Cheap fuzz that cleans up for that Hendrix glassy tone?

LionAquaLooper

Are there any sub £50 (or thereabouts) fuzzes that can do the Hendrix clean fuzz tone when rolling off guitar volume? I have the Behringer SF300 which is great but does not clean up at all. Been checking out the Joyo Planes Walker but not sure if it can do it either. 

thecolourbox

I think the Planes Walker is Fuzz Face derived so it should in theory do what you need,

The Behringer one absolutely won't do what you're looking for, but youve found that out already

Alex2678

There’s a bloke on eBay makes nice fuzz faces, usually about £60 if you can stretch the budget a little, he doesn’t have any listed right now but puts them out pretty regularly https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/camelfish

Cookiemonster

Hi I have this one. Will do this for £50 posted. It’s Germanium and cleans up well. 

lovestrat74

Alex2678 said:

There’s a bloke on eBay makes nice fuzz faces, usually about £60 if you can stretch the budget a little, he doesn’t have any listed right now but puts them out pretty regularly https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/camelfish

He's on here, I've seen him comment before.. @camelfish ;

LionAquaLooper

Thanks so far for the tips everyone.  Seems like it's all revolving around fuzz face clones/germanium stuff.  I'm a complete noob moron when it comes to fuzzes.  Is it mainly fuzz face (and clones), germanium fuzzes that can do the cleaned up fuzz thing?  

camelfish

 

steer

LionAquaLooper said:

Thanks so far for the tips everyone.  Seems like it's all revolving around fuzz face clones/germanium stuff.  I'm a complete noob moron when it comes to fuzzes.  Is it mainly fuzz face (and clones), germanium fuzzes that can do the cleaned up fuzz thing?  

I think that you can do it with Silicone, but Germanium works really well for this. 

This  video from Pete Thorn kind of blew my mind as someone who ignored fuzz pedals for many years, wrongly thinking that fuzz pedals were solely for, well fuzzy sounds. 

Works with my own Germanium Fuzz just like he shows. 

LionAquaLooper

Yep, it was that video (and another one that I can't remember) that made me want to try this out for myself just for fun   
TC Rusty Fuzz sounds good from what I've heard but apparently doesn't quite do that glassy Hendrix thing.  Shame cos it's dirt cheap brand new.

Dave_Mc

LionAquaLooper said:

Thanks so far for the tips everyone.  Seems like it's all revolving around fuzz face clones/germanium stuff.  I'm a complete noob moron when it comes to fuzzes.  Is it mainly fuzz face (and clones), germanium fuzzes that can do the cleaned up fuzz thing?  

Fuzz face isn't the only one, but it does do it very well. A lot of the old-school not-too-high-gain (two transistor usually?) fuzzes do it. But a decent fuzz face is the safe option. 

Mr_Claw

My experience? Best results have come with a 2 germanium transistor FF or a Selmer Buzztone (a 3 germ transistor fuzz/boost). Some other 3 transistor circuits vary: a Tone Bender 1 won't do it (it just gets spitty and lofi at low vol), whereas a TB 2 will do a much better job (not an electrician so don't know the difference between the TB 1 & 2 circuits). 

Axe_meister

Remember Hendrix used silicon based fuzz faces in later years and still got that glassy time.
My MXR fuzz faces certainly cleans up nicely.
Pickups have a lot to do with it. My Hendrix strat has mid 60s voiced pickups which are quite bright.

LionAquaLooper

I have to do a cover of "Castles Made of Sand" with my band at some point.  I'm assuming that's a fuzz rolled back he's using on it?  Certainly sounds like it to my ears but I could be wrong.  I'm not that well versed on all things gear wise on Hendrix songs!  

Beexter

Not a fuzz, but a Boss Blues Driver does that glassy clean thing really well when you roll back your guitar volume.
Here's Andy Simmons demoing how he uses it.
The Blues Driver bit starts at 5.55...

Alex2678

Way huge Supa Lead does it too 

LionAquaLooper

Beexter said:

Not a fuzz, but a Boss Blues Driver does that glassy clean thing really well when you roll back your guitar volume.
Here's Andy Simmons demoing how he uses it.
The Blues Driver bit starts at 5.55...

Thanks for the tip. I don't have a Boss BD but I do have the Behringer clone and a Digitech Screamin Blues, both of which are BD clones so no harm trying. I just wish Andy Timmons demo'd that without his signal dripping in reverb