In 1966, 14-year-old Steve Ridinger created his first effects pedal. Designed through trial and error (with no schematics) in his parents’ garage in the Hollywood Hills of Nichols Canyon Place, he created a circuit not based on any previous design. Back then, he called it the Liverpool Fuzz Tone, and it was a precursor to his Foxx Tone Machine Fuzz.

Now the owner of Danelectro, Ridinger recently designed the Nichols 1966 – a ’60s-sounding cross between distortion and fuzz.

Offering interactive controls that yield a dynamic fuzz sound without diode clipping, the pedal allows users to turn down the guitar’s Volume for clean rhythm work. A three-transistor circuit provides versatility, while the Fuzz, Drive, Tone, and Volume knobs work with the two-position Stock/Mid Cut switch for added EQ and tonal colors.

Plugged into a superstrat and a Deluxe Reverb, the Nichols supplied smooth overdrive, belligerent fuzz, plus a range of medium-rude rockin’ tones with sensitive pick attack. The guitar’s Volume control was the secret to real-world stage work, from crusty Stock voicings to super articulation and raspy highs and lows with the Mid Cut. It’s wired true-bypass, powers up with a 9-volt adapter, and is the perfect size and architecture for a crowded pedalboard – original, smooth, yet oh so gnarly.

This article originally appeared in VG’s June 2024 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.