Fender Pugilist Distortion V2

There are distortion pedals that give you one great sound, and then there are pedals that encourage you to experiment. The Fender Pugilist Distortion V2 firmly belongs in the second camp. Housing two completely independent analogue distortion circuits in a single compact enclosure, it delivers everything from tight, articulate crunch to thick, saturated walls of gain—all while giving you the flexibility to combine, stack, or blend its two distinct voices into something entirely your own.

Each distortion engine has its own dedicated footswitch along with independent Gain, Tone, and Level controls, allowing you to create two unique gain stages that can be activated individually or together. Engine A excels at brighter, cutting lead tones, while Engine B brings weight, body, and heavier distortion. Whether you're looking for classic rock bite, modern high-gain punch, or soaring lead tones, the Pugilist V2 gives you instant access without constantly reaching for the knobs.

The real knockout feature is the Path switch, which lets you route the two distortion engines in different ways. Run them in series to stack gain stages like switching between channels on a high-gain amplifier, or use the parallel mode to blend both circuits together, creating rich, harmonically complex distortion with impressive clarity and note definition. It's a remarkably creative approach that rewards experimentation and adapts easily to different guitars, amplifiers, and playing styles.

When it's time to fine-tune your sound, global Bass Boost and Mid Cut switches provide additional shaping options, helping you tighten up modern rhythm tones or add extra weight for solos and heavier riffs. Whether you're pushing a clean valve amp into singing sustain or adding extra aggression to an already driven rig, the Pugilist V2 offers plenty of tonal flexibility without becoming complicated.

Designed for life on the road, the rugged aluminium enclosure is built to handle years of rehearsals, studio sessions, and live performances. Top-mounted jacks help maximise valuable pedalboard space, while selectable true bypass or buffered bypass lets you tailor the pedal to your rig. Fender has also included multiswitch functionality, allowing each footswitch to operate in either latching or momentary mode for even greater performance flexibility.

At Musicmaker, we love pedals that inspire you to keep turning the knobs long after you planned to stop playing. The Fender Pugilist Distortion V2 isn't just another distortion pedal—it's two powerful gain engines working together to unlock a huge range of expressive, dynamic, and downright addictive drive tones.

Features

• Fender Pugilist Distortion V2

• Two independent analogue distortion circuits

• Dedicated footswitch for each distortion engine

• Independent Gain, Tone, and Level controls for both channels

• Path switch with series and parallel routing options

• Engine A voiced for articulate lead tones

• Engine B delivers thicker, heavier distortion

• Global Bass Boost and Mid Cut switches

• Selectable true bypass or buffered bypass

• Multiswitch functionality with latching and momentary operation

• Top-mounted input and output jacks

• Rugged aluminium enclosure

• Powered by a 9V centre-negative power supply (sold separately)