Looking for some fuzz

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This should cover all bases:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtBIP5X1HgA
A little history also courtesy of Josh of JHS pedals (he's not trying to sell you any of his gear either, He is cool like that, He shall mod almost anything you may ever want mind, as well as his own pedals, being really damned good I have found with the few that I have bought.

Personally I'm a Boss FZ-2 Hyper Fuzz and IC Big Muff type of guy when it comes to fuzzes, I do not like typical old/classic style fuzz, It is all about being able to nail EyeHateGod and Electric Wizard (Dopethrone-era especially) sounds so I don't have that many fuzz pedals.
I have an old EHX Russian-made Big Muff which I only bought as it was the cheapest available at the time (the late '90s) and I still hadn't got my needs/wants down as I was learning still, Had practically zero budget, So I still have that and it is good for a silicon-based transistor fuzz, It has a nastier, more aggressive sound to it with everything fully maxed out than any of the typical American made Big Muff's that I have played/tried/tracked over the years.
Have an old MXR "Jimi Hendrix Fuzz System" which is an octave fuzz, I don't use it conventionally though, Instead of using the built-in fuzz I put any number of high-gain distortions before it and that feeds through enough to catch the Octavia/Octavio foldback part of circuit whilst not getting too fuzzy, Really vile and one-note glorious riffage are instantly there. I can't recommend as MXR stopped making this one many years ago, when I do add some of the fuzz onto what is already a ton of filth, Get some of the evilest gated octave fuzz, I'd love it if this were re-issued.
The Boss FZ-2 Hyper Fuzz is my goto fuzz and well it is a distinct box of hell that can be unleashed in two modes along with an odd clean boost with the EQ/tonestack available as a strange but semi-useful bonus. Behringer's cheap line of pedals have practically a like for like clone of the Hyper Fuzz which can be had for like £15 to £20, Sometimes less than that. I have a few after grabbing one just to try against my original and yeah put in a new enclosure can handle any abuse which is the area the Behringer enclosures on that range are cheap plastic, So not suitable for live use, For the money though vs buying a used one, Well worth it IMextremelyHumbleHO. It's not the pedal for getting a Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Hendrix or even any of the fuzz heavy grunge bands such as Mudhoney, You can get Earth-type wrongness from it though!
Electro Harmonix IC Big Muff, The fuzz that is required for nailing the Smashing Pumpkins fuzz/distortion sounds, It was by accident that they ended up with the IC-based big muff fuzz pedals, They got them as they were cheap due to not being wanted at the time, EHX only did a rather short run of this variety, ITo me it is a fuzz but with the control that you can get from distortion but can easily be pushed into unruly, very over the top areas also, I like the clarity and note definition that as said is quite like being in between a gain-heavy fuzz and a modern, british-style high-gain distortion due to pronounced mid-range, They have been re-issued and at a really great price too.
Electro Harmonix Octavix, I got this one a few years ago as a gift which was cool since I rarely get anything audio gear-wise bought for me! This one is good for more classic fuzz sounds along with having the Octavia/Octavio circuit built-in which enables that awesome octave up foldback sound, Since I got gifted this, I have used it where I would usually always reach for that old MXR JH Fuzz System which it is along the lines of/very close to. I do not use the fuzz part much, So I can't really give a meaningful overview of it, It works and nails what I want/need just fine.

For something built to very high-quality standards, Roger Mayer's Octavia Classic is likely going to be of interest for anyone wanting an Octave Fuz, IIRC they are around £240 new:
https://www.roger-mayer.co.uk/octavia_classic.htm
FullTone's pedals are always good quality and their Octafuzz is another ideal place to look, It is also quite a lot less than Roger Mayer's octave fuzz boxes:
https://www.fulltone.com/products/octafuzz-2
For more wild offerings of doom, The names which vurt has mentioned are certainly not at all going to disappoint.
Earthquaker Devices, Anasounds (Crankled Bitoun Dual Octave Fuzz a great example), Bearfoot FX, Beetronics (Octahive, The octave circuit can be switch on and off on this via a toggle), Caroline Guitar Company, Death By Audio, Z-VEX..etc. etc. The OCTAVE FUZZ is your oyster in the world of the smaller name builders, Some that have what is a cult-like following except without the creepy parts ;)

Hope there is something in there that might help get you somewhere close to what you are looking for. Each circuit behaves differently often times as in you will probably want to try a selection out before buying, Same goes for what you are feeding into it and the amplifier or amp simulator...etc. as they are shapeshifting in quality at rather high decibels and SPLs through a cranked valve and also the good quality transistor/solid-state analogue amplifiers which don't translate going into the box and a modelling amps. Obviously neither is superior, Just can be very different results-wise due to the signal chain and what it is interacting with.

