Yet Another "Help me find a fuzz" thread

[socialleper]

I've played bass for 25 years with only a brief encounter with a fuzz pedal, but now I've got GAS for one, so I'm trying to figure out what my best options are. Since fuzz seems to be the number one thing obsess about in the Effects forums, I thought I'd get some advice.

Here is what I know I DON'T want:
Outrageously "synth" sounding fuzz that completely covers my tone and I'm also looking for something that is more musical than noisy. To that end I've pretty much eliminated everything form Dwarfcraft and Zvex.
A voltage starve or choke like the Red Witch Fuzz God II has makes absolutely no sense to me, so anything that does that sort of decaying fade is out.
Another EHX Muff. I had a Black Russian Muff for a year and got bored with it. I could never get a tone out of it I liked and it tended to vanish when being played with other instruments.

What I DO want:
First, something that still let's in the articulation of my bass. That doesn't necessarily mean that it HAS to have a blend, but I would like there to be some point in the gain/saturation stage where there is still some audible attack as opposed to just a note covered in fuzz.
Second, something that will work with my playing style and gear. For whatever reason almost all bass demos of fuzz pedals on YouTube are guys playing P basses with picks. I don't own a single P bass, rarely use a pick and 99% of my basses have at least active preamps. My primary basses right now are Lakland 44-02s, one tuned CGCF with Barts and one tuned BEAD with Delano pickups. I also frequently use an LTD- TA600 tuned to BEAD. My head is a Genz Benz Shuttle 9.0 and a pair of GK Neo 2 112 cabs. The project I'm currently in is metal that nibbles around the edges of Doom/Stoner bands like Trouble, COC, The Sword, High on Fire, and Cathedral; we aren't going into super crazy Sleep, Electric Wizard, YOB, Sun O territory.
Third I would rather not have to drop $250 for some unicorn piece of equipment that one guy makes in his garage and there are only 100 in existence. Sadly, I've heard some that fit this description that I like, but I'd like to avoid going down that rabbit hole if I can.

WARNING: Do NOT tell me to simply go try some! If there was some magical land of endless fuzz pedals nearby I wouldn't resort to asking on a web forum would I? The only stuff I can find around me are pretty much just EHX Muffs. There are a few boutique shops that have a little more, but I want to do my homework before I go in and say "Which if these doesn't sound like $#!* on bass." Probably anything worth while will need to come from the web anyway.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Dave W]

I would look into some sort of OCD or Rat.

Fuzzrocious Demon
Fuzzrocious Rat Tail
Fulltone OCD

Or you could check out the Source Audio OFD Bass.
It's a modeling pedal, but it does a great job.
It'll give you the option to try out all of the different flavors of dirt to help you decide on what type you like best.
That way if you decide you'd rather have a less complicated (it's not complicated) pedal you know where to start.

I know you said no stupid expensive stuff, but I just want to throw it out there: Brimstone Audio XD-2.
It will check off every box you have and do a great job at it.
You can dial in a ton of different sounds on it, from low gain to crazy high gain, yet still have articulation if you want it.

 

[dannybuoy]

Try the Team Awesome Fuzz machine on for size: TAFM.mp3 - File Shared from Box

I've also heard some clips of the Source Audio Manta, which is a filter pedal with built in distortion, get in the territory of the TAFM. Yeah it's a wild and synthy pedal but I think it has the potential for more subtle fuzz, then you have a cool toy to play with thrown in - and filters can sound cool in stoner rock, like in Sleep's Dragonaut!

 

[socialleper]

I would look into some sort of OCD or Rat.

Fuzzrocious Demon
Fuzzrocious Rat Tail
Fulltone OCD

Or you could check out the Source Audio OFD Bass.
It's a modeling pedal, but it does a great job.
It'll give you the option to try out all of the different flavors of dirt to help you decide on what type you like best.
That way if you decide you'd rather have a less complicated (it's not complicated) pedal you know where to start.

I know you said no stupid expensive stuff, but I just want to throw it out there: Brimstone Audio XD-2.
It will check off every box you have and do a great job at it.
You can dial in a ton of different sounds on it, from low gain to crazy high gain, yet still have articulation if you want it.

