Fuzz Questions (Active Bass/Noise/Woolly Mammoth/Speakers)

[thesmallprint]

Just got a few questions about using fuzz pedals. Anything you can chip in with related to any of them would be much appreciated.

I am using an active Warwick Rockbass Corvette which I really like and also currently have a Russian Big Muff and a Guyatone "The Fuzz".

1. Is there generally a problem with running fuzz pedals with an active bass? Or is it only for certain pedals? What problems normally occur? Can this be fixed by having a volume pedal at the start of your pedal chain?

2. I get a lot of noise when running my Guyatone pedal. Could this be because of the active bass? Or perhaps it is just always like that. Anyone else have any (similar) experiences with this pedal?

3. Would the Woolly Mammoth sound horrible with my bass? I have heard that it is not so bad with Warwicks.

4. I am looking at getting a new cab and want something that will be suited to my sound (Big Muff basically) but is also lightweight. Any recommendations?

Thanks

[Bootzilla]

1. Some fuzzes don't like actives and some do. If you want more info on a specific fuzz try the website of the manufacturer or see if bassfuzz.com or harmony central has a review which mentiones a problem with active basses.

[TheMutt]

Originally Posted by thesmallprint

1. Is there generally a problem with running fuzz pedals with an active bass? Or is it only for certain pedals? What problems normally occur? Can this be fixed by having a volume pedal at the start of your pedal chain?

Generally, no problems with active bass and most fuzz pedals. There are exceptions like the Wooly Mammoth however. Also, don't expect the fuzz pedals to act the exactly the same way that they do with a passive bass as they will with your active. It just doesn't happen.

Originally Posted by thesmallprint

2. I get a lot of noise when running my Guyatone pedal. Could this be because of the active bass? Or perhaps it is just always like that. Anyone else have any (similar) experiences with this pedal?

I would assume that it is the pedal. Most OD/Distortion/Fuzz pedals increase the noise floor somewhat. If you have 60 cycle hum or string noise from not muting your strings or anything like that, of course it's going to be amplified by the pedal. I however have never used this particular pedal.

Originally Posted by thesmallprint

3. Would the Woolly Mammoth sound horrible with my bass? I have heard that it is not so bad with Warwicks.

Do a search on bassfuzz.com and on here. Grygrx, one of the moderators of this forum has already covered this, as have a slew of threads posted on here.

Originally Posted by thesmallprint

4. I am looking at getting a new cab and want something that will be suited to my sound (Big Muff basically) but is also lightweight. Any recommendations?

Thanks

That's a question best suited for the amps forum, and even then you're bound to get a ton of varying answers from 112, 115, 212, 215, 210, 410, 610, 810, etc etc etc. That's really a matter of personal taste. There isn't really an end-all-be-all answer.

[JMDT]

Here's a thread I went through recently that may shed some light on your search

Help me choose a synthy fuzz.

To answer you question about active bases though, with most 'normal' fuzz pedals they work fine. Where active basses cause problems is with gated pedals like the woolly mammoth and much of Devi Ever designs due to the design of the circuitry. They work, but the gating goes completely haywire; some people actually like this sound, but it seems you do not.

In general, fuzz pedals are a bit noisier with active basses, but bad bass technique (i.e. not muting open strings) can cause unwanted noise too.

What sound are you looking for. If you let us know we can recommend an active friendly fuzz pedal.

[dannybuoy]

Most fuzz face and big muff derived fuzzes sound better with a passive bass. You can build an impedance buffer so that you can use an active bass with a Wooly Mammoth etc. I've just got my first active bass, sounds crap with the Mammoth, not great with the Bassweet, but perfectly fine with my Ampeg Scrambler clone and my overdrives. I'm gonna have to build one of these buffers now - schematic is available from muzique.com I think.

[bassterix]

Originally Posted by thesmallprint

3. Would the Woolly Mammoth sound horrible with my bass? I have heard that it is not so bad with Warwicks.

My Warwick Thumb sounds not as bad as my other active basses through the Mammoth (that´s why I bought an impedance buffer for them). I don´t have a technical explanation for it, but I like the synthy sound I get with the Thumb.

[thesmallprint]

Originally Posted by dannybuoy

Most fuzz face and big muff derived fuzzes sound better with a passive bass. You can build an impedance buffer so that you can use an active bass with a Wooly Mammoth etc. I've just got my first active bass, sounds crap with the Mammoth, not great with the Bassweet, but perfectly fine with my Ampeg Scrambler clone and my overdrives. I'm gonna have to build one of these buffers now - schematic is available from muzique.com I think.

How do these buffers work? Do they go at the start of your pedal chain or just before your Woolly Mammoth?

Do you require much in the way of electrical know-how/gear to build one? I don't have much experience with electrical stuff. Is it possible to buy one otherwise?

Thanks

[warwick.hoy]

Originally Posted by dannybuoy

Most fuzz face and big muff derived fuzzes sound better with a passive bass. You can build an impedance buffer so that you can use an active bass with a Wooly Mammoth etc. I've just got my first active bass, sounds crap with the Mammoth, not great with the Bassweet, but perfectly fine with my Ampeg Scrambler clone and my overdrives. I'm gonna have to build one of these buffers now - schematic is available from muzique.com I think.

My Thumb sounds good through my Supercollider which is a Muff derivative.