All the very best, Seasons greetings.

Sorry, I haven't been around for quite a good number of years John my friend, I do hope that you are well and things are treating yourself and your's good. Life man and all, been a bit rough, Still is but I am working to getting back on teh social media, To Ketchup and stuff. I have missed good company including yourself and others, It has been total hermit life. \m/

Dean :)

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the fuzz is strong with this one...

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use the fuzz, luke...

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Anyone who likes fuzz owes it to them self to get onto the D*A*M forum at stompboxes.co.uk.

Nice to see you back Dean

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vurt wrote: Tue Dec 03, 2019 10:58 pm use the fuzz, luke...
This is not the fuzz you are looking for...

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**** of JHS might be “cool like that”, but unfortunately, for other reasons entirely, I will never buy any of their gear.

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kvotchin wrote: Fri Dec 06, 2019 5:36 am **** of JHS might be “cool like that”, but unfortunately, for other reasons entirely, I will never buy any of their gear.
Umn....because Josh Scott is a hypocritical anti-gay Evangelical Republican prick? :P
the secrets to old age: Faster horses, Richer Women, Bigger CPU's

https://soundcloud.com/cristofe-chabot/sets/main

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kvotchin wrote: Fri Dec 06, 2019 5:36 am **** of JHS might be “cool like that”, but unfortunately, for other reasons entirely, I will never buy any of their gear.
Ditto here. Prejudice and hate in all their forms make me reticent to support a person’s company.

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Well, yes. That and certain business practices.

Aaanyway, very tempted to go with the Sub Machine. Would like to try before I buy though, so we’ll see.

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vurt wrote: Tue Dec 03, 2019 10:55 pm the fuzz is strong with this one...
I've heard some of your loopery which I really enjoyed listening to man, Them EXH Grand Canyon or the many others that are around nowadays also are so much fun to play around with layering stuff.
I dig your style of playing, It is not at all bad which would suggest that you have been playing the guitar or rather playing a lot m0ar.
The on-board DSP effects in the Grand Canyon I think are very decent which makes that one stand out. Prior to finding a looper that I loved instead of it being a delay with a looper incorporated which has been almost all of the "loop" pedals I'd had experience with, I couldn't get the hang/wasn't feeling the Boss loop station range, Same with the DigiTech Jam range and a number of the micro-sized tiny ones that often had all I needed/wanted I snagged of their Superego "synth engine" pedals they do and loved it so much that I had the plus version bought and paid for the very day that it was released...That is really not something that I have ever done buying pedals or any other gear for that matter that I can recall, Mentioned only because I believe the two pedals share the processor for the additional effects, they are not the same though. The two of them plus a clean and dirty sound I have sat for hours just playing away with, The time I dare not guess as it probably could have been used more productively but it is so much fun that I know it will keep on happening.
vurt wrote: Tue Dec 03, 2019 10:58 pm use the fuzz, luke...
Well, That is the Son's name and it has been on my left forearm for over 17 years as he's now 17 and a half, Has shot up with many growth spurts, Already taller than me and still has plenty of time to gain m0ar on me which is still mental, As in the time seems to have clattered by rapidly. The Molly has just turned 15! At the same time, it is also cool as now I am able to do things/take them to things which is just not do-able when they we're far less innocent to the world.
resynthesis wrote: Tue Dec 03, 2019 11:09 pm Anyone who likes fuzz owes it to them self to get onto the D*A*M forum at stompboxes.co.uk.

Nice to see you back Dean
Couldn't agree with you moar on that point, If there is one variety of pedal which has a never-ending lineage of tinkering, tweaking, switching something out x component or value here for something else then adding y something over there which alters the characteristics of z to give a bigger emphasis to <insert whatever you are going for here> then it has got to be the fuzz surely? It's what most breadboards are probably wired up with just thinking and typing about it right now, It is not just good fun but can also save us a quite significant amount of money.
Plus if I can do it, That means practically anyone can as I am by far no electronics wizard.

