Fuzz that's warm, heavy, with definition and thump?

[SumOne]

The MXR Brown Acid arrived today and my quick first impressions (just via headphones) are that I like it with everything below about 10am on the dials....will need to give it more time and test in different situations to know if it's the fuzz for me though.

I also ordered a EHX Green Russian for comparison (I know it's not as recommended and probably won't be as good, but it's half the price of the MXR and is on Amazon so has free next day delivery and hassle free returns).

 

[2saddleslab]

Nightowl Edison cranked up!

 

[SumOne]

^^
Nice!


All these suggestions have been useful- listened on youtube where I can and most are now on my shopping list! I think the reality is that a 'good' distortion/fuzz is very subjective and listening to clips on youtube doesn't really take into account different setups etc. so my best option while the UK is in lockdown is to make full use of Amazon's free returns policy, and the legal 14 day return policy from UK shops....this does rule out imports, 2nd hand, and boutique/custom pedals though.

MXR Brown Acid is sounding good, EHX Green Russian is ordered, and I'll give the Fuzzrocious Grey Stache a go. Other options mostly seem to be import or boutique things which might well be better but I wont go for them just now as it would be a big cost and hassle to return them.

 

[2saddleslab]

^^
Nice!


All these suggestions have been useful- listened on youtube where I can and most are now on my shopping list! I think the reality is that a 'good' distortion/fuzz is very subjective and listening to clips on youtube doesn't really take into account different setups etc. so my best option while the UK is in lockdown is to make full use of Amazon's free returns policy, and the legal 14 day return policy from UK shops....this does rule out imports, 2nd hand, and boutique/custom pedals though.

MXR Brown Acid is sounding good, EHX Green Russian is ordered, and I'll give the Fuzzrocious Grey Stache a go. Other options mostly seem to be import or boutique things which might well be better but I wont go for them just now as it would be a big cost and hassle to return them.

That's pretty sound thinking there.

 

[jw23mind]

The MXR Brown Acid arrived today and my quick first impressions (just via headphones) are that I like it with everything below about 10am on the dials....will need to give it more time and test in different situations to know if it's the fuzz for me though.

I also ordered a EHX Green Russian for comparison (I know it's not as recommended and probably won't be as good, but it's half the price of the MXR and is on Amazon so has free next day delivery and hassle free returns).

The nice thing about the EHX is you can make it darker via the tilt tone control, whereas the MXR tone only controls the bass, and even with full bass the pedal is still pretty bright. I had both and found the MXR was the easiest to get a great tone while the EHX was more sensitive in the tone control but thus more versatile. I thought the MXR was slightly more scooped as well, but I could get them to sound pretty similar. I kept the EHX.

 

[Peaveylover]

 

[SumOne]

The nice thing about the EHX is you can make it darker via the tilt tone control, whereas the MXR tone only controls the bass, and even with full bass the pedal is still pretty bright. I had both and found the MXR was the easiest to get a great tone while the EHX was more sensitive in the tone control but thus more versatile. I thought the MXR was slightly more scooped as well, but I could get them to sound pretty similar. I kept the EHX.

Yeah, as 'Tone' seems to control the non-fuzzy Bass (so needs to be kept low) and 'Fuzz' just does the fuzzyness (saturation?) , the tone of the fuzz basically stays the same. It's a good tone, but like you say- not much versatility. At double the cost of the EHX and slightly more expensive than the Grey Stache I'll have to see if that specific tone is enough for it to hold it's spot on the pedalboard.

 

[johnk_10]

i have a EHX green russian and i liked it stock but i rehoused & modded mine to have a mids control and i like it even more :

 

[gh0st42]

i have a EHX green russian and i liked it stock but i rehoused & modded mine to have a mids control and i like it even more :

View attachment 4052336

Green Russian based pedals are awesome on bass.

Green Russian based plus some kind of mid boost controls, or tone stack bypass are insanely good. It's a incredibly potent combination when you can add back in the mids that a muff typically cuts.

 

[SumOne]

Obviously it's all personal taste but testing the MXR Brown Acid next to the EHX Green Russian I think the MXR has a better fuzz tone - like it's got more complex harmonic stuff going on (almost like a bit of envope filter, perhaps reverb), the EHX is a bit more like a lower bit rate synthy solid in your face tone.

The EHX is half the price and the tone controls offer more flexibility though, so it'll take me a while to decide.....and then the Grey Stache will arrive and make the decision even more tricky!

 

[affro]

Amptweaker bass fuzz is worth a mention here, as are animato style pedals.

I’ll also +1 for brassmaster style pedals - vfe wood chipper, bead fuzz, malekko diabolik, etc

 

[cosmicevan]

The clips of the MXR do sound really nice.

 

[SumOne]

I spent about 6hrs clicking between the EHX and MXR yesterday and actually dreamt of fuzz tones last night so think I need time away from them!

Trying them with just Bass is a tough call, down to personal taste. The MXR has a more complex tone, a stoner metal sort of sound, more highs included, its a bit of a shame the tone control just changes Bass - would be nice to be able to change the Fuzz tone. EHX has more tone control but the Fuzz is less complex - slightly more synth like, used with other pedals I got close to Jamiroquai's 'deeper underground' sound.

The MXR really shines when playing along loud to a whole band backing track (haven't had a chance to play it in a real band setting yet), at the same volume as the EHX the MXR cuts through much more.

Is a tough call (especially considering price difference), could almost justify keeping both for different things but I don't have unlimited funds and board space so I'm going with the MXR.....for now!

