Fuzz question

[KuuKOO]

Never had a fuzz before but I'm looking to approximate a Burrito Bros or late 60s Byrds-Clarence white sound. Any suggestions? I have been looking at a Wattson FY-6 (superfuzz clone) as well as a BE Twosome for flexibility.

Current setup is tuner- phaser - Carl Martin Quattro- carr rambler. Phaser is only for Waylon stuff. I think the effects loop is a bit messed so perhaps put the fuzz before everything?

Thoughts much appreciated.

[tele salivas]

I have best results from the fuzz somewhere at the front of the chain. I put my Phaser(block loge MXR) before everything, so the phaser doesn't get too driven on the mids. Your phaser may not have that issue. I really like the samples I hear from the Wattson FY-2. Looks like it is built really well, too! Very nice looks and beautifully retro sound. I think that would fit your needs perfectly. I think that would fit my needs as well! How different is the F-6 from what we hear in the F-2 ?

[KuuKOO]

There's a reply here...
http://www.ilovefuzz.com/viewtopic.p...12167&start=15

[AskewLife]

Originally Posted by KuuKOO

Never had a fuzz before but I'm looking to approximate a Burrito Bros or late 60s Byrds-Clarence white sound. Any suggestions? I have been looking at a Wattson FY-6 (superfuzz clone) as well as a BE Twosome for flexibility.

Current setup is tuner- phaser - Carl Martin Quattro- carr rambler. Phaser is only for Waylon stuff. I think the effects loop is a bit messed so perhaps put the fuzz before everything?

Thoughts much appreciated.

Your Fuzz pedal "should" be in order after your tuner. I say should as a basic starting point. It's your sound so there are no rules.

[andrenighthound]

Get a "modified"
Creepy Finger Effects F U -2
Is is really an FY-2
I had Brad make me that pedal to get that Flying Burritos Brothers tone for the song "wheels" and he nailed it.
Keep in mind that tone came from a pedal steel with big strings and high tension. A bass guitar or baritone could do it for you.

[mal paso]

As a huge Parsons fan, I just want to say, i think this thread is awesome!



And i think i need to get me one of them fuzz pedals! For country, who knew?





(Thanks for the heads up on Creepy Fingers btw)

[KuuKOO]

We do a version of Sweet Mental Revenge (listen to the FBB live version) that is reallly fuzzy and the OD on the Quattro isn't THAT sound. :)

Also Lover of the Bayou...

Thanks for the suggestion-- Creepy Fingers aren't carried by anyone I know here but I'll check..

[andrenighthound]

You order directly from him. Trust me I got a whole bunch from him direct and never ordered any production model he offered...yet.

Here ya go: cfeffects@gmail.com

[andrenighthound]

ps. keep us posted on what you get and how you like it...

[andrenighthound]

http://www.amazon.com/Caffina/dp/B004X96ROC
Here I couldn't resist. Here is that exact pedal FY-2 (modified with a mid range knob +, I think I had the mid range knob in the middle) from Creepy Fingers I used to record this track. Check out the fuzz tone to see if you like it.

[vjf1968]

Voodoo Labs Superfuzz. It's a clone of the Jordan Boss Tone. It will get you that sound and it is very versatile.

[andrenighthound]

Here is Brad discussing to me the tone from "wheels": "Judging from the fuzz in that song its definitely something that has some upper octave overtones. The Kay fuzz as well as the Univox Superfuzz has an octave generator in the circuit. There are simpler
two transistor fuzzes that also do this. The Fuzzrite, The FY-2, The Jordan Bosstone. Although that tone is reminiscent of the Kay I don't think that's what the guy is using. The Kay has sort of a chewy sound with less detail and texture in the top end. Its a less complex sort of fuzz tone when compared to a Superfuzz. His sound has more of a midscoop to it as well. I'd actually recommend a modified FY-2 . I add a tone control to vary the amount of midscoop, increase the output (the Kay has very weak output in its stock form) and I modify the attack control so you can really dial in the out of phase sound with the two transistors. I think that would get you a lot closer to that sound than a Kay would. Its important to know that what you're hearing isn't a guitar but a pedal steel. There's some low notes getting hit that are being played on some thick, high tension strings. Almost like a bass. That gives the fuzz that really solid, driven tone. Plug a Tele with light strings or something similar in and you won't get the same sound."

