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Oscillating Fuzzes/Distortions

Bryan R. Tyler

Bryan R. Tyler

TalkBass: Usurping My Practice Time Since 2002
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May 3, 2002
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Connecticut
www.bryanrtyler.com
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Reviewer: Bass Player Magazine
#1
I've been interested in picking up one of these- right now the Catalinbread Teaser Stallion 2.0 or the Red Witch Fuzzgod II are at the top of my list. Anyone have any experience with them (oscillating fuzzes that is)? I'm looking at it as more of a way to get a fuller, synthy tone like you can hear in the recent Catalinbread TS video rather than making silly noises, but are they controllable enough to be of a lot of use?
 
#2
Bryan R. Tyler said:
I've been interested in picking up one of these- right now the Catalinbread Teaser Stallion 2.0 or the Red Witch Fuzzgod II are at the top of my list. Anyone have any experience with them (oscillating fuzzes that is)? I'm looking at it as more of a way to get a fuller, synthy tone like you can hear in the recent Catalinbread TS video rather than making silly noises, but are they controllable enough to be of a lot of use?
Click to expand...

No idea on the Catalinbread. But I'm going to go ahead and suggest something else, the Fuzzhugger AB-Synth. The oscillation is stomp-controlled, and it really is a fantastic sounding fuzz on its own, too. It has a very wide range of oscillation pitches, including down into the deep bass ranges. The control was precise enough that I was able to more-or-less dial in whatever pitch of oscillation I wanted, which would come screaming back in whenever the decay between notes went below a certain threshold. Very awesome effect.
 
#4
I've seen those around TGP, but haven't heard any clips on bass- did you ever make any? The Red Witch has a second on/off stomp switch for the oscillation as well- the newer version of the Catalinbread uses a toggle switch (the old version of it had a second stomp switch). The second stomp seems like an easier way to control it as I'm sure I wouldn't want it on all the time, but the Catalinbread is the only one I've heard on bass and know it sounds good. I should note that I'm not too concerned about losing bottom end though- I'd be using it as a lead-type tone.
 
#7
grygrx said:
Don't look too hard, I've never done it. It's been sitting here for better part of a year, and I really have no idea how to get it done. Too many knobs!
Click to expand...

You've FAILED me, grygrx :sigh: The only way you can make it up is by selling me your Blueberry....:D
 
#10
Bryan R. Tyler said:
I've seen those around TGP, but haven't heard any clips on bass- did you ever make any? The Red Witch has a second on/off stomp switch for the oscillation as well- the newer version of the Catalinbread uses a toggle switch (the old version of it had a second stomp switch). The second stomp seems like an easier way to control it as I'm sure I wouldn't want it on all the time, but the Catalinbread is the only one I've heard on bass and know it sounds good. I should note that I'm not too concerned about losing bottom end though- I'd be using it as a lead-type tone.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately not. I ended up having to sell it pretty quickly to offset an impulse buy of a Moog LPF. I don't know of any clips with bass, but if you're not all that concerned with bottom end, then this guitar one does show off a lot of the oscillation possibilities:



This one is the standard XO-sized one. He also makes the same thing in a smaller, MXR-sized box for 10 dollars more.
 
#12
bigchiefbc said:
Unfortunately not. I ended up having to sell it pretty quickly to offset an impulse buy of a Moog LPF. I don't know of any clips with bass, but if you're not all that concerned with bottom end, then this guitar one does show off a lot of the oscillation possibilities:



This one is the standard XO-sized one. He also makes the same thing in a smaller, MXR-sized box for 10 dollars more.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the link- the downside of guitar samples is that even when low end isn't concerned, they usually don't sound similar to a bass in the upper register. The AB Synth did sound really usable though- it didn't go totally apepoop the way some of the oscillating pedals I've heard go.
 
#13
Bryan R. Tyler said:
I've been interested in picking up one of these- right now the Catalinbread Teaser Stallion 2.0 or the Red Witch Fuzzgod II are at the top of my list. Anyone have any experience with them (oscillating fuzzes that is)? I'm looking at it as more of a way to get a fuller, synthy tone like you can hear in the recent Catalinbread TS video rather than making silly noises, but are they controllable enough to be of a lot of use?
Click to expand...

The Goose.

Trying it this weekend.
 
#15
3Xfx Fatman/V2 is great. The photo eye is very controllable, especially because everybody in the room will start playing with it whenever the pedal is turned on.
 

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