A Fuzzed-out Love Letter to the Psychedelic Sounds of Tropicália
Inspired by the fuzzy, buzzy tones of Brazil’s late-1960s Tropicália craze, the Beetronics FX Abelha tropical fuzz pedal twists and tweaks the sputtering sounds of the past into a remarkably versatile do-it-all stompbox. The Abelha (Portuguese for bee) starts with a 3-way voicing switch that swerves between battery-starved germanium madness, massive-sounding walls of full-bodied fuzz, and a sweeter, more controllable fuzz tonality. Fuzz aficionados of all stripes will feel right at home with the Abelha’s straightforward control scheme, consisting of a fuzz knob (Buzz), volume (Loud), and a Hi/Lo 2-band EQ for intuitive tone sculpting. Lastly, to precisely replicate the treble-heavy fuzz sounds of Tropicália, the Abelha features a stinging momentary/latching highpass filter. It’s a true passion project for Beetronics FX founder Filipe Pampuri, blending his love of fuzz, obsession with bees, and Brazilian heritage into an idiosyncratic stompbox creation that buzzes from Tropicália’s psychedelic past into the boundless future of fuzz.
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Three fuzz voicings for maximum versatility
While the Abhela is billed by Beetronics FX as a fuzzbox squarely aimed at capturing the stinging sounds of Brazilian Tropicália music, this pedal’s trio of flexible fuzz voices defy categorization.
- Polen: Right out of the gate, the Abhela’s Polen setting makes it clear that this is no ordinary fuzzbox! This setting supplies a spitting, sputtering fuzz that Beetronics FX tells Sweetwater is inspired by the chaotic sound of a germanium fuzzbox with a dying battery.
- Nectar: Guitarists chasing a broader and fuller tone will be sure to find favor with the Abhela’s Nectar mode. From massive-sounding walls of ferocious fuzz to endlessly sustaining solos, the rich, sweet sounds of the Abhela’s Nectar setting are sure to please.
- Honey: Arguably the most versatile mode, Honey offers a more controlled tone that serves as a superb do-it-all fuzz voicing.
Intuitive controls and highpass Tropical mode
Once you’ve fixed the Abhela to your fuzz voicing of choice, a quartet of knobs offers extensive tone-shaping possibilities to tackle any sonic situation. Buzz and Loud cover your basic fuzz and volume controls, while the Hi and Lo knobs provide a formidable degree of tone-shaping potential. Furthermore, a quick double tap or momentary hold of the Abhela’s footswitch activates Tropical Mode — a highpass filter setting that perfectly captures the cutting psychedelic sound of Brazilian Tropicália. Finally, you get three footswitch profile settings to adjust Tropical mode’s momentary functionality to your liking.
Sleek style and a custom PC-Bee
As much as we appreciate Beetronics FX’s dedication to sonic innovation, we can’t help but be equally blown away by how each of the company’s pedals knocks it out of the park when it comes to the visual department. The Abhela boasts an old-school slanted enclosure and custom artwork that simply oozes style. Not content to simply wow us with external cosmetics, cracking open the Nectar reveals a custom PCB that features bee-inspired art.
Beetronics FX Abhela Tropical Fuzz Pedal Features:
- Remarkably versatile fuzzbox that perfectly captures the bright, cutting and psychedelic sounds of Brazil’s late-1960s Tropicália movement
- 3-way toggle grants you three flexible voicings to choose from: Polen, Nectar, and Honey
- 2-band EQ with Buzz and Loud (fuzz and volume, respectively) controls to adjust your tone
- Highpass “Tropical” mode instantly sends your sound back to São Paulo in the 1960s, sporting a sharp treble-biased edge
- Tropical mode can be access with a quick double tap of the footswitch or activated momentarily by holding down the footswitch
- Three footswitch profile options to dial in Tropical mode to your liking
- Eye-catching enclosure artwork along with a custom bee-themed PCB on the inside
