Searched and found no mention of these - SEVEN new fuzzes from Maxon

Bucket

Maxon have a new line called the "Fuzz Elements" series, seven similar-looking pedals with slightly wanky "ye olde elementes" names like Air, Water, Ether etc... but here's the kicker - every one of these pedals seems to be based on the circuitry of a different type of rare old fuzz that would now cost hundreds on eBay, and they sound very similar to them but in smaller enclosures, and with up-to-date features.

http://www.maxonfx.com/fuzz-elements-series-effects-pedals

So here are the models:

Fire - based on the Roland Bee Baa

Earth - based on the 70s "ram's head" Big Muff

Water - based on the 70s Big Muff again, although I think it adds more EQ knobs.

Wind - based on the Vox Tonebender

Air - based on the Univox Superfuzz

Ether - also based on the Univox Superfuzz (not sure why, but it is a rather different sound to the Air)

Void - based on the Ampeg Scrambler

Do they sound like accurate representations of the originals? Well...

The Fire (Bee Baa) is my favourite - I really want one, actually. The second tone setting (not as scooped) is AMAZING.

Thomann are selling them for about £140 each, which is quite a lot but when you consider that an original Superfuzz, Bee Baa or whatever else will cost £500 on eBay (if you're very lucky) and will be a pain in the arse to use due to the weird, flawed designs, massive enclosures, lack of 9v input, whatever else... I'd say these are a pretty good deal.

Bucket

Here's what really sold me on the Fire... it sounds epic.

The stuff he does with it is really interesting too. Far more than your typical fuzz demo of low-tuned doom riffs and pentatonic solos.

Dave_Mc

I thought there were only four of those old made-up elements

No fuzz face?

Bucket

Dave_Mc said:

No fuzz face?

Clearly not... I prefer seeing stuff like the Superfuzz and Bee Baa cloned though, much cooler and hasn't been done much before.

Maybe they'll have a crack at the old Ibanez Standard Fuzz...

Dave_Mc

Yeah I suppose... if you want a fuzz face you have plenty of other options. Just seemed slightly weird that they'd have different versions of arguably more obscure circuits and no FF. But maybe they figured the FF market is already saturated (like you implied).

Bucket

With that in mind I'm a little surprised they did the Big Muff (in two separate pedals no less) but it sounds so good I'm glad they did!

Drew_TNBD

The notch mode sounds awful in that demo, but the first minute is some of the nicest fuzz I've heard.

Bucket

Drew_fx said:

The notch mode sounds awful in that demo, but the first minute is some of the nicest fuzz I've heard.

Which pedal are you referring to here?

EDIT: Of course, must be the Fire

ThePrettyDamned

No idea why you'd clone the Ampeg Scrambler, which is just a bad sounding pedal...

But these are pretty great sounding, and the Fire one sounds the bees knees!

xwolf5150

That guy from Monster Magnet can't play..

Why can't these companies use players who can actually play their instrument to demonstrate their product ????

lustycourtier

Love the Supa fuzz one, but maybe because hes playing Pumpkins riffs.

xSkarloey

Dave_Mc;168263" said:

I thought there were only four of those old made-up elements



No fuzz face?

There are only four elements in western thought. The Ancient Greeks would be turning in their graves (besides everyone knows they were strictly amp overdrive purists).

That said, Maxon being japanese, their folklore might admit more than four elements. I don't know.

I'll have a tonebender clone. Tonebenders rule.

Dave_Mc

Skarloey said:

Dave_Mc;168263" said:

I thought there were only four of those old made-up elements



No fuzz face?

There are only four elements in western thought. The Ancient Greeks would be turning in their graves (besides everyone knows they were strictly amp overdrive purists).

That said, Maxon being japanese, their folklore might admit more than four elements. I don't know.

)

ThePrettyDamned

Bucket said:

Here's what really sold me on the Fire... it sounds epic.

The stuff he does with it is really interesting too. Far more than your typical fuzz demo of low-tuned doom riffs and pentatonic solos.

That's awesome.  

Fuzzes compress the hell out of your sound, so it's quite neat hearing it being used to make the most of that.  Some cool riffs there.

Bucket

ThePrettyDamned said:

That's awesome.  

Fuzzes compress the hell out of your sound, so it's quite neat hearing it being used to make the most of that.  Some cool riffs there.

He did a good demo of my current main fuzz as well.

ThePrettyDamned

Bucket said:

ThePrettyDamned said:

That's awesome.  

Fuzzes compress the hell out of your sound, so it's quite neat hearing it being used to make the most of that.  Some cool riffs there.

He did a good demo of my current main fuzz as well.

Holy cow! That's awesome!

What is with that thing on top though?! I love the oscillations being controllable, that could make for an awesome breakdown!

Bucket

ThePrettyDamned said:

Holy cow! That's awesome!

What is with that thing on top though?! I love the oscillations being controllable, that could make for an awesome breakdown!

It's a knife-switch so you can flick between settings for the oscillation. In the top position it can be extremely "upfront" and piercing, and in the bottom position it generally sounds a bit less obvious. The tones in the bottom position are slightly darker too. I leave it in the top position mostly. You may have noticed the built-in noise gate too.

Fun fact - if you have oscillation knob all the way to the right (particularly noticeable in the low setting of the switch), you get a perfectly-tracking note an octave below. Really good fun.

ThePrettyDamned

Bucket said:

ThePrettyDamned said:

Holy cow! That's awesome!

What is with that thing on top though?! I love the oscillations being controllable, that could make for an awesome breakdown!

It's a knife-switch so you can flick between settings for the oscillation. In the top position it can be extremely "upfront" and piercing, and in the bottom position it generally sounds a bit less obvious. The tones in the bottom position are slightly darker too. I leave it in the top position mostly. You may have noticed the built-in noise gate too.

Fun fact - if you have oscillation knob all the way to the right (particularly noticeable in the low setting of the switch), you get a perfectly-tracking note an octave below. Really good fun.

That's awesome, wonder if it's an original circuit or a vintage style rehash?

Definitely need to keep an eye out for one.  That flip switch is pure awesome!

Bucket

ThePrettyDamned said:

That's awesome, wonder if it's an original circuit or a vintage style rehash?

Definitely need to keep an eye out for one.  That flip switch is pure awesome!

I think it's pretty much an all-original circuit, yeah. Doesn't bear much resemblance to a Fuzz Face or a Big Muff...

In fact, if @d_rainger sees this hopefully he'll wade in and explain what's going on inside it - he built it!

Sound-wise I'd say it's more like an updated, tweaked, steroidal version of one of the crazy, trashy old Japanese fuzzes the new Maxons are taking inspiration from... absolutely brilliant pedal. I'm never, ever parting with mine. Although I may get a Maxon Fire for my small board... the Rainger is a smallish box, but an awkward shape that has quite a big footprint on the confined space I have. Not such an issue on the big board though, so it'll stay there. Not sure what I'll do with the Big Muff on the big board, don't really get on with it.

ThePrettyDamned

Well, that's really opened my eyes to a funky pedal.  I would LOVE that oscillator on an expression pedal for a breakdown in a heavy song, and it sounds like it'll get proper fat for big single note riffs.  

And it has a knife switch.

Bucket

ThePrettyDamned said:

Well, that's really opened my eyes to a funky pedal.  I would LOVE that oscillator on an expression pedal for a breakdown in a heavy song, and it sounds like it'll get proper fat for big single note riffs.  

And it has a knife switch.

It's brilliant - not even that expensive (£130-odd, handmade in London and unlike pretty much any other fuzz out there).

As I say, mine is with me for life.