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Looking for a fuzz pedal which can also do light fuzz

gregouille23

gregouille23

Jan 1, 2012
380
359
Antwerp, Belgium
#1
Hi,

I am complete noob as far as effects go. The only thing I used so far is a compressor patch on my Zoom B3 and I just ordered a Smoothie compressor from OVNIFX. I play in a cover band where we mostly play classic rock (Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Guns n Roses...) with drums, 2 guitars and a keyboard. At home I play a bit of everything: Rock, disco, funk, pop... mostly with fingers but I also slap (badly) and play with a pick sometimes.

For some reason I am not a fan of OD or distortion on bass, but like fuzz. However, "full" fuzz does not really fit the kind of music we play in the band so I am looking for a pedal which would have a good tone when playing with a lot of fuzz (to experiment at home) but also that could add a bit of fuzz when playing with the band. I play mostly my Rickenbacker 4003SW with a very light touch through a Mesa Walkabout Scout 15'' and, though I really dig the tone, I find that on some heavier tunes it could benefit from a light fuzz. As for budget, I prefer to spend a little more to get something really good rather than take the cheap route and upgrade later.

I found some threads about similar questions but they were pretty old. Any advise/opinion is much appreciated! ;)

Cheers,

Greg
 
#4
rob_thebassman said:
Bass big muff? It has a bass boost and dry function
Click to expand...

Sorry for the question but I get confused with the BBMs. Are you talking about the EHX Big Bass Muff Pi, EHX Big Bass Muff Nano or EHX Big Bass Muff Pi Deluxe? Listening to the clips, it does not sound bad at all but I see a lot of bad press about these EHX.

btmpancake said:
Try to google the FEA Photon fuzz11 on YouTube and see what you think.
Click to expand...

Thanks! From the clips it sounds really great. But it seems to have been replaced by a new one and the price is maybe a bit steep for something I plan to use only sporadically.
 
#8
gregouille23 said:
Sorry for the question but I get confused with the BBMs. Are you talking about the EHX Big Bass Muff Pi, EHX Big Bass Muff Nano or EHX Big Bass Muff Pi Deluxe? Listening to the clips, it does not sound bad at all but I see a lot of bad press about these EHX.
Click to expand...
Depends on your budget really, I meant the normal bass big nuff. the only difference between bbm and bbm nano is the normal bbm has a 'normal' mode and a dry output.

The deluxe one is completely different.

As for the bad press, I think it's all down to personal taste. Try it for yourself :)
 
#11
I've been putting together a Small rock board, and pretty much settling on the DOD Caracosa as the 1st pedal driver/overdrive. Large drive knob almost off at about 8:30, bias 11 and high cut noon. The mid peak of the Caricosa make it good for competing with a wall of guitar. My fuzz is a ssbs TAFM and it can be used pretty subtly too (as well as the ssbs Mini, which is my favorite all purpose dirt pedal period, but it's on my ambient board... Get a Mini.
 
#14
gregouille23 said:
Hi,

I am complete noob as far as effects go. The only thing I used so far is a compressor patch on my Zoom B3 and I just ordered a Smoothie compressor from OVNIFX. I play in a cover band where we mostly play classic rock (Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Guns n Roses...) with drums, 2 guitars and a keyboard. At home I play a bit of everything: Rock, disco, funk, pop... mostly with fingers but I also slap (badly) and play with a pick sometimes.

For some reason I am not a fan of OD or distortion on bass, but like fuzz. However, "full" fuzz does not really fit the kind of music we play in the band so I am looking for a pedal which would have a good tone when playing with a lot of fuzz (to experiment at home) but also that could add a bit of fuzz when playing with the band. I play mostly my Rickenbacker 4003SW with a very light touch through a Mesa Walkabout Scout 15'' and, though I really dig the tone, I find that on some heavier tunes it could benefit from a light fuzz. As for budget, I prefer to spend a little more to get something really good rather than take the cheap route and upgrade later.

I found some threads about similar questions but they were pretty old. Any advise/opinion is much appreciated! ;)

Cheers,

Greg
Click to expand...
What is your best/preferred resource living in Belgium?
This company gets a lot of praise (check out the Pedals and Effects review) and isn't far from you:
Cog Effects - Grand Tarkin Bass Fuzz
Functionally, it will do what you want, assuming the overall sound is what you like.

Otherwise, it seems like the Fuzzrocious pedal or the SSBS TAFM both suit your stated preferences in the same way as the Tarkin.

I am able to get a great usable range from a Malekko Diabolik. Just about every setting on that pedal has been useful for me in a band setting, except running the fuzz alone with no clean signal. At home, alone, the pedal sounds very aggressive. But playing with a band, unity settings end up much higher than expected (based on home playing), and for me it mixes nicely at most settings (subtle to aggressive, compressed/gated-sounding to wide open and fizzy). This pedal has mixed well with my current band, where the goal is to achieve a functional and pleasing change in my tone without me sh****ng all over their signals.
Video demos are pretty hard to judge, but I think this and the Premier Guitar demos are the best representation for the Diabolik:
 
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#15
rob_thebassman said:
Bass big muff? It has a bass boost and dry function
Click to expand...

This could scare the OP off fuzz for a few years.

Making suggestions from fuzz pedals I own:

SGFX Imperial (a Big Muff clone with a mids switch, sounds fantastic)
Fuzzrocious Heliotropic
Malekko B:assmaster (although at lighter settings it's more of a sputtery OD than a light fuzz, but still sounds insanely cool)
 
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#16
F
winterburn69 said:
This could scare the OP off fuzz for a few years.

Making suggestions from fuzz pedals I own:

SGFX Imperial (a Big Muff clone with a mids switch, sounds fantastic)
Fuzzrocious Heliotropic
Malekko B:assmaster (although at lighter settings it's more of a sputtery OD than a light fuzz, but still sounds insanely cool)
Click to expand...
Only suggested it as a starting point :)
 
#20
I'm more of an OD person I've learned, love my old H.B.E. Hematoma. I've got a REDWITCH Zeus Bass Fuzz you might be interested in that has a great blend for dialing in how much fuzz, it's currently listed in the TB classifieds for much less than it was purchased new...it also has an octave side that can be used simultaneously with the fuzz..good stuff.
 
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