SixStringSlinger
Poster Extraordinaire
I use a Fuzz Factory that I like a lot, but I'm curious as to whether something else might be just as satisfying while also addressing some issues.
Here's what I like about the FF:
- Stupid (good) gain range
- Fairly easy to tweak once you get used to the controls
- Different tunable sounds aside from more/less gain (compression, notes sputtering out, attack noise...)
Here's what I don't like about it
- Temperamental about not being first in the chain (even with a true bypass loop switcher that it's in one loop of, there's a difference compared to being plain first)
- Pretty much useless with volume/bass turned down (anything under "10" here turns it into a different sound altogether; all bright and brittle)
- Weak bass and no EQ tweaking (I've been using an EQ pedal in the loop with it; an improvement, but I'm not 100% satisfied)
- No real difference with different pickups on the same guitar
Also of potential importance here: This is all re. using the pedal into a pretty much clean amp; volume and (on guitars with a bass control) bass maxed = some slight crunch (chords) and cut (single notes).
I've been looking at the Carcosa. Good reviews including lots of happy users here. Available for ~$100 or less used. It has one mode dedicated to running into clean(ish) amps. The Before/After controls (particularly the After) seem capable of some of the weirder Fuzz Factory tones. The Hi Cut control is more EQ control than the FF has.
So what can I expect from the Carcosa when rolling back my volume/bass controls (the FF is pretty much useless here for me)? And how's the bass on it, considering I'd run it into a clean amp at somewhere between bedroom and garage volume? And how does it respond to, say, the neck pickup vs. the bridge pickup (I notice no real difference with the FF here, aside from some octave stuff). And I not the Carcosa, then what? The only other fuzz I've used is a Big Muff Nano, and that hasn't impressed me much.
Here's what I like about the FF:
- Stupid (good) gain range
- Fairly easy to tweak once you get used to the controls
- Different tunable sounds aside from more/less gain (compression, notes sputtering out, attack noise...)
Here's what I don't like about it
- Temperamental about not being first in the chain (even with a true bypass loop switcher that it's in one loop of, there's a difference compared to being plain first)
- Pretty much useless with volume/bass turned down (anything under "10" here turns it into a different sound altogether; all bright and brittle)
- Weak bass and no EQ tweaking (I've been using an EQ pedal in the loop with it; an improvement, but I'm not 100% satisfied)
- No real difference with different pickups on the same guitar
Also of potential importance here: This is all re. using the pedal into a pretty much clean amp; volume and (on guitars with a bass control) bass maxed = some slight crunch (chords) and cut (single notes).
I've been looking at the Carcosa. Good reviews including lots of happy users here. Available for ~$100 or less used. It has one mode dedicated to running into clean(ish) amps. The Before/After controls (particularly the After) seem capable of some of the weirder Fuzz Factory tones. The Hi Cut control is more EQ control than the FF has.
So what can I expect from the Carcosa when rolling back my volume/bass controls (the FF is pretty much useless here for me)? And how's the bass on it, considering I'd run it into a clean amp at somewhere between bedroom and garage volume? And how does it respond to, say, the neck pickup vs. the bridge pickup (I notice no real difference with the FF here, aside from some octave stuff). And I not the Carcosa, then what? The only other fuzz I've used is a Big Muff Nano, and that hasn't impressed me much.
