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Fuzz Pedals in General

Discussion in 'Effects [BG]' started by Snakeman1066, Jul 5, 2008.

  1. Jul 5, 2008 #1
    Snakeman1066

    Snakeman1066 Supporting Member

    Sep 17, 2007
    Central Valley
    ok well i think i may want to try a Fuzz pedal again. A few years back i was given a Big Muff NYC re-issue as a gift, and though it was fun to play with but i personally couldn't get a usable tone out of it in a band setting, and after trying a few others i'm ok with the silicon based arbiter type fuzz, ...i have pretty much ruled out the germanium based transistor type fuzz pedal and i just can't deal with the Big Muff Pi. (seriosly not my thing at least of the ones i have tried) Are there any current fuzz pedals that are opamp based other than the ICBM by Euthymia Electronics? Anybody ever use one on bass? i have only been able to find guitar clips.

    Also anybody buy the MXR El Grande Bass Fuzz yet? I liked the clip on their website but you know how that can be....unfortunately i suspect it is just a modified Big muff but can't find any clarification if it is or isn't NPN high gain germanium transistor based anybody know?

    thanks
     
  2. Jul 5, 2008 #2
    dannybuoy

    dannybuoy

    Aug 3, 2005
    Earth
    There's a soundclip on the MXR site and just from that it sounds a bit similar to the Dunlop Hendrix Fuzz that has a few clips in a thread somewhere around here. Sounds more like an old school distortion or fuzz face (think Rolling Stones' Satisfaction) rather than an in-your-face-wall-of-sound muff type fuzz, with less compression, more note definition and attack. My only fuzz is a Supercollider, but I really like the sound of the El Grande too as it has a totally different sound in a small enclosure so I can justify having both on my board. All it will take is a good review with clips on TB to push me over the edge and buy it!
     
  3. Jul 5, 2008 #3
    AKI BASE

    AKI BASE

    Jul 5, 2008
    ATHENS-GREECE
    YOU CAN ALSO TRY THE MXR BLOW TORCH (MUSE SOUND). IS FANTASTIC. I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH YOU WITH FUZZ AND I RESOLVE IT WITH BLOW TORCH. BELIEVE ME IT WORTH A TRY.!!!!
     
  4. Jul 5, 2008 #4
    AKI BASE

    AKI BASE

    Jul 5, 2008
    ATHENS-GREECE
    TO ALL AMERICAN AND ENGLISH BOYS AND GIRLS...........
    PLEASE EXCUSE MY ENGLISH, I'M FROM GREECE AND I'M TRYING...
    THANKS A LOT.!!
     
  5. Jul 5, 2008 #5
    Max Roberts

    Max Roberts

    Aug 16, 2006
    Manchester, U.K
    Lol, just turn your caps lock off. You seem to have used it for everything. Your english isn't bad, it's easily understandable :).
     
  6. Jul 5, 2008 #6
    Valerus

    Valerus

    Aug 4, 2005
    Austin, Texas
    agreed
     
  7. Jul 5, 2008 #7
    rustynuts

    rustynuts

    Jan 20, 2008
    My Old Kentucky Home....
    Welcome to TalkBass! But as noted, it's a bit difficult to read with your caps lock on and it's usually interpreted as shouting online.

    Your English is a lot better than my Greek would be!

    :)
     
  8. Jul 5, 2008 #8
    Snakeman1066

    Snakeman1066 Supporting Member

    Sep 17, 2007
    Central Valley
    MXR Blowtorch is a Distortion pedal yes? anyway tried on back in January and angry bees are not my thing...lol

    seriously anybody know of an opamp based fuzz? I think EH put one out for a short period of time in the 70's and is apparetnly highly collectable, and THE ICBM is opamp based but can't find on locally to try on bass!

    any El Grande Reviews? Is it a modified Dallas arbiter type fuzz? Or is it a modified germanium transistor type fuzz?
     
  9. Jul 7, 2008 #9
    Snakeman1066

    Snakeman1066 Supporting Member

    Sep 17, 2007
    Central Valley
    Seriously nobody knows? anyone? I e-mailed the manufacturer but no response

    Has anybody bought one of these yet?

    Hey MysticBoo how about you?
     
  10. Jul 8, 2008 #10
    Jared Lash

    Jared Lash Born under punches

    Aug 21, 2006
    Denver, CO
    The Blowtorch is marketed as an overdrive, but it is very clearly a fuzz. A buzzy one focused on the midrange frequencies. I hated mine, but it gets a fair amount of love from other TBers.

    As for the El Grande, I have no proof, but from the wording they used in the ad copy made it sound like it was based on a 70's Big Muff.

    That said, are you sure its germanium vs silicon that is really your dividing line and not the actual tone of the Big Muff vs the Fuzz Face?

    The reason the Big Muff struggles in a band setting is that it is mid-scooped, which eats away the frequencies most needed for the bass to cut through. The most famous Big Muff clone, the Swollen Pickle (and some of its clones, the Pickle Pie and the Supercollider) cut through just fine because they allow those mids back in.

    For that matter, the germanium version of the B:Assmaster works great in a band setting as well.

    I've personally only tried the B:Assmaster, but I'm guessing all three would work for you despite being Germanium.
     
  11. Jul 8, 2008 #11
    Snakeman1066

    Snakeman1066 Supporting Member

    Sep 17, 2007
    Central Valley
    Maybe it's just me, or maybe i haven't tried enough of them, but i can seem to get a single usable tone in a band setting on germanium based fuzz pedals....

    I suppose i'll keep trying....

    Still curious about the El Grande however anybody try it or not? If so how does it stack up?
     
  12. Jul 8, 2008 #12
    SnakeAnthony

    SnakeAnthony

    Oct 26, 2005
    Bowling Green, KY
    The search function my friend. It's been discussed enough to have at least some turn up. There's a discussion about it in the PYPP thread up right now, a few pages back, from Rustynuts, who owns one.
     
  13. Jul 8, 2008 #13
    Snakeman1066

    Snakeman1066 Supporting Member

    Sep 17, 2007
    Central Valley
    Thanks, I tried several combinations in the search function but no direct hits aside from this one:

    http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=439060&highlight=ElGrande

    http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=430116&highlight=bass+fuzz

    This is all i could find but still no review of how it actually sounds aside from the clip on the website which sounds good, but who knows what was done to it in the studio or what it was played through.

    still curious as to whether id as germanium based or dallas arbiter type fuzz, or opamp based for that matter. I would be more inclined to take a chance on it if i knew for sure...
     
  14. Jul 8, 2008 #14
    rustynuts

    rustynuts

    Jan 20, 2008
    My Old Kentucky Home....
    Haven't cracked it open, but here are my thoughts on it....

    http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5949547&postcount=452

    http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=440395

    I used active basses with it, but there seems to be some debate on how they sound on actives. It sounds good to me but as noted, I'm an ex-guitarist so I don't hear things the same as long time bass players. I've got an impedance adjuster ordered so I can check it at higher impedence and see how they'll sound on the passives.