MIKA-the-better-one
It seems on the jhb gigging scene up late I am seeing more bands using fuzz pedals, sadly most of these are the boss fz3 's ☹
Anyhow, they are a number of them, what I dont get is a number of them seem to have the pedals setup to create pretty much no effect OR a mass of treble, and volume.
So I figured I would pose the question to all of you who haven't disregarded my posts, and use fuzz, HOW DO YOU FIND YOU GET YOUR FAVOURITE FUZZ SOUND.
OR shall we enlarge it to your overdrives..... as no pedal is the same and no rig is the same we all have preferances and ways of explaining our setup.....
What do you want ? How do you get it?
I thought of this as up until late I was disatisfied with my FUzz sound, either to loud or abrasive, or to quite and unoticable.
BUT THEN......... I took my blue box (not really a legendary fuzz pedal more octave) but I use it as fuzz, placed it after my blues pro overdrive which really gives me just a sparkle of dirt...... then put Blue box cranked full (lots of fuzz) then put my MArshall in a box Catalinbread DLS after it all, so what happens is its like my fuzz and drive combined go into a very cranked amplifier, giving me this VERY cool Torn speaker sound, but at the same time the blue box has a gate on it, so has a really cool dying battery sound......
Blues pro.............MXR blue box............. Catalinbread
Overdrive.............FUZZZZZZZZ..................Cranked amp (more drive) its seems to tame the sound down which is great
SO what sound do you use like or want to find?????????
pietersaayman
This is sort of on topic:
“A bit of delay can smooth out the unpleasant, raw frequencies you get from a fuzz box. I have two units, and I have different echo settings on both. There are times when I have both running at the same time for certain effects. During solos, I usually try to set the delays to have some rhythmic time signature in common with the tune. I usually set them to a triplet—the notes all intertwine, so it doesn’t really matter anyway, but I find that a triplet delay is very melodic.” —David Gilmour
MikeM
Can't remember who was telling me about it, but fuzzes sound best when run through a dialed tube amp, takes a bit of the harshness off. I usually try to keep the fuzz pretty low anyway as a little goes a long way, and then just fiddle with the tone, volume and mid controls on my pedal. Running an overdrive in front also lessens the effect of the fuzz IMO, I usually run a very low overdrive into my fuzz.
MIKA-the-better-one
I sometimes throw on a bit of delay but find woth my rythm playing it gets all to muddy, however Fuzz with a really fast slap back with lots of decay, so you are on the point of oscillation (analogue delays) sound great for lead, or spastic playing.....
Od does help alot, I found with my big muff I had to CRANK the volume on it to hear it in the mix (no mids) so thats why i didnt like it to much......... One pedal I am seriously wanting to get is a KEELEY Fuzz head, it switches from germanium to silcon fuzz,,,,,,, I think thats great
AlanRatcliffe
Generally, use what works for you. A valve amp'll smooth out the edges, as will a short delay (Gilmour is a good example - he uses around a 5ms delay on fuzz) or reverb.
But sometimes you want the harsh edge of the fuzz. Like this:
Which is straight into a JC120 (not the smoothest amp for drive ?).
I often use them without an amp or speaker sim, just so they give you a good harsh tone that's good to use a slicer, gate or filter sweep on. The E-Bow lead on my comp entry this week uses fuzz directly into an Orange speaker cab (on one side - other side is DI - delay - compression - filter - delay), and all with a big, bright reverb.
guitarboy2828
Do you guys have videos of fuzz pedals sounding "good". I know this is a terrible predisposition, but the only times I've heard fuzz pedals were so harsh and muddy I have never really been interested, but this topic has got me interested in hearing what a good sounding one can sound like ?
I quite like the sound of this pedal..
MIKA-the-better-one
thats agood fuzz pedal....... I like this devi ever line.... they are cheap n sound super mean
this what i like
MikeM
Still my fav ?
MIKA-the-better-one
great pedal, its what my guitarist uses,,,,,, its pretty mean
MIKA-the-better-one
mike, you have that crazy great fuzz to though...... the twosome?
I rmemebr a post on it a bit back
MikeM
Yea I do. Best thing since sliced bread ? Love it to bits.
Not AS variable as the Zvex goodies, but way more usable tones IMO.
matta
Since the inception of Fuzzsilla a year ago I've learnt ALOT about Fuzzes, a couple things:
1. Fuzz sound BEST before a pedal that have a buffer in it, like a BOSS/Ibanez etc, as this scews the tones dramatically.
2. GOOD fuzzes are incredible dynamics and adjusting the voulme on your guitar with the FUZZ all the way up with give an infinite source of tones.
3. MOST fuzzes have an input cap that is WAY too large, which filters out all the tops/mids.
4. Fuzzes get BRIGHTER as you increase the FUZZ knob, hence suggesting number 2, let the guitar do the work, not the pedal.
