Fuzz pedals

[Wisdomview]

Over the last few years I developed an unhealthy fetish for guitar fuzz pedals.
I've acquired quite a few that I love so hopefully I've curtailed this obsession for the time being and beyond.............

My current favorites:

Basic Audio Gnarly
Basic Audio Scarab Deluxe (my latest and hopefully last for a while)
Basic Audio Futureman (sort of a clean boost & fuzzy overdrive)
Skinpimp Buzzaround
Solidgold Effects Agent 13

I also have and dig the following: Zvex Fuzz Factory, Black Arts Toneworks Pharaoh, Manlay Sound Ronno Bender (MkI Tonebender), Shoe Pedals Sunset (custom Fuzzrite), Mojohand Huckleberry, '90s Russian Big Muff and Earthquaker Devices White Light (fuzzy overdrive).

Any other fans? If so, what are some of your favorites?

[trurl]

I just like the old TubeScreamer, if that even counts... there is some new one that a couple kids I know have that sounds great. It's... white... I'm not up on this stuff *lol*

[fictionmusic]

I have an '80s Rat pedal I like a lot and a Fulltone as well as a Barbershop overdrive by Fairfield circuitry (or are these fuzz pedals...I can never tell). I had a BYOC tonebender made for me by some lads in the Illinois Penal system but it hasn't worked properly since day one.

[Wisdomview]

Cool.

I've heard that the BYOC Tonenbender is a nice pedal; assuming it's assembled correctly. :D

[Supersonic Scientist]

I still have my original '70's Electro-Harmonix Big Muff......IN THE ORIGINAL BOX TOO !!!


I never use it and really should consider selling it to someone who would make beautiful use of it.


Although not a fuzz box...I also still have an original '70's MXR blue box...IN THE ORIGINAL BOX TOO !!! But sadly, this pedal does not work.

[trurl]

I still have my original '70's Electro-Harmonix Big Muff......IN THE ORIGINAL BOX TOO !!!


I never use it and really should consider selling it to someone who would make beautiful use of it.

Whoa- I bet that's worth some $$...

[Wisdomview]

Sweet. There are a few '70s BMs Ebay for 'buy it now' in he $300+ range. It may get that if it's in good condition?

[Mikhael]

Ever since I used an original Fuzz Face for a Frisbee (1970, maybe?), I've not used a distortion pedal. I get it all from my amp. I do goose it a bit with an old DOD Milkbox compressor, mostly for lead work, but I find the distortion I get from my amp is more satisfying than any pedal distortion I've ever used. I should add, I guess, that my amp is solid state - a Pearce - so it's not like I'm being a tube snob. I just like the tone I get from doing it this way.

[everythingtoexcess]

The coolest Fuzz pedal I ever used was a Thompson Organ Company Fuzz/Wah. It was ANCIENT and only worked if you kicked it, which was part of the charm. It was sputtery and noisy...basically AWFUL...but if you wanted that over the top Hendrix on crack fuzz sound, that was it. I had it in a loop so I could take it out of the chain when I wasn't using it.
As I type this, I'm realizing that I no longer have that pedal, but I have no idea where it could have gone.

[progmatist]

I swear by the Tube Screamer TS9DX. It provides monster distortion, yet very transparent in its sound. My guitar still sounds like a guitar, not like the power tools used to make it.

[fictionmusic]

I used to have a Maestro distortion box but I left it in my locker at College. I loved that old thing.

[Wisdomview]

Mikhael, I too prefer amp distortion (preferably tube power amp breakup) over overdrive and distortion pedals, but I also really enjoy the sound of a gritty, unamp-like fuzz for certain parts and some leads. Variety is the spice of life as they say.
Actually, the more I think about it, I hate most so-called distortion pedals.

[fictionmusic]

Right now I use a Fulltone2 overdrive-distortion on my pedal board. I love the sound but use it rarely (actually I am somewhat in a phase where I use no effects at all right now, but one band I am in kind of expects them seeing as how I used to have three pedal boards chock full of fx when I joined). I tend to prefer the sound of an amp (I have a mesa-boogie Maverick I use all the time and absolutely love) and use the Fulltone for more of a boost, but I also like it on full into the somewhat clean channel at times. Everything is fair game in my books.

