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Iron Ether Oxide vs Malekko B:AssMaster

Which delicious FUZZ do you want on your board?

  • Total voters
    52
pineapplerobot

pineapplerobot

Jul 23, 2012
289
12
Omaha, NE
#1
I truly cannot decide between the two pedals. I play alternative/indie rock stuff (switchfoot, foo fighters to death cab etc..) and I want some nice fuzz with some synthy sounds to it as well, but more importantly I want a pedal with the clean/fuzz mixture designed to not loose my tone and my low end. These pedals are where I have come and even when I listen to clips I can't pic. They are pretty similar in prices so thats not the issue for me, I do however like the size of the oxide more. I have owned other IE and Malekko pedals so I know their quality and love both brands. I've searched the threads and read what I could, but nothing was a straight comparison between the two.


Enough about me..your mission, if you choose to except it...Pick one, say why.
 
#2
The Oxide is far more versatile, the gate side (left) of the Morph knob is pretty cool for synthy sounds, while the right side is based on original the B:assmaster, so you can get quite different tones from the same pedal.

I havent tried the Malekko but the sound clips I've heard havent made me want to change that...
 
#3
Haven't played either, listened to a lot of youtube clips... I vote oxide partly because of the form factor and partly because I think it sounds cool. The b:assmaster sounds good too and would probably cut through the mix like chainsaw but it's as big as the star ship enterprise.
 
#4
I've owned the oxide for quite a while but only recently realized how awesome this thing is. I used to crank the fuzz side and it was cool. But now I've trimmed the fuzz back to like 10:00 and increased the clean to like 5:00. Way way way better. So deep! Almost sounds synthy with a simple chorus after it. No chorus and the separation between the clean and fuzz almost sounds like two separate instruments...almost.

The b master I always liked. But I thought it was always a one trick face melter. I never played with it long enough to truly compare the two. Sorry on that account.
 
#5
the B:Assmaster really isnt that big. I have several EHX pedals that are much bigger, with less knobs!
I have not tried the Iron Ether yet. But the B:Assmaster is my go to pedal these days. Chiefly because it doesnt have the "knobs only sound good in a very narrow range" thing that a lot of "versatile" pedals have.
 
#7
Wow I love how these pedals are still basically even! Only good things to hear for each one too! The wallet restricts me from buying both, and none of my friends have either so I can't do an in person comparison. How about that gate function on the Oxide? Do people use it, you like it? etc?

OOOOH but it looks like Flea has gone for the ASS!

Handler.ashx
 
#9
pineapplerobot said:
Wow I love how these pedals are still basically even! Only good things to hear for each one too! The wallet restricts me from buying both, and none of my friends have either so I can't do an in person comparison. How about that gate function on the Oxide? Do people use it, you like it? etc?

OOOOH but it looks like Flea has gone for the ASS!
Click to expand...

I don't think it's a real gate. Turning the morph down makes it behave somewhat like a gate. More glitchy than gate IMO. I might be wrong though.
 
#10
I owned the oxide. I didn't care that much for it. It's supposed to be able to cop the woolly mammoth, i didn't sound much like the mammoth I once owned.
It's also suppose to cop the brassmaster as well, either way I didn't care much for the tone. Didn't really sound great with my other pedals either. It had a real kind of weird open sound that I didn't really like.

Not sure if it's officially a fuzz, but my favorite distortion/fuzz pedal is Dr. Scientist The Elements, so versatile and sounds great on about every setting. It goes od to distortion to fuzz no problem.
 
#11
They both work quite differently in a band mix. Buy both, keep the one that works for you. I've owned two Oxides and currently have two B:Assmasters.

Believe you me, both companies deserve your money. And I can definitely see a use for having both pedals, but for my needs, the B:Assmaster works best.

From your description it sounds like the Oxide is for you, so that is what I recommend.
 
#12
thing I really like about the B:Assmaster over many other pedals is that I can get a decent medium overdrive, a scorching distortion or a mild warm fuzz.
I only own one other pedal that dos all three, my deucetone Rat. But that dont have a clean blend.
I do have one or two other pedals like the fuzz war and a modded double muff that do single sounds much better of course.
 
#13
nad said:
They both work quite differently in a band mix. Buy both, keep the one that works for you. I've owned two Oxides and currently have two B:Assmasters.

Believe you me, both companies deserve your money. And I can definitely see a use for having both pedals, but for my needs, the B:Assmaster works best.

From your description it sounds like the Oxide is for you, so that is what I recommend.
Click to expand...

+1. I own the Malekko. I bought it before I'd ever heard of IE. I can't unfortunately justify owning 2 boutique priced fuzz pedals. I definitely covet an IE, but I'm extremely happy with the Malekko- and as a hidden bonus it does great things when used with a guitar. I like it when gear can multitask. I think you can't go wrong with either choice- which makes the decision easy and hard at the same time.
 
#15
I owned both about a year ago and tried them both with my band. The oxide was more versatile but the b:assmaster just sounded right to me and played better with my other pedals. Sold the oxide kept the b:assmaster.

If money is not an issue try both. And sell/return the loser. The oxide seem to be easier to sell though.
 

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