I really like the fact that he really knows his fuzz tones.

[tele salivas]

I was just checking out some sample bites from Creepy Fingers' selection of fuzz. WHOA! This stuff sounds excellent. He does an Ampeg Scrambler(Pink Elephant)?! That is so cool. Nobody does that one. The F U -2 sounds and looks killer, too. It's pricy, but nothing that is outrageous for the market, especially when the guy is using premium electronic parts, some which ain't easy to find. Thanks for the heads up Andre Nighthound.

[andrenighthound]

No problem just glad to spread the word! Keep in mind, he'll make you anything you want. Even a vintage fuzz, he will modify it (if its possible) for what ever you want it as well. He just made me a "LAB RAT" which is a RAT with lots of switches and knobs, I should be getting it today or tomorrow!

[zombiwoof]

As for placement of the fuzz, remember that many vintage fuzzes and their clones do not like a low impedance (or buffered) source before them, they want to see a higher impedance input signal (as guitar pickups put out). So, if you put a tuner in front of the fuzz, make sure it has true bypass, and not buffered bypass. I would actually put it after the fuzz just to be sure the fuzz will work properly.

Al

[Telesavalis]

Be sure to check out the Analog Man and Plumb Crazy Fuzzy Lady fuzzes.

[Chiogtr4x]

Originally Posted by Telesavalis

Be sure to check out the Analog Man and Plumb Crazy Fuzzy Lady fuzzes.

Can't afford anything now, but I think that Fuzzy Lady sounds very cool- nice sustain with the fuzz....

[andrenighthound]

If you order a pedal from creepy, he don't charge you until the pedal is made so you got about a month to save up! lol

[KuuKOO]

I'd like to order but have a gig tomorrow that I really want a fuzz for. Maybe I'll borrow one for the time being...

[tele salivas]

Originally Posted by KuuKOO

I'd like to order but have a gig tomorrow that I really want a fuzz for. Maybe I'll borrow one for the time being...

Yeah , borrow one for the night. That way you can get the exact thing you want. Fuzz is one of those things that has to fit right or it will go right back in a week or two anyway.

[artdecade]

Fredric Unpleasant Companion - Shin-Ei Companion clone. Made in the UK.

[Steelpicki'n]

I like this one:
http://www.robertkeeley.com/products...als/fuzz-head/

[andrenighthound]

Please lets not get of the topic and start naming fuzzes that we all like. The OP was looking for a distinctive fuzz tone. So a fuzz head would not be the tone he was asking for. The fuzz head is a distortion/fuzz. I had it for a while. The fuzz the OP is asking for is a buzzing horn type fuzz which is different. Which is why I recommended the FY-2.

[vjf1968]

The sound on "Wheels" is more the steel guitar then the fuzz. IDK if Red Rhodes built a fuzz for Sneaky Pete but a lot of steel players in L.A. had stuff custom built by Rhodes or they bought a Jordan Boss Tone for fuzz. Remember that the Boss Tone was not a pedal but a box that plugged into the instrument and then your cable plugged into then into the amp. If you seen an original Boss Tone it looks like it was designed with steel players in mind.

I still say save yourself the money and time and get the Voodoo Labs Superfuzz since that is a clone of the Jordan and would be closer to what was used.