 

[Matt Dean]

Have tried both. (Most of the EHX variants even.)

Blue Beard destroys them in every way.

Find one. Highly recommended!

PS. Try get the Blue BEard with Tone Stack Bypass Switch mod. Absolue devastation with the Tone stack bypassed.

Yes, the Bluebeard does slay all fuzz pedals that dare to step up to the mic. However, it was the Damnation MBD-2 that dropped the mic when I AB'd the two pedals.

 

[Matt Dean]

i just got an MXR Brown acid yesterday and, IMO, it's a great fuzz for bass.

I just might have to try a Brown Acid out.

 

[chiphaleonbass]

Wren and Cuff Tall Font Russian. I've been down this road and this is where I landed.

 

[999Brent]

I spent about 6hrs clicking between the EHX and MXR yesterday and actually dreamt of fuzz tones last night so think I need time away from them!

Trying them with just Bass is a tough call, down to personal taste. The MXR has a more complex tone, a stoner metal sort of sound, more highs included, its a bit of a shame the tone control just changes Bass - would be nice to be able to change the Fuzz tone. EHX has more tone control but the Fuzz is less complex - slightly more synth like, used with other pedals I got close to Jamiroquai's 'deeper underground' sound.

The MXR really shines when playing along loud to a whole band backing track (haven't had a chance to play it in a real band setting yet), at the same volume as the EHX the MXR cuts through much more.

Is a tough call (especially considering price difference), could almost justify keeping both for different things but I don't have unlimited funds and board space so I'm going with the MXR.....for now!

I think your mind will easily made up if you jam with a band...
Brown Acid sounds so good with the band, it is one of those pedals where everyone looks up with a smile on their face when you fire it up!
I actually find it pulls off a distorted rhythm guitar and bass together during solos in heavier songs rather well.
We are just a 3 piece.

 

[theunknowndude]

Yep speaking of green Russians the stomp under foot sonic generator is awesome... kind of a green Russian mixed with a cutting fuzz and mids as well as usual volume tone and fuzz knobs... can sit in the background like a normal muff but with “body” and sounding thick or brought forward to be sizzling and cutting... plus the knobs have a lot of sensitivity. Under 9 on the tone knob means so much bass it’s almost like a meat box bass boom!

 

[PhatBottomBass1]

There are 100's of fuzz threads (I think I've read most of them while I'm 'working' from home) but perhaps someone can help my quest for my particular holy grail of a fuzz that's warm, harmonic and heavy sounding but also retains the 'thump' of the Bass - something that creates a wall of sound that punches you in the chest and slaps you in the face a bit but also gives you a warm hug!

I recently got a Barefoot Blueberry Queen Bee OD which I like so I'm also after something similar but more fuzzy and in your face. I'm not after anything sub & synthy (DOD meatbox), farty (wooly mammoth), high pitched (Rat), so I think it's a Muff I'm after.

I've owned EHX Big Muffs but felt they muffled (perhaps the clue's in the name?) the attack, individual notes fuzzed together in too much of a muffy mush, it lost the attack and thump defining each note. EQing after to increase the 'thump' didn't really work on the signal that had already fuzzed it away so I got a deluxe version to blend in clean tone but that kind of sounded like two instruments playing. So I got an Aftershock but mucking about for hours editing toneprints frustrated me and I never could get quite what I wanted, it felt a bit 'jack of all trades master of none' and like a programming job rather than learning the foibles of a soulful/living pedal so it didn't really float my boat.

I think I'm after something with a Green Russian fuzz tone that doesn't need a clean blend to retain the thump. I've narrowed it down to:

• EHX Green Russian (cheapest, but perhaps too dark sounding with no mid control)
• COG Tarkin (with mid level switches that probably help with the 'thump' and attack? Can't try one out- 6 week build time)
• Way Huge Russian Pickle (similar features to EHX but double the cost)
• Orange Fur Coat (perhaps a bit too bright, loses low end with octave up on (also- seems to need to be at front of pedal chain for fuzz tone rather than distortion but I have an envelope filter octaver already competing for the front spot)
• Earthquaker Hoof (seems to tick all the boxes but most expensive)

Anyone else on a similar Fuzz quest that has an opinion on this? Perhaps I'm expecting something that fuzz doesn't do and I should stick with OD/Distortion or go back to where I started and a EHX Big Muff and do something different pre/post to give it more thump?

OP,

I understand your quest...

Oddly, for myself, FUZZZZ has always been one of those things for Bass that has been desired, but not achieved in a truly satisfactory manner. I've used it (Bass Big Muff Pi Deluxe, Aguilar Fuz'a whatever, MXR types).

Just very recently I was searching around again and found this:

I heard the GIYGAS on a guitar and my ears immediately turned and said; "wait a minute this sounds VERY good in the bottom end!" I then learned it has a Bass selector that switches the mid EQ from a guitar frequency to 250Hz for Bass and has a +/- internal trim pot @ 40Hz. (I knew Catalinbread was thinking about us!)

This is a Fuzz for those who thought there was no truly great Fuzz for Bass...!

 

[SumOne]

^^^^
That does sound good, dammit!

So after hours of testing I thought overall the MXR Acid Brown beat the EHX Green Russian (personal taste though, both are good) but ideally I would like a bit more versatility than the MXR offers, perhaps to alter the fuzz tone more or EQ mids- so I also ordered a Grey Stache to test.....then you post the GIYGAS!

Good job I've got some lockdown time on my hands and shops don't seem to be to bothered about giving refunds.