Help me learn the ways of the fuzz

THE DUG

THE DUG

New member
I've never been a fuzz guy,I've always been an OD/Screamer type.But I've never really tried one either.

My buddy got ahold of a fulltone 69' and he swears it is the missing link in tone for him.

So now Im on the hunt .I want to try some and there are some good youtube vids but....

Most of the stuff Ive seen isnt very impressive.Like dudes playing strats into fender amps.Not that thats bad but..

I need to hear Les Pauls into nmv Marshall's,cause thats what I play through.
So my questions are this:

#1 anyone here playing LP's into nmv Marshall and using fuzz?
If so what do you like and why?
#2 What have you tried and what did or didn't you like about it

Please help me feed my addiction to chasing tone!
 
Re: Help me learn the ways of the fuzz

The "Search" function is your friend, both here and on the web in general. There's a TON of info on fuzz pedals out here if you look for it.
 
Re: Help me learn the ways of the fuzz

Stupid question. How about trying out a few with your rig? I go to my local guitar shoppe, they let me take home what I'm interested in, I try 'em out with my gear, & I buy the one I want. The sound is better than on YoToob, too.

:)

That said, for what it's worth, I like the Big Muff, with single or hummers, YMMV, IMHO, etc..
 
Re: Help me learn the ways of the fuzz

I am also a big fan of the big muff pi. Can't really explain it, but it just kinda tends to work for pretty much everything.
 
Re: Help me learn the ways of the fuzz

I spent several months trying every one I could find a year or so ago. I ended up with the same one your friend has. Fulltone 69. Its not over the top like some fuzz boxes, its just right.
 
Re: Help me learn the ways of the fuzz

Fuzz and LP's, or basically anything with humbuckers, just doesn't really sound right to my ears (except being a big muff)

Fuzz just sounds and works best with single coils, and if you don't like the sound of a strat into a fuzz pedal, then about 90% of the fuzz on the market are going to be wrong for you because they are going for that classic rock sound.

A Big Muff would be the best bet for a LP, but keep in mind its more of that sludgy stoner/doom sound, which you may or may not be into
 
Re: Help me learn the ways of the fuzz

The Fulltone '69 is the Holy Grail of Hendrix Fuzz Face tone, IMO. I have two of them - and I don't even use pedals! Still - when I do, I want the real deal and when I plug my Strat into the '69 and the '69 into my Spina modded Vox Wah Wah or my Fulltone Clyde Deluxe Wah Wah, I get close enough to Jimi's tone to put a big smile on my face! (And I'm picky!)
 
Re: Help me learn the ways of the fuzz

millsart said:
Fuzz and LP's, or basically anything with humbuckers, just doesn't really sound right to my ears (except being a big muff)

Fuzz just sounds and works best with single coils, and if you don't like the sound of a strat into a fuzz pedal, then about 90% of the fuzz on the market are going to be wrong for you because they are going for that classic rock sound.

A Big Muff would be the best bet for a LP, but keep in mind its more of that sludgy stoner/doom sound, which you may or may not be into
Click to expand...


Or a tonebender clone would sound good with an LP. Beck, Page, etc.
 
Re: Help me learn the ways of the fuzz

I like all sorts of stoner rock - QOTSA, STP (kinda), black sabbath, led zep... a good fuzz pedal is a start. JCM800 will get ya there if you pair it with a good cab. www.stonerrock.com forums helped me out. they will say to check out matamp/orange/electric/ampeg v-4 amps.
 
Re: Help me learn the ways of the fuzz

stuey222 said:
Or a tonebender clone would sound good with an LP. Beck, Page, etc.
Click to expand...


Wasn't most of Page's tonebender stuff when he was using a tele though such as on the first record ? (im not a huge Zep fan so I don't recall all the details off the top of my head)


Ive been through a number of ToneBender style fuzz and none of them were ever my cup of tea. If your after that sort of raspy and distict buzzy tonebender fuzz, which works well for those classic rock one note at time riffs, then its a wise choice, but otherwise I just don't find it a very versatile or good sounding fuzz.
 
Re: Help me learn the ways of the fuzz

I do use fuzz pedals with buckers but for a long time I didn't...until I learned how to use a fuzz box they were an out of control noisy mess with buckers but with some work that has changed and I like it!

My fuzz of choice (this week) is my AnalogMan/Arbiter fuzz Face (which is really similar to the Fulltone 69) and the reason I like it is because I can simply max out the fuzz control and control all the fuzz from my guitars volume control. I have loads of other fuzzes...Big Muff, Duncan Tweak Fuzz, Fulltone Ultimate Octave, etc and I like them all but for different things.

All this said, buckers and fuzz pedals can get out of hand quickly so just practice with it and work at it...it's worth it in the end!

On the Page front, LZ I was a Tele, Supro and a Tonebender, he also used Tonebenders in the Yardbirds but for the most part they were gone by the second Zep album.

Beck also used a Tonebender quite a bit in the old days and used it with Marshall or Vox amps and with Gibson or Fender guitars later on he switched to a Colorsound Overdriver (set for a clean boost) then to Pro Co Rats but like Page his early work was chock FULL of Fuzz Tones...
 
Re: Help me learn the ways of the fuzz

Thanks all!
This is the info Im looking for!

I really dont have any good music stores around to go try stuff out, and the search function is a bit overwhelming as I need specifics.

So maybe a not so fuzzy fuzz pedal is what Im looking for.Maybe I just need some peach fuzz?

I like the old Zep/Beck stuff but I think it is a bit thin/buzzy for me.

I really like the tone Hendrix gets with Band of Gypsies.
I also love Sabbath.

That said I think Im looking for a vintage style tone but with a modern vibe/tone.

As for something from this century I like Fu Manchu rhythm tones.
Guitar geek says hes using a Dunlop Fuzz Face.

I play in a band and will be using this a gig volumes.So it has to cut but not be thin.

I will probably use it for single note stuff and some power chord stuff.

I was checking out the tweak fuzz, it seems like it could be a good place to start as it seems like it has many settings?

Plus it is in budget too.

What do you guys think about the tweak fuzz?
 
Re: Help me learn the ways of the fuzz

I like the tweak fuzz for buckers (even though I do not use fuzz boxes when I'm playing all too much anymore). Your best bet is to get a medium amount of amp grit, higher volume for that overdrive and then put the fuzz pedal in front wiht the gain set kinda low. o you get the characteristics of the fuzz pedal without overdoing it. That's just my opinion. I like a fuzz face kinda pedal better with buckers than the tweak fuzz, but the tweak fuzz is very very good. I'd recomend the analog man sunface as mentioned before, that's an incredible pedal.
 
Re: Help me learn the ways of the fuzz

The Dunlop fuzz face pedals sounds pretty terrible save for the new Hendrix one...

The Tweak Fuzz is GREAT...if you want a versitile fuzz that sounds good and doesn't cost an arm and a leg the TF is the ticket...I have one and it stands along side all my fuzzboxes!
 
Re: Help me learn the ways of the fuzz

I agree on the TweakFuzz, very tame, the rotary lets you dial out some bass that tends to make fuzzes dislike buckers, yet still allows alot of the typical fuzz characteristics to come though.

The Big Muff style pedals all work great with buckers too. Something else not mention but that works for me is a Treble Booster. I think Iommi used to use one, and the other side of the Analogman Sunlion (Beano Boost) works well with HBs and gives a little fuzz feel due to the germanium transistors and the design of the pedal (adds grit along with boost).
 
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