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So who here loves a good fuzz pedal?


warriorpoet

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I'm a relative n00b when it comes to fuzz, but I absolutely ADORE a nice low-gain fuzzy. They do so much for your tone!

My favorite:
IMG_20120727_225644.jpg

Ge Fuzz Face on the right (with charge pump), Lunar-Module based circuit on the left built up with parts and boards from GuitarPCB

I like this one a lot too, but it ended up being too high-gain for regular use; super-nice thick gain, though:
IMG_20120426_004913.jpg

It's a Ge tone-bender with a charge pump to run on negative-tip power supplies. Again built with parts and boards from GuitarPCB

Do you have a favorite fuzz? Let's see 'em!

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Quote Originally Posted by warriorpoet View Post
I'm a relative n00b when it comes to fuzz, but I absolutely ADORE a nice low-gain fuzzy. They do so much for your tone!

My favorite:
IMG_20120727_225644.jpg

Ge Fuzz Face on the right (with charge pump), Lunar-Module based circuit on the left built up with parts and boards from GuitarPCB

I like this one a lot too, but it ended up being too high-gain for regular use; super-nice thick gain, though:
IMG_20120426_004913.jpg

It's a Ge tone-bender with a charge pump to run on negative-tip power supplies. Again built with parts and boards from GuitarPCB

Do you have a favorite fuzz? Let's see 'em!
gorgeous builds, WP! do you do builds for others or just for your own personal enjoyment?
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Just curious, exactly what year was it that stomp boxes became referred to as pedals? There is no pedal on a stomp box yet they're called pedals. They're even put in pedal boards that often don't have a pedal(wah wah, volume, etc.) in them. idn_smilie.gif

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Quote Originally Posted by axegrinder View Post
It seems like fuzz is a very specific thing to be used sporadically like heavy modulation effects... not part of your base tone. Am I wrong?

BTW warriorpoet, did you build those pedals? cool.gif
It's a preference thing I guess. Plenty of big bands and artist use fuzz is their base tone, like Jack White, Queens of the Stone Age, Muse, ZZ Top, Led Zeppelin (occasionally) and Seasick Steve. Heck, even Jimi Hendrix used a Fuzz Face.
I quite like a smooth fuzz that has a lot of sustain.
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Quote Originally Posted by axegrinder View Post
It seems like fuzz is a very specific thing to be used sporadically like heavy modulation effects... not part of your base tone. Am I wrong?

BTW warriorpoet, did you build those pedals? cool.gif
I leave my FuzzFace on a lot. It stacks great with boost/OD and is very sensitive to volume changes; I set my base tone at guitar volume 7, where the FF is just beginning to break up. Guitar volume 8 is getting fuzzy (with an OD, it's a nice crunch/ fuzz blend), and 9+ is SUSTAIN. I have the second fuzz in that box (silicon stacked FF/ rangemaster kinda thing) set to stun, so that's more of a sporadic lead/ crunch.

Yes. I built them up off layouts and boards purchased from GuitarPCB. It's surprisingly simple and incredibly fun smile.gif
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Quote Originally Posted by BlackPatch View Post
It's a preference thing I guess. Plenty of big bands and artist use fuzz is their base tone, like Jack White, Queens of the Stone Age, Muse, ZZ Top, Led Zeppelin (occasionally) and Seasick Steve. Heck, even Jimi Hendrix used a Fuzz Face.
I quite like a smooth fuzz that has a lot of sustain.
...and you'd be shocked how much praise and worship guys use 'em. It's a very, very versatile effect. I never even tried one before I was sent a "spare" PCB in a shipment of others. Instant hook.
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Fuzzis about the only effect I care to use anymore. I don't cover everything I do with a thick shag carpet of fuzz, but I like to play a lot of old garage punk kind of stuff.

I always got by fine with a Big Muff or a simple ProCo Rat.

Lost all my effects in a flood last year. Now all's I got is some small multi-fx unit.

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Quote Originally Posted by Muddslide View Post
Fuzzis about the only effect I care to use anymore. I don't cover everything I do with a thick shag carpet of fuzz, but I like to play a lot of old garage punk kind of stuff.

I always got by fine with a Big Muff or a simple ProCo Rat.

Lost all my effects in a flood last year. Now all's I got is some small multi-fx unit.
Ouch. Sorry to hear that. frown.gif
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Quote Originally Posted by warriorpoet

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I've heard about those. Are they more crunchy/ spitty or smooth?

 

It varies depending upon how you dial in the bias setting and amount of fuzz. You can dial it up from sweet overdrive to spitting gnarly fuzz. Also, the fat knob allows you to work the tone for different voicings of pickups (single coils versus humbuckers). Pretty damn versatile pedal.
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Quote Originally Posted by Verne Andru View Post
I had a Tone Bender Fuzz clone that I loved. One day it stopped working and then went MIA. Just last weekend I etched a new board to build up another. Hope I can still find those transistors. Only shot I have of it is here, in the ammo-can on the right...

VernesPedalBoard.jpg
That is a SWEET board, Verne!

This guy sells great parts and boards. You should be able to get a great matched set from him, for not a lot of $ (as these things go): http://www.guitarpcb.com/apps/websto...s/show/3051606
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I have several fuzz pedals. My EWS Fuzzy Drive is probably my current favorite, it's a nice low-gain fuzz, although The Judge Fuzz by Will Sledge has a lot of great sounds in it as well. As do a couple of my Devi Ever pedals.

Not to forget my Big Muff and my Heavy Electronics Radio Havana, which is a quasi-fuzz/lofi pedal.

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Love fuzz. Smooth fuzz, saturated fuzz, sputtering spitting fuzz. All of it. Currently on my board is a NY Big Muff and a Nick Nitro which is a fuzz face and octavia in one pedal. My favorite is my Ram's Head Big Muff though, and I'm looking for a good companion fuzz clone.

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Quote Originally Posted by mistersully View Post
i have

ehx big muff
zvex fuzz factory
catalinbread v8
voodoo lab superfuzz
mxr classic fuzz
ehx tubezipper
dano french toast
I'm doing up a Fuzz Factory based thing soon. I can't wait to make awful squealy noises!

How'd you like the Catalinbread?
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