fickle or fuzz? (Super Fuzz, 69, 70????)

Axis29 · April 4th, 2008, 12:39 PM

So I've been playing around with the idea of adding more grit to my pedal board.... I have a ts-9 modded to 808 specs and I like it, but it doesn't get dirty enough for some things I want to play with.

Never having owned a fuzz pedal before, I have a conundrum.

I have listened to a few Youtube samples and like the Fulltone 69 and 70 (or maybe even a soul bender?) pedals... then I found a clip of the Voodoo Labs Super Fuzz. So, now I'm at a loss.

Anybody like any of these over others or have other suggestions that won't absolutely break the bank?

Lance has suggested a DIY or maybe an OCD to get me there.... But I am completely unsure now. I do like the sound of his OCD, but I think I want an actual fuzz pedal to grunge with.

I will say I haven't been impressed with any of the Muff pedals. Maybe it was the samples I've heard, but I just didn't warm up to the sounds I heard.

So help me out here fellas... What I'm looking for is not the heavy metal super crunch, but gritty tight tube organic sounding stuff. I ma thinking the Hendrix type fuzz tone? Maybe even playing around with something that approaches Boston from time to time?

Also, how do you use your fuzzes?

vjf1968 · April 4th, 2008, 01:07 PM

I found that the Prescription Electronics "Yardbox" to be an excellent fuzz pedal. It's very versatile and it doesn't muddy up when you play chords. If your looking for something a little cheaper you can check out the Ashbass Fuzzbrite which is a clone of the Mosrite Fuzzrite pedal which was used by the Ventures and Davy Allen. Ashbass is selling them on Ebay for $105.00

http://cgi.ebay.com/FUZZbrite-by-Ash...ZZ-Pedal-Clone

Lance · April 4th, 2008, 03:54 PM

I haven't plugged them in for a while....and needed to fix up a couple....but I'll bring three home brews. A Rocket Fuzz (public domain web design); a Foxx tone Machine, and an Octavia. Not quite the same as a '69...but all freaky in their own way.

(maybe I gotta leave the OCD with you over the weekend so you can see why it's so darn good.)

Filthy McNasty · April 4th, 2008, 05:09 PM

I am new to fuzz as well and I feel that I struck gold with the Tonefactor/Mojo Hand Huckleberry. The Huck is a very versatile fuzz. In a nutshell it is a Fuzz Face clone with a Muff tone stack. The new version two has a thickness control that looks very cool.

JimiBryant · April 4th, 2008, 05:29 PM

fuzz boxes are all going to vary - even sometimes in the same brand!

the best fuzz is usually a VERY simple circuit, and always best with a
cheap battery from the dollar store, not an alkaline, no Duracell, no
Eveready (unless it's the non-alkaline one) and certainly not from a
power supply.. don't know why but a slightly discharged battery will
always sound the best for wahs and fuzz boxes.

anyhoo: Fulltones are nice, very nice - and consistent.
I have all three and the Soul Bender is pretty much the exact same as
my early ('66) Vox Tonebender to my ears.. the '69 and '70 are pretty
unruly Fuzz Face clones although they don't always mix well with other
pedals.

get a Dunlop Fuzz Face and have somebody mod it with vintage diodes
or capacitors or whatever it is.. I had Analog Man modify mine and it's
like CREAM or early HENDRIX I kid you not.

the RAT is great! yes, the RAT is noisy - but who cares it's a fuzz!

MXR Distortion + is a classic and it's been cloned by jillions of boutique
builders..

I've never been keen on most Big Muffs I've tried, but I gotta say the
BIG MOAF is pretty freakin' sweet - it's based on a triangle knob Muff,
which I probably tried back in high school days as that's when they
were new, as it were.

the Keely Fuzz Head is pretty sweet and somewhat tweakable as well.
really nice quality and not really a copy of anybody else's circuit.

I'd love to get an original Mosrite Fuzzrite, good luck finding one
nowadays for less than $500!!

anyway the choices these days are infinite - so you may as well just
pick something and see if it works - then exchange/upgrade as you
see fit.. truly, the fuzz box is always going to be "one man's meat
another's poison" so you have to try 'em with YOUR guitar and YOUR
amp in YOUR typical playing situation otherwise it's hard to tell one
from another, really.

