Fuzz Face: What is it?
- Thread starter Armotron
- Start date
STRATDELUXER97
Stratoblaster Tone Meister
Re: Fuzz Face: What is it?
Early "Fuzz" pedal made by Roger Mayer(Pedal Guru) in England...Listen to the first 2 Hendrix albums...I like the Fulltone 69 and it's a copy and upgraded pedal of the fuzz face Hendrix used in 69....Early models of this pedal were made with smoother sounding germanium diodes...The later versions used harsher sounding silicon diodes...The Fulltone 69 uses the Germanium and the 70 pedal uses the silicon,but Mike Fuller's pedals both sound great in either case...Some of the Dunlop Fuzz faces sound terrible to me! Bright,sterile,and harsh....If you want a great fuzz device,be sure to go with a high quality boutique type...Early style fuzz pedals also load your input signal to your amp and don't work too great with some wahs..
John
Armotron said:
Early "Fuzz" pedal made by Roger Mayer(Pedal Guru) in England...Listen to the first 2 Hendrix albums...I like the Fulltone 69 and it's a copy and upgraded pedal of the fuzz face Hendrix used in 69....Early models of this pedal were made with smoother sounding germanium diodes...The later versions used harsher sounding silicon diodes...The Fulltone 69 uses the Germanium and the 70 pedal uses the silicon,but Mike Fuller's pedals both sound great in either case...Some of the Dunlop Fuzz faces sound terrible to me! Bright,sterile,and harsh....If you want a great fuzz device,be sure to go with a high quality boutique type...Early style fuzz pedals also load your input signal to your amp and don't work too great with some wahs..
John
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Armotron
New member
Re: Fuzz Face: What is it?
I like Hendrix alot, what did a fuzz do to his sound, i still dont really understand exactly what it does sound wise, does it just make it sound fuzzy or something? Did he use it on every song on the first album, if so i understand what it does. Would a Fulltone 69 do well with a wah wah and other effects? How much does go for usually$???
I like Hendrix alot, what did a fuzz do to his sound, i still dont really understand exactly what it does sound wise, does it just make it sound fuzzy or something? Did he use it on every song on the first album, if so i understand what it does. Would a Fulltone 69 do well with a wah wah and other effects? How much does go for usually$???
STRATDELUXER97
Stratoblaster Tone Meister
Re: Fuzz Face: What is it?
That's right...You're 100% right...Mayer was the tone tweaker behind Hendrix's pedals....Thanks for the corrections...
John
brianwenz said:
That's right...You're 100% right...Mayer was the tone tweaker behind Hendrix's pedals....Thanks for the corrections...
John
flank
New member
Re: Fuzz Face: What is it?
so, i know these fuzz pedals are fairly simple circuits.......so what constitutes the better sound from a boutique pedal compared to something i could build myself?......... i figure it would just be quality of components, but say i was to build up a clone of the axis circuit and used just standard parts......would it sound half way decent?
so, i know these fuzz pedals are fairly simple circuits.......so what constitutes the better sound from a boutique pedal compared to something i could build myself?......... i figure it would just be quality of components, but say i was to build up a clone of the axis circuit and used just standard parts......would it sound half way decent?
STRATDELUXER97
Stratoblaster Tone Meister
Re: Fuzz Face: What is it?
I've never built my own fuzz pedal,but I Know 2 things that really make a difference in the tone...
The type of diodes you use...
Matching of the diodes....
After that it's the circuit design you choose and of course great components..You'd have to decide on whether you like germanium or silicon? I think "Small Bear Electronics" has the parts you'd need...
flank said:
I've never built my own fuzz pedal,but I Know 2 things that really make a difference in the tone...
The type of diodes you use...
Matching of the diodes....
After that it's the circuit design you choose and of course great components..You'd have to decide on whether you like germanium or silicon? I think "Small Bear Electronics" has the parts you'd need...
Evan Skopp
SDUGF Founder
Re: Fuzz Face: What is it?
The coolest fuzz face-type pedal I've ever heard was the Alex Saraceno Afro-Fuzz. I love that pedal!
The coolest fuzz face-type pedal I've ever heard was the Alex Saraceno Afro-Fuzz. I love that pedal!
