• Registered: 2009-10-10
  • Posts: 438

Topic: Fuzz Face Experience

I had not played a fuzz pedal for probably 25 years.  A friend and I got together to jam last night.  He had mentioned to me awhile back that he had an old Fuzz Face.  I told him to bring it along.  Well, it is a late 60's Fuzz Face, held together with duct tape.   I plugged it into an old blackface Fender Bassman head.  Wow, it was fun.  Since I was running the amp pretty clean at a reasonable volume, the pedal needed a little help.  I hit it with a Rock Box Boiling Point on the plexi setting and put some delay after it.  And there it was.........  Infinite sustain with some of the most harmonic feedback I have ever experienced.  Well, I have fuzz-itis now.  Help me out guys. I think I would prefer something a little tamer as I get back into this.  I am looking real hard at a Fulltone Catalyst or possibly a Fulltone 70's pedal.  I  believe Mike Fuller has reissued the 70's pedal.  I was also very impressed with some Oxfuzz soundclips by Philip Sayce and Lance Lopez.
Stratpaulguy, I noticed you used your 70's pedal instead of your Catalyst in your EJ rig.  I know this has been discussed before, but I would appreciate up-to-date opinions from all forum fuzz experts!

  • From: Caribou, ME
  • Registered: 2008-11-26
  • Posts: 418

Re: Fuzz Face Experience

keep an eye out for a Dunlop Bonamassa Fuzz Face soon....

sweet.....

Self-Professed "GOLDIE" Nut-Job!!!!

JBLP #267
  • From: Missoula, Montana
  • Registered: 2008-08-18
  • Posts: 308

Re: Fuzz Face Experience

You can't go wrong with the Big Muff Pi. I also have one of the old fuzz faces, and I love it. Give the Big Muff Pi a try, or there is a website called Proguitarshop.com and the guy demo's the pedals. He may have a demo on there.

Good luck

#275 JB LP

tmcguire's Website

  • Registered: 2009-10-27
  • Posts: 250

Re: Fuzz Face Experience

I love my Cusack Fuzz pedal!!  Also, a nice feature, you can roll it back and it becomes a 5-star Tubesreamer.

  • From: Caribou, ME
  • Registered: 2008-11-26
  • Posts: 418

Re: Fuzz Face Experience

I love my demeter fuzzulator pedal.......

Self-Professed "GOLDIE" Nut-Job!!!!

JBLP #267
  • From: Florida, USA
  • Registered: 2008-06-04
  • Posts: 1,420

Re: Fuzz Face Experience

HoosierRock wrote:

  I noticed you used your 70's pedal instead of your Catalyst in your EJ rig.  I know this has been discussed before, but I would appreciate up-to-date opinions from all forum fuzz experts!


Yes, for the late Hendrix and EJ stuff the Fulltone '70 does a supreme job of covering those tones.  It's hands down the most musical fuzz I've ever used, and also the very warmest Germanium-like Silicon fuzz I've tried yet.  The silicon transistors are a big plus for me because they are more stable, less temperature sensitive, and also bite a little bit more.  The second best fuzz I've tried especially for the EJ thing is the Keeley Fuzzhead.  It does both silicon and germanium so it's actually a little more versitile.  Only drawback is the $$$$$ especially considering I only paid $90 for my Fulltone '70.   Besides there's the extra "mojo" factor knowing that Mike Fuller cloned EJ's legendary blue Fuzzface that was used on Tones and Ah Via Musicom to make the '70....  cool

'67 and '74 Fender Twin Reverbs, '74 Marshall 1987 lead mkII, Metro Superlead 100. Pedals from TC Electronic, Ibanez, Dunlop, BK Butler, Electro-Harmonix, Fulltone, Maestro/Gibson, Loopmaster switching, VoodooLab, Boss. Gibson and Fender guitars, Dimarzio pickups.
  • Registered: 2010-12-07
  • Posts: 49

Re: Fuzz Face Experience

you can often find a dunlop hendrix fuzzface - THE BLUE ONE! - for under a hundred bucks used.  this is a tremendous pedal and totally hangs with pedals costing twice that.  best deal going right now.

other great fuzzmakers:
analogman sunface bc108 - VERY close to the hendrix
fulltone 70 - also very close.
mjm london - often found a great price
roger mayer - LOTS of different ones.  love the axis
kr musical gypsy fuzz - best of luck getting one though. . .
i prefer silicon for hot summer days outside, but i also love the analogman sunface with the nkt275 transistors.

those are just for starters lol

i'm going to give the astrotone a spin around christmas. . .

meanwhile, i WILL have one of those beautiful copper fuzzfaces that are coming out under some guitar player's name. . . not the hendrix guy. . . . that other one. . .

www.myspace.com/orogenymusic
www.purevolume.com/orogeny

8 Reply by Big E (edited by Big E 2010-12-10 13:10:59)

  • Registered: 2008-10-02
  • Posts: 373

Re: Fuzz Face Experience

A friend of mine gave me a gibson Maestro fuzz from the 60's I am not even sure it works I haven't plugged it in yet. I keep forgetting about it on my work bench. I was never a big fuzz guys so I don't know what to expect from that thing.

E

  • From: N.Wales, UK
  • Registered: 2009-03-06
  • Posts: 2,183

Re: Fuzz Face Experience

Analogman Sunface.

Plum Crazy Fuzzy Lady/Si-Clops.

All great fun and very musical.

  • From: Caribou, ME
  • Registered: 2008-11-26
  • Posts: 418

Re: Fuzz Face Experience

KR Musical Gypsy Fuzz -- Dave at LA Sound should be able to hook anyone up, he was distributing KR -- their univibe rocks!!!!

