Need a light fuzz - what to buy?

[mkandolf]

Hello everyone - I'm scheduled to play bass in the musical "Pippin" in February and the music calls for some fuzz in a few numbers. Listening to the demo disc, it's nothing really strong, just a thicker muffled sound.

I plan on using my '78 Fender Precision (flats) through an Ampeg BA115HPT (tube preamp) for most of the show. I'll have my Traben Tribal Sun fretless for a couple songs as well as my upright for others.

What recommendations do you have?

[Pilgrim]

My understanding is that the progression of similar effects is Overdrive > Distortion > Fuzz. I played around and backed my way down the chain from fuzz and ended up with an overdrive as my "light" fuzz. To me, the fuzz effect on bass tends to reduce or eliminate the initial attack of the notes, and by doing that makes the bass hard to discern from the rest of the music. (Just my opinion, for my ears.)

At any rate, if you want "light fuzz", I'd suggest you try an overdrive. I think it will give you the range of effect you're looking for. The one I use is a Digitech Bad Monkey modified by Scott Humpreys specifically for bass service, and I like it a lot. you can find his website at http://haudiomods.webs.com/. He was fantastic to work with. The Bad Monkey is on the Products link.

[Footbutt]

if you post a link to a sound clip of the sound you're looking for, that would help out a lot.

[HolmeBass]

Fulltone's Bass-Drive Mosfet could be what you want- the "clean comp" setting is a very light amount of overdrive with great character and lets the sound of your instrument come through. My only gripe is it does thin out the lows just a little bit.

[mkandolf]

Originally Posted by Footbutt

if you post a link to a sound clip of the sound you're looking for, that would help out a lot.

I'll see if I can get that done by the weekend. Thanks for suggesting it.

[Din Of Win]

I've done 'light fuzz' by using an EHX Bass muff in dry mode, and simply turning the fuzz volume down a bunch.

[Diddii]

tech21 Bass VT

check it out on youtube that might be what your looking for. Excellent pedal for light drive

[Calebmundy]

Whoo Pippin! I had fun playing that show-enjoy that alternating 11/8 5/4 in that one tune early in the first act. I didn't use effects when I did the show, but I would now. I suspect the composer was thinking something pretty vintage-sounding, but anything that sounds different, but isn't too extreme would probably work. My experience is that musical directors rarely care about bass tone changes unless thru hate it, but I am all for covering all the intructions.

[Valerus]

Light fuzz? Have you checked out the MI Audio Neo Fuzz? It did low gain fuzz really well.

[CopperheadLXXIX]

Iron Ether Oxide

[drnknmstr]

I found the Sparkle Drive is nice and light, but retains good articulation and low end. I've tried a nice range of pedals and that one is on the lighter side for sure.

[M0ses]

IMO the EHX Bass Blogger is way underrated: it doesn't do crazy fuzz muff madness, but it does a great job of adding grit to your signal in OD mode and it retains all the bottom you need in distortion mode. It's cheap, too.