Re: Fuzz Face: What is it?
Hello Hello--
The Fuzz Face circuit is very simple to build. I would say to stay clear of germanium transistors for your first build, though, 'cuz even if you get a good pair they are temperature "unstable" and can sound great one night and crap the next. I really like the sound of germ FF's but I don't use 'em on live gigs.
A good silicon FF will be more "useable" and can sound a little "fuzzier" then a germ.
I've made lots of FF and Axis pedals, and the Axis circuit is not as simple to make but sounds great and is MUCH more variable then the FF. The Axis sounds alot better with humbucker-equipped guitars, too [that's one reason Hendrix used it from late '68 'til '70.]
Both of these pedals sound best with either Marshall or Vox amps [designed in England to be played on English amps!] They can sound crappy through some Fender amps.
The boutique stuff is WAY overpriced and can be duplicated by anyone who knows how to build pedal circuits. I love making my own stuff 'cuz I can custom-tweak it for my own amps and guitars.
Brian.
Hello Hello--
The Fuzz Face circuit is very simple to build. I would say to stay clear of germanium transistors for your first build, though, 'cuz even if you get a good pair they are temperature "unstable" and can sound great one night and crap the next. I really like the sound of germ FF's but I don't use 'em on live gigs.
A good silicon FF will be more "useable" and can sound a little "fuzzier" then a germ.
I've made lots of FF and Axis pedals, and the Axis circuit is not as simple to make but sounds great and is MUCH more variable then the FF. The Axis sounds alot better with humbucker-equipped guitars, too [that's one reason Hendrix used it from late '68 'til '70.]
Both of these pedals sound best with either Marshall or Vox amps [designed in England to be played on English amps!] They can sound crappy through some Fender amps.
The boutique stuff is WAY overpriced and can be duplicated by anyone who knows how to build pedal circuits. I love making my own stuff 'cuz I can custom-tweak it for my own amps and guitars.
Brian.
STRATDELUXER97
Stratoblaster Tone Meister
Re: Fuzz Face: What is it?
Brian....Verbatim right off the fuzz central site.... :wink:
http://fuzzcentral.tripod.com/axisfacesi.html
brianwenz said:
Brian....Verbatim right off the fuzz central site.... :wink:
http://fuzzcentral.tripod.com/axisfacesi.html
Re: Fuzz Face: What is it?
Hello Hello-
Careful.....don't confuse the Axis Face [which is a slightly modified Fuzz Face] with the original Roger Mayer Axis Fuzz. They are completely different circuits! Phillip [at Fuzz Central] uses the name "Axis" for his line of fuzz pedals but it has nothing to do with the Mayers' much earlier [1968] circuit.
Brian.
Hello Hello-
Careful.....don't confuse the Axis Face [which is a slightly modified Fuzz Face] with the original Roger Mayer Axis Fuzz. They are completely different circuits! Phillip [at Fuzz Central] uses the name "Axis" for his line of fuzz pedals but it has nothing to do with the Mayers' much earlier [1968] circuit.
Brian.
L
Lewguitar
Guest
Re: Fuzz Face: What is it?
Until I got my Fulltone '69 Pedal, I thought I hated Fuzzfaces! Every one, new or old, that I plugged into over the last 30 years just sounded fuzzy...but not like Hendrix.
Mike Fuller builds the best Fuzz Face I have ever used. When I plug it into my Fulltone Clyde Wah or my Vox 847 that John modded, it is as close to Jimi Hendrix in a Box as I have ever....EXPERIENCED! :laugh2: No kidding!
The Fulltone '69 has the sound I've been looking for for over 30 years. Sounds just like Hendrix's tone.
Lew
Until I got my Fulltone '69 Pedal, I thought I hated Fuzzfaces! Every one, new or old, that I plugged into over the last 30 years just sounded fuzzy...but not like Hendrix.
Mike Fuller builds the best Fuzz Face I have ever used. When I plug it into my Fulltone Clyde Wah or my Vox 847 that John modded, it is as close to Jimi Hendrix in a Box as I have ever....EXPERIENCED! :laugh2: No kidding!