Those tips should help out in your search for your Fuzz tone, as shared, to get those classic warm fuzzes from Hendrix etc, you need a cranked tube amp. Also when a Fuzz is totally maxed out it starts to oscillate and become and octave/ring modulator, hence why you are prob enjoying your Blue Box in that roll.
I can't wait to release my Fuzz as I think it will turn heads, I have some incredible players like Dan Patlansky who played the prototype and orderedon on the spot, getting SMS's from him asking when he can collect his, LOL! It has been a LONG journey for me, with many pitalls, but in the final strech now, the final silkscreened protos should arrive but the end of the week from the PCB house and once approaved shoudl take 3 weeks to complete... went through SEVERAL revisions to get the end results, but VERY happy.
Cheers
Matt
MIKA-the-better-one
matta i know you probably have been s=asked this a thoudand times on the forum, but what sorta fuzz is it? If dan patlansky a generally blues like player likes it ... there must be some super great sounds coming out of it..... is it more fuzz face, or fender blender?
matta
Hey Mika,
Yes, Fuzz is a very WIDE range of pedals. When i think Fuzz I tend to default to the original Fuzz Face sound, so yes, mine is based on the original 2 transistor stage Fuzz. In fact is is part for part Fuzz Face bar a couple changes namely:
1. I've replaced the Germ transistors with Silcon ones, but ones with similar current gain ranges, unlike the later silicon Fuzzes which to my ears were WAY too bright/brittle, the benefit of finding suitable silicon replacement mean I can guarantee more accurate QC between pedals, which you can't with Germs because of leakage and stability issues.
2. The input cap has been lowered dramatically to allow more tops/mid to pass through, so not as 'woofy' as the originals.
3. I've made the BIAS external on a pot, called 'GATE' at 12 o'clock it is biased as the original Fuzz Face was, with 4.5VDC, but going clockwise lowers this, causing a gated effects, almost like a lofi 8 bit video game, with the Fuzz all the way up you get that broken speaker White Stripes sound, adversely lowering it with lower the threshold, turning it in a booster/overdrive.
Between the 3 knobs you can really get alot of shades, from Big Muff to Fuzz Factory sounds, or a more traditional Fuzz Face, I really wanted to cover as much ground as possible, with minimal circuitry and physical control.
Cheers
Matt
MIKA the better one wrote:
matta i know you probably have been s=asked this a thoudand times on the forum, but what sorta fuzz is it? If dan patlansky a generally blues like player likes it ... there must be some super great sounds coming out of it..... is it more fuzz face, or fender blender?
[deleted]
I still want a Fuzzilla
Been waiting long... are they still going to be orange? ?
When you taking orders? Im in...
matta
Brent,
Don't remind me ☹ It has been a great journey, but a long and costly one! I'm sitting with parts to make the first 20, but waiting on the final PCB, CNC guys and powdercoating/silkscreening. The protos arrived from the Fab house in Joburg on Friday, they should be here with me in CPT this, week, if all goes well I'll do the first 25 boards and then off to have the case milled... I already have my powdercoater and silkscreener, they are just waiting on materials.
It will indeed still be orange, with cream knobs, still undecided on the silkscreen/design, but prob be a 2-3 colour graphic.
Cheers
Matt
Brentcgp wrote:
I still want a Fuzzilla
Been waiting long... are they still going to be orange? ?
When you taking orders? Im in...
MIKA-the-better-one
@ matta.......... will you be sending your fuzzilla out of the country, or will it be a purly locals only pedal?
Just curious............... as I saw this guy.. who does the best demos next to ptoguitarshop..............
Its pretty cool how easy it is to market via the net these days
matta
The plan is of course to take them global, but focusing on one on-line store for Europe, one for the USA, though both ship either way, but first it is to grow the local market.
I actually completed the prototype of a distortion/overdrive based on the now very rare and out of print Way Huge Red Lama, I think it sounds great, and will be alot cheaper than the current $400-$500 asking price for them on eBay! If you push it to the max is has a bit of Fuzz on it as well.
Once Fuzzsilla is out in the world this guy will probably be next, a nice warm distortion that can get quite manic and HEAPS of level.
This clip was recorded with the mic on my iPhone, you hear alot of the actual guitar, but it gives you an idea, Tele into my Champ.
Distortion Clip - 2MB
Cheers
Matt
AlanRatcliffe
^Link fixed!
Do you have a preorder list Matt? While I rarely use Fuzz anymore, I'd like to have one around...
I must also speak to you sometime about a pair of good mic pres. And a certain 12AT7 I owe you for... :-[
MIKA-the-better-one
I really wish i had the brains and drive to make pedals.... .then i wouldnt be one of the guys buying all the time...
I beg of you matta... please..... when you get the chance....... design aMXR blue box style pedal...... thus a fuzz, with the option of Octave down. So you get a sam wave moog like buzz saw sound........... Just improve on the mxr blue box where it falls short. All octave pedals these days are lo fi ring modulator style pedals..... and they all get a bit similar......
So that is my request, if I am rich by then I will fund the whole thing
