Need a fuzz box. Suggestions?

[Wildkat]

I'd like a fuzz box for my pedal board. I'm leaning towards the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff, but I wanted to get some suggestions from some people with more experience with fuzz boxes. Also, I'm looking for a fuzz box better used on the clean channel. Nothing over $120, too.

I use too many guitars to list here, so check my profile if you'd like to know.

 

[jmh151]

Re: Need a fuzz box. Suggestions?

Swollen Pickle on the used market

 

[Kosh Naranek]

Re: Need a fuzz box. Suggestions?

The Swollen Pickle is great for a Big Muff sound with more tweakability.

The Way Huge Havalina is a great Fuzz Face style fuzz.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Need a fuzz box. Suggestions?

My go-to Muff style fuzz is the Fuzz War by Death By Audio. I think it's around 150 new, but you may be able to find it used at a good price.

This is an old, unfinished song demo I recorded a couple of years ago with my old band using the Fuzz War.

 

[Wildkat]

Re: Need a fuzz box. Suggestions?

Looks like I'll be going with the Swollen Pickle. It's got the Big Muff sound but with more knobs for more cool tones.

A used Swollen Pickle will run me somewhere around $80-100
A used Big Muff would be around $65, but I'm willing to cough up some extra dollars for a better product

And as for the Fuzz War, it's just a bit too expensive, and I don't really favor the sound.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Need a fuzz box. Suggestions?

Nice, hope you get on with the SP. The FW is definitely not for everyone.

 

[VinceT]

Re: Need a fuzz box. Suggestions?

Enjoy the Swollen Pickle - Earthquaker Tone Reaper here.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Need a fuzz box. Suggestions?

Yes, enjoy the Swollen Pickle. I found it finicky to dial in (especially compared to other Muffs) so definitely take some time to dial it into your rig. 5 knobs on the outside, 2 more internal.

 

[Falloffthebonetone]

Re: Need a fuzz box. Suggestions?

Another vote for the pickle even with the poll closed. Be patient with it. Dialing the knobs in is a balancing act. Changing one will likely effect how you set the others. Who knows though. Plenty of people like it right out of the box. I did, but found playing with the knobs much more rewarding.

 

[Gainstage]

Re: Need a fuzz box. Suggestions?

BlackArts Toneworks most wicked intense amazingly cool fuzz pedals w versatility.

http://www.blackartstoneworks.com/
The Coven is a face melting fuzz of hell, if there is anything more intense it probably cannot be used. This a dual pedal with their Dark Forest Overdrive on one side.

The Pharaoh Supreme is amazIng, versatile, eats Muff Pi for lunch. Most usable intense fuzz I have seen.

Well behaved more articulate, smooth fuzz, Wampler Velvet Fuzz. If you're leery of the fuzz being a washout gain fest the Wampler is a great pedal.

There must be hundreds of better designed fuzz than the 50 yr old Muff. I remember that was the first pedal I ever had when I was 17, that was a century or so ago. Something with diode switching and tone options is a much better thing as you can adapt it to any guitar or rig.

 

[Artie]

Re: Need a fuzz box. Suggestions?

I've recently snagged an Earthquake Devices Dream Crusher. Killer fuzz. The best I've ever heard. Problem is, new, they're a bit over your budget at $145. I was lucky to find one here in the forum used, but they don't show up very often. Killer, killer tone.

One of the cool features of this pedal is a knob to adjust the bias of the transistor. You can dial it from sweet to killer.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Need a fuzz box. Suggestions?

There must be hundreds of better designed fuzz than the 50 yr old Muff. I remember that was the first pedal I ever had when I was 17, that was a century or so ago. Something with diode switching and tone options is a much better thing as you can adapt it to any guitar or rig.

I'd hope that the people that copied Mike Matthew's 45 year old circuit would make some improvements.... So many of the current fuzzes are simply triangle or Russian muffs that have a different tone stack and/or clipping diodes.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Need a fuzz box. Suggestions?

i like the pharaoh a lot.

 

[DesertRat]

Re: Need a fuzz box. Suggestions?

I'm late to the party on this thread, but for posterity, I'm going to throw in a recommendation for the Vick Audio '73 Ram's Head. Small footprint Big Muff Ram's Head type pedal with more tonal options with standard scooped mid's, flat mids, or boosted mids. Great for 70's David Gilmour sounds in front of clean tube amp.

 

[loversmoon]

Re: Need a fuzz box. Suggestions?

I've got gas for a Sabbra cadabra really bad! I love the black arts toneworks
Pedals too.
I have to say you will be satisfied with the pickle imho

 

[mule]

Re: Need a fuzz box. Suggestions?

Go to Reverb's website and search dongeomac. George is a super nice, professional guy and builds killer pedals. I bought his Russian Big Muff clone and can't get enough of it. He does clones of most of the usual fuzzes and other dirt boxes and most are only $50-70. If you love fuzz you likely will not be disappointed.