Fuzz - but which one?

manchild · #1 04-30-2008, 05:38 PM

I intend on getting a fuzz pedal and was thinking of either the EHX Little Big Muff, Guyatone TZ2 and the MXR El Grande Bass Fuzz.

What are your oppinions on the above models?

tomvelsor · #2 04-30-2008, 05:45 PM

i tried the EHX. sounded like junk. MXR was alright, but diddnt quite do it for me.

cheak out the electronix messdrive. its really inexpencive, true bypass, and seriously sounds monsterous. heres some clips i did..the recording is bad, but you get the idea of the clean tone vs the pedal..

http://media.putfile.com/messdrive-sample

obviously through your bass rig you will hear the thunder of the low end that this pedal has..not so much on computer speakers..

bongomania · #3 04-30-2008, 05:53 PM

Tom, where did you try the MXR El Grande?

OlSkewl56 · #4 04-30-2008, 06:01 PM

I also have a brand new EHX LBM, and with my active P it is WAY over the top.
It's in it's box, and probably will remain there until it turns to dust.
From what i've read so far, the mess drive+ is the way to go.
The soundclips sound like mellow to edgy vintage, which suits me.
I've held back until I hear more responses from folks with active basses though.

Mudfuzz · #5 04-30-2008, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by manchild

I intend on getting a fuzz pedal and was thinking of either the EHX Little Big Muff, Guyatone TZ2 and the MXR El Grande Bass Fuzz.

What are your oppinions on the above models?

I don't have a LBM but I have to Bigmuffs, one is a green sovtek and the other is a GGG tuned BMP that I put together, and I have a TZ2.

You can not really compare the muff to the guyatone, they are really like night and day. The TZ2 is a very harsh octave up fuzz, where as the bigmuff is well a bigmuff, there are more revews and opinions on the bigmuff that are searchable then you will ever care to read.

My opinion on what you should buy is get them all

You can pick up the LBM and TZ2 cheep on e-bay used, I think I got my TZ2 for $35.

Nyarlathotep · #6 04-30-2008, 07:56 PM

I recommend an Attack Goat. Cool name, nice sound, blendable....

EricF · #7 04-30-2008, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OlSkewl56

I also have a brand new EHX LBM, and with my active P it is WAY over the top.

You do realize that fuzz is not overdrive or distortion, right? Fuzz is, by definition, extreme.

Prescription Electronics Depth Charge gave me everything I found lacking in the LBM.

manchild · #8 05-01-2008, 02:11 AM

Thanks guys, does the guyatone lose low end? I thought the LBM was one of the best fuzz sounds? By the way Im quite sure Thonmann are doing the el grande just now - if you google search it you can find places that are stocking it just now, by the way does the MXR fuzz face really suck the low end like you and others have said Bongo? It just sounds really good on the demo at the website.

manchild · #9 05-01-2008, 02:50 AM

http://www.dvguitars.com/invt/51562/ - you can order one here if your from the UK like me

bongomania · #10 05-01-2008, 06:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by manchild

the MXR fuzz face really suck the low end like you and others have said Bongo?

MXR doesn't make the "Fuzz Face", Dunlop does. I don't recall commenting on the low end of the Dunlop version as I've never owned one.

KarateKid25 · #11 05-01-2008, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by manchild

http://www.dvguitars.com/invt/51562/ - you can order one here if your from the UK like me

Woah... For about $250 you could get it there...

Or here for $99.99

manchild · #12 05-01-2008, 08:42 AM

Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face

Sorry Bongo, must have got the wrong idea from the above posts,

rustynuts · #13 05-01-2008, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by manchild

Thanks guys, does the guyatone lose low end? I thought the LBM was one of the best fuzz sounds? By the way Im quite sure Thonmann are doing the el grande just now - if you google search it you can find places that are stocking it just now, by the way does the MXR fuzz face really suck the low end like you and others have said Bongo? It just sounds really good on the demo at the website.

I find all sorts of places offering it for sale but it looks like all of them are pre-order, no one has them in stock. Some of them are pretty sneaky about it too, not letting you know it's a pre-order until you go through checkout.

manchild · #14 05-01-2008, 08:47 AM

Hey Karatekid - that is good, and free shipping too, i wonder if that includes UK though? doubt it, but at that price may be worth paying for!

KarateKid25 · #15 05-01-2008, 08:48 AM

Id say shipping would be around $30.

Thats normally about the cost of shipping US to Aus.

manchild · #16 05-01-2008, 08:49 AM

Ah i see rusty, not actually tried to buy it yet,so didnt know - thats pretty off really.

manchild · #17 05-01-2008, 08:50 AM

Wreckon its up to scratch with the LBM for good fuzz sound? Sounds a little bit more ruff on the site demo

rustynuts · #18 05-01-2008, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by manchild

Ah i see rusty, not actually tried to buy it yet,so didnt know - thats pretty off really.

Yeah, you'd think they'd be a bit more upfront about it. I was looking for a fuzz pedal last week and really wanted to try the El Grande but no one had them. Wound up with the Blowtorch instead, but I'll pick up the El Grande in a couple of weeks when they come out.

Jared Lash · #19 05-01-2008, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by manchild

I intend on getting a fuzz pedal and was thinking of either the EHX Little Big Muff, Guyatone TZ2 and the MXR El Grande Bass Fuzz.

What are your oppinions on the above models?

I've owned the first two, but only seen the NAMM clip of the third (which I didn't really care for BTW)

Little Big Muff
I owned this one as well as a NYC Big Muff that was modded for better bass response (from tplyons). This is a smooth, thick fuzz. It is midscooped, so it has a tendency to get lost in a mix - especially a dense one - but it is THE classic fuzz sound. In terms of low end loss, if there is any it's pretty unnoticeable. Still, one of my all time favorite fuzz tones is a Big Muff used with a blender ala Robert Sledge from Ben Folds Five. Check out from about 1:56 to the end.

Guyatone TZ-2
This thing is a buzz saw. Very different from the Big Muff. It has a noticeable loss of low end, but not as much as a lot of other fuzzes when used on bass. It works equally well with passives and actives and has a very aggressive, cutting sound. I have a problem with the construction of the micro Guyatone pedals (the rubber ring that holds them together is not a great idea) but other than that I had no problems with this pedal except that it ultimately wasn't the sound I wanted. Considering how cheap it was, I sometimes wish I'd kept it. My old band had a song where my part of the intro was sliding fourths on the D an G strings of my fretless with the Guyatone on. Almost sounded like a motorcycle changing gears. Plus in the higher registers, the octave up gives you these weird and often cool noises.

Both are good pedals, especially for the price. The question is whether you want a warm, creamy fuzz or an aggressive, cutting one.

manchild · #20 05-01-2008, 09:40 AM

Surething BigO - i guess i want a kind of buzzy sound that cuts through but still sounds thick with sustain, was considering the blowtorch but that is far to buzzsaw for my liking, have seen a lot of mixed oppinions about the dunlop fuzz face, which seems to sound ok on guitar but maybe sound awful on bass? Im not sure and dont want to make a rush purchase