Do I need a Fulltone Catalyst?

[Fifthstone]

I'm a Fulltone fiend. I own: Fulldrive II Comp Cut, Fulldrive II MOSFET, GT-500, 69, 70, SoulBender, OCD, Distortion Pro, Fat Boost v1. I play mostly classic rock.

Do I "need" a Catalyst?

[JimmyR]

I don't think so. I have one and think it's actually pretty awful as a fuzz. I only use it as a clean booster, which it seems quite good for. But I don't actually need a clean booster very often. If you have a Fatboost you probably don't need it.

[fuzzface71]

It's a fuzz? That one? Is it me or is it almost like the Distortion Pro?

[CharlieK]

Yes you do. The Catalyst does everything from clean boost to fuzz and it's different than all the other Fulltone pedals. I own OCD, FDII, Ultimate Octave, Distortion Pro, 69, 70, and Soulbender. Mine is used mostly for high gain fuzz type tones with a strat. I don't have to worry about extreme temperatures (germ fuzzes), radio signals (silicon fuzzes), too bright etc. with the Catalyst. Give it a shot, I think you'll like it....

[Fifthstone]

CharlieK, it's like we share the same pedalboard. Thanks for all the responses. I've never had a temperature issue with my 69 or radio issues with my 70. Is the high gain fuzz tone from the Catalyst any different than the high gain tone from the 69 or 70?

[TJSmitty]

It doesn't have a very typical fuzz character to it, IMO. Jack of all trades, master of none. I much preferred other offerings.

[ibzmav]

Yes you do. The Catalyst does everything from clean boost to fuzz and it's different than all the other Fulltone pedals. I own OCD, FDII, Ultimate Octave, Distortion Pro, 69, 70, and Soulbender. Mine is used mostly for high gain fuzz type tones with a strat. I don't have to worry about extreme temperatures (germ fuzzes), radio signals (silicon fuzzes), too bright etc. with the Catalyst. Give it a shot, I think you'll like it....
fulltone distortion pro -- worst dirt pedal ever!

Do I need a Fulltone Catalyst?
No.


OCD is the only good thing that ever happened to fulltone. O_O

[Primakurtz]

I really like mine - not as a fuzz, but as a boost/overdrive.

[charless]

Wasn't too impressed in the store however Fulltone pedals usually sound better in a live setting .. it probally would shine in that setting.

THe 'fuzz' must be more like the Fuzz Head .. a mix of OD and fuzz?

[sutherland]

I'm a Fulltone fiend. I own: Fulldrive II Comp Cut, Fulldrive II MOSFET, GT-500, 69, 70, SoulBender, OCD, Distortion Pro, Fat Boost v1. I play mostly classic rock.

Do I "need" a Catalyst?

I'm also a huge fan of Fulltone. I own the Fulldrive 2 Mosfet, GT-500, Fatboost FB-3, OCD...and am considering the Catalyst as well.

I certainly don't need another booster and would only buy one off of the merits of it being either an OD or a Fuzz. From the demos I have heard, I really enjoy it.

[jamison162]

I have not been impressed with the clips of the Catalyst at all. I agree, OCD is the only thing I've liked of Fulltones...and that keeps changing.

[In Tune]

Yes . Just get it. You will have a heck of a collection. then get a vibe, chorus, on an on.

[sutherland]

I have no been impressed with the clips of the Catalyst at all. I agree, OCD is the only thing I've liked of Fulltones...and that keeps changing.

That has always been my major concern with Fulltone pedals, all the new versions and revisions to the circuit (some he will gladly mod to spec, but others...were such drastic changes, he won't).

As of now, I am lucky that I own all the current and final versions. The Catalyst, I'm just apprehensive of any pending circuit/version changes.

[CharlieK]

Wasn't too impressed in the store however Fulltone pedals usually sound better in a live setting .. it probally would shine in that setting.

THe 'fuzz' must be more like the Fuzz Head .. a mix of OD and fuzz?

It sounds much better in a live setting than bedroom levels. This is true of all the Fulltone pedals I've tried. I use a Les Paul mostly and use the OCD/FDII combo for most dirt tones. However when I switch to the strat, I've got the Catalyst set up specifically for heavy fuzz for the strat. The tonal flexibility of the Catalyst allows me to use the same amp settings as when using the LP without it being too bright just by cutting the highs on the Catalyst.

[sutherland]

It sounds much better in a live setting than bedroom levels. This is true of all the Fulltone pedals I've tried. I use a Les Paul mostly and use the OCD/FDII combo for most dirt tones. However when I switch to the strat, I've got the Catalyst set up specifically for heavy fuzz for the strat. The tonal flexibility of the Catalyst allows me to use the same amp settings as when using the LP without it being too bright just by cutting the highs on the Catalyst.

