Do i just hate fuzz, or am i missing something?

[The Whale]

Hi All,

Based upon many clips i've heard here, and on players like Marc Ford and Eric Johnson, i thought i would dip my toe into the fuzz world. I picked up a Seymour Duncan Tweak Fuzz used from a local GC and gave it a go. I've read that fuzz works best when put in front of an amp that's just starting to get crispy, so i put each of my amps in that mode:

1. Traynor YBA-1 (jumpered on about 4)
2. Line 6 Spider Valve (on a plexi setting, just breaking up)
*** both heads run through a 2x12 w/ G12m's
3. Silvertone 1482 (on about 7)

I played the Tweak Fuzz with my USA tele and my strat with PAFs. I found the fuzz to be very muddy on the three settings to the right of center, and bottomless to the left of center. And it seemed to not like the Pedal Power II much, getting spitty when plugged in. On battery it sounded more even, but still a little funky overall. Again, i heard players like Marc Ford, or even Eric-d here on the board and their fuzzes sound incredible.... so, advice for a fuzz-noob?

[burningyen]

Could be a bad fuzz (why not try a Muff or Fuzz Face or Tonebender?). Could be those particular amps or guitars don't jive well with that fuzz, or with any fuzz. All the ingredients have to work together. It's hard to beat a Strat (with single coils)+Muff+blackface Fender amp.

Could be that you just don't like fuzz.

[Belmont]

try driving the fuzz with an overdrive pedal in font of it,it works for me for solos only.

[funkycam]

tweak fuzz is a bit of a budget fuzz imo & those fixed eq settings don't do it for everyone.
I wouldn't write fuzz off yet, but it seems to really work the best with certain amps

[Hugo Da Rosa]

As other people have said, it seems like you just happened to have picked up a bad fuzz to start with. If you can find some, go to a local shop and see if there are any Analogman Sunfaces, MI Audio Blues Pros, or other more "high end" fuzzes and test them out. I do agree that budget pedals don't always sound good - especially in the realm of fuzz. But if you are willing to do some searching in that respect, i'm sure your mind will change about them when you come across the perfect combination of guitar, fuzz, and amp.

[steinwand]

Analogman Sunfaces, MI Audio Blues Pros, or other more "high end" fuzzes
+1 on the Sunface
but sorry ... the MI Audio Blues Pro is not a fuzz even if it has a 'fuzz' toggle

others to consider
MJM London Fuzz
Hartman Vintage Germanium Fuzz

[papotronix]

For me the fuzzes are like women. Each one have they're own personality and its become more complex in: What type of amp you plug it in, if its very clean or not and type of guitars; sc or hb, pick up position, pu volume and tone. For me its to complicate but at the same time that is the reason of my eternal love with fuzzes. Like i said before they are like womens... So I'm sure that is one waiting for you in some place of this world!!! If you like classic rock like hendrix, Clapton, Zeppelin I'm pretty sure you like fuzz.

[recto-robbie]

Im just like you I guess,, I hate fuzz,, I love it when others play it though. Cruel world it is!

[Flyin' Brian]

Me too. I bought a GREAT fuzz...A Barber Trifecta but I sold it cuz fuzz just doesn't do it for me.

[Sickle]

Hey Fuzz Noob, you've got a great amp(Traynor YBA-1), you need to stick a great fuzz in front of it if you want the real deal! I'm not gonna bash any other suggestions here, but there's few builders on the level of D*A*M. They're hard to get your hands on one, but when you do, you're gonna shit your pants, man!

Try a Meathead. INSTANT fuzz gratification!

http://www.stompboxes.co.uk/forum/images/smilies/fU.gif (http://www.stompboxes.co.uk/forum/images/smilies/fU.gif)

Other excellent choices are anything from Creepy Fingers, Soulkitchen FX, or Monolith Fuzz!

[Shredcow]

I think its important to match the fuzz to the guitar, amp and other gear (pedals & what have you) because all these things matter heavily. Once that formula is worked out, only then will a fuzz sound like how (for example) your favourite player's fuzz sounds.

The Tweak Fuzz is actually a pretty straight forward thing - it sounds like it sounds and should not deviate much (fixed eq, silicon transistors). Have you seen the youtube clips? Heard its more expensive counterpart?

How about using it to push another dirt box? Pretty interesting results IMO.

[Shredcow]

But if you want a versatile fuzz that can be made to work with a good combination of guitars, amps and other effects...

I've tried the Subdecay Flying Tomato. It has a good range of EQ (treble & bass), a bias control & a switchable buffer (which allows it to work with buffered stuff). It might not be the best sounding thing but it does sound good and has a huge range of tone.

[TomK]

The only fuzz I have ever truly loved was a Matt Wells 5 O'Clock Shadow. (It belonged to a customer.) Probably second was a Mayer. I have a Mayer Voodoo Axe on my board now and its a strange cross between distortion, overdrive and fuzz depending on how you set the controls. As someone else mentioned - I like it best in series with either my FD2 or into an amp that is set for "just breaking up". I RARELY use it...and when I do it is sparingly and mostly for sustain with an OD.

Maybe I'm just not a fuzz guy either.

[Lolaviola]

True dat Fuzz is totally dependent on the rig. You probably don't have a "bad" fuzz, you probably just have a) amp too clean b) pickups too hot or c) impedence issues.
I am a fuzz lover, but for my current setup (clean amp, humbuckers) a distortion pedal (OCD) does everything I want a fuzz to do only better.

[orogeny]

i love me a fuzz.

meanwhile, they basically hate a lot of my pedals. silicon or germ. . . they hate 'em.

i get damn close with a keeley rat, but the rat seriously lacks bass and the mids that some fuzz can get you.

one day, i tell ya.

[shngn7]

I love fuzz. A buddy of mine has a Tweak Fuzz and I never liked the sound of it and thought I hated fuzz. Tried Muffs and Tonebender clones and didn't care for them much either. Then I bought a JH-F1 and Sunface and fell in love with the fuzz face sound. I think there is a fuzz for everyone, you just have to find it.

[HarryJ]

You may like to check this shootout out
http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=459650

HJ

[Shiny McShine]

Here's one that appears to sound like a Germanium one with a low battery that I really like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfPgj4bviKY

Consider Sunface NKT 275, Harman, or other Germanium vintage types. They're the more mellow of the breed but they're finicky with temperature and voltages.