An interesting reply. Technically none of the pedals you mentioned are fuzz pedals, they are either distortions or overdrive pedals.
The Fuzzrocious Demon and Grey Stache are interesting, but the Rat Tail/King just sound messy to me.
The Fulltone OCD is an interesting pedal, as the the Brimstone, which I've looked at before. At the moment I'm using a Pork Loin and B3K for OD and distortion.

 

[MGR]

You will get as many opinions on this as there are posts, so I'm not sure ultimately how useful these responses will be to you but............

I bought an Idiotbox Static Fuzz and have never even looked at another pedal....except for the Idiotbox cool bass fuzz. Both vids below. My static fuzz does exactly what you are asking of a fuzz pedal, and the Cool bass fuzz seems to also.

 

[socialleper]

Try the Team Awesome Fuzz machine on for size: TAFM.mp3 - File Shared from Box

I've also heard some clips of the Source Audio Manta, which is a filter pedal with built in distortion, get in the territory of the TAFM. Yeah it's a wild and synthy pedal but I think it has the potential for more subtle fuzz, then you have a cool toy to play with thrown in - and filters can sound cool in stoner rock, like in Sleep's Dragonaut!

You may be on to something with the Team Awesome Fuzz. \m/
Very flexible and musical sounding. $175 isn't too outrageous either.

 

[socialleper]

You will get as many opinions on this as there are posts, so I'm not sure ultimately how useful these responses will be to you but............

I bought an Idiotbox Static Fuzz and have never even looked at another pedal....except for the Idiotbox cool bass fuzz. Both vids below. My static fuzz does exactly what you are asking of a fuzz pedal, and the Cool bass fuzz seems to also.

I think we've got another hit with the Static Fuzz. It does sort of straddle the dist/fuzz sound scape and is voiced a lot like the BK3, just on steroids. $129 is a GREAT deal for a deal like that too.

 

[MGR]

I think we've got another hit with the Static Fuzz. It does sort of straddle the dist/fuzz sound scape and is voiced a lot like the BK3, just on steroids. $129 is a GREAT deal for a deal like that too.

My static fuzz sounds so good it has completely changed my approach to the instrument. It has inspired me to new heights. It completely lacks that wanky, weak buzz tone so many pedals sound like. It is a beefy, huge sounding pedal that still retains your low end. i hate turning mine off.

 

[socialleper]

Do any versions of the Super Collider do what I'm looking for?

 

[eyeballkid]

I wouldnt call the super collider "dynamic" as most muff variants kinda squash playing dynamics to some degree.
check this comparison video I did a while back.

 

[Dave W]

An interesting reply. Technically none of the pedals you mentioned are fuzz pedals

Sorry. There are many "what fuzz pedal..." threads that come through here and the OP is asking about not a single fuzz pedal and just lumping every single flavor of dirt under the umbrella of fuzz.

Now if it's fuzz you want!

You might have a look at a Big Muff with a mid control on it. The Blackout Musket is a killer civil war muff variant. It's going to be able to sound similar to you old Black Russian without the whole getting lost in the mix thing. They also do better at lower distortion levels so you'd be able to get some clarity along with that nasty fuzz.

You can also take a look at Brassmaster clones. The Malekko B:assmaster would be my choice.

 

[Feral Feline]

OxFuzz gets my vote given the OP's criteria.

Rusty Box is my alternate offering.

& 360 Fuzz for a buzz.

 

[socialleper]

I wouldnt call the super collider "dynamic" as most muff variants kinda squash playing dynamics to some degree.
check this comparison video I did a while back.

I think I've seen that review before because I recognize that weird looking Fender pedal.
The Supercollider is a little wooly, but not too bad. I was curious about that one since I saw a used one for sale.

 

[socialleper]

Sorry. There are many "what fuzz pedal..." threads that come through here and the OP is asking about not a single fuzz pedal and just lumping every single flavor of dirt under the umbrella of fuzz.

Now if it's fuzz you want!