Self-Professed "GOLDIE" Nut-Job!!!!

JBLP #267
  • Registered: 2009-10-10
  • Posts: 438

Re: Fuzz Face Experience

Thank you all very much for all the great responses.  Man, the pedal world has changed since I started.  There are so many choices it is about overwhelming.  But I guess that is part of the fun of GAS.  Anyway, I have been checking out reviews and sound clips on most of these pedals. I am still interested in the Fulltone Catalyst, partly because my local music store has one in stock and I would like to give them my business.  But I don't want it if it is not a tone machine.  Anyone got any thoughts or experience with the Catalyst?

  • From: Florida, USA
  • Registered: 2008-06-04
  • Posts: 1,420

Re: Fuzz Face Experience

HoosierRock wrote:

Thank you all very much for all the great responses.  Man, the pedal world has changed since I started.  There are so many choices it is about overwhelming.  But I guess that is part of the fun of GAS.  Anyway, I have been checking out reviews and sound clips on most of these pedals. I am still interested in the Fulltone Catalyst, partly because my local music store has one in stock and I would like to give them my business.  But I don't want it if it is not a tone machine.  Anyone got any thoughts or experience with the Catalyst?


The Catalyst is a great pedal in a lot of ways.  It plays nice in almost any location in the signal chain which fuzzes aren't known to do.  It's also a great clean boost in the "Spark" setting.  It does a lot of tricks well but for that ONE trick, the perfect Hendrix/EJ fuzz, I think the '70 does that better.  The Catalyst is more early Jeff Beck or Clapton type fuzz to my ears.  It sounds GREAT with Gibson guitars and has more personality, whereas the '70 is so overwhelming you can't hear as much difference between, say, a maple neck Strat and a Les Paul.  Here are some comparisons for you dude, you decide what you like better:

The Catalyst:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lk8iZw7f … age#t=373s

The '70
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPtNk3dc … age#t=281s

Not an apples to apples comparison because they are 2 different rigs that I've used but still....you get the idea.  I hope this helps!

'67 and '74 Fender Twin Reverbs, '74 Marshall 1987 lead mkII, Metro Superlead 100. Pedals from TC Electronic, Ibanez, Dunlop, BK Butler, Electro-Harmonix, Fulltone, Maestro/Gibson, Loopmaster switching, VoodooLab, Boss. Gibson and Fender guitars, Dimarzio pickups.
  • Registered: 2009-10-10
  • Posts: 438

Re: Fuzz Face Experience

Stratpaulguy, thanks for your detailed reply.  I had actually watched your clips yesterday evening. Outstanding tones throughout your rigs.  I am leaning toward the Catalyst.  I think I may need to ease into this with something a little tamer than full blown fuzz!  But I do love the tone you are getting with the tube screamer and 70's pedal into the Super Reverb.  I am hoping I can get the local music store to give me a trial period on the Catalyst.  I have trouble telling a pedal's true nature by trying them out in a music store.

  • Registered: 2010-12-06
  • Posts: 122

Re: Fuzz Face Experience

Big E wrote:

A friend of mine gave me a gibson Maestro fuzz from the 60's I am not even sure it works I haven't plugged it in yet. I keep forgetting about it on my work bench. I was never a big fuzz guys so I don't know what to expect from that thing.

E

Think of the fuzz tone on Satisfaction.  That's what the Maesto should sound like.

  • From: Scotland
  • Registered: 2009-02-11
  • Posts: 453

Re: Fuzz Face Experience

I have the dunlop hendrix fuzz (blue one) and it is my favourite I have tried so far, been through, red fuzz face, OxFuzz and MJM. I am tempted to stump up the cash for one of the fulltone 69 slight return pedals but they are expensive. If its a germanium fuzz you want then check out Dennis Cornell.

  • Registered: 2011-01-25
  • Posts: 2

Re: Fuzz Face Experience

I have been playing for over 40 years. I still own my original NKT275 Fuzz Face from the 60's. I own Analogman Sunface, Fultone 69, and BC-108 Silicon Fuzz Face. I thought it could not get any better than that, UNTIL I heard a pedal at a recording session that totally blew me away. Absolutely the BEST FUZZ I have ever played through. It is called "The Germanium Experience" hand built by Berkos FX. I am now looking for one to buy, but I cannot locate the builder or anyone with a pedal to sell.

Does anyone know how I can get a Germanium Experience fuzz pedal?

thanks, JA

  • Registered: 2006-04-22
  • Posts: 1,168

Re: Fuzz Face Experience

Here is my two cents... I am not just saying this cause I have a fuzzface signature model.. There is something mental about stepping on that round mic stand base with two knobs that does something extra for me.  There are a lot of great fuzz boutique pedals.. All sound good.. Some are even better to the slightly sputtery 60's original..  But for me its a mental thing... Love the expression you can get with a fuzz face.
Joe B

  • Registered: 2009-10-10
  • Posts: 438

Re: Fuzz Face Experience

You know it is kind of funny.  I spend hours working on my tone, shooting for a nice, tight, liquid lead tone with just the right amount of gain.  Then my buddy brings this old Fuzz Face over, I stomp on it, and all this tone tweaking goes out the window.  It is replaced by a huge sound that sounds like it is going to get completely out of control at any minute. But man, it sounded great and had a certain vibe going that I never got out of an overdrive or distortion pedal.  But I did have an overwhelming urge to put on a tie-dyed t-shirt and say the word "Groovy" a lot.