[fezz parka]

I like 'em to spit, like on this track: Animal/Cannibal

[telefunken]

Originally Posted by Steelpicki'n

I like this one:
http://www.robertkeeley.com/products...als/fuzz-head/

Funny thing is....while the FuzzHead is one of my all-time favorite pedals. I never ever recommend it to anyone looking for a "Fuzz". It sounds like the cleanest FuzzFace or the dirtiest OD on the planet. Get one, but get a "Fuzz" also!

[Lowbassnotes]

I got a Mosrite Fuzzrite version 1 clone recently and really like it. Seems pretty fuzzy to me, I wanted that old 60's movie fuzz and it seems to get me there. I can see collecting fuzzes could become addictive, I tried a Tonebender clone and it was a hard choice between the two.

[andrenighthound]

Yeah fuzzes addicting. I got clones of an Fy-2, Ibanez Standard Fuzz, Peachfuzz, Green russian muff, vox star stream. (This new Rat I got is also kinda fuzzy.)

Hey VJF1968, I'll try that voodoo lab fuzz to compare with my Fy-2 to see what hits that Wheels tone.

[vjf1968]

Originally Posted by andrenighthound

Yeah fuzzes addicting. I got clones of an Fy-2, Ibanez Standard Fuzz, Peachfuzz, Green russian muff, vox star stream. (This new Rat I got is also kinda fuzzy.)

Hey VJF1968, I'll try that voodoo lab fuzz to compare with my Fy-2 to see what hits that Wheels tone.

Try it with the tone @12:00 and the resonance knob fully to the left to get the original sound of the original Boss Tone.

[KuuKOO]

Ok so what actually happened was:

Rather than going out to the store and buying a >$200 pedal I tried a bunch at my local store. For the Clarence sound I tried a Fender Fuzz/Wah reissue and the mild fuzz he has on Lover of the Bayou sounded pretty spot on-- but I could tell it was fairly mild and not a versatile at all. And I never use Wah. I tried a Kay fuzz clone that was too wild for me.

A guy there told me to get a Big Muff Pi w Wicker and return it if I didnt like it and I tried it out and it sounded REALLY great-- surprisingly -- with the Wicker on and the tone off it was pretty close.

BUT I made the mistake of not trying it with my current setup before the gig. :) Plugged in and it HOWLED so I turned the vol and sustain down on the pedal. Then slowly up and Feedback central. Then switched it off and earsplitting pop. Ultimately unplugged it and looked at it longingly during the gig. The quattro has a useable overdrive but not.the.same. :(

I think I'll either try it out at home with different cables etc or it's going back for something that agrees with the current setup.

I know nothing about pedals.

[andrenighthound]

Fuzzes are funny. Sometimes it helps to turn the volume knob on the guitar down.

[vjf1968]

Originally Posted by andrenighthound

Fuzzes are funny. Sometimes it helps to turn the volume knob on the guitar down.

That is more common with a fuzz using germanium transistors. I know Davy Allen used to complain how useless a Mosrite Fuzz Rite to him playing live dates becuase he could not get the intensity of the fuzz without turning down the volume of his guitar. Today the King Of Fuzz uses a RAT and a Tubescreamer for his fuzz.

It seems those early fuzz boxes were really intended for studio use and not for stage. If you remeber the Maestro Fuzz came with a lead hard wired to the pedal. Here is Jeff with a Maestro Fuzz. At least I think its a Maestro.

[andrenighthound]

Originally Posted by vjf1968

That is more common with a fuzz using germanium transistors. I know Davy Allen used to complain how useless a Mosrite Fuzz Rite to him playing live dates becuase he could not get the intensity of the fuzz without turning down the volume of his guitar.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbog--5MJM0">YouTube Link</a>

Well actually what I'm talking about is to tame uncontrollable fuzz by turning the vol of the guitar down. And I'm talking about silicon transistor fuzz pedals. I don't use germanium because they suck for live performances. Turning down the gain changes the fuzz tone so you can get more types of fuzz.

[KuuKOO]

I don't think it was a volume problem actually-- either a defective cable or pedal because the kinds of sounds that were coming out were NOT right.