LeftyBassist.com

The online home for southpaw bassists.
It is currently March 28th, 2024, 3:50 am




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 8 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: Best fuzz?
PostPosted: September 12th, 2008, 6:40 am 
Offline

Joined: September 8th, 2008, 9:57 am
Posts: 15
I have a Soviet Big Muff that sounds great on my bass - same model used by Robert Slegde, bass player in Ben Folds Five, who used it on every song! But are there any other fuzz pedals that people reccomend? A friend of mine bought the new Fender Blender pedal for his Mustang bass and that sounds great.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Best fuzz?
PostPosted: September 12th, 2008, 1:09 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: April 9th, 2008, 12:34 pm
Posts: 150
Location: Wichita, Ks
Alexander wrote:
I have a Soviet Big Muff that sounds great on my bass - same model used by Robert Slegde, bass player in Ben Folds Five, who used it on every song! But are there any other fuzz pedals that people reccomend? A friend of mine bought the new Fender Blender pedal for his Mustang bass and that sounds great.


I <3 you for mentioning Sledge.

The only thing I would recommend is a blend pedal like the xotic x-blender, they make every distortion more amazing on a bass. I still haven't gotten around to getting one, but every clip I hear of what those things can do is fantastic.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Best fuzz?
PostPosted: September 12th, 2008, 1:44 pm 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: March 4th, 2008, 3:51 pm
Posts: 2654
Location: Pacific Northwest
What's an xotic x-blender?


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Best fuzz?
PostPosted: September 12th, 2008, 6:55 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: April 9th, 2008, 12:34 pm
Posts: 150
Location: Wichita, Ks
andrew wrote:
What's an xotic x-blender?


I'm afraid that maybe I screwed up the name and your post is in jest, but in case you're serious it's a variable clean blend.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Best fuzz?
PostPosted: September 14th, 2008, 7:04 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: March 9th, 2008, 6:01 pm
Posts: 66
Location: Santa Clara, CA
baalroo, you got the name right. ;)

But getting back to the general question... there isn't a "best" fuzz. With so many options and sounds out there, it really narrows down to personal preference.

For example... I like the new Bass Big Muff's overall range of tones better than all of the other Big Muff pedals I've used (including the Sovtek, which it most closely resembles). But it can't do the insane chaos at maximum gain that the Little Big Muff could do. I'm also a big fan of the MXR Blowtorch, which is one of the most unique-sounding fuzz pedals I've ever tried. That one's very synthy and industrial-sounding, and it would be considered a "medium-gain" fuzz.

Overall, I'd say there are at least eight major "varieties" of fuzz tones:

- Fuzz Face
- Big Muff (i.e., Supercollider, Ram's Head, Swollen Pickle)
- Brassmaster (i.e., B:Assmaster, Depth Charge)
- Shin-Ei (i.e., Ultra Fuzz)
- Gated / Synth (i.e., Woolly Mammoth, Blowtorch)
- Tonebender
- Octave Fuzz (i.e., Octavia)
- "Blender" (i.e., Fender Blender, and I think the Ampeg Scrambler counts, too)

A lot of fuzz pedals are modified clones of these (for example, the Malekko B:Assmaster is an awesome-sounding clone of the old Brassmaster, and the Prescription Electronics Depth Charge is somewhat based on the Brassmaster as well). Others, like the Blowtorch, try to break new ground with new sounds.

_________________
Bassist: Letters to Ruin
EBMM Stingray | GK Fusion 550 | GK Neo 212
MXR Blowtorch | MXR Carbon Copy | EHX Stereo Electric Mistress


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Best fuzz?
PostPosted: September 14th, 2008, 7:11 pm 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: March 4th, 2008, 3:51 pm
Posts: 2654
Location: Pacific Northwest
baalroo wrote:
andrew wrote:
What's an xotic x-blender?


I'm afraid that maybe I screwed up the name and your post is in jest, but in case you're serious it's a variable clean blend.


No, just something I'd never heard of, but I'm glad you mentioned it, it seems pretty cool and is now on my pedal wishlist.

Mystic, who makes the Ultra Fuzz, based on the Shin-Ei (I'm guessing the Shin-Ei Fuzz/wah)?


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Best fuzz?
PostPosted: September 14th, 2008, 7:15 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: March 9th, 2008, 6:01 pm
Posts: 66
Location: Santa Clara, CA
Zoom makes the Ultra Fuzz (UF-01 is the model, IIRC).

It's also my understanding that the Guyatone TZ-2 "The Fuzz" is based on it, too.

_________________
Bassist: Letters to Ruin
EBMM Stingray | GK Fusion 550 | GK Neo 212
MXR Blowtorch | MXR Carbon Copy | EHX Stereo Electric Mistress


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Best fuzz?
PostPosted: September 18th, 2008, 11:38 am 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: March 4th, 2008, 3:51 pm
Posts: 2654
Location: Pacific Northwest
I'd like to hear it.

I also want to hear the Malekko B: Assmaster, anyone here have one of those?


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 8 posts ] 


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 9 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group  
Design By Poker Bandits