[No Pride]

From the thread title, I thought this was going to be about fuzz pedals, but I guess it's about fuzz, overdrive and distortion pedals, which I consider as seperate categories. Like David, I had a Maestro Fuzz Tone way back when. It was the first pedal I ever had that could dirty up the sound and get sustain and I loved it when I was 15 years old, but I'm sure I wouldn't care for it much today, as I don't like "fuzz" in general. I was like Michael and only liked amp generated distortion until recently. What changed my mind is the new Bogner Ecstacy Red Pedal. It's designed to emulate the third channel of Bogner's Ecstasy amp head; an amp that I once owned and loved until like an idiot, I sold it. I bought the pedal because I play about 40 gigs per year on the road and of the limited backline rental amps available, I ended up choosing Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifiers. I like their clean and crunch channels, but I've never liked the lead channel; it has an ugly sounding midrange. Not only that, but that channel buzzes and hums like a mofo! A few months ago, I had a brand new Triple Recto on a gig and they apparently fixed that problem, but most of the backline companies don't have the new ones. SO... I bought the Ecstasy Red pedal because it sounds better than the Recto's lead channel (it has a rounder, more pleasant midrange for starters) and it's much quieter. It sounds like a very good preamp generated distortion and I'm digging it!

I have an old '80s Rat, but I haven't used it in a long time. Some of my buddies who are primarily jazz players like it because it has that jazz-approved overdrive sound (think John Scofield), but though I'm a jazz player myself to a large extent, I've always gravitated towards a more genuine rock sound than them (maybe because my roots are in rock and they've always been jazz players). Not that the Rat doesn't have plenty of gain on tap, I just never liked the way it sounds in the lower register of the guitar.

Anyway, I know a lot of guitar players like a smorgasboard of fuzzes, overdrives and distortions and though I can respect that, I've never been into that myself. To me, they're like a hundred variations on chocolate. I tend to gravitate towards the best "chocolate" I can find and alter it with the guitar's volume and tone knobs. Different strokes for different folks!

[Wisdomview]

Well, it was originally about fuzz pedals (see first post), but the fuzz world does often spill into overdrives and distortions.

Ernie, I favor single channel amps (got rid of most channel switchers, except for one which I would like to sell), so a volume pedal, a few fuzzes and a clean boost give me the variety of tones I need and like. More often than not, it's just a slight clean boost that's on to compensate for signal loss from other pedals and cables. But when the need arises fuzz makes me feel, well fuzzy ;)
I play jazz too at times and will use a tame-ish fuzz in those situations (Scarab Deluxe, Pharaoh, Agent 13).
Different strokes indeed.

BTW, I've used a Rat too for jazz before selling it and I would love an original Maestro Fuzz!

[No Pride]

when the need arises fuzz makes me feel, well fuzzy ;)
I can dig it! I still love listening to Hendrix and a few other guys' usage of various fuzz tones. But for me, it's kinda like clothes; "looks great on that guy, but I'd look like a dork wearing it." Or something like that...

[scags]

One of the advantages of helping run an amp company is that mine sounds the way I like it. I do use a Marshall Gov'nor for extra boost a t lower volumes.

[Wisdomview]

I can dig it! I still love listening to Hendrix and a few other guys' usage of various fuzz tones. But for me, it's kinda like clothes; "looks great on that guy, but I'd look like a dork wearing it." Or something like that...

:)


One of the advantages of helping run an amp company is that mine sounds the way I like it. I do use a Marshall Gov'nor for extra boost a t lower volumes.

Cool. What amp company is that?

[Mikhael]

When I have to play using a backline, I have a pedalboard made up using an old Digitech RP-12 as the main source of sounds/effects. It took me quite a while to find and refine a program to do the "tube-amp-on-the-edge-of-distortion" sound, but I got it pretty darn close. Once again, I use a DOD Milkbox to goose it a bit, along with a couple of volume pedals (a volume/wah before, and a volume after to balance the overall output).

