Spiral Electric FX

Overview

Spiral Electric FX is a boutique manufacturer of handmade analog guitar effects pedals, founded by Tom Cram, a designer with prior experience at DigiTech and DOD. The brand focuses on high-quality, one-at-a-time production using premium parts, offering fuzz, drive, and boost pedals in larger BB-size formats and smaller 'Smol' series. It occupies a niche in the handmade pedal market, emphasizing versatile silicon transistor designs and custom controls.¹²³⁴⁵

History

Spiral Electric FX was conceived in 2011 by Tom Cram, former designer at DigiTech and DOD, but launched later after he took over other product responsibilities. The first pedal, Black Spiral Fuzz, marked its debut, followed by releases like Yellow Spiral Drive in March and White Spiral Boost. In 2023, it introduced the compact 'Smol' series with the Demhe fuzz, priced lower than core BB-size editions.¹²⁴⁵⁶

Product Lines

Manufacturing

Pedals are designed and hand-made one at a time by Tom Cram in Murray, Utah, using the highest quality parts. Production is in-house and boutique-scale, with both larger BB-size and smaller compact 'Smol' formats available.¹³⁴

Notable Products

• Black Spiral Fuzz - First pedal, foundational silicon fuzz design.
• Yellow Spiral Drive - Overdrive pedal released early in lineup.
• White Spiral Boost - JFET boost with Grit, Girth controls and Alpha/Omega switch.
• Demhe - Compact 'Smol' series fuzz with Blower clipping switch and versatile silicon voicing.
• Brute Fuzz - Aggressive fuzz in core lineup.

Reputation

Enthusiasts and professionals praise Spiral Electric FX for Tom Cram's pedigree from DigiTech/DOD and the pedals' versatile, high-quality analog tones, as highlighted in JHS Pedals coverage. The handmade construction and unique controls like Girth and Blower Switch earn acclaim for nuanced textures from overdrive to full fuzz. Some note the larger BB-size footprint as less pedalboard-friendly, though the 'Smol' series addresses this.²⁴⁵⁶