Wild and Crazy fuzz-type thing needed

[Michedelic]

OK so I don't use distortion much. In spite of that, I have bought and sold billions or trillions of the dang things, usually trying for an always-on low gain warmth.

Well, no more. I'm going basically clean except in my funk band, where I have a solo spot on a Bootsy tune (I'd Rather Be With You). I might do various things in that solo, but I definitely want something like a fuzz to feature in it. But not really a normal muff or brassmaster or whatever. I want something worthy of Bootsy, that just sounds insane and unpredictable, crazy and scary... and yet funky.

So something sputtery and gatey maybe. Maybe. I was checking out @Wacc00n's Bass Fuzz Compendium thread and web page, and a few piqued my interest (especially the Acorn):

• Acorn ADHD Synth Fuzz ADHD Synth Fuzz — Acorn Amplifiers | Effects Pedals & Tube Amplifiers, (starting at 3:53)
• FruitFX Melon Cube: Melon Cube
• Emerald OX Grit Spitter: Grit Spitter | Emerald Ox FX
• Sketchy Soudns Unearth: Sketchy Sounds

If it can produce nice normal fuzz tones also, great. But that is secondary to me, I'm looking for beautiful controllable chaotic mayhem which also allows the notes I'm playing to come through in some twisted way.

Your thoughts and prayers are appreciated.

If you can find one…

 

[MidlifeBeginner]

If for only one song, practical answer is a Zoom pedal. The downside is how much time you will spend playing with soo many combination options to find what's perfect. If you have one around or one you can borrow for a day from a friend, you can at least experiment to find which effects to buy as separate pedals.

You can try things like autowah to octave to fuzz. Digital fuzzes aren't as good as analog, but when using a filter the difference mostly will go away.

 

[Lammchop93]

You don’t see them come up often, but I had a pedal called the Blackout Effects Fubar that did exactly what you’re talking about. It was a wild pedal

 

[sloppy_phil]

The Funky Puppy.

You'll thank me later.

 

[monsterthompson]

 

[bassbrad]

My go to pedals for mind altering distortion effects are the Source Audio Ultrawave Bass and more recently the Artifakt. They each have their own bag of tricks including EQ, gates, compression. Ultrawave is a multiband distortion with a number of normal and exotic wave forms and has a freaky tremolo to boot. Artifakt has an expanded "destruction mixer", a full function delay with modulation, tremolo as well as an excellent ladder type filter plus an array of lofi effects.

 

[BassicJazzy]

If you can find one…

OMG. Turned this video up and every delivery droid in my neighborhood started going around in circles, then doing cartwheels!

 

[jbybj]

https://reverb.com/item/92366408-de...are&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=92366408

https://reverb.com/item/92939345-re...are&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=92939345

As lovely and appropriate as many of these suggestions are, some are nearly impossible to find or cost prohibitive. (If you ever come across a McSpunkle Gnomeratron, get it) These two suggestions I believe would fit you needs.

 

[Wood and Wire]

OK so I don't use distortion much. In spite of that, I have bought and sold billions or trillions of the dang things, usually trying for an always-on low gain warmth.

Well, no more. I'm going basically clean except in my funk band, where I have a solo spot on a Bootsy tune (I'd Rather Be With You). I might do various things in that solo, but I definitely want something like a fuzz to feature in it. But not really a normal muff or brassmaster or whatever. I want something worthy of Bootsy, that just sounds insane and unpredictable, crazy and scary... and yet funky.

So something sputtery and gatey maybe. Maybe. I was checking out @Wacc00n's Bass Fuzz Compendium thread and web page, and a few piqued my interest (especially the Acorn):

• Acorn ADHD Synth Fuzz ADHD Synth Fuzz — Acorn Amplifiers | Effects Pedals & Tube Amplifiers, (starting at 3:53)
• FruitFX Melon Cube: Melon Cube
• Emerald OX Grit Spitter: Grit Spitter | Emerald Ox FX
• Sketchy Soudns Unearth: Sketchy Sounds

If it can produce nice normal fuzz tones also, great. But that is secondary to me, I'm looking for beautiful controllable chaotic mayhem which also allows the notes I'm playing to come through in some twisted way.

