Steve Hackett 70s fuzz sounds with Genesis?

chromatuna

I have just joined a new project working on original material and at times the keyboard player (who is piano focussed) is quite busy so I am thinking it might be nice to play some solid single note lines in the way that Hackett did with Genesis 

I know nothing about fuzz pedals but it seems he used various pedals with names like Supa Fuzz, Supa Tone Bender by Shaftesbury, Marshall and the like. It's  a very solid and thick but at the same time crunchy and defined sound. I believe he played into clean amps 

Can anyone point me toward some current compact pedals (not interested in odd vintage cases) that might cop these sort of sounds?

Thanks

Philtre

Hackett fan here. To play the guitar intro to "Return of the Giant Hogweed" I'm using a Big Muff Pi Nano. Granted, this is not typical of a Hackett era type pedal, but it works for me.

Ro_S

I believe he is known for using at least the following fuzzes:


Colorsound Supa Tonebender

This is NOTHING to do with a 60s three transistor germanium type tonebender circuit. 
It is a BIg Muff copy variant. Check out the kitrae website for the exact difference to a Big Muff circuit; i think it has some part of the circuit is omitted.

I had Barber Trifecta for sale on here that does the Colorsound Supa Bender (and more) but it sold a few days ago,   That pedal is hard to find in UK; it is discontinued unfortunately.  

Otherwise, seek a Hartman 'Crystal Valve Silicon'.    

Marshall SupaFuzz 

This is essentially a re-branded Sola Sound Vox ToneBender 'Mk2 Professional' model.  That IS a 60s three transistor germanium Tonebender type circuit.  It was made for Marshall by Sola Sound. 

The Tonebender Mk2 Professional is a popular fuzz for boutique builders to make.

I have a number of different Tonebender Mk2 Professional based pedals for sale.

I have a brand new one of the following, with new-old-stock Mullard OC84 germanium transistors.
video demo below



Shaftesbury Duo Fuzz

This is the same as, and is a re-branded version of the Shin-ei FY6 also known as the Univox Superfuzz.   This is very thick buzzy fuzz with hints of upper octave.

There are many quite a lot of modern versions of the Superfuzz available nowadays.   I might have one I might sell. 

Ro_S

i fopund this

impmann

There was a fabulous video on YT where he tries out his 1970s kit that had been assembled by a fan. He plugs in his guitar, plays a few things and says “what a horrible sound”... he then goes on to explain that he made the best of what was available at the time but the stuff available today sounds much better (to him).

Ro_S

impmann said:

There was a fabulous video on YT where he tries out his 1970s kit that had been assembled by a fan. He plugs in his guitar, plays a few things and says “what a horrible sound”... he then goes on to explain that he made the best of what was available at the time but the stuff available today sounds much better (to him).

that sounds like the video i posted above.  i encountered it after my original posting.   

his comment was about the FY6 though!

yeah, he said he preferred his Line 6 4-series digital distortion modeller 

he seems to say that he sometimes used two of the fuzz pedals stacked.

Jalapeno

impmann said:

There was a fabulous video on YT where he tries out his 1970s kit that had been assembled by a fan. He plugs in his guitar, plays a few things and says “what a horrible sound”... he then goes on to explain that he made the best of what was available at the time but the stuff available today sounds much better (to him).

That's the video above ^^^^^

impmann

Oops... that’ll teach me for replying sat in the dentists waiting room without watching the video. 
As you were chaps... nothing to see here.

Sassafras

ZVex Fuzz Factory and clones thereof can cop most vintage fuzz sounds.

Ro_S

Sassafras said:

ZVex Fuzz Factory and clones thereof can cop most vintage fuzz sounds.

will it get a Big Muff?

Sassafras

Ro_S said:

Sassafras said:

ZVex Fuzz Factory and clones thereof can cop most vintage fuzz sounds.

will it get a Big Muff?

I hope not.

chromatuna

Thanks for all the info 

I am quiet well versed in overdrives but I haven't owned a fuzz pedal for over 40 years !

edit : I just remembered, I think it was a Kimbara, black wedged shaped thing, probably my first ever pedal 

Ro_S

Sassafras said:

Ro_S said:

Sassafras said:

ZVex Fuzz Factory and clones thereof can cop most vintage fuzz sounds.

will it get a Big Muff?

I hope not.

then it wont get Hackett's Colorsound Supa Tonebender, so why suggest it?

Ro_S

chromatuna said:

 I haven't owned a fuzz pedal for over 40 years !

edit : I just remembered, I think it was a Kimbara, black wedged shaped thing, probably my first ever pedal 

LOL.  that's identical to Hackett's Shaftesbury Duo Fuzz  (aka SHin-ei FY6 / Univox Superfuzz) .... although it could be FY2.  cant say without seeing it
 

EricTheWeary

I know fuzz pedals as well as the next man, unfortunately the next man this afternoon is a ten year old boy drinking a smoothie at the adjoining table in Costa Coffee. However, as I understand it fuzz pedals are very amp dependant so emulating Hackett's fuzz isn't that useful unless you also know what amp he was using? TPS did a whole show on this IIRC. 
I also didn't think the OP was chasing that exact sound but a modern pedal that would do something equivalent. 
It's probably worth looking at something relatively versatile, especially with some EQ so you can dial in a sound that works regardless of the amp. Something like the Magnetic Effects White Atom? It also isn't supposed to be fussy about where it sits in the signal chain unlike vintage fuzzes. 
I have an EWS Little Fuzzy Drive which is similarly good at not being fussy about position or amp as it has a fat switch and a tone knob although it's not quite a traditional fuzz tone. 

TheBigDipper

I played Hackett parts in a prog covers band. I played into a Top Tone DG1, into the clean channel and rode the volume pedal. Worked quite well. The bass player owned a Duo Fuzz I tried that also worked well. 

These days I believe Hackett just uses a sustainer pickup. 

Ro_S

If you're just after a versatile fuzz which is brand new and affordable and compact, then consider the Dod Corcosa and the TC Rusty.  Also, the Behringer SF400 SF300 can get you the Shaftesbury Duo Fuzz thing, and is dead cheap.
p.s. and a nano Big Muff or a TC Honey Pot

Ro_S

TheBigDipper said:

Top Tone DG1,

Are you suggesting a circa £250 pedal for a fuzz newbie?

Sassafras

Ro_S said:

Sassafras said:

Ro_S said:

Sassafras said:

ZVex Fuzz Factory and clones thereof can cop most vintage fuzz sounds.

will it get a Big Muff?

I hope not.

then it wont get Hackett's Colorsound Supa Tonebender, so why suggest it?

I'm so sorry I've wasted your time as well as my own.

EricTheWeary

Sassafras said:

Ro_S said:

Sassafras said:

Ro_S said:

Sassafras said:

ZVex Fuzz Factory and clones thereof can cop most vintage fuzz sounds.

will it get a Big Muff?

I hope not.

then it wont get Hackett's Colorsound Supa Tonebender, so why suggest it?

I'm so sorry I've wasted your time as well as my own.

Like the inflatable boy with a needle you've let your self down. 

Sassafras

I can only issue a grovelling apology to everyone on here.
I feel like the whole world is judging me and I've bought the scrupulous standards of the Fretboard into question.