Cheers and great to see you too.
kvotchin wrote: Fri Dec 06, 2019 5:36 am **** of JHS might be “cool like that”, but unfortunately, for other reasons entirely, I will never buy any of their gear.
I genuinely do apologize for recommending someone who you do not like, I honestly know nothing about the guy other than two pedals which I have that are by JHS and also the various pedal specific videos which are on YouTube. I don't know anything about what sort of person he is. It shall not happen again.
CapnLockheed wrote: Sat Dec 07, 2019 7:42 pm
kvotchin wrote: Fri Dec 06, 2019 5:36 am **** of JHS might be “cool like that”, but unfortunately, for other reasons entirely, I will never buy any of their gear.
Umn....because Josh Scott is a hypocritical anti-gay Evangelical Republican prick? :P
Hello Capn, It has been years mate!
I am beginning to get the sort of picture of a bloke who I will steer clear of.
This is what happens from exiting all forms of social media for a good many years, Missed out on heck only knows all the good, the bad and ugly, For better or worse.
Forgotten wrote: Sat Dec 07, 2019 7:58 pmDitto here. Prejudice and hate in all their forms make me reticent to support a person’s company.
Well, I certainly am very much at odds with anyone who is prejudiced and hate-filled, Certainly not my kind of peoples.
Cheers Forgotten.
kvotchin wrote: Sun Dec 08, 2019 6:27 am Well, yes. That and certain business practices.

Aaanyway, very tempted to go with the Sub Machine. Would like to try before I buy though, so we’ll see.
I will not ask as I just do not need to know, I trust in fellow player's, This guy will not see any m0ar money from me, I have always been a vote with my wallet type, So cheers for the insight to all of you, Appreciate the heads up.
kvotchin, I do hope you find the ideal octave fuzz which you have in your mind/sounds in your head.
I have a good number of Dunlop, MXR and Way Huge Electronics pedals, None have ever failed me over the years, That purple finish is snazzy alone, Hope that you get your opportunity to try one out to make sure it delivers though with what is inside.

One I forgot to mention due and I am utterly disgusted at myself for doing so, AmpTweaker's TiteFuzz Pro:
https://amptweaker.com/tightfuzz-pro/
and a solid demo by Burgs, Who is one of the most versatile/skilled at pulling all the qualities out all of the qualities from the gear which he demonstrates, Designed by Mr Peavey 5150 himself, I can't believe I forgot to mention this when mentioning the relative few fuzz pedals which I like/use that has the octave foldback circuit switchable:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q7m8fHpmh0

All the very best and to all as always :tu:

Dean (aka Nekro) \m/

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hey dean, good to see you 8)
thanks for the compliments :oops:

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Fuzzes with octaver I own:
- EHX Octavix is nice. Got a used copy at bargain price.
- I got a Source Audio Soundblox 2 OFD Bass at bargain price (€77). Digital but nice, includes an octaver setting.

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Hey, no need to apologise for recommending gear from someone who some random forum member (or two, three, whatever) happens to dislike. :) I appreciate all input posted with genuinely good intentions, even if it’s not to my liking/interest, etc.

Indeed, I’m sorry for kinda jumping on that whole thing. There wasn’t really any need.

As for the fuzz, it will have to wait anyhow, what with Christmas and all that. So yeah, next year maybe. :p

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Hello Capn, It has been years mate!
Hiya Dean! Great to see you back in the saddle! I agree with your assessment of the V6 opamp Muff. It has a flavor and tightness all its own. And before that !@#$ Billye Corgan they were a dime a dozen! I'm a filthy whore tho....I like many disto and fuzz boxes.....except the ones I don't. I had a friend that swore by the Rockman sound going into a clean solid state amp. Sounded like a a hive of angry bees in a coke can to me....LOL!! :D Also dig many of the fuzz/octo boxes out there. I'll never forget the first time I plugged into an original script MXR Blue Box in the late 70's. Totally blew my mind....the orange shag carpet started erupting like a lava lamp.....maybe it was just the drugs tho. :lol:

And oh yeah....Amptweaker makes some great kit!
the secrets to old age: Faster horses, Richer Women, Bigger CPU's

https://soundcloud.com/cristofe-chabot/sets/main

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vurt wrote: Sun Dec 15, 2019 4:01 pm hey dean, good to see you 8)
thanks for the compliments :oops:
You too John, I am sorry that it's been too long my friend.
Compliments deserved, Genuinely enjoy hearing people's work that has nothing to do with me. It is far more inspiring and allows the humble fan that I am and always will be of music to come through besides the gear/equipment side :)
cptgone wrote: Mon Dec 16, 2019 5:02 pm Fuzzes with octaver I own:
- EHX Octavix is nice. Got a used copy at bargain price.
- I got a Source Audio Soundblox 2 OFD Bass at bargain price (€77). Digital but nice, includes an octaver setting.
Solid options, IIRC Source Audio's boxes allow you to store your own "goto" or "favourite" settings right? That price point and the area is where I much prefer to pick up stuff that I want/need :tu:
kvotchin wrote: Tue Dec 17, 2019 1:06 pm Hey, no need to apologise for recommending gear from someone who some random forum member (or two, three, whatever) happens to dislike. :) I appreciate all input posted with genuinely good intentions, even if it’s not to my liking/interest, etc.

