Team Awesome Fuzz Machine clip

[dannybuoy]

I haven't heard many good demos of the TAFM so thought I would do a quick clip. This is one of the most dynamic fuzzes I've ever played, no settings are touched throughout, the variation in sound is just down to playing style. Pre-gain, fuzz and tone are all close to noon, mid boost switch on, and just a little bit of clean mixed in. This is the older TAFM without the switchable internal buffer, so the clean channel has all the top end rolled off when hooked up directly to a passive bass, which helps the two signals sit together better I find.

This is a Yamaha BB1025X with fairly old nickel rounds, into the pedal then an Orange Terror Bass and 2x Ampeg SVT210AV cabs, recorded with a Zoom H2 on a desk, off axis two feet away (I need a decent mic and stand!).

The volume was set very low as I had a sleeping baby downstairs, it sounds better when turned up a bit! I might try an redo it next time I'm home alone!

TAFM.mp3 - File Shared from Box

 

[Hobobob]

Sounds soooo good. This is the only clip I've found of this pedal that didn't sound like a tweeter was going to explode.

 

[dannybuoy]

Sounds soooo good. This is the only clip I've found of this pedal that didn't sound like a tweeter was going to explode.

Hence why I felt I needed to dust off my recorder to make one to spread more TAFM love! No tweeters in these cabs!

 

[JBNeedsBeer]

FWIW, tweeter exploding fun from the studio. Ric 4003 > FEA DE/CL > TAFM running gated > both Mesa 400+ and DI

The TAFM can really do an amazing range of tones. It is the one part of my board that will never get swapped out. My favorite clearly is the angry synthy side of things.

 

[JimmyM]

Yep, it's a great pedal for sure. I had one up until a month or so ago. An early one with contact paper finish. Have to admit that I got a little bummed about sending it away when you said you thought newer TAFM's don't sound quite as good, Danny, but it was for a good cause. See the guy playing banjo in the first vid and that cheapo 60's hollowbody guitar in the second? He's got it now. That's my Estonian buddy Silver Lepaste and the most awesome band in the world, Winny Puhh. Silver also produces their albums and owns a very cool studio in Tartu. He sent me their new album and a t-shirt, and I sent him the TAFM, which he loves with that cheapo guitar, an East German brand called Musima. Please excuse the blatant plug for his band, but they're the biggest thing in Eastern Europe right now, and if you're a fan of slightly off-kilter music sung in Estonian, you will love them:

 

[socialleper]

I haven't heard many good demos of the TAFM so thought I would do a quick clip. This is one of the most dynamic fuzzes I've ever played, no settings are touched throughout, the variation in sound is just down to playing style. Pre-gain, fuzz and tone are all close to noon, mid boost switch on, and just a little bit of clean mixed in. This is the older TAFM without the switchable internal buffer, so the clean channel has all the top end rolled off when hooked up directly to a passive bass, which helps the two signals sit together better I find.

This is a Yamaha BB1025X with fairly old nickel rounds, into the pedal then an Orange Terror Bass and 2x Ampeg SVT210AV cabs, recorded with a Zoom H2 on a desk, off axis two feet away (I need a decent mic and stand!).

The volume was set very low as I had a sleeping baby downstairs, it sounds better when turned up a bit! I might try an redo it next time I'm home alone!

TAFM.mp3 - File Shared from Box

Based in some part on Danny's suggestion I picked up a Fuzz Machine as well and made a video going through its different tones.

 

[halfjackson]

Based in some part on Danny's suggestion I picked up a Fuzz Machine as well and made a video going through its different tones.

Awesome video, man! And for all those players trying to get synth-like sounds, the TAFM with the Gate switch engaged works really well when used with a filter, octave, etc. Definitely a great pedal!

 

[socialleper]

Awesome video, man! And for all those players trying to get synth-like sounds, the TAFM with the Gate switch engaged works really well when used with a filter, octave, etc. Definitely a great pedal!

Thanks.
What is ironic is that I explicitly did NOT want a very synthy sounding fuzz, but the the blend lets you get an insane amount of bite, and the mids really pack a punch. The structure of the fuzz its self wouldn't have been my first choice, but in the mix this thing kicks @$$ and takes names. I was looking for something more Muff like, but that's a minor detail that a live audience will never make out over drums and a Marshall full stack.
I'm sure there are guys that will wet themselves over the gated boost.

