FUZZ

[Karloff]

hey guys, I've been youtubing Fuzz pedals, comparing how they sound. i'll be getting one in the near future. wanted to get opinions from you guys on who uses what, where in the pedal chain you prefer it, and any oscillation issues with a Wah ? right now i'm leaning towards the Dunlop Band of Gypsies Mini or the Moen Fm Moo Fuzz.

[EVOL!]

My fuzz tastes run the Velcro and heavy dose of psych / freak out the squares. Right now I abuse a Fuzz Factory. It was expensive, but it does Velcro fuzz like no other and has oscillation. I think a used vector series model would be a lot more affordable. As to where I run it, always first in my chain unless my tuner is true bypass. I have heard that you lose some of the oscillation functionality if you run a buffer before it. NOTE: There is a steep learning curve with the Fuzz Factory so if you are looking for something simple, this ain't it.

 

At home I have a Ge Mosrite Fuzzrite and a Dunlop Fuzz Face that has been mod'd to vintage specs. The Fuzzrite is the sound of the first Stooges record and will freak out any square, but because it is so old the pedal is noisy and not always reliable. The Fuzz Face is the Fuzz Face: wooly at low levels and saturated turned up all the way.

 

My all time favorite fuzz is the Yardbox. It is no longer in production and I kick myself for selling mine, but our very own Dub-T-123 made me a sweet clone. If you want to hear this fuzz in action go to https://myspace.com/dundrearies/music/songs and listen to Disappearing Ink .

[Karloff]

Thanks !

[Dub-T-123]

hey guys, I've been youtubing Fuzz pedals, comparing how they sound. i'll be getting one in the near future. wanted to get opinions from you guys on who uses what, where in the pedal chain you prefer it, and any oscillation issues with a Wah ? right now i'm leaning towards the Dunlop Band of Gypsies Mini or the Moen Fm Moo Fuzz.

I'm pretty addicted to fuzz pedals :P

 

The moo fuzz is a big muff clone. No oscillation issues with that one and it won't be too picky about placement in your chain, though generally you'd want to place it before delay or modulation type effects

 

The oscillation thing happens specifically with the Fuzz Face and a wah wah. If you place the wah before the fuzz face it will oscillate, if the wah is after the fuzz face it will sound different but won't oscillate. Jimi used his wah before the Fuzz Face even though it causes oscillation.

 

I believe the Band of Gypsies fuzz is actually the fuzz section of the Octavia without the octave

[Karloff]

I'm pretty addicted to fuzz pedals :P

 

The moo fuzz is a big muff clone. No oscillation issues with that one and it won't be too picky about placement in your chain, though generally you'd want to place it before delay or modulation type effects

 

The oscillation thing happens specifically with the Fuzz Face and a wah wah. If you place the wah before the fuzz face it will oscillate, if the wah is after the fuzz face it will sound different but won't oscillate. Jimi used his wah before the Fuzz Face even though it causes oscillation.

 

I believe the Band of Gypsies fuzz is actually the fuzz section of the Octavia without the octave

 

Dub,

I really appreciate the info. I believe you're right about the Band of Gypsies ... i recall reading something like that. I'm really leaning towards the Moen.

[Dub-T-123]

Dub,

I really appreciate the info. I believe you're right about the Band of Gypsies ... i recall reading something like that. I'm really leaning towards the Moen.

The Moen is a nice sounding Muff clone. Not a bad choice.

 

Is there a specific type of fuzz sound you're after or just looking for something to play around with?

[Karloff]

Something full warm and nice sustain. Not too fizzy.

[Rabs]

I only ever had one fuzz. An electro harmonix Big Muff Pi....

 

I found that the issue with it for me is I have only Gibsons and I found that almost on any setting the LPs were too bassy for it.. It was so muddy I couldn't get any decent sounds out of it at all....

 

So I gave it to my brother in law who has 2 Fenders and a Gibson and he absolutely loves it...

 

If I ever buy one again I will get something less bassy or just more subtle in general (or maybe just something with more detailed controls?)

 

That's about all I can add....

[Dub-T-123]

I only ever had one fuzz. An electro harmonix Big Muff Pi....