The Fulltone '69 has the sound I've been looking for for over 30 years. Sounds just like Hendrix's tone.
Lew
Re: Fuzz Face: What is it?
Hello Hello-
Most re-issue FF's sound like crap. Actually, alot of the originals need a little work on the bias to sound good, too. [ Mayer modded Hendrix's Fuzz Faces .] All Fuller did was use stable transistors and a few simple mods to insure that each unit sounded good out-of-the-box.
Brian.
Hello Hello-
Most re-issue FF's sound like crap. Actually, alot of the originals need a little work on the bias to sound good, too. [ Mayer modded Hendrix's Fuzz Faces .] All Fuller did was use stable transistors and a few simple mods to insure that each unit sounded good out-of-the-box.
Brian.
L
Lewguitar
Guest
Re: Fuzz Face: What is it?
It's a very simple circuit. So the fix is simple too. Regardless, Mike Fuller got the simple fix right and others did not...because, as you said, " most reissue FF's sound crap!"
Lew
brianwenz said:
It's a very simple circuit. So the fix is simple too. Regardless, Mike Fuller got the simple fix right and others did not...because, as you said, " most reissue FF's sound crap!"
Lew
STRATDELUXER97
Stratoblaster Tone Meister
Re: Fuzz Face: What is it?
it's simple....I'm going to just treat myself to Mike's 69 pedal and be done with it! I trust lew's ears an awful lot,plus I heard lew play through his own 69 pedal...
John
Lewguitar said:It's a very simple circuit. So the fix is simple too. Regardless, Mike Fuller got the simple fix right and others did not...because, as you said, " most reissue FF's sound crap!"
it's simple....I'm going to just treat myself to Mike's 69 pedal and be done with it! I trust lew's ears an awful lot,plus I heard lew play through his own 69 pedal...
John
Re: Fuzz Face: What is it?
Hello Hello--
Hi Lew! Are you using mostly Fenders [with single coil pickups] with the FF? I've had to put a lower value input cap. for use with humbuckers [way to "woofy"] Oops, I just noticed your list of guitars......yep, mostly Fenders!
If you ever get a chance to try a good Vox [or Sola Sound] Tonebender [with good germanium transistors] do so! I've found them much more useable in a band setting [playing LOUD] then the FF. Actually, the Mayer Axis circuit is really good, too. Everything Hendrix did in the '69 - '70 era [Band of Gypsies, etc....] is the Axis.
Don't get me wrong...the Fuller pedal sounds good, it's just that alot of people were doing those mods way before he was!
Brian.
Hello Hello--
Hi Lew! Are you using mostly Fenders [with single coil pickups] with the FF? I've had to put a lower value input cap. for use with humbuckers [way to "woofy"] Oops, I just noticed your list of guitars......yep, mostly Fenders!
If you ever get a chance to try a good Vox [or Sola Sound] Tonebender [with good germanium transistors] do so! I've found them much more useable in a band setting [playing LOUD] then the FF. Actually, the Mayer Axis circuit is really good, too. Everything Hendrix did in the '69 - '70 era [Band of Gypsies, etc....] is the Axis.
Don't get me wrong...the Fuller pedal sounds good, it's just that alot of people were doing those mods way before he was!
Brian.
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L
Lewguitar
Guest
Re: Fuzz Face: What is it?
Thanks John...
On an unrelated note: the latest mods you did to my #2 Vox 847 Wah Wah are sounding AWESOME! :dance: The only drawback to making everything adjustable is that it takes some fiddling...well worth the trouble if you're a fiddler by nature, like you and I. But my buddy AJ prefers my #1 Vox 847 Wah Wah because he thinks the non-adjustable version is set right where it should be anyway. I like being able to back it off a little when I want to...
Lew
STRATDELUXER97 said:
Thanks John...
On an unrelated note: the latest mods you did to my #2 Vox 847 Wah Wah are sounding AWESOME! :dance: The only drawback to making everything adjustable is that it takes some fiddling...well worth the trouble if you're a fiddler by nature, like you and I. But my buddy AJ prefers my #1 Vox 847 Wah Wah because he thinks the non-adjustable version is set right where it should be anyway. I like being able to back it off a little when I want to...
Lew
