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Distortion/Fuzz with chunkiness in the low end?

Gremson

Gremson

Mar 22, 2012
535
576
North-Leftern USA
www.commonlycourteous.com
#1
I'd search this if I could quantify it in simple terms, but I'm not sure how.
So many bass fuzz/distortions/overdrives have a clean blend to maintain the low end, and so many others are designed so that the overdriven sound doesn't interfere with the lower frequencies. To me, for the most part, these just sound like a typical clean sound with a fizzy sound in the top end, but the low end maintains a smooth consistency.
I dont want that.
I want the low end to sound chunky and broken just as much as the top end. Can anyone help determine this? I'd love some pedal suggestions as well as just general terms that help search out this sound.
Thanks guys!
 
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#2
Gremson said:
I'd search this if I could quantify it in simple terms, but I'm not sure how.
So many bass fuzz/distortions/overdrives have a clean blend to maintain the low end, and so many others are designed so that the overdriven sound doesn't interfere with the lower frequencies. To me, for the most part, these just sound like a typical clean sound with a fizzy sound in the top end, but the low end maintains a smooth consistency.
I dont want that.
I want the low end to sound chunky and broken just as much as the top end. Can anyone help determine this? I'd love some pedal suggestions as well as just general terms that help search out this sound.
Thanks guys!
Click to expand...

I don’t know what qualifies as that but I personally feel the Tech21 Oxford has good clank/fuzz up top and it has something really gutsy in the mids and low-mids. Something very grunty there.

Another pedal I can think of right off the top is the Alpha-Omicron/Alpha-Omega overdrives.
 
#3
Gremson said:
I'd search this if I could quantify it in simple terms, but I'm not sure how.
So many bass fuzz/distortions/overdrives have a clean blend to maintain the low end, and so many others are designed so that the overdriven sound doesn't interfere with the lower frequencies. To me, for the most part, these just sound like a typical clean sound with a fizzy sound in the top end, but the low end maintains a smooth consistency.
I dont want that.
I want the low end to sound chunky and broken just as much as the top end. Can anyone help determine this? I'd love some pedal suggestions as well as just general terms that help search out this sound.
Thanks guys!
Click to expand...

Hello. Here are some I own that might do what you seek. They span a range of sonic types, from raw to refined, and (when fuzz) from natural to gated:

Arcane Analog - NKT213 Buzzaround Tribute (Bold, very raw and open, very touch sensitive. You have to play this genre of early fuzz circuit to understand. Highly recommended.)

Fuzzrocious - Rat King (A flexible, unruly, nummy, down and dirty distortion factory that can self-oscillate. Mine is an old one with a LM308AH transistor. Renamed the Cat King.)

Fuzzrocious - Dark Driving with treble mod (A sensuous, deep mess of a circuit that is just controllable enough. Beautiful sound. A bizarre interpretation of the the BJFE 3BOD. Out of print and worth seeking.)

Menatone - Wreck't 4-knob (You really should experience playing this one. It's as if the bass is being torn into shreds. Like all Menatone amp-in-a-box pedals, it sounds and feels credibly like the amp it is designed to emulate. I have a hand wired one; not sure if there is a PCB version, and if so whether it sounds different.)

Menatone - Pig (Original hand wired, big box version, 2014. Some low end loss, but shreds the full spectrum. Sounds credibly like the amp it emulates. Beautiful.)

Dunwich Amplification - Volt Thrower (So versatile. Has internal trim pots: top == fizz reducer; bottom == low frequency clipping reducer. You yourself would reduce fizz plus not reduce low clipping, I would think.)

Bearfoot FX Blueberry Bass Overdrive (Aka BBOD, BBBOD, or 3BOD. Reportedly not as "gooey" sounding as the BJFE original. Slow, satisfying, with a wide timbral range. Hard to find at the moment.)

Big Game Pedals Solace State (Sounds credibly like the amp it emulates. Seems to be out of print.)

Dwarfcraft Necromancer (I have yet to play mine. Bass demo here.)

One Control - Hooker's Green Bassmachine (A BJF design. The low end is smooth, but overdriven. Can push a lot of low end.)