 

I found that the issue with it for me is I have only Gibsons and I found that almost on any setting the LPs were too bassy for it.. It was so muddy I couldn't get any decent sounds out of it at all....

 

So I gave it to my brother in law who has 2 Fenders and a Gibson and he absolutely loves it...

 

If I ever buy one again I will get something less bassy or just more subtle in general (or maybe just something with more detailed controls?)

 

That's about all I can add....

There are have been a lot of different Big Muff versions made which do sound different. Based on what you just said you would probably like the "violet rams head" version best, it's the one Gilmour used after he stopped using the fuzz faces.

[Rabs]

There are have been a lot of different Big Muff versions made which do sound different. Based on what you just said you would probably like the "violet rams head" version best, it's the one Gilmour used after he stopped using the fuzz faces.

Cool.. cheers I will remember that

[Dub-T-123]

Something full warm and nice sustain. Not too fizzy.

The big muff is the ticket for that sound. The Russian big muffs tend to be the warmest and smoothest and have a relatively decent amount of midrange content so they cut through the bass and cymbals a little better than most other versions.

 

The fuzz moo is a nice sounding option. There are really a lot of options out there for Big Muffs and clones. I'd lean towards the tall font green Russian for warm and smooth with tons of sustain.

 

 

If you want something with a little more character, the Tone Bender MKII with a neck pickup is pretty awesome for that sound

[Karloff]

This is great info. Thank you. As long as I've been playing I've never owned a fuzz. Thanks

[Dub-T-123]

This is great info. Thank you. As long as I've been playing I've never owned a fuzz. Thanks

You're welcome! One of my other pedal building buddies and I met up a couple weeks ago and we hooked up like 8 different Big Muff versions at once for a shoot out. It was blissful.

 

I brought like 20 other fuzzes too, it was crazy.

 

If you've never had a fuzz, you need to get fuzzed. The texture and character they can add to a song is indispensable.

[RevDavidLee]

I'm pretty addicted to fuzz pedals :P

 

 

Me too. I seriously have about 50 of them. I can't help here because depending upon what amp(s) and guitar(s) you're using, your playing style, etc etc etc is going to affect what you're hearing. In my experience YouTube videos and videos elsewhere online played through your computer speakers or even external speakers as most of us have these days - it's not going to sound like what's coming out of your amp. I'm afraid you're going to have to do what the rest of us have done & that is try out a butt load of them. The good news is that there are a ton of great fuzz pedals available today. Enjoy yourself!

[Karloff]

You're welcome! One of my other pedal building buddies and I met up a couple weeks ago and we hooked up like 8 different Big Muff versions at once for a shoot out. It was blissful.

 

I brought like 20 other fuzzes too, it was crazy.

 

If you've never had a fuzz, you need to get fuzzed. The texture and character they can add to a song is indispensable.

 

Ordered the Moen Fuzz Moo last night. Really looking forward to it. I know tone is subjective n everyone has their preferences but you Fuzz guys, have you found you prefer humbuckers or single coils into a fuzz pedal ? Or does it all depend on other factors ?

[Dub-T-123]

Ordered the Moen Fuzz Moo last night. Really looking forward to it. I know tone is subjective n everyone has their preferences but you Fuzz guys, have you found you prefer humbuckers or single coils into a fuzz pedal ? Or does it all depend on other factors ?

That completely depends on the fuzz. Some sound great with both, others want one or the other. Fuzz Faces tend to sound best with single coils while something like the Maestro FZ-1A sounds great with humbuckers. Big Muffs don't tend to care much either way

 

The Big Muff was the first pedal I bought and I used it a LOT. Since it's perfect for that smooth sustainy sound, IMO the next fuzz you should look for should be something completely different. For me it was the Zvex Fuzz Factory, which can do a lot of interesting gated textures. Something like a Fuzzrite would also be a cool counterpart to the muff to have a buzzier texture available.

