I can't even force myself to like fuzz pedals......Help !

professorben

I think I just don't like the sound, too many bad connotations. 

Jack White
Keef
Hendrix

not my cup of tea. 

MattBanshee

Don't ever listen to fuzz demos online, they always sound shit.

Listen to some Sleep, then some Kyuss, then some QOTSA, then some Electric Wizard, and then decide if you like fuzz :-)

Telejester

Anyone tried a Vick audio fuzz ?

Majorscale

Telejester said:

Anyone tried a Vick audio fuzz ?

Yes. Very noisy when engaged... in an annoying background hum capacity rather than an effect capacity if you see what I mean.

Telejester

MattBanshee said:

Don't ever listen to fuzz demos online, they always sound shit.

Listen to some Sleep, then some Kyuss, then some QOTSA, then some Electric Wizard, and then decide if you like fuzz :-)

I listened to the dopethrone album once and i felt sorry for my speakers !!

normula1

I'm so glad it's not just me that doesn't like fuzz.

ESBlonde

Fuzz is probably one of the most context sensitive pedals, To play Hot Chocolate 'Emma' without one is just wrong, and the Isleys Brothers version of Seals and Crofts 'Summerbreeze' just has to be a Big Muff. But a big muff is pretty useless (IMHO) for most other drive type situations and pretty hopeless with chord work in a band context.
Sitting alone in a bedroom with a fuzz is likely to drive (how did that pun slip in there) you to distraction. As I said context is the key. Listen to The Carpenters 'Goodby to Love' where the dirty raspy guitar is in total contrast to the smooth production, Tony Peluso even used a Coin (American Quarter) to give it that characteristic click and harmonic squeal.

clarkefan

I cannot abide that shit sound, it amazes me brilliant musicians ruin everything using it on something that might otherwise have been great. Fuzz sucks.

I can think of two pieces of music it was used on that I actually like, and both are Hendrix; Voodoo Chile, such a huge distortion sound (I read it was a fuzz, something rolled right back so it doesn't sound one) and the Woodstock national anthem thing where he sounds like his amp is about to blow.

After that no thanks, that spitty muffled crap, yuck.

Saw a pub band once, the guitar player would play a solo and just disappear in the mix, totally.  I told him at the interval, he was standing on a fuzz, he had no idea.

ThePrettyDamned

clarkefan said:

I cannot abide that shit sound, it amazes me brilliant musicians ruin everything using it on something that might otherwise have been great. Fuzz sucks.

I can think of two pieces of music it was used on that I actually like, and both are Hendrix; Voodoo Chile, such a huge distortion sound (I read it was a fuzz, something rolled right back so it doesn't sound one) and the Woodstock national anthem thing where he sounds like his amp is about to blow.

After that no thanks, that spitty muffled crap, yuck.

Saw a pub band once, the guitar player would play a solo and just disappear in the mix, totally.  I told him at the interval, he was standing on a fuzz, he had no idea.

Look for Muse - fury. Massive bass sound with synth, fuzz and a clean sound and the guitar is absolutely fuzzed to the max. Sounds amazing. 

pintspiller

Don't get hung up on it. Just people rave about stuff doesn't mean you need to get one yourself.

Corvus

People like different stuff so that's all there is really. But if you want a tight fuzz that can also do dirty distortion the Crazy Tube Starlight fits that bill. It's not fuzz face or Muff, maybe vaguely closer to Rats though I don't like Rats but love the Starlight.

John_BlackWolf

Effectrode Mercury fuzz at 0:43

Voxman

More than any other effect, IMO, fuzz tones are very dependant on the amp you are putting them through.  A particular fuzz pedal can sound dreadful through one amp but really good through a different type of amp. 

Personally I don't generally like fuzz pedals and don't have any free standing fuzz pedals although I've tried quite a few.  Now and again I might use a bit of the fuzz effect in my Valvetronix or Tonelabs which is modelled on the Arbiter fuzz face but only when mucking around at home...none of my gigging patches have fuzz.