# Your top 3 fuzz pedals



## Mr.nice_guy (Oct 27, 2020)

Pettyjohn the fuze - kingtone minifuzz ge - Eh big muff


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## zdogma (Mar 21, 2006)

PTD Rotobone, Octron III, Mythos AU79 one knob fuzz


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## Mr.nice_guy (Oct 27, 2020)

Thanks zdogma 
I will go check them all 
Have a good day


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

Tough question, there are so many to choose from.

Pelitaur, SuperCollider and Fuzz Factory.


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## Mr.nice_guy (Oct 27, 2020)

sulphur said:


> Tough question, there are so many to choose from.
> 
> Pelitaur, SuperCollider and Fuzz Factory.


Yes so hard to find THE one !!! 
But still nice to see people popular choice 
And it help us discover new stuff
Have a good day


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## BobChuck (Jan 16, 2012)

Dunlop Bonamassa
Zvex Fuzz Factory
MJM London


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## Mr.nice_guy (Oct 27, 2020)

BobChuck said:


> Dunlop Bonamassa
> Zvex Fuzz Factory
> MJM London


Good choices 
I didn’t feel it the London, I had the red and white 
Not enough volume for me 
I will have a look at the others 
Thanks


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## Okay Player (May 24, 2020)

RAT/ RAT variant
Big Muff/Big Muff variant with mids
Fender Blender


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## isoneedacoffee (Oct 31, 2014)

Ibanez Standard Fuzz, Big Muff, Tonebender Mkii


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## Mr.nice_guy (Oct 27, 2020)

Okay Player said:


> RAT/ RAT variant
> Big Muff/Big Muff variant with mids
> Fender Blender


Thanks for sharing my friend


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## Mr.nice_guy (Oct 27, 2020)

isoneedacoffee said:


> Ibanez Standard Fuzz, Big Muff, Tonebender Mkii


Tonebender mkII
Something that I already was looking to get 
Thanks for sharing my friend


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

I only have 2 fuzz pedals. Animals Fishing is Fun as Fuzz and an Arcane Analogue Tone Bender Mark 1.5 clone. If I were to buy a third it would by the Thorpy Muffroom Cloud.


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## Mr.nice_guy (Oct 27, 2020)

knight_yyz said:


> I only have 2 fuzz pedals. Animals Fishing is Fun as Fuzz and an Arcane Analogue Tone Bender Mark 1.5 clone. If I were to buy a third it would by the Thorpy Muffroom Cloud.


Nice to read 
Interesting 
I will look at them


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## TWRC (Apr 22, 2011)

I'm a big fuzz guy, but haven't purchased any new pedals in a while due to the list below. At this moment, and in this particular order:


Pelican Noiseworks Pelitaur
Spaceman Gemini IV (Limited Edition)
EHX V5 Op Amp Big Muff
Honourable mention Union Tube and Transistor Tsar Bomba


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## Mr.nice_guy (Oct 27, 2020)

TWRC said:


> I'm a big fuzz guy, but haven't purchased any new pedals in a while due to the list below. At this moment, and in this particular order:
> 
> 
> Pelican Noiseworks Pelitaur
> ...


Can’t wait to ear them all 
All new stuff for me 
Thanks my friend


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## white buffalo (Jan 31, 2016)

Pete Cornish NG-2/3
Jerms Spam Can
Kay Fuzz Tone

Honourable mention:

The best Tone-Bender I ever had (and of my biggest gear regrets (selling it)); a 2007 D*A*M Mk II Pro that was loaded with NOS Millard OC-71’s and had a transistor bias trimmer inside. Got it new from Tommy’s Guitar Shop in WI back in the day. If anyone sees one like this, hit me up... 

There was also a great D*A*M Fuzzaround w/ NOS NKT 213’s I had.


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## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

I'm not sure if Ican whittle it down to three but I will offer some the I enjoy......

DOD Carcosa
Mythos Golden Fleece and Chupacabra
Gup Tech Clipp, small builder clone of the rotobone

Not a fuzz but kinda gets in that territory, Wampler Plexi Deluxe with both sides engaged.


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## Cressy’s Gear (Jun 5, 2021)

Hands down "Brothers" CBA! 

Can't get enough of this pedal


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## Cressy’s Gear (Jun 5, 2021)

Cressy’s Gear said:


> Hands down "Brothers" CBA!
> 
> 
> Sorry hit posts before I was done... jeez
> ...


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## Mr.nice_guy (Oct 27, 2020)

white buffalo said:


> Pete Cornish NG-2/3
> Jerms Spam Can
> Kay Fuzz Tone
> 
> ...


Thanks a lot ! 
Very interesting


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## Mr.nice_guy (Oct 27, 2020)

fretzel said:


> I'm not sure if Ican whittle it down to three but I will offer some the I enjoy......
> 
> DOD Carcosa
> Mythos Golden Fleece and Chupacabra
> ...


