# The Fuzz Pedal Thread, Sort Of..



## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...i haven't used a fuzz pedal since the 60s, and wasn't too impressed back then. you could really only play one note at a time, and they just sounded, well, squirrelly.

note to self: do a spell check for "squirrelly".

but fuzz pedals seem to be enjoying a renaissance.

just curious to know if any of you use one, and what you like/dislike about them.

what are they best for: solos? rhythms?

any recommends?

-dh


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

I'm not much of a single note/line/solo player, so most octave fuzzes don't work for me as they disintegrate with anything more than a 2 note power chord. Do like the sound tho, have one and use occasionally.

I have a good Fuzz Face type fuzz, cleans up well with guitar volume, fairly soft clipping and not a ridiculous amount of gain. I actually have 2, but find one of them has entirely too much bottom end and the top end all but disappears if I play a chord.

I have a Big Muff type fuzz, tons o gain, very sharp tight fuzz. The one I have (Swollen Pickle) can be EQ'd to be not so scooped/bottom heavy as a lot of BM fuzzes are inherently. Have had a couple of EH BM's over the years, neither stayed with me for long. BM's do hold together for a complex (more than 2 notes) chord.

I am looking to get my hands on a tonebender type fuzz, preferrably a MkIII type, which is sort of a combination of the above 2, tighter than a FF but not as sharp as a BM. Most I have heard online do hold together for chord work.

All that said, any idividual fuzz sounds ridiculously different from amp to amp, most especially the FF type. We have here a Marshall JVM, a Hiwatt 50, a Vox AC15 and a Fender VibroChamp. Every fuzz sounds DRAMATICALLY different depending on which amp and what volume it's being played at.

So, I'm not quite a fuzz-a-holic, but I'm getting there.


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

I was recently at a friend's messing around with a few of them. Hence, my "Germanium Resistors" thread in this forum, which are of course germanium *transistors*. My buddy mentioned as we went through them, which were ones he knew were equipped with germanium transistors. To me these were the most musical, creamy and somewhat muddy (but in a kind of good way) of the bunch. Some of the lousier ones approached the sound of a broken TV speaker. An effect that I wouldn't use all that often, but with a wah pedal and phaser/vibe thrown in you can get to "Electric Jimiland" pretty quick! sdsre

This guys stuff sounds damn close to the better originals from the 60's and 70's.

http://www.mjmguitarfx.com/soundfiles.htm

Shawn


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

To the extent that pedals which generate copious amounts of harmonic and intermodulations distortion work "best"with single notes, fuzz pedals have regained prominence in the context of riff-based rosk. One need look no farther than "Satisfaction", the grand-daddy of them all, to get a sense of what I'm talking about. If you need a repetitive riff to establish the intent or theme of a song, a fuzz will do so with authority.

If you want a crunchy rhythm to play chords (even 2-3 note ones) behind something, then fuzz is not what you want.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...so, still very limited applications for this type of pedal.

this one looks interesting:

http://www.hartmanelectronicstore.com/SFZ-Two-stage-Hybrid-Fuzz-Pedal-SFZ.htm

-dh


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## Stratin2traynor (Sep 27, 2006)

I've gone through a ton of fuzzes over the last couple of years. Some of the stand outs are:

Way Huge Swollen Pickle: super thick muff type fuzz. Killer fuzz for those ginormous riffs.

Fulltone 70 pedal: great fuzz face type pedal with mid control. cleans up well with volume knob

BYOC Large Beaver: great copy of the big muff fuzz

Fulltone Octafuzz: one trick pony but what a great trick. 

Fulltone Ultimate Octave: a little too controlled for me but some good sweet spots.

Demeter Fuzzulator: very controlled tight fuzz that lends itself well to power chords. 

FoxRox Hot Silicon Fuzz: great fuzz face copy. Still can't understand why I sold it. idiot.

HBE Ultimate Fuzz Octave: great mixture of muff type fuzz and fuzz face. I determined that I am not into the use of octaves which this thing does very very well. 

I'm sure there were more, but that's all I can remember for now. I like have a muff type fuzz (in this case a swollen pickle) for monster riffs and a fuzz face for that messy OD type fuzz that Jimi Hendrix used. I am a fuzzaholic. 

One of my new favorite fuzzy riffs is Kings of Leon "Crawl".


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## Ti-Ron (Mar 21, 2007)

After a long hunt on fuzz pedal I stop on the Hoof Fuzz from Earthquaker Devices. A really nice thick fuzz, very long sustain can be really fuzz face if you use the volume knob of your guitar! Probably the best on the marker IMO!

http://www.earthquakerdevices.com/devices/hoof.htm


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## gearalley (Oct 23, 2009)

Has anyone checked out the Devi Ever fuzz pedals? They are pretty cool and can get pretty whacked. There are tons of vids on Youtube for them. Can't get 'em in Canada from what I've seen though...