How would you compare the Catalyst to the 70 fuzz. I know one is FET and one is Silicone based, but can the Catalyst cover the grounds of the 70 Fuzz pedal?

[Ming Chow]

I have one and like it a lot.

Might as well pick one up. If you are unhappy with it, you can always flip it. Probably get most of your money back too.

[VegaBaby]

I haven't had a chance yet to try one, but is my impression correct from the demos that in both modes pretty much everything happens in the last third of the gain control ?

I'm really torn at the moment between an OCD and the Catalyst. I've got plenty of Fuzz pedals and don't really need any full on Fuzz (or a clean boost for that matter), but rather some gritty overdrive. Maybe I'm better of with an OCD ... ?

[carltonh]

Has anyone noticed that both the tone and external design of the Catalyst is very much like the Throbak ODB. They cover the same clean boost, overdrive, and fuzz sounds, and even the gain knob has most change in the last 3rd of the range for both. Each have gain, volume, treble, bass, and a 2 way switch to chane distortion/fuzz character. Oh wait, the ODB has 2. I'm not saying they are anything alike internally, and I doubt it. All I can say is that the ODB has been on my board for 3 years, and with recent retirements, that is the current oldest still on there.

[sutherland]

I haven't had a chance yet to try one, but is my impression correct from the demos that in both modes pretty much everything happens in the last third of the gain control ?

I'm really torn at the moment between an OCD and the Catalyst. I've got plenty of Fuzz pedals and don't really need any full on Fuzz (or a clean boost for that matter), but rather some gritty overdrive. Maybe I'm better of with an OCD ... ?

Well, from what I hear...the tone of the Catalyst doesn't get as wooly or as nasal like most fuzz pedals, but there are inklings of Fuzz Face here and there....I'm apprehensive to pull the trigger, because I have enough drive and distortion on my board...I just want a very focused fuzz...I guess a way to call it "a fuzz for someone who likes mainly overdrives".

[andrewface]

I don't think so. I have one and think it's actually pretty awful as a fuzz. I only use it as a clean booster, which it seems quite good for. But I don't actually need a clean booster very often. If you have a Fatboost you probably don't need it.

this pretty much sums it up for me...its a great clean boost...i like to set it just into breakup where it gives you fuzzy slight overtones

[stratpaulguy86]

Get it! I LOVE my Catalyst. I have an old fuzz face and this thing just walks all over it. The only other Fulltone pedal that I get more use out of is my Fulldrive II Mosfet. The Catalyst sounds like a cross between the OCD and Fat Boost on the "Spark" setting. The "Flame" setting sounds a lot like the '69 pedal but with a little more of the overdrive qualities of the OCD. Next to my BK Butler Tube Driver it sounds similar on the "Flame" with a perhaps looser and fuzzier sound. The EQ is super useful and the more you turn the midrange/bass control clockwise, the more things get out of hand (in a good way). It cuts through a lot better than most fuzz type pedals I've played. Sweet pedal from Fulltone...I don't understand the haters! :bitch

[sutherland]

Get it! I LOVE my Catalyst. I have an old fuzz face and this thing just walks all over it. The only other Fulltone pedal that I get more use out of is my Fulldrive II Mosfet. The Catalyst sounds like a cross between the OCD and Fat Boost on the "Spark" setting. The "Flame" setting sounds a lot like the '69 pedal but with a little more of the overdrive qualities of the OCD. Next to my BK Butler Tube Driver it sounds similar on the "Flame" with a perhaps looser and fuzzier sound. The EQ is super useful and the more you turn the midrange/bass control clockwise, the more things get out of hand (in a good way). It cuts through a lot better than most fuzz type pedals I've played. Sweet pedal from Fulltone...I don't understand the haters! :bitch

That was the write up I wanted to see....so it does have a tighter control than most silicone and germanium units.

[voorhiessa]

Bump... Curious to see how the catalyst compares to the 69 and 70

[chrismellotron]

I'm not impressed with the Catalyst. There's better FUZZes out there and you already have a few that are. I have a Plimsoul > Timmy > FB-3 trinity that I'm very happy with and works fabulously in a live setting.

[sleewell]

i really like mine. sounds great with both of my amps

[StormJH1]

I wondered about the Catalyst too. The box says right on it "Everything from Clean Boost to Fuzz"

http://www.themusiczoo.com/PDGImages/Fulltone_Catalyst_CT1_c.jpg

My issue with Fulltone is that they have the OCD - undeniable hit, right? But the rest of their catalog, while well-built and decently priced, is mostly an assortment of other overdrives and boosters. For example, I looked at the FullDrive MOSFET and Plim Soul, but heard tons of people say they're basically like the OCD or Tubescreamers. Then they have a bunch of fuzz and the GT-500, but reviews on those are kinda mixed.

