Warm fuzzies.

[JT]

Zero need for it. But what fuzz pedal would be a good start for a noob.

Ones I have owned and liked in the past:

Danelectro fuzz. The Orange colored pedal that came out with the Timmy and OCD clone they put out. I want to say it was the Peach Fuzz (....?) clone? I thought it was awesome but zero need for it at the time. Like now only I am kind of OK with a pile of pedals sitting on a shelf till I decide to pull one down and fire it up.

Big Muff w/Tone Wicker. I actually dug this one a LOT.

I am open to whatever. Must play nice on top of other pedals or amp dirt

 

[James Freeman]

Start with the two "must haves" Silicon Fuzz Face and Big Muff Rams Head.

But be warned, you're going to HATE fuzz, I'll reserve further judgement to myself.

 

[la szum]

Yeah, James may be right. With Fuzz there is no middle ground. It's a love/hate thing.

 

[la szum]

You like smooth or grainy, JT? Bloated or choked? Gated or endlessly sustaining?

 

[JT]

I have owned 4 fuzz pedals in my lifetime. 5 if you count winding the living f**k out of the UA Woodrow till it's about to explode

I am usually not into "messy" guitar tones but certain ones, if done with a sort of doom/thrash hybrid in mind are very appealing to me.

 

[JT]

You like smooth or grainy, JT? Bloated or choked? Gated or endlessly sustaining?

I think the gated and synth like is cool for lead lines. But I want something for rhythm/chord work.

The Dano and the Tone Wicker were both awesome for this I'd say. I could probably shorten this discussion and just rebuy one of those but where's the fun in that

 

[la szum]

One of the struggle-fests with Fuzz is they are often fairly empty in the Mids---especially Muffs.

If you get a Muff variant (a ton out there) get one with a Mids/Contour control or they can be
scoop city.

 

[James Freeman]

But I want something for rhythm/chord work.

edit:
For real though, do not buy a fuzz without playing and listening to it in person.

 

[Whizzinby]

The op-amp Big Muff is Siamese Dream in a pedal, and dirt cheap. (By modern pedal standards) Its a one trick pony, but most fuzzes are.

I’ve been looking at the Beetronics Vezzpa but gated fuzzes are always a bit of a novelty and very hit or miss.

 

[la szum]

edit:
For real though, do not buy a fuzz without playing and listening to it in person.

Trust the guy who owned 200 different fuzz pedals and now owns none.

 

[la szum]

The op-amp Big Muff is Siamese Dream in a pedal, and dirt cheap. (By modern pedal standards) Its a one trick pony, but most fuzzes are.

I’ve been looking at the Beetronics Vezzpa but gated fuzzes are always a bit of a novelty and very hit or miss.

True! I think that pedal really needs to be paired with a JCM800 (or something similar), though, to sound like that.

That's a great sound!

 

[Gearzilla]

Some variety of an octave fuzz pedal.

 

[tekbow]

What sounds are you trying to get.

Muffs and Tonebender/Fuzzface family types, as 2 general categories, are very different.

 

[JT]

What sounds are you trying to get.

Muffs and Tonebender/Fuzzface family types, as 2 general categories, are very different.

All the sounds

 

[la szum]

Pretty much impossible get all the sounds with one offering. So much
depends on transistor type (Ge/Silicon) and how many transistors are used
(1, 2, 3, or more).

There is some circuit overlap with the Tonebenders and Fuzzfaces, and the
differences come with transistor type and number of transistors used. Muffs
are a different ballgame.

Benders and FFs are gonna be grainier and more gated/choked, depending
on the Bias. If you like that exploding Tweed thing then that is where I would look.

If you like smoother and endless sustain then you are in Muff-land.

 

[la szum]

Fuzzes also depend more on pickups than OD or Distortion. High output pups
and Fuzz tend to be a no-no. You can get more of the tonal variety and cleanup
abilities using vintage output spec pickups.

 

[Whizzinby]

True! I think that pedal really needs to be paired with a JCM800 (or something similar), though, to sound like that.

That's a great sound!

I’ve never used mine with an 800, but there is no doubt when you click it on “That’s it!”. (Minus the 147 overdubs they did to build the wall of fuzz on the album) The op-amp big muff has to be run over a clean channel imo, it does not play nice with an already distorted tone. Any pristine clean with a big power section will do.

It’s cool they changed the color scheme to black and orange, I bet they’ve made a small fortune on the pedal since that album. lol

 

[tekbow]

I've owned a lot of fuzz over the years.

If it's a muff type you want, buy a ronsound, case closed. Nobody makes them better and you won't get charged an arm and leg.

If you want a FF and have a wah with a Fuzz buffer, get an Oxfuzz.

If you want a Tonebender, one of the Macari's reissues built by Dave Main (D*A*M)

If you want a cool hybrid Ge/Si FF/TB mashup that plays nice with a regular wah, a D*A*M Dragnfly.

I've sold on nearly everything but the Silver Oxfuzz, Ronsound muff, and D*A*M Dragnfly

I keep the NVN ones because they're so unique, but don't use em because they're battery only

 

[the swede]

I’ve never used mine with an 800, but there is no doubt when you click it on “That’s it!”. (Minus the 147 overdubs they did to build the wall of fuzz on the album) The op-amp big muff has to be run over a clean channel imo, it does not play nice with an already distorted tone. Any pristine clean with a big power section will do.

It’s cool they changed the color scheme to black and orange, I bet they’ve made a small fortune on the pedal since that album. lol

Yes. They used the 800 with master cranked and preamp knob as volume controll. ”Clean”. And Then the muff… and 437 overdubs on the same riffs

I almost wanted to buy that corgan muff just because.. love the album… but i hate playing guitar with that kind of sound

 

[JT]

I've owned a lot of fuzz over the years.

View attachment 1179

View attachment 1180

If it's a muff type you want, buy a ronsound, case closed. Nobody makes them better and you won't get charged an arm and leg.

If you want a FF and have a wah with a Fuzz buffer, get an Oxfuzz.

If you want a Tonebender, one of the Macari's reissues built by Dave Main (D*A*M)

If you want a cool hybrid Ge/Si FF/TB mashup that plays nice with a regular wah, a D*A*M Dragnfly.

I've sold on nearly everything but the Silver Oxfuzz, Ronsound muff, and D*A*M Dragnfly

I keep the NVN ones because they're so unique, but don't use em because they're battery only

I don't know what I want. Other than the pile of pedals in this picture