 

The really gnarly sounding fuzzes might not seem as appealing on paper as something conventionally nice sounding like a Big Muff, but try to imagine "Spirit in the Sky" without that squishy buzz, or "Think For Yourself" without that farty fuzz bass. Sometimes you need a quirky fuzz to really get some interesting texture going

[Dub-T-123]

My all time favorite fuzz is the Yardbox. It is no longer in production and I kick myself for selling mine, but our very own Dub-T-123 made me a sweet clone. If you want to hear this fuzz in action go to https://myspace.com/dundrearies/music/songs and listen to Disappearing Ink .

Thanks dude! That track sounds great! Very well crafted song. I'm not sure if you mean that you used the one I built or the original Yardbox, but you are making it sound great either way. The trem at the ending is sweet too

 

"My only promise is that I'll break it,

That's my warning if you'll take it"

 

Brilliant

[Karloff]

That completely depends on the fuzz. Some sound great with both, others want one or the other. Fuzz Faces tend to sound best with single coils while something like the Maestro FZ-1A sounds great with humbuckers. Big Muffs don't tend to care much either way

 

The Big Muff was the first pedal I bought and I used it a LOT. Since it's perfect for that smooth sustainy sound, IMO the next fuzz you should look for should be something completely different. For me it was the Zvex Fuzz Factory, which can do a lot of interesting gated textures. Something like a Fuzzrite would also be a cool counterpart to the muff to have a buzzier texture available.

 

The really gnarly sounding fuzzes might not seem as appealing on paper as something conventionally nice sounding like a Big Muff, but try to imagine "Spirit in the Sky" without that squishy buzz, or "Think For Yourself" without that farty fuzz bass. Sometimes you need a quirky fuzz to really get some interesting texture going

 

this has saved me a lot of trial and error, and $$ trying to find the one, and what to look for.

[EVOL!]

Thanks dude! That track sounds great! Very well crafted song. I'm not sure if you mean that you used the one I built or the original Yardbox, but you are making it sound great either way. The trem at the ending is sweet too

 

"My only promise is that I'll break it,

That's my warning if you'll take it"

 

Brilliant

 

Thanks, brother! That was one of my favorite pieces of music I brought to the band. At the time I only had the main riff and some chords and later I worked out the chorus and bridge. The arrangement was by the whole band, as we always did. That song is from 2007; the recording was done winter of 2008 at Electrical Audio in Chicago so that fuzz is my old Yardbox.

 

You know I love tremolo.

 

Lyrics - That was the best lyricist I have ever worked with. No one else is even close. And that fueled me to write better songs and lifted the music to new heights. Amazing what you can do with a liberal arts degrees ;) . Too bad he wasn't very musical and had a habit of not singing in time :(

[sparquelito]

I use a local friend’s creation, the 3906 FUZZ. A germanium-circuit fuzz pedal that is a wall of Foghat, tumbling in Hot Chocolate, and rolling in a wave of Bad Company.

Patrick Gentile builds them locally. He is an electronics mad scientist, that guy.

 

Right before it in the chain is the:

* Guitar into the Line 6 G30 Wireless transmitter, clipped behind me on my belt.

The Line 6 G30 Receiver gets hooked to, in order:

* The MXR Talk Box, for a great variety of songs, including some Joe Walsh, Weezer, and Peter Frampton.

 

...and then the 3906 Fuzz, and then after that,

 

* Another friend’s pedal invention, the Steel Wool. A pure boost pedal that kicks things up a notch, and makes for some wicked CCR tones, or Grand Funk Railroad vibes. Patrick’s friend Danny makes the Steel Wool right here in town.

* The Donner Pearl Tremor, an analogue phase shifter that is pure Jeff Lynne. Inexpensive, clean, and wonderful. I love it.

 

Not pictured here is the new Electro Harmonix Mel9, a mellotron emulator.

It is fantastic, but very tricky to use.

Takes lots of practice.

I have it last in my pedal board chain, after the Donner phase shifter.

 

If I didn't have Patrick's creation for my fuzz pedal, I would whole-heartedly recommend the MXR Super Badass pedal.

Good God almighty is it a versatile fuzz-distortion-boost pedal!

 

I gave mine to David, our bass player.

He fell in love with it, and I'm a giver, what can I say?

I also gave him a pawn-shop-prize Strat copy last year.

