Pricing and availability
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Price
Average Price: $210
High-end/Boutique
$60
$181+
Price Tier
Budget
Standard
High-end
Price History
Based on price data from 2 merchants for "Caroline Guitar Company Shigeharu". Prices shown reflect NEW condition. Tracking began Apr 3, 2026.
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Description
The Caroline Guitar Company Shigeharu fuzz pedal delivers a sonic experience that bridges the gap between classic fuzz tones and modern innovation. This handmade in the USA masterpiece combines the raw, visceral edge of muff-style fuzz with a touch of overdrive, perfect for guitarists seeking a versatile and powerful sound. The Shigeharu features a unique octaver effect, adding depth and complexity to your tone, making it a must-have for those who crave sonic exploration.
Crafted for true bypass, this pedal ensures your signal remains pristine when disengaged, allowing you to maintain clarity in any setup. With its intuitive control layout, including Level, Drive, Tone, and Body Havoc Level, you can easily sculpt your sound to suit any musical context. The pedal's LED indicator provides clear visual feedback, while the dual footswitch design offers both effect bypass and havoc modes for on-the-fly adjustments.
Built to withstand the rigors of the road, the Shigeharu is powered via a 9V DC mains adapter and features robust 6.3 mm jack inputs and outputs. Its compact yet sturdy design makes it a reliable companion on stage or in the studio. Designed for guitarists who demand more from their gear, the Shigeharu fuzz pedal opens up a world of tonal possibilities.
Key Features:
- Fuzz and Octaver effects for versatile sound shaping
- Classic muff-style fuzz with added overdrive
- True bypass circuitry for signal integrity
- Controls: Level, Drive, Tone, Body Havoc Level
- Dual footswitches for Effect Bypass and Havoc modes
- LED indicator for Effect On status
- 6.3 mm jack input and output connections
- Powered via 9V DC mains adapter (not included)
- Handmade in the USA
Product specs
| Available since | May 2023 |
| Overdrive | No |
| Distortion | No |
| Fuzz | Yes |
| Metal | No |
FAQs
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What type of sound can I expect from the Caroline Guitar Company Shigeharu IC Fuzz + Octave?
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The Caroline Shigeharu offers a rich and aggressive fuzz tone with an added octave effect, ideal for creating thick, textured sounds suitable for rock and experimental music genres.
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Is the Caroline Shigeharu IC Fuzz + Octave pedal suitable for bass guitar?
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Yes, the Shigeharu can be used with a bass guitar, providing deep and powerful fuzz tones that enhance the instrument's low-end presence.
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How does the octave feature on the Caroline Shigeharu IC Fuzz + Octave work?
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The octave feature allows you to add an upper octave to your fuzz sound, creating a harmonically rich and unique tone that stands out in a mix.
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What power supply does the Caroline Shigeharu IC Fuzz + Octave require?
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The Shigeharu pedal requires a standard 9V DC power supply, which is common for most guitar pedals and ensures easy integration into your pedalboard setup.
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Can the Caroline Shigeharu IC Fuzz + Octave be used for live performances?
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Absolutely, the Shigeharu is designed to deliver consistent and powerful fuzz tones, making it well-suited for live performances where dynamic and distinct sound is essential.
Videos
Knobs
Caroline - Shigeharu
Reviews
PROS
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Versatile fuzz, works with all types of guitars and pickups
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Distinctive gain versatility, from heavy distortion to classic overdrive
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Dual EQ controls offer expansive tone shaping
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Offers both permanent and foot-switchable octave effects
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High-quality construction, ideal size for pedalboards
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Top input/output for easier pedalboard integration
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Soft switch technology for smoother operation
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Exceptional customer support from Caroline Guitar Company
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Unique bias control for sputtering fuzz sounds
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Can switch between a wall of noise or cutting through the mix
CONS
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Octave function lacks blend with fuzz, limiting its usefulness
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Bias trimpot adjustment not accessible externally without modification
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Octave up function can be overly loud, lacking subtlety
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Minimal impact from guitar controls, limiting tonal versatility with guitar adjustments
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Caroline Guitar Company Shigeharu.
