Talk me out of (or into) buying a Fuzz Factory clone kit

Fuzz. We know what it is, we know what it does. But is it worth my time to get rid of my FZ-3 (nice amount of fuzz but too bassy, HPF tone knob is weird) and get one of these (http://shop.pedalparts.co.uk/Taco_Fry_Fuzz_clone-your-own_Fuzz_Factory/p847124_5439185.aspx) instead?

If I was to sell my FZ-3, I would expect to get about £40-£50 for it, the kit with box is £45 but involves a lot of work which I might not be up to (I like to think I can solder but whether or not that is true is a matter of debate).

What can people tell me about their experiences with Fuzz Factories? Are they as versatile as they claim or are they a bit naff?

Oh the joy of feedback and oscillation!

I dig mine, but it's a love/hate thing for sure!(for most people anyway)

Very temperamental. As far as versatility goes, I usually keep mine on the "Fuzz Face" setting, but it is versatile as far as unwieldy, strange, possibly annoying fuzz tones go:lol:



(That list that has 100 settings or however many is a bit of a misnomer as far as I'm concerned)


Nice avatar btw

Oh the joy of feedback and oscillation!
It should fit right in with my noisy synth gear! :lol:

Very temperamental. As far as versatility goes, I usually keep mine on the "Fuzz Face" setting, but it is versatile as far as unwieldy, strange, possibly annoying fuzz tones go:lol:
For guitar, I only want it for tweakability purposes, I don't want to go Matt Bellamy with it (because Muse are boring).


Nice avatar btw
Thanks!

Very temperamental. it is versatile as far as unwieldy, strange, possibly annoying fuzz tones go:lol:
+1



Nice avatar btw

+100

I might actually wait a bit coz the guy selling the kit says there's a univox Superfuzz kit in the near future which is EXACTLY the kind of fuzz I want.

I dig mine, but it's a love/hate thing for sure!(for most people anyway)

Very temperamental. As far as versatility goes, I usually keep mine on the "Fuzz Face" setting, but it is versatile as far as unwieldy, strange, possibly annoying fuzz tones go:lol:

(That list that has 100 settings or however many is a bit of a misnomer as far as I'm concerned)

Nice avatar btw

+1

I don't want to go Matt Bellamy with it (because Muse are boring).


Agree.

I might actually wait a bit coz the guy selling the kit says there's a univox Superfuzz kit in the near future which is EXACTLY the kind of fuzz I want.

Ooh, superfuzz!

Ooh, superfuzz!
Yep (http://pedalparts.co.uk/new-stuff-coming/) :mrgreen:

Might be a bit late, but the Fuzz Factory is simply awesome. Don't worry about sounding like Muse with it, i've owned my vexter series for months now and haven't even thought of playing muse. It's not just a squeaky oscillation box, once you work your way around the controls you can get scorching lead tones, controllable feedback or even just a standard ''fuzz face'' sound. Also cleans up amazingly well when used with closer to normal settings. Of course, all the mad siren sounds and wacky stuff is still there to play with. At first I thought it was a gimmick with all the oscillations and that, but after playing with my band live, it really shines with everyone else. Rich in upper-mids and some reduced bass, this fills out the sound without stepping on anyone else's toes. For £45-50 for a clone kit, i'd say have a go at it. If not, you could always make your money back selling it on as a ready to use clone.

For guitar, I only want it for tweakability purposes, I don't want to go Matt Bellamy with it (because Muse are boring).

Thanks!

Seriously!? I kinda like muse....

Seriously!? I kinda like muse....

They're great! I saw them last year.

Had a Vexter Fuzz and sold it.

Great for strange stuff, pretty unique sounding. Cool and unpredictable.
But I never managed to use it in an actual song ...

Fuzzfactory=broken Fuzz Face

Rubbish pedal, but it looks cool, so you know there is always that to fall back on.

Fuzzfactory=broken Fuzz Face...Rubbish pedal...

Maybe if you don't have the patience to learn how to use it.

Sure, there are a ton of bad sounds in it. They tell you that. But there are at least as many good ones.

The word "Factory" is the key. You can tweak it to sound like many classic fuzz pedals, but the best sounds IMO are its own take(s) on the smooth, violin-like fuzz.

It really helps to start with the guide settings, which many used pedal buyers aren't aware of.

Because of all the variables in the pedal each one is a little different from the next (I've had 3 different ones and while none was better than the others they each had their own setting ranges). It helps to chart out your preferred settings - like EH's Flanger Hoax if you knock one knob off by 5 degrees it might totally twist your sound, or send it into self-oscillation. Knowing where the "right" settings are so you can dial them in quickly is critical, especially if you use it live.

It's not a pedal for those who like "plug 'n play" stuff...pedals with a switch and one or two knobs. It definitely has a learning curve.

Imsilly's just sore because the pedal fell off his amp and hit his big toe.



What? It could hurt

http://www.musikding.de/Kits/Musikding-Kits/Fuzz/The-Factory-germanium-fuzz-kit::2192.html
im thinking about doing a different fuzz factory kit. not sure how different the two are

I love my Vexter FF, but I wish it had a LPF, as it can get mega-harsh sounding on some settings. It has always been pretty easy for me to dial in some great fuzz tones, however--from Fuzz Faceish tones to nasty Velcro sounds, it can do a bunch of tricks. It's wicked usable in many musical situations, but it obviously doesn't fit in every genre.

I think I got some pretty good quality transistors in mine, too.