Fairfield Shallow Waters K-Field Modulator (KFM)

£325.00

Also available on — Andertons, Gear4music, Reverb, Amazon, eBay

Fresh on the menu for 2026 are the Guitar Pedals, freshly added and carefully selected. These New units are available to order online with fast, secure delivery from trusted UK retailers. Read on for full details, specifications, demos, videos, reviews, and the best places to buy the Guitar Pedals today.


Description

Fresh on the menu for 2026 are the Guitar Pedals, freshly added and carefully selected. These New units are available to order online with fast, secure delivery from trusted UK retailers. Read on for full details, specifications, demos, videos, reviews, and the best places to buy the Guitar Pedals today.

Re-animate your guitar parts, hypnotize your synths into a dreamy trance, submerge your loops in a swirling pool of syrupy sound! Fairfield Circuity's latest demented venture will send you and your musical ideas spiralling into another plane of existence.

Based on a traditional analogue chorus/vibrato circuit, the Shallow Water varies the delay and filtration created in relation to the input signal, simultaneously giving an old-tape-like warmth and sporadic flutters of pitch and modulation.

Your ideas will take on a lifeforce of their own. Relieve yourself of the control over your sound and let it wade through the Shallow Water's murky, ethereal circuitry!

Here's what Fairfield Circuitry say about the Shallow Water:

Practically, this describes an effect built around your typical analogue chorus/vibrato circuit wherein the signal is delayed by a few dozen milliseconds using a bucket brigade device. Another signal then modulates this delay time to create changes in pitch, called vibrato. Chorus is achieved by mixing the original signal with the delayed signal, creating the moving comb filters that tickle our ears and feather our bangs. Still, major differences can be noticed when studying the k-field modulator’s architecture. The most striking are how the delay time is modulated in a random fashion and how the recovery filter moves in relation to the input signal. Both these differences place Shallow Water in a category of its own, appropriately called k-field modulators. As the present gets lost, the future becomes the past.

Pseudo Random Generator

The random quality of the modulation begins in a simple program residing on a microcontroller. Its output resembles steps of random voltages, seperated by random time intervals. The RATE control effectively sets the overall range of these time intervals.

Integrator and Depth

These random stepped voltages are processed through a filter/ integrator, giving control over the slope at which the steps will reach their new values. As DAMP is increased, the random steps become slow and sluggish, instead of sharp and abrubt. DEPTH defines the amount of modulation that will be used to modulate the time delay of our input signal. There is a strong interaction between all three controls affecting modulation; that is rate, damp and depth. 

Envelope Follower and Recovery Filter

Once the input signal has passed through the delay line, a recovery filter and some kind of gate is necessary to remove unwanted noise generated by the bucket brigade device. To achieve this, the input’s envelope is followed and used to modulate the frequency of a low pass filter. The amount of envelope is set by the LPG control, yielding bouncy, lo-fi responses to quick and snappy gate-like behaviours.

Specifications

Technicals

  • true bypass 
  • input impedance 1M
  • output impedance 2k
  • power supply 9 to 9.6 VDC
  • current draw 40 mA max. P

Physicals

  • 1/4” mono input/output jacks
  • 2.1mm DC connector
  • 4.7” x 3.8” enclosure dimensions

Additional information

Weight 0.5 kg

Category

Guitar Pedals

Tags

Chorus

A chorus pedal thickens and widens your tone by subtly duplicating your signal and shifting it slightly out of tune and time. The result is movement — shimmering cleans, liquid arpeggios, and that unmistakable 80s swirl that makes single notes feel fuller and chords sound expansive. From gentle sparkle to deep, watery modulation, chorus adds dimension without overwhelming your core sound.

Use it to bring life to clean passages, soften driven tones, or create spacious textures that sit beautifully in a band mix. Whether you’re after subtle depth or bold, warbling character, a chorus pedal is a simple way to make your guitar sound bigger, richer, and more immersive.

Delay

A delay pedal records your signal and plays it back after a set time, creating echoes that can range from tight, slapback repeats to long, atmospheric trails. It’s one of the most versatile effects, used to thicken tones, add rhythmic depth, or build spacious, ambient layers. Analogue delays offer warm, decaying repeats that blend naturally with your tone, while digital units provide pristine echoes with precise control over time, feedback, and mix levels.

From classic rockabilly and tape-style echoes to modern looping and shimmer effects, delay pedals have become essential tools for shaping sound. They can make solos soar, rhythms pulse, or transform simple chord progressions into cinematic textures. Whether used subtly to add dimension or boldly to create soundscapes, a good delay pedal can completely redefine the feel and atmosphere of your music.

envelope filter

An envelope filter reacts to your playing dynamics, opening and closing its sweep based on how hard you pick. Dig in and it quacks, ease off and it softens — delivering that unmistakable funk snap, auto-wah bounce, and touch-sensitive groove that feels alive under your fingers. It’s expressive, rhythmic, and full of character.

Use it to bring movement to clean riffs, add vocal-like sweeps to bass lines, or inject serious funk into your rhythm playing. From subtle shimmer to full-on 70s squelch, an envelope filter turns your picking hand into the control knob.

Filter

A filter pedal shapes your tone by emphasising or cutting specific frequencies, letting you sculpt everything from subtle tonal shifts to bold, sweeping textures. Unlike traditional wah or envelope effects, filters can be static or controlled in different ways, giving you focused control over how bright, dark, sharp, or resonant your sound becomes.

Use a filter to tighten the low end, tame harsh highs, or create synth-like sweeps and rhythmic movement. Whether you’re refining your core tone or pushing into experimental territory, a filter pedal gives you precise control over the flavour of your sound.

New

This is brand new, fresh in, and a UK warranty is included. New Gear always comes from trusted UK music retailers.

noise gate

A noise gate pedal keeps your rig tight and controlled by cutting unwanted hiss and hum when you’re not playing. High-gain setups, stacked pedals, and long signal chains can introduce background noise — a noise gate steps in to silence it cleanly, letting your riffs start and stop with precision.

Use it to sharpen heavy rhythm parts, tame buzzing single-coils, or clean up complex pedalboards without sacrificing sustain. Dial it subtle for transparent control or tighter for that sharp, percussive stop-start effect — either way, it keeps your sound focused and professional.

Pitch

Pitch pedals alter the frequency of your guitar signal, changing the perceived note or adding harmony. They can shift notes up or down by fixed intervals, create harmonies, or produce dive-bomb and whammy-style effects without a tremolo arm. Pitch shifters and harmonisers are great for thickening solos, simulating multiple guitars, or experimenting with creative, otherworldly sounds that expand your tonal range.

used

Used pedals bring character, value, and often a bit of history to your board. Whether it’s a well-loved classic or a recent release looking for its next home, a used pedal offers the same core tone at a more accessible price. Fully tested and described clearly, it’s a chance to grab great gear without paying brand-new money.

Go used to explore different sounds, track down discontinued favourites, or build your setup more affordably. Sometimes a pedal with a few marks on the casing still delivers flawless tone — and might even have a story or two behind it.

Vibrato

Vibrato refers to a guitar pedal effect that modulates pitch slightly up and down, creating movement and a sense of wobble in the sound. Unlike tremolo, which changes volume, vibrato affects pitch only, producing anything from subtle shimmer to pronounced, warbling textures. It is often used to add character, depth, and vintage-style modulation to guitar tones.