Why Don't I Love Fuzz?

[Charley Umbria]

Is there something wrong with me? I feel like a complete TB reject.

I play a passive P-bass w/rounds into an Ampeg B-100R, with a Catalinbread SFT for warmth and tubey drive, plus an Ibanez TS9DX Turbo Tube Screamer for some midrangey bite, when needed. I've tried a couple of Muff variants and other fuzzes, but I just can't seem to find anything that moves me

I play classic rock, 60's stuff, Motown, and the occasional Big Star cover, mostly for fun (see my user title).

Do I need fuzz? Will my life be complete without it? Will I still be allowed to hang out with the Sub-Lime, Mammoth, and Civil War owners on the cool side of the Sonic on Friday nights?






In all seriousness, are there some good non-Stranglehold examples of bass fuzz in the genres I play?

And, yes, Stranglehold is awesome.

[BigOldHarry]

You are not alone. I find distortion on bass to sound awful.

[CopperheadLXXIX]

Nobody is perfect...

[rratajski]

Different strings with a different head/cab might change your mind.
I'm kind of over fuzz these days for my band, but I still go back to it every month.
You just haven't found a fuzz that you like yet! Don't give up!

[Jared Lash]

Originally Posted by Charley Umbria

Is there something wrong with me?

Yes.

Originally Posted by Charley Umbria

In all seriousness, are there some good non-Stranglehold examples of bass fuzz in the genres I play?

Think for Yourself

Dance to the Music

Shaky Ground

Crown of Creation

Apostrophe

(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below We're All Going to Go

Hold Out Your Hand

Diddy Wah Diddy

Though it came from clipping the console, Jamerson's tone was often bordering on fuzzy.
I Can't Help Myself

[jucas]

Originally Posted by Charley Umbria

Is there something wrong with me? I feel like a complete TB reject.

I play a passive P-bass w/rounds into an Ampeg B-100R, with a Catalinbread SFT for warmth and tubey drive, plus an Ibanez TS9DX Turbo Tube Screamer for some midrangey bite, when needed. I've tried a couple of Muff variants and other fuzzes, but I just can't seem to find anything that moves me

I play classic rock, 60's stuff, Motown, and the occasional Big Star cover, mostly for fun (see my user title).

Do I need fuzz? Will my life be complete without it? Will I still be allowed to hang out with the Sub-Lime, Mammoth, and Civil War owners on the cool side of the Sonic on Friday nights?






In all seriousness, are there some good non-Stranglehold examples of bass fuzz in the genres I play?

And, yes, Stranglehold is awesome.

I got no examples, but how about non-muff fuzzes? I love other fuzz, and I always want to like the bigmuff, but I just cant do it. You might just like having mids too much.

Used to use a P-bass with rounds into a b100r, and found that fuzz face variants were a little better (loved the wooley mammoth, but some people absolutely hate it. Maybe an B:assmaster would do it for you? Not necessarily mo-towny, but its a long way from a muff.

[bassbrad]

Nothing sez you gotta fuzz or love it.
There is some I luv and others not so much.

[Rockmusician]

Originally Posted by BigOldHarry

You are not alone. I find distortion on bass to sound awful.

+1,000,000

[tangentmusic]

Maybe it's cuz the fuzz caught you with a reefer back in high school?

Wait.. wrong fuzz.

Maybe you're just an old school player like so many of us.
There are a couple good songs with fuzz as mentioned above by jared.

[CapnSev]

Originally Posted by BigOldHarry

You are not alone. I find distortion on bass to sound awful.

I'm coming around to liking it more and more, but usually I don't like much more than a very slight "woolly" break up.

[waleross]

Those are great examples of the Fuzz Songs from the past, when I was 18 , 19 years old. I won't use fuzz that extreme but I do use some distortion and a little fuzz in small "doses" . I'll let the guitars "fuzz-out" and distort all they want to ........................

[Charley Umbria]

Great list, Jared. Now I've got to break out the headphones...

Keep `em coming!

[Lowbrow]

Originally Posted by Charley Umbria

Is there something wrong with me?

No - I'm with you. We like bass that sounds like a bass. I like overdrive...Even the Beatles had overdriven bass sound on some tunes - it's a pretty natural occurrence.

Originally Posted by Charley Umbria

In all seriousness, are there some good non-Stranglehold examples of bass fuzz in the genres I play?

And, yes, Stranglehold is awesome.

Rolling Stones - My Obsession

[RickenBoogie]

why don't I like lima beans? well, actually, I know why, and it has to do with naughty sex, and a complete lima bean which appears at the end. no, I wasn't there, but the story was so repulsive, it caused me to lose any affinity I might have had for the little buggers forever. maybe your fuzz story is similar, but ultimately, just like my lima bean thing, it doesn't matter one bit.

[rob_thebassman]

everyones different, im not too keen on flangers

[Syco_bass]

I agree. I'm a bit old school and a one trick pony when it comes to bass tones. I set it and forget it. I do like a bit of overdrive (growly/crunchy) but not "Fuzzy".

anyway, you are not alone.

[warwick.hoy]

I takes all kinds of people man,....but us fuzz lovers will forgive you.

[anthowl]

Not into most fuzz type effects but I blend a 85 reissue Rat with my 'clean tone' and that sounds pretty killer.

I say 'clean' because it's cleaner but still overdriving a tube..

[Spectrum]

I don't like fuzz because it seems to make all my other efforts to create a cool tone moot. Once you flick the fuzz switch it loses the bottom end and the bright tone and just sounds like...fuzz. I agree about overdrive, though, careful use of overdrive doesn't kill the whole bass tone, but for the most part I like that bright, clean piano sound.

[Marginal Tom]

If you don't like fuzz, don't use it. I like overdrive and mild fuzz, but heavier fuzz wouldn't work for the music I play. But if I was fifty years younger and flush with cash, my pedalboard would weigh fifty pounds.