Devi Ever FX - Rocket Fuzz v1 ca. 2009 (Gated, velcro fuzz. Totally 90s.)

Recovery Effects - Sound Destruction Device MkII (Self-oscillating, gated fuzz. Versatile, unruly, powerful, aptly named.)
 
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#4
I've been lucky enough to try some great dirt pedals that retain low-end that I could recommend, but Damnation Audio MBD-2 really does what you're describing since it blends in the dry bass signal in parallel, something I personally haven't run into otherwise
 
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#5
I literally just bought a pedal combination that sounds like exactly what you’re looking for. It’s the MXR Vintage Bass Octave and the EHX Bass Big Muff, when you turn the 2nd octave off on the octave pedal and the 1st octave up to 12 o’clock along with the dry signal, and put that straight into the Big Muff, you end up with a signal with LOADS of low end. Also these are the exact ones I use, I just like the smaller pedals mainly for space saving sake but I don’t see why the larger versions of these pedals wouldn’t work just as well. After all they’re the same pedals!
3BFEFA0F-B9FD-4E07-904C-8E09A89875E5.jpeg
3DC9332F-420E-436A-A054-2B0D4B705A96.jpeg
 
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#7
Despite it being a "my first pedal" thing (as it was for me!), the Boss ODB-3 has an absolutely massive low end, to a point where the lows are unruly if dialed above about noon. It can be a bit fizzy, but can work in the right context (Jon Stockman was running one prior to the DG Alpha Omega being created).
 
#8
Snaxster said:
Hello. Here are some I own that might do what you seek. They span a range of sonic types, from raw to refined, and (when fuzz) from natural to gated:

Arcane Analog - NKT213 Buzzaround Tribute (Bold, very raw and open, very touch sensitive. You have to play this genre of early fuzz circuit to understand. Highly recommended.)

Fuzzrocious - Rat King (A flexible, unruly, nummy, down and dirty distortion factory that can self-oscillate. Mine is an old one with a LM308AH transistor. Renamed the Cat King.)

Fuzzrocious - Dark Driving with treble mod (A sensuous, deep mess of a circuit that is just controllable enough. Beautiful sound. A bizarre interpretation of the the BJFE 3BOD. Out of print and worth seeking.)

Menatone - Wreck't 4-knob (You really should experience playing this one. It's as if the bass is being torn into shreds. Like all Menatone amp-in-a-box pedals, it sounds and feels credibly like the amp it is designed to emulate. I have a hand wired one; not sure if there is a PCB version, and if so whether it sounds different.)

Menatone - Pig (Original hand wired, big box version, 2014. Some low end loss, but shreds the full spectrum. Sounds credibly like the amp it emulates. Beautiful.)

Dunwich Amplification - Volt Thrower (So versatile. Has internal trim pots: top == fizz reducer; bottom == low frequency clipping reducer. You yourself would reduce fizz plus not reduce low clipping, I would think.)

Bearfoot FX Blueberry Bass Overdrive (Aka BBOD, BBBOD, or 3BOD. Reportedly not as "gooey" sounding as the BJFE original. Slow, satisfying, with a wide timbral range. Hard to find at the moment.)

Big Game Pedals Solace State (Sounds credibly like the amp it emulates. Seems to be out of print.)

Dwarfcraft Necromancer (I have yet to play mine. Bass demo here.)

One Control - Hooker's Green Bassmachine (A BJF design. The low end is smooth, but overdriven. Can push a lot of low end.)

Devi Ever FX - Rocket Fuzz v1 ca. 2009 (Gated, velcro fuzz. Totally 90s.)

Recovery Effects - Sound Destruction Device MkII (Self-oscillating, gated fuzz. Versatile, unruly, powerful, aptly named.)
Click to expand...

Man, you really did your homework! I'll take some time to look into those. Thanks!
 
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#10
American Wizard Toneworks KNCKA
I bought it randomly and my fuzz search was over forever. I wanted the same things from a Fuzz you are after and this did it for me. Slays on guitar and makes whatever bass amp you have sound like a wall of sound.

