Eric Johnson Fuzz?

[benbenben]

Just wondering what is this infamous EJ fuzz tone?
I've always thought of fuzz as that hendrixy sorta 'vintagey' messy sound. I can't imagine EJ using something like that so it must be something else right?

What are some songs or clips on youtube that are good samples of this fuzz tone. I've got a Tweak Fuzz, how will that fare in that sorta style of fuzz.

Do any of you know a good tweak fuzz setting for less extreme fuzz, for blues solos and stuff like that?

 

[Gunny47]

Re: Eric Johnson Fuzz?

Try using the 3rd setting with the gain set at about half and the volume where the amp has penty of break-up on its own. The way to get those smooth fuzz sounds like you are describing is to have put it in front of an amp thats already drivven a medium amount. The fuzz smashes the front end and puts it over the top keeping that same amount of gain almost but adding all this extra sustain, smoothness and just some fuzz quality. I had a gig on friday with my Fender 57 Tweed amp at about half way and the tweak fuzz in front of that and i got some sick sustain (and plenty of comments after the show!)

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Eric Johnson Fuzz?

Eric Johnson uses Si Fuzz Faces into a Marshall along with some other assorted pedals. Remember to use Zinc Carbon batteries for a little lower voltage on the Fuzz Face. He's also got an Echoplex you can't see here.

http://www.ericjohnson.com/graphics/ericjohnson_2001_rig.gif

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Eric Johnson Fuzz?

Eric uses Fuzz Face pedals and has several of them, the trick is that all Fuzz Face pedals are a little different! He is a big fan of the slightly later Blue FF models (shown in the pic above) if thats the sound you are looking for get a Fulltone 70 pedal and just tweak it until it sounds right...

 

[tubeman87]

Re: Eric Johnson Fuzz?

^ +1 Mike Fuller states that he had a chance to check out the "guts" of EJ's Blue Fuzz Face and he used that as a template for his blue 70's Fuzz box. It's worth a look-see.

 

[nebucanazza]

Re: Eric Johnson Fuzz?

Try using the 3rd setting with the gain set at about half and the volume where the amp has penty of break-up on its own. The way to get those smooth fuzz sounds like you are describing is to have put it in front of an amp thats already drivven a medium amount. The fuzz smashes the front end and puts it over the top keeping that same amount of gain almost but adding all this extra sustain, smoothness and just some fuzz quality. I had a gig on friday with my Fender 57 Tweed amp at about half way and the tweak fuzz in front of that and i got some sick sustain (and plenty of comments after the show!)

Fuzz into an overdrive/ overdriving amp sounds wonderful. I love my Huckleberry going into my Tubulator(TS clone) and also my Silver Dragon(nasty stuff!).Basically the overdrive smooths out the fuzz, but retains most of its flavour. Remember to work the guitar volume knob for lots of in between shades of distortion.

 

[benbenben]

Re: Eric Johnson Fuzz?

Can anyone lead me to songs. I'm not really gonna buy a fuzz pedal just to get it. I just sorta wanna know the gist of it. Can i dial in this sorta tone with a Tweak Fuzz? I mean i don't wanna nail it exactly, but just the sorta general style of the fuzz.

 

[jony]

Re: Eric Johnson Fuzz?

For that EJ lead tone, it's actually the Tube Driver. His rhythm tones are with the fuzz.

 

[benbenben]

Re: Eric Johnson Fuzz?

What songs have his fuzz rhythm tone?

 

[MikeF]

Re: Eric Johnson Fuzz?

"Camel's Night Out" from Venus Isle has losts of great EJ Fuzz.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Eric Johnson Fuzz?

For that EJ lead tone, it's actually the Tube Driver. His rhythm tones are with the fuzz.

I know Eric has said several times that the Tube drive is the key to his "violin like" lead tone but the Fuzz Face is also used a lot for leads...also, I have never heard an EJ song that sounded like he was using a fuzz for the rhythm...

 

[Rich_S]

Re: Eric Johnson Fuzz?

The most important part is to make sure after you insert the carbon-zinc battery to attach the top and bottom halves of the Fuzz Face with rubber bands rather than the normal metal screw(s). According to Mr. Johnson, something about the non-conducting rubber vs. conducting screw makes a difference in tone.

I am not making this up - a read it somewhere years ago. However, I notice the FF above has no rubber bands, so maybe he's decided he was being just a teeny bit to fussy.

 

[jony]

Re: Eric Johnson Fuzz?

"Camel's Night Out" from Venus Isle has losts of great EJ Fuzz.

Yeap. That's one that is definitely fuzz. The live version from G3 in 1996 and its even more apparent.

His new album(Bloom) seems to have alot less Tube Driver and alot more Fuzz as well.