[5cent]

While I don't use it much, the Catalyst is on my board. It's really versatile.

I love the fact that it works as a great clean boost, and a sorta fuzz/distortion. When I want a great fuzz, I reach for my '70, but the Catalyst does an okay job for live gigs.

[meterman]

Bump... Curious to see how the catalyst compares to the 69 and 70

I had one for awhile, also have the '69 & '70. I liked the Catalyst but I didn't love it. It really is a "jack of all trades master of none" type deal IMHO. Meaning that it does a good clean/mild OD tone, but not as good as my Timmy, it does a good med-gain lead tone but not as good as my Plimsoul, and it does a good fuzz but not as good as my dedicated fuzzes. Great concept, great execution, but almost an impossibly high bar, for me. Still it's a fun pedal with some cool and some pretty gnarly, gritty tones in there too.

[Snakum]

I got to wring mine out today for a couple of hours alone and then with the band for a few tunes. Mine is placed before my only other OD/Distortion - an HBE Paradrive.

There are a few negatives, for me alone - YMMV. As others have mentioned, it seems like very little is happening before about 2:00 on both SPARK and FLAME. It gets a little warmer past noon and then nothing till 2:00. And the fuzz on the FLAME side is not a 'fuzz' like I'm used to. It's not really a full-blown fuzz at all, imho (just my opinion). And on the SPARK side I can almost duplicate everything it does with a Bad Monkey or with the Boost side of the Paradrive.

That said ...

Using the SPARK side to dial in a little transparent warmth and oomph really adds something to my clean tone when using the middle and neck pickups. Sounds positively gorgeous. I've used Monkeys for years and years but the Catalyst is different. And it's very quiet, and very transparent, too, when dialed in. Then on the bridge HB I switch it to FLAME for a bit more hair on my ZZ Top. Unlike my beloved Monkeys (Bad and Spanked) the Catalyst won't affect the tone at all when bypassed - great for recording. The Catalyst definitely has a certain 'something' it brings to the table.

So I guess you'd really have to try one to see if it works for you. But if you are looking for a fuzz ... this ain't it.

[Snakum]

Update to the Catalyst ....

I'm really starting to appreciate its' special thing. I now run it for all our country tunes ('Dirt Road Anthem', 'Macon', 'Man Of Me', etc.) and other low gain songs like 'December' by Collective Soul. Into the clean channel the Spark setting with gain at 2:00 adds warmth and punch with just a hint of grit with the guitar volume rolled up, and switching to the drive channel the Catalyst adds even more grit without saturating the tone. Some of the country we do has a lot of grind in it.

Then I switch it over to Flame for ZZ Top to put a little more hair on the dirty channel (my dirty channel is set with minimum amp gain) and this works great when I bring in the Paradrive for lead work. I have the Paradrive set with medium gain so the Catalyst really pumps it for Gibbons style squawk. Love the pinch harmonics. It is used similar to a second Bad Monkey in my minimnalist rig, but it's somehow punchier and more 'hi-fi' sounding than the Monkey, and it has that near-fuzz hair on the flame side. Pretty versatile little pedal. Me likey.

So I've officially changed my mind. Yes ... you do need to try one. :D

[joe_k]

I hear so much about the OCD being great, i spent ages trying to get one to sound nice in a store. i honestly tried so hard to like it, couldn't bond with it.

Catalyst on the other hand sounded great to me. was a bit pricey for what it was (this was back when the aussie dollar was terribad) but it was great as an overdrive. at high gain it wasn't great but it had its own thing going on which i liked.

You could definately do worse than a catalyst.

[AXXA]

I have had lots of the Fulltone dirts and fuzzes, and I liked all of them for different things. I often think I miss the Catalyst the most though, and have been considering getting one again.

Short thoughts: I agree its a 'jack of all trades' kind of deal, but it was a great boost and had a cool fuzzy distortion sound. Pretty versatile and useful pedal.

Long version:
It has a unique character IMO, it has a certain sparkle and crunch to it, kind of like a higher gain Fat Boost 3 (I think they both use JFETs or whatever they're called). It does a wonderful clean boost like the FB3. It doesn't sound like a traditional fuzz to me, but it has a fuzzy distortion sound. Also, the mids 'knob' affects the sound differently than the mids knob on the '70. The Cat's mids are more apparent, and seem to be centered on lower mids. The Spark and Flame modes seemed to mostly overlap to me, but both sounded good. I sold it because I could stack the OCD and FB3 to get similar sounds. All 3 of these pedals could be pretty 'transparent', but the mids option on the Cat was nice, as limited as it was being ganged to the bass knob.