Thanks for sharing my friend very interesting


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## zztomato (Nov 19, 2010)

Current favourites for a while now- although the M1 is fairly new to me and went right on my main board. 
PTD Rotobone
Buffalo FX M1
PTD Tornita KS


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Some of the early Ibanez fuzzes, like the Standard Fuzz, are pretty good. Early Roland units like the fuzz on the AD-50 Double Beat are pretty good too. I'm somewhat partial to the Shin-Ei FY-2 Companion fuzz, which is closely related to the Mosrite Fuzz-Rite and the Orpheum Fuzz














I used to have a Maestro FZ-1S, which is a nice fuzz, and was one of the first to be able to blend clean and fuzz signals. I loaned it to someone (sadly I don't quite remember who), and never saw it again.

The Fender Blender, Univox Superfuzz, Kay Fuzz, Honey Fuzz, Ace-Tone FM-2, and several others are essentially the same circuit with slightly different front ends. Similarly, there is much in common between several of the Tonebenders, the Fuzz Face, Lovetone BIg Cheese, and Fuzz Factory, and many others that share the same sort of "engine".


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## barryc (Dec 3, 2010)

Analogman Sunface, SM Fuzz, Greer Fuzz Unit


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## Mr.nice_guy (Oct 27, 2020)

mhammer said:


> Some of the early Ibanez fuzzes, like the Standard Fuzz, are pretty good. Early Roland units like the fuzz on the AD-50 Double Beat are pretty good too. I'm somewhat partial to the Shin-Ei FY-2 Companion fuzz, which is closely related to the Mosrite Fuzz-Rite and the Orpheum Fuzz
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Good looking stuff 
Can’t wait to hear this 
Thanks for sharing


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

Kay Fuzz tone
Skreddy Mayo
Skreddy Lunar Module.

Subject to change on any given day.


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## amesburymc (May 14, 2006)

I haven’t had that many to make top 3 list but PTD Rotoface was my best among few. Still haven’t heard any fuzz pedal that can clean up as good as Rotoface.


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## Jalexander (Dec 31, 2020)

I just got my NG3 clone last week (a $900 pedal isn’t in the cards for me) and it’s what I was looking for. Thick and intense for riffing yet still maintains clarity, then mess with the bias to go into sonic destruction. Far more manageable than a Fuzz Factory too.


white buffalo said:


> Pete Cornish NG-2/3
> Jerms Spam Can
> Kay Fuzz Tone
> 
> ...


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## zdogma (Mar 21, 2006)

white buffalo said:


> Pete Cornish NG-2/3
> Jerms Spam Can
> Kay Fuzz Tone
> 
> ...


Love the NG-3, there's nothing quite like it.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

The EHX Double Muff is essentially two cascaded silicon fuzz face circuits, with some clipping diodes for a little more zip. It can be run one circuit at a time, or one into the other. Good pedal but it's capable of a lot more. Here's my hot-rodded Double Muff with some interesting added features. it's about as fuzzy as fuzz gets, although I unfortunately recorded the clip running it into a dirty amp setting, which was wrong on my part. Snag yourself a used Double Muff and I'll happily talk you through the mods.


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## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

@mhammer any idea what the big muff 4 germanium is based on. Lots fun and sounds great. 

I wonder what a bias knob could do for the dbl muff?!


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

fretzel said:


> @mhammer any idea what the big muff 4 germanium is based on. Lots fun and sounds great.
> 
> I wonder what a bias knob could do for the dbl muff?!


This purports to be the EHX BM4 Ge. Never having had my hands on one, I can't confirm or deny. I thought that NKT275 transistors were in short supply, but then that may be because Mike Matthews bought them all up, just to make sure he had a steady supply. It also looks like they are simply being used as diodes in this application, so their specs are largely immaterial, compared to if they were being used for a Fuzz Face type circuit. I will note that this schematic is for the "Distortion" side of the BM4 Ge, and not the "Overdrive" side.









Bias adjustment for Fuzz Faces can have musically useful consequences. I haven't dickered with it myself, but watched Josh Scott's demo of what happens when you play with it, and what you suggest seems feasible. I modded a small Muff Fuzz to have variable Gain and a tone control, in addition to the single volume pot it normally has, and was pleased with the result, so I figured I'd dicker with a Double Muff circuit. As a silicon FF circuit, parts weren't hard to get. I also became intrigued with the feedback resistance after having studied and built the ZVex Woolly Mammoth, which Zach labelled the "Pinch" control. Playing with gain, clipping, and feedback resistance pretty much took up my imagination, but playing with bias on the first Muff circuit seems like an interesting thing to do.


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## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

I think the double would sound pretty good with one. No lack of volume I find and cleans up like no ones business. 