Indeed, I’m sorry for kinda jumping on that whole thing. There wasn’t really any need.

As for the fuzz, it will have to wait anyhow, what with Christmas and all that. So yeah, next year maybe. :p
No not at all, Do not ever feel the need to apologize to me, I prefer to hear everything shot straight, unfiltered from people that I know and whose opinions/judgement I genuinely trust, Honestly the more brutally honest the better.
I have never attempted to cause trouble by upsetting any person and I always assume that everyone is operating in the same way.
I know that there are mass areas on the internet that are essentially just full of offence/outrage culture and such people who espouse such virtue and take exception to pretty much anything, Heaven forbid if I ever become like that...It just isn't healthy.

That said if there is some proper, genuine reasons that someone such as the JHS honcho, in this case, ought to be given zero props/respect then equally I am all ears because I do care where my money goes and who/what it is propping up. So thanks for the head's up along with the other guy's, Like mentioned being a hermit for nearly half a decade has meant that I missed so much by not using social media nor these forums, I really have missed the banter.
Hope that Christmas wasn't too brutal on you and you can get back to your gear procuring ASAP my friend :)
CapnLockheed wrote: Tue Dec 24, 2019 6:34 am
Hello Capn, It has been years mate!
Hiya Dean! Great to see you back in the saddle! I agree with your assessment of the V6 opamp Muff. It has a flavor and tightness all its own. And before that !@#$ Billye Corgan they were a dime a dozen! I'm a filthy whore tho....I like many disto and fuzz boxes.....except the ones I don't. I had a friend that swore by the Rockman sound going into a clean solid state amp. Sounded like a a hive of angry bees in a coke can to me....LOL!! :D Also dig many of the fuzz/octo boxes out there. I'll never forget the first time I plugged into an original script MXR Blue Box in the late 70's. Totally blew my mind....the orange shag carpet started erupting like a lava lamp.....maybe it was just the drugs tho. :lol:

And oh yeah....Amptweaker makes some great kit!
Cheers mate! Yeah, They almost could not be given away but then due to one band, They become silly expensive on the used market along with the "boutique" lot smelling blood and offering various takes at prices which whilst often cheaper than grabbing an original used, Still are mostly quite overpriced.

The best part is as I have spoken to both the builders and the people that sell them retail, It is largely a quirk in this area, If they do not charge a more hefty sum then the market that they cater to will for reasons that make absolutely no bloody logical sense see them as inferior/cheap junk as they didn't have to pay a premium price. I have even witnessed it play out which is how I know that neither side were just trying to pul my leg, You know?

I've had at my local which has now closed down, They did at the end of last year due not being able to compete with online competition via bulk stock purchasing that the big chains with massive warehouse space for stock storage can, therefore, driving down prices which is sad since it had been there for longer than I have been alive and I always bought through them so long as they could get hold what I wanted, I was always treated so well, I already miss not having a place to go to try things out, I suppose that I will just have to seek somewhere within reason out that is good with both used/second-hand gear and a wide range of gear from all the various brands going.

Firstly a shootout of overdrive "holy grail" made up a few original variants of the original Klon Centaur (one with and one without the Centaur decal), the purple, smaller re-issued variety which sold-out pretty rapidly and then two variations which my closest friend had built (One was an exact replica whilst the other had some adjustments made), As I knew everyone there I was allowed in and to chat and try stuff for as long as I could ever want to. So we had those variations set up inside one of them really useful 8-loop switch pedals going into a few different amps from clean to crunchy, We got most guitarist's that came in to try them all with whatever guitar or guitars they liked, Into any amp or amps they wanted. As the loop switcher didn't let anyone see which one was which on purpose as it was for our fun but also because we really wanted to see if players would want to buy what they liked the best or what they believed was the best when it came to that specific high-headroom boost/smooth overdrive "holy grail". The majority of the time the player said they liked the sound of the one which had been made by my friend Paul but not the "klone" but rather the version he had made a few adjustments to. Not all of them but most of them.
So after revealing to them what was what they were trying out and the one out of all of them which one they kept going back to via the loop switcher as they prefered it over the other four, The majority of them still stated that they'd want either one of the two original Klon Centaur pedals :dog:

We did another one like that but with 8 different Maxon OD808/OD9 and Ibanez TS808/TS9 pedals too, Most went for other than the Ibanez TubeScreamer, Often a Maxon variant yet when asking them which they would hypothetically purchase, Majority of them opted for one of the Ibanez Tube Screamers, Even though they ought to have known that Maxon (not Ibanez) built the original and Ibanez simply had a damned Maxon circuit inside of an Ibanez branded enclosure for the best-regarded/most revered variants of their TubeScreamer boxes. Once again :dog:

So they were two very interesting and enlightening exercises, to say the least. Now I really am not sure if the same is the case when it comes to the world of synthesizers, especially the modular world but I would take a guess that synth gear heads are less prone to bigger price tags equals better mindset, I mean I know that it is often true regarding the saying "you get what you pay for" however in the world of guitar and bass guitar pedals it's not as cut and dry. That along with the sheer number of options that we have nowadays, It is incredible really.