You might have a look at a Big Muff with a mid control on it. The Blackout Musket is a killer civil war muff variant. It's going to be able to sound similar to you old Black Russian without the whole getting lost in the mix thing. They also do better at lower distortion levels so you'd be able to get some clarity along with that nasty fuzz.

You can also take a look at Brassmaster clones. The Malekko B:assmaster would be my choice.

The Musket was one that I started looking at yesterday. It seems like it has a fair amount of clarity, even if the controls like "Pre" aren't too self explanatory.
I did listen to a demo of the B:assmaster earlier today. It is pretty musical sounding, though I hate to say it, the look of the thing gives me a headache. I'll listen to some more clips of it before I make up my mind.

 

[socialleper]

Two of the super boutique, rare as hell, pedals that I heard that I kind of like are:
The Dunwich Amps Wizard Fuzz (I also really like the Volt Thrower, but it may not be as usable for me.)


And the COG Grand Tarkin Fuzz


Both are in the $230 to $250 range, with the DA Wizard being a custom order/wait list kind of thing, and the COG has to be ordered from the UK.

 

[JimmyM]

I've been experimenting with this Human Gear Animato clone I got recently. I really don't care for it by itself, but when I combine it with another overdrive, I've yet to get a sicker fuzztone. Granted, I'm no fuzz expert, but it'll make a fuzz that'll chainsaw through any mix no matter how dense. The TAFM is a good face-ripper, too, though I thought it could have a little more low end on it. Maybe I didn't have enough blend but I always ended up with a low end cut compared to the clean sound.

Anyway, a dude in Australia is making Animato clones with blend knob and tilt control, and it's called called the Bitmap. You can find them in the "Someone cracked the Animato" thread.

 

[EMoneySC2]

I'm no veteran and don't have experience with any other fuzz pedals, but the Darkglass Duality really does it for me. It unfortunately is, $250, but if you'd consider something in that range I recommend it.

I think it'd work especially well for a metal project like you described. I don't play much like what you've described, but I think it'd give you the right mix of clarity and chaos to get where you want.

 

[johnk_10]

to me, asking a fuzz to be dynamic is a bit of a paradox, since i've found OD's and distortion pedals much more suitable for that. fuzzes generally compress your signal, with the exception of a very few.
I just got a bearfoot uber bee OD today. while I don't consider it an actual fuzz, it is capable of a lot of distortion. and it's extremely dynamic with no low end loss (unless you want it to).
to me, it's kinda like a bearfoot 3BOD but with more control of your tone and dirt.

 

[socialleper]

to me, asking a fuzz to be dynamic is a bit of a paradox, since i've found OD's and distortion pedals much more suitable for that. fuzzes generally compress your signal, with the exception of a very few.
I just got a bearfoot uber bee OD today. while I don't consider it an actual fuzz, it is capable of a lot of distortion. and it's extremely dynamic with no low end loss (unless you want it to).
to me, it's kinda like a bearfoot 3BOD but with more control of your tone and dirt.

I'll admit I've had my doubts about whether or not I am really looking for a fuzz, but there is a particular roar in the low mids that a properly tuned fuzz can get that a I haven't heard a OD or Dist do that I'm after. My experience has been that most ODs are very mid centric and IMO are best when used to just dirty up your sound just a little, which is what I use my Pork Loin for; just a little grit and thunder. Distortions are usually pretty scooped, and while they can have a good attack they tend to loose the low mids, which is really where a lot of your stage friendly frequencies come from. Plus I'd like just a little bark in the attack of a fuzz as opposed to the raspy highs that are typical of distortion pedals.
I was pretty impressed with the sound of the OCD, which I know is a popular pedal around here, but it isn't quite what I'm looking for.
So far I've been told about two pedals I didn't know about yet that I like, which is encouraging.

 

[johnk_10]

the source audio OFD might be another one for you to consider. it has a ton of control over OD/Distortion/fuzz types, plus it has a clean blend and a three band eq, and on top of that, two presets. I find it to be an excellent sounding & very versatile pedal that doesn't break the bank.