I've never been a fan of fizzy "fuzz" sound, but then, Genesis did some great things with fuzz, so it's up to what the individual likes.

[scags]

:)



Cool. What amp company is that? Louis Electric.

[No Pride]

When I have to play using a backline, I have a pedalboard made up using an old Digitech RP-12 as the main source of sounds/effects. It took me quite a while to find and refine a program to do the "tube-amp-on-the-edge-of-distortion" sound, but I got it pretty darn close. Once again, I use a DOD Milkbox to goose it a bit, along with a couple of volume pedals (a volume/wah before, and a volume after to balance the overall output).

I've never been a fan of fizzy "fuzz" sound, but then, Genesis did some great things with fuzz, so it's up to what the individual likes.
... and Hendrix, Belew, Fripp, Eric Johnson. Michael Landau and others. But that's one of the great things about electric guitar and effects; there's infinite ways to approach it all and personalize your sounds.

I use a Line 6 M13 "virtual pedalboard" on the road. I used to use a real pedalboard with real analog pedals, but they can be problematic in various ways (like trying to trace which cable has a short). The M13's digital models of analog classics aren't quite as good as the real things, but they're not bad either and I love the convenience. What really sealed the deal for me was that you can route some of the effects to the front of the amp and others to the effects loop. Out of their distortion/overdrive models, I like and use their Tube Screamer; it's not that far from the real thing, at least to my ears.

[Wisdomview]

Word. I have a friend who has an M13. Very Reliable.
Some my favorite classic fuzz users: Jeff Beck, Terry Kath, Robert Fripp, Clarence White (Byrd's Untitled live album). Actually this list could probably go on forever; I'm a sucker for '60s and '70s guitar tones.

[Soc Prof]

Technically it's an "amp simulator" but I love the Sansamp GT2, especially the Marshall sounds. I was happy when I read that Steve Hackett uses it as his main source of distortion these days. I also bought the Sansamp British pedal but haven't had a chance to test it very much. I noticed the gain doesn't go as high as the GT2, so I plan to try it with an overdrive pedal in front.

Speaking of OD pedals, I got the Danelectro OD-2 Fab Pedal for $15 on Amazon.

[fictionmusic]

... and Hendrix, Belew, Fripp, Eric Johnson. Michael Landau and others. But that's one of the great things about electric guitar and effects; there's infinite ways to approach it all and personalize your sounds.

I use a Line 6 M13 "virtual pedalboard" on the road. I used to use a real pedalboard with real analog pedals, but they can be problematic in various ways (like trying to trace which cable has a short). The M13's digital models of analog classics aren't quite as good as the real things, but they're not bad either and I love the convenience. What really sealed the deal for me was that you can route some of the effects to the front of the amp and others to the effects loop. Out of their distortion/overdrive models, I like and use their Tube Screamer; it's not that far from the real thing, at least to my ears.

I prefer analog pedals myself and have a rig that lets me change sounds easily and dramatically. I use a Fulltone 2 (12v) into a Morley Wah-Volume, then into a Radial Switchbone. It is an ABY switcher and although often I don't use two amps, when I do it is handy. It also has a tuner out, a buffer and a gain boost switch. All of those are incredibly handy and I use the pedal all the time for those functions. After that I go from the A side into a loopmaster ABY looper pedal.

In A I have an EH phase, in B I have an EH Ring thing ( I LOVE ring modulators although I seldom have a chance to unlease them, so this Ring Thing with its harmonizer, chorus, etc. additional functions and simple presets is a cool device). I use a TC electronics reverb and a boss delay in my boogies fx loop and I turn them off and on with a Gig Rig remote loopy. This lets me keep the verb and delay on top of the amp (and easily tweakable from there) so the cable run from the fx loop is less than 12 inches, but allows me to switch the effects in and out via the relay switches activated at my pedal board.

When I use my second amp (a Fender Hotrod) I use another delay and a reverb (for some reason BOTH my amp's reverb units died) and often some other pedal (I have around 30 pedals all told) on its own pedaltrain (with a Voodoo Lab power supply like the main pedal board).