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## Ti-Ron (Mar 21, 2007)

gearalley said:


> Has anyone checked out the Devi Ever fuzz pedals? They are pretty cool and can get pretty whacked. There are tons of vids on Youtube for them. Can't get 'em in Canada from what I've seen though...


You can buy them at Moog Audio! Everybody should have a look on theif stuff they are pretty open to new builder!

http://www.moogaudio.com/index.php?cPath=22&sort=2a&filter_id=134


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

Ti-Ron said:


> You can buy them at Moog Audio! Everybody should have a look on theif stuff they are pretty open to new builder!
> 
> http://www.moogaudio.com/index.php?cPath=22&sort=2a&filter_id=134


Does Moog carry stuff stock, or just list stuff they can get?


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## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

keto said:


> Does Moog carry stuff stock, or just list stuff they can get?


I ordered 3 EHX pedals and they had them all in stock, including a Memory Boy ... Also fast and friendly email responses.


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## CocoTone (Jan 22, 2006)

HArd to believe my London Fuzz is going on ten years now on my board. Would't gig without one. You can get an unbelievably thick clean tone with the vol rolled back, and then controlled mayhem when rolled up. Got to be germanium though. I find silicon too over the top.

CT.


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## JMann (Feb 18, 2007)

CocoTone said:


> HArd to believe my London Fuzz is going on ten years now on my board. Would't gig without one. You can get an unbelievably thick clean tone with the vol rolled back, and then controlled mayhem when rolled up. Got to be germanium though. I find silicon too over the top.
> 
> CT.


Idk, if by over the top you mean too trebly for your ears then yeah, I agree. But I think you meant uncontrollable as opposed to Ge's.

I just got into the fuzz game months ago with a '70 and a Big Muff tone wicker. The BM is gone as once I discovered the internal trimmer on the Fulltone it was love at first hearing:rockon2:
I also just picked up a AMan Sunface with a Ge and though it has less gain than the Si 70 it is certainly warmer and controlled as you mention but the 70 with that extra treble edge and unpredictibility has a more 3d, articulate sound to my ears. If I were forced to choose I would go with the 70, by a fuzzhair


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## CocoTone (Jan 22, 2006)

Treble is not a problem, nor is bottom end. As long as the guitar vol is not dimed, it is tone heaven.

CT.


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## markxander (Oct 24, 2009)

Had a Fuzzface for a long time and parted with it for other gear. I'd like a nice clone of it in a small enclosure. I also have a USA Big Muff that lives off-board and gets used sometimes--I'd use it a lot more if it were regular-sized. I also want to try a Sunface and a MJM London Fuzz... and the Fulltone ones. Wow, I didn't realize I was so into fuzz.

The only fuzz on my board is definitely my favourite-the Voodoo Labs Superfuzz. I can even play as many as three-note chords on it if I roll back the volume, it's very responsive. Can get really ice-pick in my Twin Reverb, but if it's run into any overdrive it's just amazing.


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## Stevo (Apr 3, 2008)

I've tried two that converted me back to Fuzz Land. The AM Sunface is a very nice, warm musical fuzz that is surprisingly versatile through the right amp. 

Also, I really liked the London Fuzz II, the silicon one. Yes, definitely brighter than the germanium stuff but it has a wild, out of control character that is great and that you can't get with overdrive. Definitely fun with single coils.


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## JMann (Feb 18, 2007)

Stevo said:


> I've tried two that converted me back to Fuzz Land. The AM Sunface is a very nice, warm musical fuzz that is surprisingly versatile through the right amp.
> 
> Also, I really liked the London Fuzz II, the silicon one. Yes, definitely brighter than the germanium stuff but it has a wild, out of control character that is great and that you can't get with overdrive. *Definitely fun with single coils.*


Yeah, I think fuzz and single coils are the perfect match. Anyone know of some humbucker and fuzz goodness? I'm thinking Cream era Clapton.


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## Ti-Ron (Mar 21, 2007)

The Hoof Fuzz is pretty weel sounding with humbucker!
I think the key is the hybrid trannies (2xSi, 2xGe) seriously this thing rocks!


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

A little FUZZ goes a long way. Other than what has been included in various multi-fx units I've had, I haven't had a dedicated stand alone unit since sometime in the '70s (if I can trust my memory). Fun but short-lived application for me. Right now all I have is the Boss fuzz in the ME unit.

But...it is cool to use for Satisfaction style riffs, single note blues riffs (Messin' With The Kid), and to fill some holes in the bass line. I prefer it either mixed with some clean signal or with another guitarist playing clean, but that's just me.

Peace, Mooh.


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## Raven (Nov 8, 2007)

I've been on the hunt for a good fuzz for a while now. I have a V3 Muff Pi but it's not working right. Didn't sound that great when it was anyways as I recall. Tried a Tonebender clone but silicon sounds harsh to my ears. I've heard soundclips of two pedals that oddly enough I will end up owning within a week or so. First is the Fulltone 69 and the second is the Hartman Ge Fuzz. Both sound much nicer, (creamier?) than the silicone ones. We shall see. If they don't work out look for them in the buy and sell :smile:


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