Controls:

• Vol – Determines the strength of the strike. Raise it to push the effect itself or to overload the amp that follows.
  
  

• Tone – Twin filters move as one, guiding you to the sweet spot between your guitar’s essence and your amp’s character.
  
  

• Gain – The blade itself.

At low settings: the signal is strangled and sharpened, precision emerges, and a hidden noise-gate effect keeps your riffs tight amidst the chaos.

At high settings: the signal swells and mutates beyond mortal limits, making your chugs absurdly powerful and your breakdowns… divine punishment.

So… will you wield The Assassin, or be slain by it?

Specs:

• True bypass

• Hand crafted and tested

• 100% analog signal path

• 9V DC Center Negative ~50 mA

• Mono I/O

• Top mounted jacks

Download the   User Manual 

Note from the builder:

Some time ago, I discovered that the fuzz — an effect I had long considered outdated — could, when forced and shaped in unconventional ways, become the secret key to unlocking the ultra-aggressive tones of the modern metal bands that inspire me most.

 However, most fuzz designs on the market still cater to other genres. In metal, their use often feels like an afterthought, only usable within very specific, narrow settings.

The Assassin was born to speak directly to that world.

 It’s designed to fit naturally into modern high-gain rigs, delivering its purpose even with all controls set at noon.

 It introduces radical changes to traditional fuzz circuits — and it’s not afraid to sound disgusting. That’s its strength.

It mangles the signal with brute force, pushing it to the extreme edges necessary to impress, shock, and inspire the listener.

 That is The Assassin.

The Art:

At Sidequest Audio, the visual identity is treated with the same care and intention as the sound itself.

Every pedal is the result of a deep artistic collaboration — a union between sonic and visual craftsmanship.

For the artwork, I teamed up with a close friend whose work has always inspired me.

His sketch-style illustrations carry a nostalgic essence — reminiscent of an era when character design, fantasy art, and creativity itself reached a peak that still feels unmatched today.

His art evokes a world that feels alive — inhabited by mysterious, esoteric figures and ancient stories waiting to be rediscovered.

That sense of depth, of lived-in mystery, resonated perfectly with what Sidequest Audio stands for.

It was, without question, a match made in heaven.

Artist: @michele.biasonz

Signal Path:

Through extensive testing, I found that the perfect spot for The Assassin is right at the very beginning of your signal chain — right after any utility pedals such as tuners or buffers.

In particular, placing The Assassin before any overdrive seems to unleash its most devastating potential on chugs, making them sound full, aggressive, and unmistakably in your face.

That said — feel free to experiment!

The Assassin truly shines when paired with high-gain amplifiers, where it delivers its most focused and punishing voice.

On the other hand, when used into a clean amp, it reveals a much more dystopian, broken-speaker-like character — perfect for creating “radio” or “transition” effects in your arrangements.

And don’t underestimate it on bass guitar — it can surprise you with some truly unique textures.