So...I can instantly switch between the two amps via the Switchbone, having the effects "pre-set". I can go from a raging Mesa lead sound to a clean Fender sound at the touch of a switch. If I only use one amp (which is most of the time) then I can use the Loopmaster fx loop pedal to toggle between the phase and the Ring Thing (or use both together which I seldom do with these pedals but did a lot when I had chorus and overdrive in their places) or bypass both. That way I can have the pedals tweaked to where I want them and have them on and ready to go when I bit the bypass swicth off.



I can switch both fx in the Mesa loop on and off with one foot stomp as the switches are close enough, and I can switch channels on the mesa easily too (although I LOVE the Mark IV clean, I use the Maverick for dirty and dirtier).

Beyond that it is all volume and tone settings on the gtr, fingers or pick, neck pickup or bridge pickup (or both) and right hand placement, which truthfully is 90 per cent of the game for me.

[Wisdomview]

In A I have an EH phase, in B I have an EH Ring thing ( I LOVE ring modulators although I seldom have a chance to unlease them, so this Ring Thing with its harmonizer, chorus, etc. additional functions and simple presets is a cool device). I use a TC electronics reverb and a boss delay in my boogies fx loop and I turn them off and on with a Gig Rig remote loopy. This lets me keep the verb and delay on top of the amp (and easily tweakable from there) so the cable run from the fx loop is less than 12 inches, but allows me to switch the effects in and out via the relay switches activated at my pedal board.


Cool. Ring Mod is also one of my favorite effects and luckily I get to use my Moog Ring Mod quite a bit in my art rock and experiemntal jazz improv bands. It can do everything from killer tremolo (the best non-amp I've heard) to the crazy sounds heard in the various Miles Davis electric bands and Herbie's Mwandishi band. I use 2 expression pedals with it; one for frequency and the other for mix. That, a great tube amp, volume pedal, analog phaser, analog delay and a great fuzz = tons of fun and a killer tone for me.


Beyond that it is all volume and tone settings on the gtr, fingers or pick, neck pickup or bridge pickup (or both) and right hand placement, which truthfully is 90 per cent of the game for me.

Tru dat. I've been finding myself using my finger/thumb more and more, almost unconsciously on a gig. Sometimes in hybrid with my pick (Dunlop Tortex 2mm).

[Wisdomview]

In case anyone is interested, below is a video demo I did for one of my current favorite fuzzes (see post #1), the Basic Audio Gnarly Fuzz.
The audio is my work; the video, which I totally dig was done by the pedal maker/company owner John Lyons. IMHO, I believe he creates some of the coolest looking demos on the net by utilizing old stock videos. He has a very cool aesthetic.

While corresponding with John over the purchase of another pedal (Scarab Deluxe) he asked if I would be interested in doing a demo for the Gnarly. I was flattered that he asked, so I obliged. This is my first ever demo. Please be kind. :)
I guess he liked it because he asked if I would be interested in doing another for the Scarab Deluxe. I think I will when time permits.

Normally, I wouldn't use this much fuzz in my compositions, but since this is a demo for a fuzz...........
Also, John had asked for something experimental and/or prog-ish. I went more experimental.

Thanks.


http://youtu.be/tUx1cvAA8iw

For those interested, here's the Basic Audio site: http://basicaudio.net/
The pedal look as great as they sound.

Edit: there are 3 different short clips within the video.

[No Pride]

This is my first ever demo. Please be kind.
I liked it. No, I mean sincerely! The pedal and your usage of it. I particularly liked the way the pedal sounds with chords; that kind of note definition is a bit uncharacteristic of fuzz pedals. And nice music! You should make more demos! :)

[Wisdomview]

Thanks Ernie, you're feedback is very much appreciated!
Especially, from a pro like yourself.
Very glad you like it!

Nice catch on the note definition. I tend to favor raw-ish fuzzes that respond well to pick/finger attack. If you ever change your mind on fuzzes for yourself, definitely check out BA. The ones that I've tried are very touch responsive and work great with a volume knob.