Your thoughts and prayers are appreciated.

You should check out the EHX Sovtek Deluxe Big Muff.

Of course it does all the usual things you'd expect of a quality Muff, but the feature that would really help in your quest is its foot pedal controlled sweepable mid control.

This requires the addition of a standard expression pedal with a TRS lead (cheap anyway, but my friend made one from an old sewing machine pedal), to operate hands free in a continually variable way - but is still very powerful as a static feature, if you just want to set and forget.

You can boost, or cut mid frequencies, with a wide, or narrow Q, giving a sort of Fuzz-Wah effect, that can get really wild if you like (you can also set the gate to chatter in interesting ways, by adjusting the threshold).


I'd also recommend looking at some of Source Audio's products (particularly some of their older, discontinued pedals).

Sure, they're digital, not analogue; but they sound fantastic, and can automate many of the modulation features - so instead of being static, or requiring you to operate an expression pedal (or wearable controller on your hand), it can react to input from your playing.

Some of the modulated distortions those things can do are insane.

 

[Michedelic]

OMG. Turned this video up and every delivery droid in my neighborhood started going around in circles, then doing cartwheels!

This is a more ‘polite’ version of roughly the same concept…


...and as hard to come by. I have no idea how I stumbled upon mine, it’s been so long.

 

[monsterthompson]

Not sure how well this works on bass, and you might need to use it with another fuzz.

 

[H K]

Bootsy has his own fuzzwah. Bootsy collin/snarling dogs bootzilla fuzz wah.

MASSIVE thing, but absolutely crazy. I love mine.

Other than that, check out fuzzrocious, theyve got some very good ones, like Croak and Heliotropic. Fantastic company overall.

 

[davedamage]

I would expect all this in a thread to cop a Bootsy tone.

Well done, TB.

 

[arepa_funk]

Agreed re Prunes & Custard, absolutely. That's a winner.

Beetronics is really underrated for their out there stuff, def recommend the Zzombee and the Swarm (similar to other PLLs folks have mentioned).

Also, throwing an octave down into a ring mod (Fairfield Randy's Revenge is a great one) with a phaser and delay behind it can bring the noise.

 

[Feral Feline]

STACK IT!

Bazz Fuss or Fuzz Factory > Prunes & Custard (in that order)

Dwarfcraft Great Destroyer > Prunes & Custard (or try vice-versa) [Yup yup yup to all the previous Prunes & Custard suggesters]


CONTROL IT!

TWA Wahxidizer — envelope-controlled fuzz pedal based on the SuperFuzz circuit (octave-up distortion).
Couldn't find a decent clip, only this one from Godlyke (TWA's distributor):



Nonetheless...
Really would like to try the Wahxidizer.

 

[wjcstp]

Give this a try if you can find one:


I built a clone version of this (the Dirt Dauber Sub-Octave Fuzz), and it's pretty great on bass. With the fuzz up and octave dialed down you can get some great heavy organ tones, but it'll go very glitchy and wild at the other end.

 

[Ritter667]

I haven't ever tried it myself, but from what I gathered the Zvex Fat Fuzz Factory or the, Fat Fuzz Factory 7, for more knobs and parameters to mess with should be capable of some pretty far out fuzz tones too.

 

[Fuzzonaut]

Way Huge Atreides

 

[smeet]

Way Huge Atreides

Well that is a wonderful sound. Of course it lacks versatility, but damn that sounds huge.

I'm currently leaning toward the Funky Puppy, as it seems to have the widest utility (fuzz, filter) in addition to getting crazy.
Although, the Prunes and Custard sounds kinda awesome too.

hmm.

 

[ThudThudThud]

I had a cheap, grey plastic overdrive pedal (from a dubious company who shall remail nameless) that was really harsh, and had no low end. A piece of trash. However, when added to an EHX Bass Balls it created a ridiculous synth-like noise that I couldn't replicate without it. It stayed on my board. Try a Bass Balls with yours.