Who gigs with a fuzz? How to cut through the mix.

Longtallronnie

As the title says really. 

My latest fuzz pedal (TC Rusty Fuzz) is loads of fun to play on my own but it disappears in a band mix with two guitars. 

I know I’m probably setting it wrong but interested to hear how you get yours to cut through. 

Cheers

Ronnie

Keefy

I think the Rusty Fuzz is a Fuzz Face variant. I can imagine it would disappear in the mix once you get beyond a 3-piece format.

I am currently gigging a Tone Bender Mk III clone and that definitely won’t disappear in the band mix!

EDIT: The Fuzz Face can sound a bit mushy, and lacks its own EQ - you could try an EQ pedal after it.

monquixote

For a big muff run the gain a bit lower and stack a tube screamer into it.

EricTheWeary

Fuzz into overdrive pedal. Fuzz from the fuzz pedal, eq and level from the overdrive ( and gain to taste). A tubescreamer if you have one to hand. 

They show it a couple of times on here ( from about 9:25) and they demo something similar on a TPS and various other places. 

https://youtu.be/Qj-NKLHXZoM

EricTheWeary

https://youtu.be/E85LAMc0iEs

From just after 43 mins a fuzz face into a klone. 

monquixote

Klones are great for shaping stuff at the end of the chain. Lots of headroom as well.

Longtallronnie

I’ve got a Joyo British Sound and Fulltone Fat Boost after the fuzz, could try the FB to shape the fuzz I guess? The BS is pretty much set for my main crunch sound so don’t really wanna mess with that. 

EricTheWeary

 You can only try! 

Vintage fuzzes into a clean amp is more the farty late sixties pop thing. The Hendrix/ Eric Johnson thing is more fuzz into an overdriven amp. The J Mascis thing is overdrive into fuzz into clean amp. The Gary Clark Jr/ modern blues rock thing is fuzz into overdrive into overdriven amp so it’s more layered/ stacked. 

My guess is that if you leave the Joyo on how you normally have it then have the Rusty Fuzz to the level of fuzz you want and then use the Fat Boost inbetween to control the level and eq after the fuzz if need be. 

octatonic

Turn down the gain.

Graphic EQ after the fuzz.

Running two amps, one with fuzz, one without, blend to taste.

paulnb57

Use a Fuzz with a tone control, I like the EHX Green Russian reissue

Keefy

paulnb57 said:

Use a Fuzz with a tone control, I like the EHX Green Russian reissue

The Big Muff is very different from the Fuzz Face though.

Fez

I use a spark mini after a fallout cloud. I also have my gunshot after the fallout cloud in case I want to go mental.

EricTheWeary

How do I get my £25 fuzz to cut through a mix? 

Buy a second amp, an eq pedal and an overdrive. 

Job done. 

ICBM

Volume, and a bigger amp - something with enough headroom and bottom end that the fuzz can be turned up enough to be heard.

Running a scooped-sounding fuzz with limited output level into a small, middy amp really doesn't work.

TINMAN82

I really like this Dunlop Gypsy fuzz. It’s defo not a fuzz face circuit as it’s not so picky about position in the board. I suspect silicon based.  Has a tone knob, cleans up well. Sounds great straight into a clean DRRI without farting out. Affordable.

Longtallronnie

ICBM said:

Volume, and a bigger amp - something with enough headroom and bottom end that the fuzz can be turned up enough to be heard.

Running a scooped-sounding fuzz with limited output level into a small, middy amp really doesn't work.

I had my Origin50C running on 10W so I’ll try it on 50W next rehearsal. Still getting used to the amp tbh as only I’ve only run it at volume twice. 

Stacking into the Joyo sounds pretty nasty but the Fat Boost seems to work well. Got a couple of practices next week so will see how I get on 

fretmeister

Sack the other guitarist.

they just get in the way. 

Sassafras

I manage to be heard running a fuzzface into a full range treble booster.

vivalacoulter

Turn down your bass and up the mids/treble as a start I would guess.

steamabacus

Longtallronnie said:

ICBM said:

Volume, and a bigger amp - something with enough headroom and bottom end that the fuzz can be turned up enough to be heard.

Running a scooped-sounding fuzz with limited output level into a small, middy amp really doesn't work.

I had my Origin50C running on 10W so I’ll try it on 50W next rehearsal. Still getting used to the amp tbh as only I’ve only run it at volume twice. 

Stacking into the Joyo sounds pretty nasty but the Fat Boost seems to work well. Got a couple of practices next week so will see how I get on 

Definitely use the 50w setting. The only other thing I would add to what's said above is that with many fuzzes the correct level relative to playing alongside the drum kit and the rest of the band, when heard in isolation sounds WAY too loud. Like, ten times too loud. Set the level when the full band are playing and have plenty of headroom in the amp to take that extra level.

ewal

Fuzz is used in so many ways, it's difficult to say. When I think of fuzz, I'm thinking garage rock, bands like The Heads, Mudhoney, Kinski - none of who appear to have an issue with fuzz cutting through the mix - exactly the opposite. Other people will be thinking Gilmour, Stones, Siamese Dream, etc

What sort of result sound wise are you going for?