Best

[Jay G]

I like to keep my fuzz separate from the other drive pedals when discussing. Fuzz is overdrive but not all overdrives are fuzz nor distortion for that matter.

The drive section of my boys board is: Overdrive - Ibanez TS808, Distortion - Wampler Pinnacle Deluxe, Fuzz - Hartman Tommy Bolin Signature

[Progbear]

Make your own!

http://www.instructables.com/id/Fuzz-Pedal/#intro

Actually, I’d see if there’s a way you could install an AC power/transformer port for this; no more need to worry if you have a spare battery in case yours is dead.

-------------
MIKE (a.k.a. "Progbear")

‘“What blow, Goblin?” said Corinius.’ --E. R. Eddison

N.P.:“Sail On”-Sad Café/Fanx Ta-Ra

[Wisdomview]

^ Cool. I have a friend who makes pretty interesting fuzz pedals: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shoe-Pedals/259407637461219

One of these days when I have some free time, I wouldn't mind taking a crack at making or modding one for fun. I've read a lot of great things about b.y.o.c, particularly their fuzz. http://buildyourownclone.com/
I think I'll probably go that route first.

I recently finished another audio demo for Basic Audio; this time for the Scarab Deluxe. I'll post the video once the visuals are completed.

[Roth-Handle Studios]

My main Fuzz since 1999 has been the Zvex Fuzz Factory. I also just got the Zvex Machine which is really interesting, need to mess with it a bit more.

The first time I used it was on a Glockenspiel with a LFO controlled Analog delay.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4uIBPBDEXM

// Mattias (Roth Händle studios)

[Wisdomview]

^Very cool video.

Those Moog Delays are pretty awesome. I have the Moogerfooger Ring Mod and it's one of my favorite pedals. I just started using my Fuzz factory a lot more again and I tried out my friends Z.Vex Mastotron the other day (another great fuzz).

[fictionmusic]

In case anyone is interested, below is a video demo I did for one of my current favorite fuzzes (see post #1), the Basic Audio Gnarly Fuzz.
The audio is my work; the video, which I totally dig was done by the pedal maker/company owner John Lyons. IMHO, I believe he creates some of the coolest looking demos on the net by utilizing old stock videos. He has a very cool aesthetic.

While corresponding with John over the purchase of another pedal (Scarab Deluxe) he asked if I would be interested in doing a demo for the Gnarly. I was flattered that he asked, so I obliged. This is my first ever demo. Please be kind. :)
I guess he liked it because he asked if I would be interested in doing another for the Scarab Deluxe. I think I will when time permits.

Normally, I wouldn't use this much fuzz in my compositions, but since this is a demo for a fuzz...........
Also, John had asked for something experimental and/or prog-ish. I went more experimental.

Thanks.


http://youtu.be/tUx1cvAA8iw

For those interested, here's the Basic Audio site: http://basicaudio.net/
The pedal look as great as they sound.

Edit: there are 3 different short clips within the video.


cool!

[fictionmusic]

I have the Moogerfooger Ring Mod and it's one of my favorite pedals.

I love ring mods and have two different EHX ring mods (Frequency Analyzer and the newer Ring Thing) as well as a Fairfield Circuitry Randy's Revenge.

[Wisdomview]

^Nice and thanks. Ring Mods rule!

[No Pride]

Ring Mods rule!
A friend and fellow guitar player calls ring modulation, "a waste of perfectly good notes." I don't necessarily agree with him, but he did get a chuckle out of me. Don't be mad! ;)

[GuitarGeek]

A friend and fellow guitar player calls ring modulation, "a waste of perfectly good notes." I don't necessarily agree with him, but he did get a chuckle out of me. Don't be mad! ;)

Back in the 90's, Guitar Player did a number of articles on vintage effects pedals. I remember in one, the Frequency Analyzer was described as being "almost too strange for space music", and that if you "play blues licks, they come out sounding like John McLaughlin...sort of".

[Wisdomview]

A friend and fellow guitar player calls ring modulation, "a waste of perfectly good notes." I don't necessarily agree with him, but he did get a chuckle out of me. Don't be mad! ;)

It's not the size of your ring mod, but how you use it. ;)