Use cases and applications
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Best used as a high treble fuzz, the Shigeharu can achieve both articulate and punchy tones, reminiscent of a Muff with Screamer characteristics.
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When used on bass, the Shigeharu delivers a powerful, grinding fuzz sound that is highly effective in a live setting, reminiscent of a Ram's Head Muff.
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Running the Shigeharu into an OCD Overdrive at low power settings can enhance its low gain character effectively.
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The Shigeharu excels in doomy genres when paired with a Stone Deaf Fig Fumb, creating a massive sound.
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Other
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The Shigeharu pedal is named after a waiter from a sushi restaurant in Columbia, SC, reflecting Caroline's local connections and unique branding approach.
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Mods and upgrades
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A suggestion is made to replace the internal gate control trimpot with an external pot for easier access, enhancing user control during live performances.
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Comparisons
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Some users prefer the standard 3DPT footswitch on the Shigeharu over the clickless switches used on Caroline's delay and reverb pedals, citing reliability concerns.
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Compared to Earthquaker Hoof, the Shigeharu offers more clarity and aggressive gain when cranked, with the added versatility of reducing input gain.
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The Shigeharu is noted for being more articulate and less compressed than the Haunt, making it stand out more in a mix.
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Users find the Shigeharu fuller and more versatile than the JHS Cheese Ball Fuzz, with better sustain and amp explosion effects.
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User experience
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Caroline Guitar Company's customer service is praised for quick, free repairs and gestures like sending a free t-shirt, enhancing the purchase experience.
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The Shigeharu has been a staple on users' boards for over 8 years, praised for its ability to combine the characteristics of Rat and Big Muff pedals.
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Owners appreciate the Shigeharu's ability to stand out in a mix while pairing well with other pedals like the Centura and Longsword.
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Features and functionality
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The tone control remains versatile across its range, adding sizzle and aggressiveness without thinning out, and interacts well with the mids control for varied tonal shaping.
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The momentary havoc/octave up footswitch can be used as a solo boost or for bursts of noise, with adjustments available using the octave level control.
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The Shigeharu's transformer-based octave and tweaked tone control provide significant tonal flexibility, from subtle to intense fuzz.
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An internal bias/gate trimpot allows for ungated tones, although some users wish it was an external knob for easier access.
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The Shigeharu's havoc level knob affects octave-up overtones and acts like a treble boost, providing a washy sound when playing chords.
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5.0 out of 5
Based on 1 Review and 3 Ratings
328
Brutal fuzz that only does loud
Great high gain fuzz pedal for when you're not messing around. The gain knob only really has play from 7 o'clock (off) to around 9 o'clock... after that the only question is do you want a lot of fuzz or A LOT of fuzz? Caroline mentions that the lower gain positions are like a "classic overdrive" but even the minimum setting is still high gain.
Your guitar controls have minimal impact on the sound of this pedal. it's not very reactive with either tone or volume, has little clean roll-off to speak of. Where this pedal really shines is in its own double EQ controls. One of them is a fairly standard tone control, but the other one seems to be some kind of variable parametric adjustment. It's very usable, and the combination of the two has enabled me to get Muff tones that are EQ-balanced with all my other drive pedals. So if I switch between my Astro Tone and this, it doesn't sound like I've changed rigs or something. If I want it to cut through the mix, easy. If I want it to be a wall of noise sitting in the back of the mix, easy.
The octave feature is good too. I set the jumper to have the octave always on (this turns the second footswitch into a kill switch), and I usually have a small-but-noticeable amount of octave dialed in. It still sustains like a Muff, but with a slight buzzy crunch when you hit a chord. Very cool sound IMO.
Things this would be good for: garage rock, stoner, shoegaze, desert rock, David Gilmore solos.
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