark Turley’s latest creation is the Pep Rally Fuzz, a silicon powered fuzz that is very much an update/modification to their Stone Thrower fuzz (which I am quite partial to).

This new fuzz has boosted volume and a new tone knob, versus the limited volume/fuzz controls of the Stone Thrower. It’s also definitely a lot louder. However, it still retains that very velcro-like fuzz sound that is honestly, pretty unique compared to a lot of fuzzes I’ve typically reviewed. It’s not another Big Muff or a mild Tone Bender, but it is a ripping fuzz no doubt.

Summer School’s Pep Rally does not disappoint one bit. Within minutes of plugging into my P90 loaded Tele from RWM, there’s a wall of noise coming from my otherwise clean Dream ’65 amp sim. I’ve been on a bit of a fuzz kick lately here, with lots of fuzzy demos and reviews. But the Pep Rally doesn’t feel repetitive by any means, offering a distinctly different voice from the Owlman, Cicada, or Fuzz Club.

This is definitely a noisy pedal that’s not going going to be as precise or clear as something from the Muff or Tone Bender family. However, it is far more reigned in than the Cicada/Owlman modulation sounds. For me, the Pep Rally fits nicely as an everyday fuzz. Where I would use the others sparingly to spice up a song, this can be a staple of your board, something you build around.

Much like the Stone Thrower, I love how it just absolutely eviscerates your sound no matter what amp it is in front of. I mainly use the Stone Thrower on my bass, especially because I feel that pedal doesn’t always get loud enough for my guitar. So naturally, the Pep Rally will probably now slot onto a guitar pedalboard, while the Stone Thrower stays ripping up the low frequencies.

This is definitely a much improved pedal overall, and represents a great lo-fi fuzz option that’s simple and reliable. Another great addition to the Summer School Electronics lineup! Go grab your own now from Summer School’s shop. And if you’re starting your own collection of Summer School pedals like I am, be sure to grab one of the 15 limited edition Germanium powered Pep Rally’s only available online!