Here is his instagram. He was posting a lot more last year. I would be shocked if he wasnt still taking orders. His pedals should be in way more conversations about fuzz. To my ears there is no other fuzz even in the game after finding him in my hometown.
American Wizard Toneworks (@americanwizardtoneworks) • Instagram photos and videos

One of his HERA single knob fuzz pedals are on sale for under $60 right now.
American Wizard Toneworks Hera Fuzz | Alan's Music Room

Screenshot_20191224-063536_Chrome.jpg
 
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#12
_One//Man//Mutiny_ said:
Malekko B:Assmaster it's an exact clone of what Flea uses on the intro to Around the World, pretty sure he uses this now instead. I love mine!
Click to expand...
I was gonna say, if memory serves (I had one way back in the day), the classic Maestro Bass Brassmaster does the very thing the OP wants. Can't recall how well it retains the lows--I expect the newer reissues are better in that regard. But, definitely more chunk than fizz.
 
#15
Gremson said:
I'd search this if I could quantify it in simple terms, but I'm not sure how.
So many bass fuzz/distortions/overdrives have a clean blend to maintain the low end, and so many others are designed so that the overdriven sound doesn't interfere with the lower frequencies. To me, for the most part, these just sound like a typical clean sound with a fizzy sound in the top end, but the low end maintains a smooth consistency.
I dont want that.
I want the low end to sound chunky and broken just as much as the top end. Can anyone help determine this? I'd love some pedal suggestions as well as just general terms that help search out this sound.
Thanks guys!
Click to expand...

 
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#16
Gremson said:
I'd search this if I could quantify it in simple terms, but I'm not sure how.
So many bass fuzz/distortions/overdrives have a clean blend to maintain the low end, and so many others are designed so that the overdriven sound doesn't interfere with the lower frequencies. To me, for the most part, these just sound like a typical clean sound with a fizzy sound in the top end, but the low end maintains a smooth consistency.
I dont want that.
I want the low end to sound chunky and broken just as much as the top end. Can anyone help determine this? I'd love some pedal suggestions as well as just general terms that help search out this sound.
Thanks guys!
Click to expand...
Tried a darkglass duality yet? It has a low pass filter and when you use the filter to dial out some of the high end it sounds nice and thick to my ears.
 
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#17
To get distortion and low End I use parallel processing, I split me signal into 4 different lines on my pedal board and recombine them

This is what I am currently using for effects.

pedal.jpg


1 - First I run into an equalizer

2 - Then I split the signal into 4 parallel signals with a rolls mixer.

3 - I run one of the parallel lines into the Line6 bass pod where I model an acoustic 360 with a rat or big muff distortion pedal. I use this to get a retro growlly distorted sound. Or I also model an Ampeg fliptop with the Rat Distortion pedal. And I also Model an old Marshall amp. With the bass pod I can get a wide range of clean or dirty sounds and various effects and model different amps and speaker cabinets.

4 - The second parallel signal goes into a MXR bass di+. I use this pedal to get a clean modern sound. It also has a distortion button that can give a moderate to extreme amount of modern distortion.

5 - The third parallel signal goes into a Marshall Guv'nor. This gives me an old 60s marshall stack sound. This can go from a small amount of distortion to an over the top marshall sound. This effect can give you a the classic Jack Bruce Cream tone.

6 - The fourth parallel signal goes into a Tech21 VT Bass pedal. With this effect I get a slightly dirty Ampeg SVT bass amp sound with a tube like growl.

7 - Then I remix the 4 signals back together and run it into a bass amp, or pa, or studio mixer. Because the signals are parallel I can mix clean and overdriven sounds together and still get effect and a sound that punches through the mix.

Schematic diagram of my effects.

effects-sch.jpg


and what is not shown is the reverb / delay pedal at the end of the line
 
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#18
Robertron said:
What you're describing sounds like the Damnation Audio MBD.
Click to expand...

^^^This. I hate to sound like a broken record, but the MBD-1 completely cured me of fuzz GAS, because it does everything I want a fuzz/distortion/overdrive pedal to do for a bass...which primarily means, not make it sound like an emasculated tinny guitar! Bass through MBD-1 sounds like a bass with hair: Big hair, flaming hair, short'n'curly hair, you decide...but it always sounds like your bass. On fire.
 
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