Fractal Talk

Dear Fractal Santa: I have been really good this year. I would like a Fireball model pretty please.
 

Axe-Fx III Firmware Release Notes​


27.03

Improved Drive block.

Improved PI Fuzz model. The new model also allows changing the type and quantity of diodes used in the transistor feedback paths, adds a “Wicker” switch which removes the feedback capacitors and adds a “Tone” switch which allows bypassing the tone circuitry.

Added “PI Fuzz – Triangle” model. This is based on a 1971 “Triangle” Big Muff PI. Thie model also includes the Tone Wicker mods.

Added “PI Fuzz – Ram’s Head” model. This is based on mid-70’s “Ram’s Head” Big Muff PI. The model also includes the Tone Wicker mods.

Added “Colortone Booster” model based on a Colorsound Power Booster (with added Master control).

Added “Colortone OD” model based on a Colorsound Overdriver (with added Master control).

Fixed Phaser block LFO Reset now working properly for some types.

Fixed wrong Miller capacitance value in Brit 800 models (probably not audible).

Various other fixes and improvements.

We modeling vintage Muffs now??

Hell Yeah Cmt GIF by Redneck Island



Merry Xmas Axe-Fx'ers! :beer
 
Too damn cool, 3/4 of those new drives are part of the PastFX Spectrum (Gilmour) collection I was just talking about getting in the last few days.

I was gonna do some chugging tonight but awww shucks, fucking with Gilmour tones will have to take precedence!

Thank you, @FractalAudio!!!!
So about that Gilmour tone rabbit hole you were kicking around…
 
Guys helps me out here. The notes say that circuit modifications are available within the same block model as switches. Isn’t that pretty significant? Like, as opposed to there being Pi Fuzz, Pi Fuzz Wicker, and Pi Fuzz No Tone (or something like that)? Am I too high or is that actually pretty noteworthy?
 
Guys helps me out here. The notes say that circuit modifications are available within the same block model as switches. Isn’t that pretty significant? Like, as opposed to there being Pi Fuzz, Pi Fuzz Wicker, and Pi Fuzz No Tone (or something like that)? Am I too high or is that actually pretty noteworthy?

Yes, that is somewhat noteworthy. That is one of the features on the VP4 that appears to be making its way to the Axe.
 
Maybe Cliff has finally cracked the code?

IIRC he's said elsewhere that modellers can never get it 100% like the real fuzz interaction with loading on the guitar pickups because they all effectively have a buffer in front of them from the modeller input (?).

Still, it'll be interesting to see how nicer these fuzzes are anyway! 🤞
 
IIRC he's said elsewhere that modellers can never get it 100% like the real fuzz interaction with loading on the guitar pickups because they all effectively have a buffer in front of them from the modeller input (?).

Still, it'll be interesting to see how nicer these fuzzes are anyway! 🤞
Big muffs, even though they produce a kinda fuzzy tone, are not really fuzzes (most of the clipping comes from diodes) and thus don't have the same interaction with pickups as a typical fuzz (higher input impedance, iirc 39k for most versions).

Colorsound powerboost and overdriver otoh are very close (circuit-wise) to a fuzz face or tonebender.
 
Last edited:
Big muffs, even though they produce a kinda fuzzy tone, are not really fuzzes (most of the clipping comes from diodes) and thus don't have the same interaction with pickups as a typical fuzz (higher input impedance).

Well this is wonderful news! Definitely excited to try this now 🙂
 
IIRC he's said elsewhere that modellers can never get it 100% like the real fuzz interaction with loading on the guitar pickups because they all effectively have a buffer in front of them from the modeller input (?).

Still, it'll be interesting to see how nicer these fuzzes are anyway! 🤞
The input impedance circuit takes care of the input impedance of the fuzz and is all-analog so pickup load "same as in analog" because...well, it is the same. It is the OUTPUT impedance that can't be modeled because you are fully in digital land by the time that happens.

You'd also be in "not quite 100% there" if using the fuzz as something other than first in the chain.
 
Back
Top