Anyone Compare Older Vs. Current Catalinbread Fuzzrite?

[Radspin]

What the thread title says...I have an older Catalinbread Fuzzrite, not the latest one labeled "A Catalinbread/Moseley Collaboration." The newer one is different according to the description on the Catalinbread website.

I love the sound of my older one precisely because it's NOT an exact clone...it's got more lower midrange from what I remember (had an original but it broke a few years ago, also had an Ashbass Fuzzbrite) and while it still gets a great nasty-fuzz sound it's not as razor-blade, take-your-head-off trebly as I remember the original and the Ashbass being. But still, there's nothing QUITE like THAT sound for when you want to go full-on surf music garage-band trashy and I'm starting to miss it a little...

Anyone compare the two versions? I know there are other supposedly spot-on Fuzzrite clones out there but I like the build quality and form factor of the Catalinbread.

 

[BBill64]

I'm in the same position as you, I have the older Cbread fuzzrite. They said they had super-accurate component values from the Moseley kid that's all growed up now, but everybody's known how to build proper Fuzzrites for years so that sounds like marketing BS.

I wish they'd do the Mad Professor thing and offer versions of their pedals with chassis-mounted sockets and stuff. The 9v dc input is just asking to be broken on this pedal (fortunately, I use batteries).

 

[Devillian]

Interested in this as well. Got my eye on the new fuzzrite.

My suspicion is that it's pretty much the same, and that the catalinbread crew are just showing the Moseley family some love and acknowledgement with a bit of re-branding and new marketing etc etc

But heck, sounds like a great pedal. Keen to check it out

 

[Radspin]

I'm certainly happy with it. The online demos give you a flavor of what the pedal does but I don't think they capture what it really sounds like in person.

I find that it sounds really good with chords (as well as for single note playing) for reasons I can't explain. Some fuzzes just give you an undifferentiated wall of noise (which may not be a bad thing if that's what you want) but the Catalinbread gives you this great "grind" especially on power chords and chords on the lowest strings and I find this sound to be incredibly addicting.

 

[rocknroll4life]

I have the first version and it's good.... would also be very interested to compare to the new version to see if there really is a difference

 

[Daddy Hojo]

How do you set up the controls on your fuzzrite. I built a clone and it certainly not as straightforward as tone and volume. It sounds great (and ironicly nasty) at almost any setting. I'm kinda digging mine with both knobs at 12:00.

 

[artdecade]

Moseley didn't design it - Ed Sanner did. The whole idea that they have some type of secret sauce is marketing B.S. If Catalinbread really wanted to give someone some love, they should have given Ed a call and collaborated with him. He is still alive and making pedals with Hallmark Guitars.

 

[Radspin]

I use it with the fuzz control all the way up and the volume a little more past the volume of the guitar/amp with the pedal off. I want FUZZ from this pedal! Although you can get a variety of sounds by backing off the volume control of the guitar.

 

[BBill64]

Moseley didn't design it - Ed Sanner did. The whole idea that they have some type of secret sauce is marketing B.S. If Catalinbread really wanted to give someone some love, they should have given Ed a call and collaborated with him. He is still alive and making pedals with Hallmark Guitars.

Makes sense. So the only 'improvement' is the neater graphics?

I think I'll live with mine.

 

[Daddy Hojo]

I love the way that this pedal is really touch sensitive. If you hit it really hard, it'll kinda squash and skrunch a bit more than if you just barely touch it. I also dig how there is always a bit of the clean signal lurking in the mix if you dial back the guitar volume. Fuzzrites are great for recording too as they add so much grit and character. I recently used my clone on the soundtrack to a horror film my friends put together and it sounded awesome. Had that Morricone western feel in spades.

 

[Radspin]

Any updates on this thread? I'm curious as to whether anyone has done an A/B between the two versions. I've read one review where the reviewer noted that there was more range in the Depth control, but other than that I haven't been able to find anything online.

 

[sanfi4u]

Any updates on this thread? I'm curious as to whether anyone has done an A/B between the two versions. I've read one review where the reviewer noted that there was more range in the Depth control, but other than that I haven't been able to find anything online.

No answer since April? Seems it's the right time to contribute. First off, please check my post here. I posted it when CB Moseley Fuzzrite version was just released, exactly a year ago. I had an original CB Fuzzrite by then and was guessing what Moseley version is. I managed to get me Moseley Fuzzrite since then and compare the pedals. I had to say original CB Fuzzrite (2015) was already a high quality build overall (high quality parts, well built). CB advertised it as an exact Fuzzrite clone. Then CB releases a Moseley Fuzzrite in 2016 and says it's even closer to the original pedal. Both pedals are Silicon transistor Fuzzrite fuzzes and even look quite similar. So what has changed? Moseley uses NOS Si transistors that according to CB are closer to the ones installed in the original Silicon Fuzzrite. This is the major change. It also employs some NOS passive parts, onboard power filtering is eliminated. Other than that they stay quite similar and sound alike. Moseley one sounds a bit more consistent to my ears, with a better defined harmonic structure and more even decay of the notes. I'd say if you have none of them then go for Moseley Fuzzrite. If you already have the original CB Fuzzrite than no need to bother. And only if you are a die hard fuzz lover - get both. As both pedals are really good.

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