 

 

 

[sparquelito]

And not that this has anything to do with anything else, but SPEAKING of the British rock/soul/funk/dance band Hot Chocolate, I only this afternoon realized what sort of guitar rig that Harvey Hensly used on their hit song "Every 1's A Winner".

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQsg6XXGxXQ

 

 

It is such an iconic fuzz guitar sound, it's worth discussing.

 

I watched the video and said, "What the HECK model is that Les Paul, and what fuzz pedal did Harvey use??"

 

Turns out it wasn't a Les Paul, and it wasn't a fuzz pedal, but rather a Roland system.

 

It was the Roland GR-500 Guitar Synth.

Interesting stuff!!

 

[Dub-T-123]

I use a local friend’s creation, the 3906 FUZZ. A germanium-circuit fuzz pedal that is a wall of Foghat, tumbling in Hot Chocolate, and rolling in a wave of Bad Company.

Patrick Gentile builds them locally. He is an electronics mad scientist, that guy.

 

Right before it in the chain is the:

* Guitar into the Line 6 G30 Wireless transmitter, clipped behind me on my belt.

The Line 6 G30 Receiver gets hooked to, in order:

* The MXR Talk Box, for a great variety of songs, including some Joe Walsh, Weezer, and Peter Frampton.

 

...and then the 3906 Fuzz, and then after that,

 

* Another friend’s pedal invention, the Steel Wool. A pure boost pedal that kicks things up a notch, and makes for some wicked CCR tones, or Grand Funk Railroad vibes. Patrick’s friend Danny makes the Steel Wool right here in town.

* The Donner Pearl Tremor, an analogue phase shifter that is pure Jeff Lynne. Inexpensive, clean, and wonderful. I love it.

 

Not pictured here is the new Electro Harmonix Mel9, a mellotron emulator.

It is fantastic, but very tricky to use.

Takes lots of practice.

I have it last in my pedal board chain, after the Donner phase shifter.

 

If I didn't have Patrick's creation for my fuzz pedal, I would whole-heartedly recommend the MXR Super Badass pedal.

Good God almighty is it a versatile fuzz-distortion-boost pedal!

 

I gave mine to David, our bass player.

He fell in love with it, and I'm a giver, what can I say?

I also gave him a pawn-shop-prize Strat copy last year.

 

 

 

The 3906 is actually a silicon transistor. Nothin wrong with a good silicon fuzz

[sparquelito]

The 3906 is actually a silicon transistor. Nothin wrong with a good silicon fuzz

 

 

Thanks for the info, sir.

 

I don't know a transistor from a can of Kiwi, and I certainly couldn't recognize a silicon one from a germanium.

 

Patrick builds them, and I try them out for him.

Sometimes (if they test out okay) I buy 'em.

 

I'm a gear junkie, was well as a guitar addict.

 

In that regard, Patrick is like a dope dealer.

He brings the product around, and I scratch my arms and come up with the cash.

 

[surfpup]

I believe the Band of Gypsies fuzz is actually the fuzz section of the Octavia without the octave

 

I'm inclined to agree. I have an Octavia clone I built from a kit and the fuzz works really well with a Strat and Marshall type set up - of course so does a Fuzz Face. I have a four-knob FF clone that sounds amazing. Then again the two knob Fuzz Face clone I got from you, Dub, is mighty sick as well.

 

Good luck with the fuzz quest, Karloff! It's never ending.

 

I also have a Big Muff triangle version clone that I built, and I boosted the mids a bit. The stock Muff is a bit too scooped for me.

 

The first pedal I ever built was a copy of the Univox Super Fuzz. It's got it's own sound too.

 

The Tonebender is another beast worth investigating. Dub is an expert in that circuit. I have a clone of a 74 Colour Jumbo that is pretty sick. Planning to try a MK2 build next I think.

[Mr. C.O. Jones]

Ok, you guy's have done it again!

I was planing my next purchase, a tremolo....

BUT, I keep reding fuzz this fuzz that and how much you all love your fuzzes....

And now look at me, one click away from ordering a fuzz.

Good thing is it also has a tremolo, it's the Walrus Janus Tremolo & fuzz.

Look's like it could be fun!

Thank's for helping me spending cash!