Recommend me some fuzz

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benecol
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Recommend me some fuzz

Post by benecol » Tue Oct 31, 2006 6:52 am

I've got most of the silicone end of Fuzz covered with my Little Big Muff and Dano French Toast, but I'm looking for a nasty, spitty geranium type fuzz (without spending the earth), has anyone got any recommendations? I'm tempted by some sort of FuzzFace clone, but have heard less than good things about the reissues (and the originals, for that matter). So, trashy 60's fuzz - anyone?

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Re: Recommend me some fuzz

Post by zhivago » Tue Oct 31, 2006 7:28 am

Vexter Fuzz Factory....used, it should be pretty cheap
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benecol
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Re: Recommend me some fuzz

Post by benecol » Tue Oct 31, 2006 7:34 am

Really? For that germanium feeling? Hope to get a Zoom Ultra Fuzz for Christmas, the poor man's FF.

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Re: Recommend me some fuzz

Post by mynameisjonas » Tue Oct 31, 2006 7:37 am

zhivago wrote: Vexter Fuzz Factory....used, it should be pretty cheap
+1

fuzz factorys use two matched germanium transistors, and are capable of the most insane nastiness.

in my experience most fuzz faces aren´t very nasty or spitty.
Last edited by mynameisjonas on Tue Oct 31, 2006 8:04 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Recommend me some fuzz

Post by zhivago » Tue Oct 31, 2006 7:58 am

mynameisjonas wrote:
zhivago wrote: Vexter Fuzz Factory....used, it should be pretty cheap
+1

fuzz factorys use two matched germanium transistors, and are capble of the most insane nastiness.

in my experience most fuzz faces aren´t very nasty or spitty.
and quite a few of the "demonic ones" usualy disappear in the mix of a band too.

The Way Huge Swollen Pickle is a great example of that, from what I hear :)
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Re: Recommend me some fuzz

Post by mezcalhead » Tue Oct 31, 2006 8:32 am

benecol wrote: looking for a nasty, spitty geranium type fuzz
???

Image

Just kidding .. I think possibly the best bang-for-the-buck fuzzes might be the BYOC. You can make them yourself or buy them ready-made. They have a Tonebender clone which should be pretty nasty-sounding, although they don't say if it's germanium. Their fuzzface clone definitely is Ge though.

A Vexter FF is a good suggestion - very over the top noise potential. Two other fairly affordable fuzzes - the Tonefactor Huckleberry has mixed Si/Ge transistors. The MI Audio Neo Fuzz is Ge, and very tweakable, you should be able to get it to sound pretty ugly too.
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Re: Recommend me some fuzz

Post by Maggieo » Tue Oct 31, 2006 9:16 am

mynameisjonas wrote:
zhivago wrote: Vexter Fuzz Factory....used, it should be pretty cheap
+1

fuzz factorys use two matched germanium transistors, and are capable of the most insane nastiness.
+2 on the Fuzz Factory.  Turn the STAB knob counter-clockwise and stand back!
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Re: Recommend me some fuzz

Post by flatfiver » Tue Oct 31, 2006 10:58 am

mezcalhead wrote:
benecol wrote: looking for a nasty, spitty geranium type fuzz
???

Image
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA  ;D ;D ;D ;D
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offsetwaistbody
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Re: Recommend me some fuzz

Post by offsetwaistbody » Tue Oct 31, 2006 5:08 pm

Maggieo wrote:
mynameisjonas wrote:
zhivago wrote: Vexter Fuzz Factory....used, it should be pretty cheap
+1

fuzz factorys use two matched germanium transistors, and are capable of the most insane nastiness.
+2 on the Fuzz Factory.  Turn the STAB knob counter-clockwise and stand back!
+3 (or is it 4 or 5 or more now?)

pretty much every shade of fuzz you could ever want to muster!

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Re: Recommend me some fuzz

Post by mynameisjonas » Wed Nov 01, 2006 5:22 am

mezcalhead wrote: Just kidding .. I think possibly the best bang-for-the-buck fuzzes might be the BYOC. You can make them yourself or buy them ready-made. They have a Tonebender clone which should be pretty nasty-sounding, although they don't say if it's germanium. Their fuzzface clone definitely is Ge though.
das musikding have a tonebender clone kit as well (with Ge transistors), much cheaper, but as i said in the other thread, the don´t come with a pre-drilled box.

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Re: Recommend me some fuzz

Post by idiotbear » Mon Nov 06, 2006 10:58 am

offsetwaistbody wrote:
Maggieo wrote:
mynameisjonas wrote: +1

fuzz factorys use two matched germanium transistors, and are capable of the most insane nastiness.
+2 on the Fuzz Factory.  Turn the STAB knob counter-clockwise and stand back!
+3 (or is it 4 or 5 or more now?)

pretty much every shade of fuzz you could ever want to muster!
+4 (or is it 5 or 6 more now?)  :D

I actually bought John's (original, not Vexter) Fuzz Factory off him. It was a bit too mental for me at the time - only using it at home. It's an AWESOME pedal, though. I had to get rid of it for monetary reasons: I honestly couldn't justify keeping it for the amount of use I was getting from it.

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benecol
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Re: Recommend me some fuzz

Post by benecol » Thu Nov 09, 2006 6:15 am

Thanks all - have wanted a FF for ages anyway, will have to generate some cash first, mind. Will try and build a tonebender clone too. Thanks again.

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Re: Recommend me some fuzz

Post by fuzzking » Wed Nov 22, 2006 6:15 am

Cheap: Boss FZ-series
Expensive: Frantone Sweet

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Re: Recommend me some fuzz

Post by jetset » Wed Nov 22, 2006 9:09 am

The other guitarist in my band uses a Fuzz Factory occasionally.  It's quite tempermental and difficult to use live - either get's lost in the mix or makes dirty sounds when you''re not playing.  I tease him and call it the Fart Factory.

I just ordered a BYOC Ultimate Fuzz that has both silicon and germanium transistors to mix and match.  I'll report in when it's here.  I use a Big Muff, but it's often too gainy to be useful, and sometimes gets lost in the live mix even when loud.

Fuzz's are strange beasts.

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Re: Recommend me some fuzz

Post by Superfuzz » Wed Nov 22, 2006 2:05 pm

jetset wrote: The other guitarist in my band uses a Fuzz Factory occasionally.  It's quite tempermental and difficult to use live - either get's lost in the mix or makes dirty sounds when you''re not playing.  I tease him and call it the Fart Factory.

I just ordered a BYOC Ultimate Fuzz that has both silicon and germanium transistors to mix and match.  I'll report in when it's here.   I use a Big Muff, but it's often too gainy to be useful, and sometimes gets lost in the live mix even when loud.

Fuzz's are strange beasts.

-J
I also noticed that my Big Muff often disappear when I play in my band..I think mostly it's caused by the insane bottom end of that pedal..so I find that the best way to hear the real Big Muff sound is to turn its tone knob all the way on the higs..and solve the consequent volume decrease cranking the level and the gain..in that way you still have the classic violin sustain but now you can hear it!!...now I've started thinking that cranking the tone knob  is the best way to use my pedals and obtain good and of course audible sounds..maybe it could work with yours..
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