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Which Fuzz Box?

ftgjr

By ftgjr
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ftgjr

ftgjr

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I am considering purchasing a Fuzz box for that warm and Fuzzy sound of the late 60's to early 70's. After some research on the web, I have narrowed it down to these three;

 

1) Dunlop Fuzz Face

 

2) Electroharmonix Little Big Muff

 

3) Way Huge Electronic (Dunlop) Swollen Pickle.

 

Do any of you guys have one of these and how do they sound. I tried out the Little Big Muff at Sam Ash with both a Les Paul and Strat. I was able to get more usable sounds with the Strat but still did get that early Sabbath sound with the Les Paul.

 

I was hoping to try the others but they didn't have them in stock.

 

My Father used to have the original Big Muff over 30 years ago. He used to get some pretty cools sounds with a Strat type of guitar.

 

My Zoom G2 has a fuzz face simulator and it sounds O.K. doing some Hendrix with my Crybaby Wah. I just thought that one of these might be better.

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ftgjr

ftgjr

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Not to be anal but the little big muff is a distortion pedal.

 

Either way I just picked up a Big Muff Pi and I'm really digging it, well except for the fact that it's huge.

It might be a distortion but it does get some fuzzy sounds that you wouldn't get from most distortion pedals.

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Versatile

Versatile

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I used to use the Russian EHX Muff which was quite a raspy fuzz...replacing it with the Big Muff Pi which I prefer(it's also more shiny). I also have a Double Muff which has fewer adjustments but permits large amounts of gain/fuzz. There are also some really cheap stomp pedals from Behringer...I have a 'Heavy Metal' one which has selective EQ scoop etc which is great fun to experiment with. Beware...fuzz can be addictive...if you know what I mean.......

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Twiz

Twiz

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I'd go for a regular (US) Big Muff Pi. It's a classic. It will take up 37% of your pedalboard, but it's worth it. I've heard good things about the Swollen Pickle as well. My friend has one and it makes everything look like it's covered in velvet when he plays it through his Orange Or120.

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Shnate McDuanus

Shnate McDuanus

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Right now I'm liking the Skin Pimp Mk III.

 

The Analogman Sunface is also nice. The two I have so far mentioned are boutique pedals.

 

As far as "big" manufacturers go, I think the Swollen Pickle is good, and the Dunlop D.A. Fuzz Face reissue is good, and the MXR Classic-108 Fuzz is good. These are all produced and distributed by Dunlop. The EHX Big Muff is nice too, but frankly, they're not really the same thing.

 

The Devi Ever stuff is good too, yeah.

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EVOL!

EVOL!

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1) Dunlop Fuzz Face

 

2) Electroharmonix Little Big Muff

 

3) Way Huge Electronic (Dunlop) Swollen Pickle.

 

 

I too am going to whip out the snob card and state that only the Fuzz Face is a fuzz pedal. I have played both the Big Muff and Swollen Pickle. They are fuzz in the same way my Prius is a muscle car. If buzzy wall of distortion is your thing, cool; go with the Big Muff or Swollen Pickle. If you want true fuzz there are a million different options.

 

The Fuzz Face uses Si transistors so the fuzz is nastier and does not clean up when you roll the guitar's volume back (not a bad thing by any means). Ge fuzz pedals tend to be more dynamic and generally the preferred choice.

 

Based on your comments I am going to recommend the Yardbox. Here are my comments from a previous post:

 

If you want something more modern, reliable, and with a potpourri of different sounds, I highly recommend checking out a Yardbox. It is also Ge. You can dial in everything from gritting fuzz to creamy walls of sound. The pedal is very articulate and responds well. Craftsmanship is solid. This is a hand build beauty. The only oddity is that half the knobs work clockwise and the other half work counter clockwise. Not sure why. This pedal is what I used for most of my time with my last band. That fuzz went all over the Midwest and never failed to deliver the goods.

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Silenced Fred

Silenced Fred

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I too am going to whip out the snob card and state that only the Fuzz Face is a fuzz pedal. I have played both the Big Muff and Swollen Pickle. They are fuzz in the same way my Prius is a muscle car. If buzzy wall of distortion is your thing, cool; go with the Big Muff or Swollen Pickle. If you want true fuzz there are a million different options.

 

The Fuzz Face uses Si transistors so the fuzz is nastier and does not clean up when you roll the guitar's volume back (not a bad thing by any means). Ge fuzz pedals tend to be more dynamic and generally the preferred choice.

 

Based on your comments I am going to recommend the Yardbox. Here are my comments from a previous post:

 

If you want something more modern, reliable, and with a potpourri of different sounds, I highly recommend checking out a Yardbox. It is also Ge. You can dial in everything from gritting fuzz to creamy walls of sound. The pedal is very articulate and responds well. Craftsmanship is solid. This is a hand build beauty. The only oddity is that half the knobs work clockwise and the other half work counter clockwise. Not sure why. This pedal is what I used for most of my time with my last band. That fuzz went all over the Midwest and never failed to deliver the goods.

 

True. I like the Swollen Pickle for its versatility, but yes, it isn't a true fuzz.

 

I too am in the market for a good fuzz box, looking to get that nasty Dan Auerbach fuzz [thumbup]

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Kiwi

Kiwi

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Looking for that "Thickfreakness" fuzztone, would USA Big Muff Pi fit that? I'd rather not drop over $100 on a pedal.

 

Having just gotten into The Black Keys at all, I think I read somewhere that they used a Fulltone SoulBender for most of that album. Not entirely sure though

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Silenced Fred

Silenced Fred

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Having just gotten into The Black Keys at all, I think I read somewhere that they used a Fulltone SoulBender for most of that album. Not entirely sure though

 

Dan has a ton of pedals he uses, I have no idea at all. They are my band of the year though, Brothers was an outstanding album [thumbup] I still think Thickfreakness is their best though

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Kiwi

Kiwi

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Dan has a ton of pedals he uses, I have no idea at all. They are my band of the year though, Brothers was an outstanding album [thumbup] I still think Thickfreakness is their best though

 

Hmm... I haven't quite decided yet, although I must say Magic Potion is a non-filler album and Rubber Factory seems pretty neat. Brothers was pretty solid, but it could've been a few tracks shorter :-"

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chase1410

chase1410

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I can honestly say that Plum Crazy Fx makes the BEST fuzz pedals out there..I have yet to talk to someone who has a Fuzzy Lady or any other fuzz pedal from Plum Crazy who disagrees..Gearmanndude use's his on his own personal pedalboard...Check it out and i guarantee you will NOT want another fuzz pedal...

www.plumcrazyfx.com . CHECK IT OUT! [thumbup]

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