I wish that there were this many options and such quality when I started playing as I'm sure is the case with so many fellow guitar and bass players at such amazing price points that really do cater to everything from the extreme budget-friendly all the way up to the money is no object type levels with many points in-between.
As it just was at all the case when I started playing as I'm sure is just the same yourself and many other players but then again, Maybe just maybe having to struggle through learning to play and get half-decent sounds out of what was pretty much utter junk until we'd been playing for a good while, were serious/dedicated and took ages to save up the money for decent gear was also kind of a benefit.

When it comes to dirt pedals from lower gain boost/drives through to ridiculous amounts of modern high-gain distortions I am utterly filthy/terribly whorish too, Have a ridiculous amount, I stopped even trying to count. The one area that my collection appears really rather anaemic to the others is the fuzz box selection that I have available but that is most likely due to simply me being quite particular about what fuzz types work for me, I think that is the tracking/tightness that is the area which has left me not being able to utilize fuzz more, So the ones that do work for me I really do love/treasure as they are harder to come across which just makes the hunt that extra rewarding. I do have a handful of fuzzes which I wouldn't use for my needs/wants but they are staples/stalwarts which other players that play in different genres/styles to myself which means that should I be tracking a band and the guitar player(s) don't have the type of gear that is quality enough to track, Then I will be able to have an amp and pedal chain up and running in minutes which will track great and capture the sound/sounds that they are after.

The Schultz Rockman, Personally I have only ever been able to get useable soloing sounds out of the thing, Well that is with the one which I have and very limited experience with the older variants.
It's not an original Rockman or Rockman Sustainer but one of the Rockman Guitar Ace devices which also includes a "Bass Ace" in the range but I couldn't afford both at the time, I believe the ones which I am referring to were released as compact headphone amps in either the late 90s or early 00s, The "Bass Ace" was pretty fun for what it was but I only grabbed the "Guitar Ace" as I was very poor at the time. I've only had a chance to play around with a few proper Rockman's maybe three times, I could only get solo-useable stuff from them too, Open chords, power chords and palm-muted stuff was just extremely nasal/tinny and boxy, It is probably what makes them so useful for cutting through a big, chunky heavy guitar mix!
I can not imagine one going into a tranny amp would do much at all to improve those qualities, Just amplify those elements even more so would most likely be the result short of anything but a very powerful equalizer placed between the two hence your very apt description of the results! :lol: I could be wrong but they may be available again the "Rockman Ace" range if you are feeling morbidly curious ;)


Love the Blue Box, I had no clue what it was meant to do when I first tried one as I was not at all a gear fanatic as I couldn't afford to be, didn't have the internet either. So yes that was a shock kicking it in :idea: :evil: :help:
It wasn't a script logo version which I imagine was a sublime specimen, I'm sure your foray into two octaves below with a caking of fuzz through a real/proper decent solid-state transistor amp was amazing sonic chaos/malice/bliss all at once (As not all solid-state amps are at all equal).
The MXR Blue Box remains a monster of a pedal which looks so unassuming, It does not look like a pedal that'll sound as if a bomb has gone off or a volcano has erupted within your amp and the speaker(s) are almost dying attempting to push through the sonic violence. There isn't anything quite like that pedal which is a testament to its originality/a great time for pedal builders one-upping one another with or without the intake of recreational substances 8) :idea: :evil: :help:
I'd bet that through the right bass guitar amp/cab at the right volume hitting the right note that the blue box has caused some unlucky people to have involuntary bowel movements, Perhaps not in the same room but for example in rehearsal/practice rooms a room or so either side or above or below, If it were called the Brown Box I may have been more prepared :lol:

AmpTweaker quality just speaks for itself, James Brown's pedals and utility boxes offer so much control over the sound and where it makes sense feature the ins/out plus the FX loops which enable them to integrate into and interface well with any practically any setup

Cheers Capn!

Much love to yourself and your family/loved ones, The very exact sentiments to all of you gent's on behalf of my family and myself as always :D :hug: :tu:

Dean

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