April 4th, 2008, 12:39 PM	#1 (permalink)
Axis29 Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Virginia, USA Age: 40 Posts: 1,065 1 Photos	fickle or fuzz? (Super Fuzz, 69, 70????) So I've been playing around with the idea of adding more grit to my pedal board.... I have a ts-9 modded to 808 specs and I like it, but it doesn't get dirty enough for some things I want to play with. Never having owned a fuzz pedal before, I have a conundrum. I have listened to a few Youtube samples and like the Fulltone 69 and 70 (or maybe even a soul bender?) pedals... then I found a clip of the Voodoo Labs Super Fuzz. So, now I'm at a loss. Anybody like any of these over others or have other suggestions that won't absolutely break the bank? Lance has suggested a DIY or maybe an OCD to get me there.... But I am completely unsure now. I do like the sound of his OCD, but I think I want an actual fuzz pedal to grunge with. I will say I haven't been impressed with any of the Muff pedals. Maybe it was the samples I've heard, but I just didn't warm up to the sounds I heard. So help me out here fellas... What I'm looking for is not the heavy metal super crunch, but gritty tight tube organic sounding stuff. I ma thinking the Hendrix type fuzz tone? Maybe even playing around with something that approaches Boston from time to time? Also, how do you use your fuzzes? __________________ John F. TDPRI # 1764

April 4th, 2008, 01:07 PM	#2 (permalink)
vjf1968 Tele-Holic Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Philadelphia Age: 40 Posts: 896 7 Photos	I found that the Prescription Electronics "Yardbox" to be an excellent fuzz pedal. It's very versatile and it doesn't muddy up when you play chords. If your looking for something a little cheaper you can check out the Ashbass Fuzzbrite which is a clone of the Mosrite Fuzzrite pedal which was used by the Ventures and Davy Allen. Ashbass is selling them on Ebay for $105.00 http://cgi.ebay.com/FUZZbrite-by-Ash...ZZ-Pedal-Clone __________________ "the cult aesthetic of liking only what's obscure is just as sick of being mindlessly led around by the nose" -Mark Mothersbaugh

April 4th, 2008, 03:54 PM	#3 (permalink)
Lance Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 2,180	I haven't plugged them in for a while....and needed to fix up a couple....but I'll bring three home brews. A Rocket Fuzz (public domain web design); a Foxx tone Machine, and an Octavia. Not quite the same as a '69...but all freaky in their own way. (maybe I gotta leave the OCD with you over the weekend so you can see why it's so darn good.) __________________ Lance "not very good...but I make up for it by playing loud"

April 4th, 2008, 05:29 PM	#5 (permalink)
JimiBryant Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Chicago Chicago that toddlin' town Age: 46 Posts: 1,842	fuzz boxes are all going to vary - even sometimes in the same brand! the best fuzz is usually a VERY simple circuit, and always best with a cheap battery from the dollar store, not an alkaline, no Duracell, no Eveready (unless it's the non-alkaline one) and certainly not from a power supply.. don't know why but a slightly discharged battery will always sound the best for wahs and fuzz boxes. anyhoo: Fulltones are nice, very nice - and consistent. I have all three and the Soul Bender is pretty much the exact same as my early ('66) Vox Tonebender to my ears.. the '69 and '70 are pretty unruly Fuzz Face clones although they don't always mix well with other pedals. get a Dunlop Fuzz Face and have somebody mod it with vintage diodes or capacitors or whatever it is.. I had Analog Man modify mine and it's like CREAM or early HENDRIX I kid you not. the RAT is great! yes, the RAT is noisy - but who cares it's a fuzz! MXR Distortion + is a classic and it's been cloned by jillions of boutique builders.. I've never been keen on most Big Muffs I've tried, but I gotta say the BIG MOAF is pretty freakin' sweet - it's based on a triangle knob Muff, which I probably tried back in high school days as that's when they were new, as it were. the Keely Fuzz Head is pretty sweet and somewhat tweakable as well. really nice quality and not really a copy of anybody else's circuit. I'd love to get an original Mosrite Fuzzrite, good luck finding one nowadays for less than $500!! anyway the choices these days are infinite - so you may as well just pick something and see if it works - then exchange/upgrade as you see fit.. truly, the fuzz box is always going to be "one man's meat another's poison" so you have to try 'em with YOUR guitar and YOUR amp in YOUR typical playing situation otherwise it's hard to tell one from another, really. __________________ *we all shine on, like the moon and the stars and the sun.* Last edited by JimiBryant; April 4th, 2008 at 05:34 PM. Reason: speling

April 4th, 2008, 05:09 PM	#4 (permalink)
Filthy McNasty Tele-Holic Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: upstate N.Y. Age: 39 Posts: 679	I am new to fuzz as well and I feel that I struck gold with the Tonefactor/Mojo Hand Huckleberry. The Huck is a very versatile fuzz. In a nutshell it is a Fuzz Face clone with a Muff tone stack. The new version two has a thickness control that looks very cool.