 

[JimmyM]

Actually the audience will make it out TAFM is way more like a Fuzz Face and doesn't have a problem being noticeably fuzzy in a mix, whereas Muffs tend to disappear more in the mix to where you pretty much can't tell they're on. I ended up splitting the difference and settling on the MXR Bass Fuzz Deluxe, which is based on a Tonebender circuit. It's a little more noticeable in a mix than a Muff, but not as much as the TAFM so I can get away with using it more often in more subtle ways but still retain a fuzzy edge to my tone. A little tricky to dial in at first but works well for certain things.

 

[azwhofan]

does anyone know what the dimensions are to the current version (with top jacks)? I can't seem to find that info anywhere.

 

[socialleper]

does anyone know what the dimensions are to the current version (with top jacks)? I can't seem to find that info anywhere.

I don't know what version mine is other than it has the top jacks.
It is 3 3/4" wide, 4 1/2" long and 1 1/2" deep.

 

[socialleper]

Actually the audience will make it out TAFM is way more like a Fuzz Face and doesn't have a problem being noticeably fuzzy in a mix, whereas Muffs tend to disappear more in the mix to where you pretty much can't tell they're on. I ended up splitting the difference and settling on the MXR Bass Fuzz Deluxe, which is based on a Tonebender circuit. It's a little more noticeable in a mix than a Muff, but not as much as the TAFM so I can get away with using it more often in more subtle ways but still retain a fuzzy edge to my tone. A little tricky to dial in at first but works well for certain things.

The problems I've experienced with a Black Russian muff and a Pickle Pie B is they didn't have the mids or articulation to cut through. Personally I think its really the mids that make or break a fuzz on bass. I love the mids of the Earthbound Supercollider, as well as the sound of the fuzz signal, but it lacks a blend, so the articulation suffers. I'd like to hear it with an LS-2 before I write it off. I think I'm over the PPB though.

For right now the TAFM is rocking my world. We lost our second guitarist so I have to fill in the space tonally until we find another one and this pedal really does the job.

 

[azwhofan]

I don't know what version mine is other than it has the top jacks.
It is 3 3/4" wide, 4 1/2" long and 1 1/2" deep.

Thanks! I saw some pics of what were apparently a very early model (don't know from when). The case was much more rectangular with most of the knobs arranged horizontally on the top row. I do believe it also had side jacks.

 

[socialleper]

Thanks! I saw some pics of what were apparently a very early model (don't know from when). The case was much more rectangular with most of the knobs arranged horizontally on the top row. I do believe it also had side jacks.

Being a handmade device, it appears that there have been several iterations of this pedal.

 

[JimmyM]

Here's a shot of mine on my board circa 2013. I'm told this is a very old version, and it's rectangular with jacks on the top. I angled it vertically because it fit better and I never used the gated fuzz. Of course, I'd kick knobs with my foot that way, and unfortunately, that was the beginning of the end for me and the TAFM. Can't say much bad about it except it was too big and had features I didn't need.

 

[N. Kentucky Bass]

Actually the audience will make it out TAFM is way more like a Fuzz Face and doesn't have a problem being noticeably fuzzy in a mix, whereas Muffs tend to disappear more in the mix to where you pretty much can't tell they're on. I ended up splitting the difference and settling on the MXR Bass Fuzz Deluxe, which is based on a Tonebender circuit. It's a little more noticeable in a mix than a Muff, but not as much as the TAFM so I can get away with using it more often in more subtle ways but still retain a fuzzy edge to my tone. A little tricky to dial in at first but works well for certain things.

Dude - for a guy who USED to own a TAFM, you sure sound like a guy who wants to OWN one now!

 

[JimmyM]

Dude - for a guy who USED to own a TAFM, you sure sound like a guy who wants to OWN one now!

Got one for sale?

Nah, I do like the TAFM, but gated fuzz is useless to me and I don't want any big pedals that do for me what a smaller pedal can do. My TAFM has a happy home in Estonia now, helping the weirdest band in the world become even weirder in the future, and in the meantime, I got the MXR Bass Distortion and a JohnK Animato clone, so I'm well covered for more noticeable fuzz again.