Need input from all FUZZ fanatics!

[rlord1974]

I'm looking to get a simple but FAT fuzz pedal for my board. I used to use the Earthquaker Devices 'Hoof' fuzz, but sold it off last year because it was TOO flexible (i.e., too many knobs with too great a sweep). I want a pedal with simple controls that sounds good and FAT pretty much anywhere you set the controls.

As a reference tone, think of the song "Crawl" by Kings of Leon.

9V battery operation is a must. Has to be true bypass as well.

Less than $150 would be a bonus. Over $250 is a deal breaker.

Please let me know your suggestions.

Thanks.

 

[stratotone]

I don't know what your technical level is, but consider buying a BYOC fuzz clone and mod it to taste. You will get exactly what you want and you'll have a one of a kind pedal.

 

[hunter]

I had a Fulltone Soul Bender. That was really Fat sounding.

That said, I love my Foxrox Octron, which is not really a Fuzz, more an Octafuzz, but it's also FATTTTT

 

[rlord1974]

I don't know what your technical level is, but consider buying a BYOC fuzz clone and mod it to taste. You will get exactly what you want and you'll have a one of a kind pedal.

Hey Pete:

Great suggestion, but I'm a lazy ass and prefer to keep the iron wrapped up in the closet as often as possible!

 

[thunda]

DOD Flashback Fuzz

 

[rlord1974]

Is the DOD true bypass?

 

[thefuzzout]

might i suggest the walrus audio Jupiter Fuzz - Flexible, but not too flexible

http://walrusaudio.com/shop/jupiter/

 

[Ventura]

I think the Hartman Germanium I have is TOO phat sounding

Phat pricetag on that puppy too - nice score m'man

To the OP, await Stephen Sewall's participation in this thread before going anywhere. I do believe he's one of the few, true, resident "fuzz" experts. Or at least "fanatics", here on RT.

 

[Mudder]

Subdecay Flying Tomato.

 

[stratotone]

I wouldn't touch the flashback fuzz with a fifty foot pole tied to another fifty foot pole. Seriously, I'm not a fuzz guy but I like my Eric Johnson fuzz. The flashback gets my vote for worst pedal of all time that was still functioning. Seriously, avoid!

 

[stephen sawall]

I do not know of any fuzz pedal that just sounds great no matter how you set it. For a big fat sound I have been using a Way Huge Swollen Pickle. But by far my favorite these days is the Zvex Fat Fuzz factory. Both of these pedals are very versatile .... The FFF is very touchy.

 

[rlord1974]

might i suggest the walrus audio Jupiter Fuzz - Flexible, but not too flexible

http://walrusaudio.com/shop/jupiter/

Wow. Nice suggestion. Seems like a great pedal. It will definitely get some serious consideration.....

 

[rlord1974]

For a big fat sound I have been using a Way Huge Swollen Pickle.

Hmmm. This has some nice FATNESS in it for sure.....

 

[Ventura]

FWIW, I'm still pretty pleased with my Big Muff Pi w/ TW a la EHX.

And it didn't break the bank

 

[stephen sawall]

The Pickle can do Muff & Tone Bender flavors and beyond. It fits between a fuzz & distortion. Being on the distortion side of fuzz it never gets crazy with oscillation or note modulation like some fuzz pedals can..... and the sound is huge to say the least. It sounds bigger than my Russian Big Muff or my friends Civil War Big Muff. There probably is bigger sounding pedals out there .... I just do not know of any.

 

[stephen sawall]

If you want a more modern voiced Fuzz Face variation that just sounds great in a mix ... but does not have a huge bottom like a Muff ... I recommend checking out a Quinn Fuzz Petal.

We did a blind test with close to 30 Fuzz Faces - vintage & modern with several guitars & amps - six guitar players and a few non - players. Over & over again everyone picked the Quinn ... very simple to use - Just fuzz & volume. By far my favorite Fuzz Face type pedal.

If you want crazy & over the top - but still can do normal Fuzz sounds - check out the Zvex Fat Fuzz Factory & Prescription Electronic Experience. Quinn made me a clone of the Experience & could not tell the difference between it & a original in a direct A/B - other than it had more range, was more versatile, small MXR size with single footswitch & a few small-switches..... and less than half the price.

 

[thefuzzout]

might i suggest the walrus audio Jupiter Fuzz - Flexible, but not too flexible

http://walrusaudio.com/shop/jupiter/

Wow. Nice suggestion. Seems like a great pedal. It will definitely get some serious consideration.....

hey man no worries, i have the following fuzz pedal for now:

walrus audio jupiter
dunlop way huge swollen pickle
wilson electronics fuzz - a really nice version of a fuzz face i find it to be a little more hairy but can do classic fuzzface aswell
jimi hendrix fuzz face
death by audio sound wave breakdown
Urso Splinter
Blackarts toneworks Pharaoh fuzz - white edition
Freyette SAS - does fuzz and does overdrive depending on the rotation of the bias knob the circuit allows the EF86 tube to work all kinds of magic - but i see that more people dislike the SAS than like it - but it is a very interesting pedal


So why did i recommend the jupiter - to me it has all the hair and balls that the swollen pickle does - but it requires less effort to tweek it where it is right for "you" also it is not expensive. my only complaint is that the silk screening/graphic can make the controls values difficult to interpret when standing

feel free to ask me about any of the other fuzz pedal i own, i have been into fuzz lately so i am picking up great stuff these days

thefuzzout in New Orleans

ps - my favorite amp to push with OD, distortion or fuzz pedals is my Reeves custom 100 - CP103 this amp takes all things that push, distort or fuzz unbelivably, the sound is tremendous - a guitar tech who rebiased and retubed the head for me said it was the best head he had had in the shop here in new orleans

 

[rupe]

The Swollen Pickle is the first thing that came to mind...simple and huge sounding...a perfect live-gig fuzz.

The Z Vex Fuzz Factory is about the worst suggestion anybody could make. Although it may very well be my all-time favorite fuzz, it's essentially a studio-only pedal. Lots of knobs, all of which are highly interactive and extremely sensitive to the slightest tweaks...it can be a gigging nightmare to get it dialed back in if anything is moved. Ask me how I know

 

[glassjaw7]

I know they use boss multi-effect units for a lot of their guitar and bass tones. You could come close to that crawl tone with a Germanium Fuzz Face or a Russian Muff into a dirty amp. There are literally hundreds of fuzz pedals that can get a warm and fat tone. Check out any of the variations out there of the classic circuits. The market is flooded with them. If you want to check out a cool forum dedicated to fuzz, check out ilovefuzz.com.

Couple that came to mind were the Swollen Pickle, Russian Muff, Fuzzhugger Algal Bloom, Boss Hyper Fuzz, and some of the Devi Ever stuff could get there..

 

[Death by Uberschall]

Adolf has a Klon for sale