Swollen Pickle... i'm buying one unless you convince me otherwise

MarshallLaw · #1 03-27-2010, 01:18 PM

i've been on the quest for the holy grail of bass fuzz. from everything ive read online, and all the videos ive watched, it seems to be thr Zvex Wooly Mammoth. unfortunately i dont have $400 to spend on one, so i'm looking for the next best thing.

i've tried out:
EHX Big Muff USA
EHX Big Muff Russia
EHX Bassballs
ZVEX Mastotron
Way Huge Swollen Pickle

out of those, the Swollen Pickle wins by far. "Way Huge" is right, it sounds massive. it also has simple controls that actually allow a lot of different sounds, from smooth vintage Blue Cheer fuzz, to ripping Weedeater distortion.

id like to try the EHX Bass Big Muff, but there are none to be found around here. i dont wanna buy something without trying it out for myself.

so basically, im gonna get the Pickle unless someone recommends something better for around the same price or cheaper.

GO!

nboyer941 · #2 03-27-2010, 02:02 PM

I have a pickle on its way to me in the mail. I traded my vt for it. I should have it by Monday. I'm hoping for goodness.

I wasn't too impressed with the ehx big muff.

MarshallLaw · #3 03-27-2010, 02:10 PM

yeah ive read a lot of mixed reviews on the bass muff. ive watched a lot of youtube videos too, some sounded great, some sounded like crap.

i tried the pickle on a few different amps with a few different basses and it was consistently awesome.

Step · #4 03-27-2010, 02:13 PM

I think that for the price you can go wrong with the Bass Big muff, it's so cheap but sounds great on bass, had a blend and bass boost

Woot!

P.S: little to no experience with the swollen pickle, but buy them both!

St Drogo · #5 03-27-2010, 02:14 PM

I've got a bass muff and tbh I have to agree with nboyer here. It's okay, and for the price it is great. But it's not what you want, judging from your post. Hell, it's not what i want but my wallet tells me I'll have to make do for the moment

.

I'd say go for it man!

St Drogo · #6 03-27-2010, 02:16 PM

By the way, wth is a bassballs doing in your list?

St Drogo · #7 03-27-2010, 02:18 PM

Oh and by the way by the way, you may want to check out the verellen big spider. I hear some great things about them. they go for about 150 bucks if I remember correctly.

Check out this thread about it, with audioclips:
Verellen Big Spider Distortion: Audio Samples

MarshallLaw · #8 03-27-2010, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by St Drogo

By the way, wth is a bassballs doing in your list?

haha im not sure, i definitely tried one when i was playing with envelope filters though...

kph24 · #9 03-27-2010, 02:27 PM

try the big muff tone wicker

Step · #10 03-27-2010, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by St Drogo

Oh and by the way by the way, you may want to check out the verellen big spider. I hear some great things about them. they go for about 150 bucks if I remember correctly.

Check out this thread about it, with audioclips:
Verellen Big Spider Distortion: Audio Samples

just ordered one, WOOT!
build time is 4 weeks though

Nashrakh · #11 03-27-2010, 02:46 PM

Catalinbread SFT.

My favorite, will buy one once I got the munniez.

Sound Chaser · #12 03-27-2010, 03:12 PM

The Blackout Effectors Musket Fuzz is much better than the Pickle, from my experience. About half the size, too.

MarshallLaw · #13 03-27-2010, 03:26 PM

both the Big Spider and the SFT sound good, but i just hate buying pedals that i cant try out on my own, you know? i guess i could always return them if i dont like em.

the Musket looks promising, but id like to hear a bass demo, and of course try one.

Step · #14 03-27-2010, 03:35 PM

Musket, courtesy of our own Valerus:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCUum6hpoQo

jmseeley · #15 03-27-2010, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarshallLaw

from smooth vintage Blue Cheer fuzz, to ripping Weedeater distortion.

im pretty sure you just sold me on a swollen pickle i had looked at them before.. now i must try one out on my rig

St Drogo · #16 03-27-2010, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarshallLaw

both the Big Spider and the SFT sound good, but i just hate buying pedals that i cant try out on my own, you know? i guess i could always return them if i dont like em.

If you don't like the big spider, you can send it to me.

MarshallLaw · #17 03-27-2010, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmseeley

im pretty sure you just sold me on a swollen pickle i had looked at them before.. now i must try one out on my rig

buy one, take i home, try it out. if you dont like it, return it.

faceinbass · #18 03-27-2010, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Step

just ordered one, WOOT!
build time is 4 weeks though

Congrats. I love mine. And so does my guitarist. He stole it.

YMMV but that "4 weeks" took about 2 months longer than expected. Ben was very forthcoming with info and communication. It just took a lot longer than he said it would. He gave those of us who waited a credit should we order a Meatsmoke or other amp. I have to admit, that has me thinking/drooling.

I would still order thebigspider all over again, fwiw.

Step · #19 03-27-2010, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by faceinbass

Congrats. I love mine. And so does my guitarist. He stole it.

YMMV but that "4 weeks" took about 2 months longer than expected. Ben was very forthcoming with info and communication. It just took a lot longer than he said it would. He gave those of us who waited a credit should we order a Meatsmoke or other amp. I have to admit, that has me thinking/drooling.

I would still order thebigspider all over again, fwiw.

aww that's bad news, I need some very heavy fuzz since I'm down to 1 as of last week

but I guess I'll have to wait

iamdenialNJ · #20 03-27-2010, 07:00 PM

I'm also in the market for a fuzz and the swollen pickle is definitely on my list to check out.