Too many fuzzes..........

Richardj

I *think* I need a fuzz, something that will get close to the heavier but less chaotic tones of Gilmour, maybe Iommi, that sort of thing.

Problem is I would like it in a more compact (Boss sized) enclosure and there are so many available. I tried a couple of Fredric ones and they were great things, but just a bit too much.

No-one remotely close to me keeps anything interesting to try in person and online demos aren't really reliable, can anyone help narrow down the search?

I'm going to be at the Guitar Show too so might bevable to see/try/buy something.

professorben

I had too many fuzzes once. 


I had 1.

andy1839

I've just bought one of these...



Cracking little pedal. 

vasselmeyer

Magnetic Effects White Atom is an outstanding pedal. It doesn't care where it goes in the effects chain and has an awesome "texture" control which will  can go from full bore through to starving the voltage  to get a really filthy "spitting" sound. Just awesome.

Teetonetal

After a long Fuzz search I found the Boss FZ2 (well @ICBM recommended it in my fuzz thread) a great pedal. Otherwise for Gilmour look at a skreddy Lunar module - also wonderful.

Would liek to try the White atom at some point.

MattBanshee

Maybe look at the Sabbra Kadabra if you're after that Sabbath style?

Beexter

Mojo Hand Crosstown - I've been through loads of fuzz pedals including the revered Analogman Sunface and Skreddy Lunar Module and every time I a/b a fuzz with the Crosstown I can get it to sound really close without a whole lot of tweaking. 
The White Atom is good too and can do the splatty side of things better than the Crosstown but the Crosstown cleans up a lot better than the White Atom

juansolo

If you're in Yorkshire I have bloody loads of fuzzes you could try.

Richardj

@juansolo, sadly about a thousand miles South of you........

But I would genuinely appreciate your take on this, seeing as you have more than a little bit of experience with fuzzes.

dogload

Yes, the Boss FZ-2 is excellent, and I would also recommend the Mooer Blue and Grey Faze fuzz face clones as well as their Triangle Buff Muff-alike. 

professorben

Honestly I've never got on with Fuzz, much like the oft lauded Rat, just sounds horrible to my ears and then disappears in a live situation.   

57Deluxe

the only time you need a Fuzz live is to play Spirit in The Sky...

Beexter

@57Deluxe - what fuzz would you suggest for that?

57Deluxe

/\ haha - don't drag me into to all this!!

juansolo

Richardj said:

@juansolo, sadly about a thousand miles South of you........

But I would genuinely appreciate your take on this, seeing as you have more than a little bit of experience with fuzzes.

I will try and remain objective.

Germ fuzzes, when done right can be amazing. But they come with a lot baggage in terms of power requirements, pedal order and incompatibility with other effects, they're just not practical in a lot of circumstances. But they do that thing that they do when they do it well, that for some that's worth putting up with the idiosyncrasies.

But, bear in mind Ge transistors stopped being made in the 60's, and for very good reasons (they're variables as fuck in terms of gain and leakage. Not to mention that gain can change depending on what the temperature is). There simply are not that many good ones left.

Which leaves you with Si and distortions that get into fuzz territory. Of which there are loads. Like everything else, there are a lot of variations on the same thing around with the odd curiosity in there. It would be a total finger in the air job without knowing what you're running and what type of sound you're trying to achieve.

I know very much which I personally prefer as I've built just about every fuzz out there and when it came along I just stopped making fuzzes. But as I appear to be the only person building a clone of it, to recommend it would be seen as being hugely self-serving.

professorben

juansolo said:

Richardj said:

@juansolo, sadly about a thousand miles South of you........

But I would genuinely appreciate your take on this, seeing as you have more than a little bit of experience with fuzzes.

I will try and remain objective.

Germ fuzzes, when done right can be amazing. But they come with a lot baggage in terms of power requirements, pedal order and incompatibility with other effects, they're just not practical in a lot of circumstances. But they do that thing that they do when they do it well, that for some that's worth putting up with the idiosyncrasies.

But, bear in mind Ge transistors stopped being made in the 60's, and for very good reasons (they're variables as fuck in terms of gain and leakage. Not to mention that gain can change depending on what the temperature is). There simply are not that many good ones left.

Which leaves you with Si and distortions that get into fuzz territory. Of which there are loads. Like everything else, there are a lot of variations on the same thing around with the odd curiosity in there. It would be a total finger in the air job without knowing what you're running and what type of sound you're trying to achieve.

I know very much which I personally prefer as I've built just about every fuzz out there and when it came along I just stopped making fuzzes. But as I appear to be the only person building a clone of it, to recommend it would be seen as being hugely self-serving.

Best sales pitch ever......
took me on a journey, now I'm dying to know what this pedal is, and I dont even like Fuzz!!! 

juansolo

Stokin' the hype train ready to leave the station

Bridgehouse

juansolo said:

Stokin' the hype train ready to leave the station

"Leavin' on the Fuzz Train..woo woooooh!"

pintspiller

1) Go to a big shop and try all their pedals

2) Buy used stuff, try it in your set up, sell it if you don't like

mike_l

I only have one fuzz (of and distortion are another matter......) the Way Huge Havalina.

It's Germanium and it's awesomes. I'm not really a fuzz lover, but I do like this one very muchly.


It's a bit bigger than a Boss, but not massively so.

simonbeckwith

Agreed on the Havalina @mike_l ;

ive just picked up the Fulltone '69 Fuzz

Bloody awesome!