Here is a gutshot of the 4. Looks like both sides use the NKT. Overdrive is left side of pedal(right side of pic).


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Clearly a lot more components and a lot more going on in the Overdrive side.


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## tonewoody (Mar 29, 2017)

fretzel said:


> any idea what the big muff 4 germanium is based on. Lots fun and sounds great.


The Germanium Muff is a little bit unique. IIRC the circuit isn't a standard muff circuit with GE transistors subbed/re-biased.

My experience is that the GE BM's are likely to be sonically inconsistent from one unit to another. The first one I had, one channel was totally amazing with a SFDR. That quality stood out as that amp was really picky about dirt.

For some reason, I sold that GE muff and later picked up a used one. The 2nd one sounded quite different.

I investigated and found one of the transistors was completely dead. (these are not real deal NKT275, bulk fakes or repros...) I referenced the trace/info on freestompboxes. The pedal sounded decent after the repair but I still think the first one I bought sounded way better. Obviously, GE xstrs are inconsistent, I am sure if one took the time to socket them all , everything could be optimized.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

If a GE transistor is leaky, or has the "wrong" hfe, then it goes in the "not suitable for fuzz" pile. But that assumes it is being used as a gain/amplification device. If it is simply used for its diode properties (each leg of the transistor is essentially a diode), then it may still be quite good in that role. In this instance, as the schematic indicates, they seem to be used simply as diodes, situated in between two op-amp gain stages. I'm sure there are plenty sitting in bins around the world that are NOS, but unsuitable for use as transistors, making them a cheap purchase for anyone intending to use them another way. So you're quite correct that it is NOT a Big Muff topology, either standard 4 transistor or op-amp. The first op-amp stage brings the level up enough to produce good clipping from the transistors, and the second provides some gain recovery to compensate for how much the transistor diodes will clamp the amplitude rather low. In effect, it is a fancy MXR Distortion+. I don't mean that in a derogatory way. Indeed, it improves on a couple of weak spots the Dist+ had.

I have drawers full of germanium transistors sitting around that may be useless as amplification devices. But this makes me think of other uses for them.


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## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

tonewoody said:


> The Germanium Muff is a little bit unique. IIRC the circuit isn't a standard muff circuit with GE transistors subbed/re-biased.
> 
> My experience is that the GE BM's are likely to be sonically inconsistent from one unit to another. The first one I had, one channel was totally amazing with a SFDR. That quality stood out as that amp was really picky about dirt.
> 
> ...


I had taken a second one of these in on a partial trade and the OD side was not functioning properly. Luckily the guy was honorable and took it back. 

Mine sounds great IMO. Been on my board for quite some time.


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## Scott McCrea (Dec 27, 2020)

Hoof Reaper
Fuzz Factory 
Green Big Muff


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## Okay Player (May 24, 2020)

mhammer said:


> Snag yourself a used Double Muff and I'll happily talk you through the mods.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

L&M's "Gear HUnter" page indicates they have one somewhere for $50.


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## MTs393 (Dec 12, 2020)

Berkos Third stone, King tone mini fuzz, Suhr Rufus for modern stuff


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## Seance (Jun 18, 2018)

Favorite might be the Basic Audio Fuzz Mutant. It's based on the Os Mutantes fuzz.
The decay sort of squeezes around the note end in a very tactile way.





I have a fuzz called Pest Tattern that is an updated, highly modified version of a
Devi Ever Test Pattern. It brings the chaos if you let it. Drone. Squelch. Splat. Sizzle.

__
https://soundcloud.com/caesarshift%2Fpest-tattern

I haven't played it much, but the Montreal Assembly PurPLL on bass guitar is about
the most fun I've had in over a year. Need to record that. But haven't gotten around
to that yet.
(not my video):


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## Mr.nice_guy (Oct 27, 2020)

MTs393 said:


> Berkos Third stone, King tone mini fuzz, Suhr Rufus for modern stuff


I like my mini fuzz also 
Ge or si ?


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## MTs393 (Dec 12, 2020)

Mine is Si


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## MarkM (May 23, 2019)

I had no idea that there was this many flavours of fuzz pedals! I can't name my top three because I have only owned one EHX Ram's Head. I don't know if that fuzz is my sound, I am intrigued by an Octofuzz sound.


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## mturk (Nov 27, 2013)

A friend of mine lent me a bunch of fuzz pedals to try over the past year or so…., maybe 20 of them.
I bought 3 that were my favourite.

Keeley Fuzz Head. I use this as more of an overdrive or a very light fuzz.

Carcosa. Sounds very harmonic and I use this with a more gainy sound. Great inexpensive fuzz IMO.

Skreddy Ernie. Play a note and it will still be going days later. Probably too much gain on tap. I use it dialled down for smooth legato cello/violin sounds.


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