Which fuzz pedal for this tone?

ScottB. · #1 05-21-2009, 11:39 AM

I clipped this from a song, which is on a compilation disc of tracks from a jazz/funk club.

This is the tone that has made me want to get a fuzz pedal, I looked through a lot of reviews on bassfuzz and youtube, but I just havent found anything that sounds the same.

what would you suggest for getting this tone?

Mark Olson · #2 05-21-2009, 01:01 PM

I believe this dude gets pretty close in this video, check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6kjd...eature=related

ScottB. · #3 05-21-2009, 01:14 PM

I dont know, it seems a little too synthy/squelchy to my ears

Mark Olson · #4 05-21-2009, 02:24 PM

Soon people will be chiming in with the name of their current favorite fuzz pedal, whether it gets them a tone anything like your tone in question or not. You can nitpick about minor differences in tone, sure, but you'll see drastic differences with any minor change in playing style, gear used, or recording techniques anyhow, so it's really futile. I have many years experience buying dirtboxes of all kinds, many thousands of dollars worth, and I've heard every pedal demo on the web that I'm aware of. I can guarantee you one thing, that you'll never get somebody else's exact tone. Ever. But you can get close enough where the untrained ear can't tell the difference. And I just played your tone in question and the B:Assmaster demo for someone with a relatively untrained ear, and they were sure that the tones were the same. So there you go.

ScottB. · #5 05-21-2009, 02:43 PM

I understand what you're saying, but it just really isn't the sound I'm looking for.

If I were to stop "nitpicking about minor differences" then I may as well just buy any fuzz pedal there is.

The b:assmaster is known for it's synthy edge, but I'm really not looking for a synthy tone. And to my ears, the fuzz sample I gave you doesn't really sound much like the b:assmaster demo

Any more recomendations?

Vic Winters · #6 05-21-2009, 03:30 PM

You have to make a compromise somewhere. You can't get it exact because you aren't using the same bass, pickups, strings, amp/cab/DI, preamp voicing, compression and countless other things which can make pedals sound vastly different.

ScottB. · #7 05-21-2009, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vic Winters

You have to make a compromise somewhere. You can't get it exact because you aren't using the same bass, pickups, strings, amp/cab/DI, preamp voicing, compression and countless other things which can make pedals sound vastly different.

I know that Im never going to have the exact tone. But Im sure that i can get closer to the tone i posted than with the assmaster

nad · #8 05-21-2009, 04:05 PM

I think the B:Assmaster will get you there as well, but I don't think the clip is a B:Assmaster either. Could be another Brassmaster based fuzz perhaps? Either way, there is a huge difference between "close enough" and "any ol' fuzz" really.

Your sample almost sounds like a Prunes and Custard, although not as wild. Note: I have never used a P&C, so could be totally wrong. Depth Charge? Attack Goat? Something nasty.

Mark Olson · #9 05-21-2009, 06:45 PM

I've owned Brassmaster clones and I didn't find them synthy, not really at all. It's all in the hands. If you clamp down hard enough on your sound in between notes you can make just about anything sound "synthy", but inherently synthy I don't think a Brassmaster is. In fact they can be quite aggressive and distortion like if you wish, or plenty of other sounds. That's my 2 cents.

RCCollins · #10 05-21-2009, 06:57 PM

that clip sounds NOTHING like any kind of B:Assmaster

I'd say a (red) Messdrive will get you pretty close to this sound

Mark Olson · #11 05-21-2009, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Olson

Soon people will be chiming in with the name of their current favorite fuzz pedal, whether it gets them a tone anything like your tone in question or not.

And it begins...

It might do some good to actually listen to the two clips side by side. I challenge everyone to come up with a clip more accurate to that tone than the one I've provided.

Dr. Lobotomy · #12 05-21-2009, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Olson

I believe this dude gets pretty close in this video, check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6kjd...eature=related

Damn, that video was excellent. The assmaster just made my wish list. Killer pedal.
I checked out some other stuff from Ed Friedland's series on youtube, phenomenal. I think I just fell in love with the EHX Bass Microsynth as well.
That might be the best video bass review series I've ever seen (next to bassfuzz.com, of course

)

ScottB. · #13 05-23-2009, 01:45 PM

Does anyone have any clips of the red messdrive? Other than the ones on the electronix site.

Any other suggestions?

**Bryan R. Tyler** · #14 05-23-2009, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottB.

Does anyone have any clips of the red messdrive? Other than the ones on the electronix site.

Any other suggestions?

At grygrx's BassFuzz.com:
http://bassfuzz.com/2009/04/26/fuzz-...x-messdrive/4/

ScottB. · #15 05-23-2009, 02:28 PM

I think the messdrive is definitely closer than the assmaster, it just needs to be more of a cutting fuzz, less mud

ScottB. · #16 06-08-2009, 02:40 PM

Bump for more reccomendations?

dannybuoy · #17 06-08-2009, 02:49 PM

Sounds like a hint of octave up to me - I could get a similar sound out of my Ampeg Scrambler clone... that I just sold! There was an octave up fuzz around here called the Mingebox, I never did get around to checking the clips out though. But it's worth getting just for the name!

ScottB. · #18 06-09-2009, 09:52 AM

I dont know of any octave up fuzzes, what are some that are in the ~£150 range?