Most expressive fuzzes?

[Buks]

I have an Analogman Sunface standard white dot NTK and a Vox Tonebender/D*A*M 1966 clone (with oc76 tranny) which I bought of ebay and that apparently someone called "Axis Fuzz" built, and that sounds really good.

I love both fuzzes, mainly because they are so expressive. That is to say, the way you pick the string really influences the sound/the amount of fuzz, in particular if you roll back the guitar volume a bit. The sound never gets flat and boring. I think it is no coincidence that Jimmi H used a fuzz face and that the way he plays still touches us deeply.

So, which other fuzzes are expressive in the above sense?

[empty71]

PTD Mini-Bone!!!

[Lolaviola]

I have found the Analogman very expressive / touch sensitive.
I'll add these, too:
Keeley Fuzz Head
Basic Audio Scarab
Phoenix Custom Ranger (treble boost, but has that Ge fuzz-thing)
Fulltone OCD (has fuzzy characteristics)

[marvelboy_04]

mini bone

[wundergussy]

Another vote for BA Scarab; I think it's the most expressive silicon-based fuzz I've ever played.

[BiNGEaNiNjA]

Blackarts Toneworks Pharaoh Fuzz. It's what I would consider to be better than average when rolling back the volume or lightening up the attack. It depends entirely on how you set it. To be clear if you set it so that most of your notes have a really fast attack by dialing in compression you will lose some expression, but you can still use the volume knob. There also isn't a setting for compression, but it can be thrown in there depending on how you set the knobbies.

[youandme]

bone machine...

[sketches]

Um... easy?

Any fuzz/wah! ;)

Express away!

-sits in the corner-

[StopReferencing]

PTD Mini-Bone!!!

Yup. Very different flavor from the '66 or FF.

[Acid Fuzz]

I think BUKS was referring to Acid Fuzz, not "Axis Fuzz". The MK1.5/Fuzz Face and 1966 Italian (Vox clone) are two of the most expressive fuzzes ever. I agree with BUKS on diming the fuzz/attack knob + the two transistor circuit, when set up properly cleans up very well with the guitar's volume and is very touch sensitive to your picking. Light=clean Heavy=fuzzy dirt. Those circuits are also very transparent in terms of your guitar's tone/sound. In other words, a Tele still sounds like a Tele, a Ric sounds like a Ric, Les Paul, etc... These fuzzes are like an extension of yourself + your guitar, which is what makes them the most expressive and versatile.

[cubistguitar]

a Tele still sounds like a Tele, a Ric sounds like a Ric, Les Paul, etc...

alright alright, with the shill, we know you make the best fuzz everer, a copy of the best fuzz everer or whateverer, but just drop by to talk smack, not upsell the fuzz box man! This is about as delicate as the goosestep.

[imguitardan]

D*A*M Drag 'N Fly fits right in there.

[DraggAmps]

I definitely second the Pharaoh, although the Scarab Deluxe and PTD fuzzes are also great. The Pharaoh doesn't clean up great with the volume knob, and I don't think any muff-type does clean up nearly as well as a Fuzzface, even a muff-type like the Pharaoh, that sounds very different than your average muff. But it's a fairly uncompressed muff and has great touch sensitivity. Any of the Germanium Sunfaces are great too, but I know that personally, the biggest, roundest, most organic, and most expressive fuzz I've used is the Pharaoh.

I always forget the Himmelstrutz Gramps+ is a fuzz, because it's a "fuzz-tortion" and I use it for strictly distortion sounds. However, when set as a fuzz, it's the perfect yin the Pharaoh's yang. It can get very gainy and huge and can even start to get like an over the top glitchy fuzz, but the whole time it is huge, and tight, and the most touch sensitive fuzz I've used, especially when set as a fuzzy overdrive or distortion. I really want another one to set strictly as a crazy, killer fuzz.

[champion ruby]

I think BUKS was referring to Acid Fuzz, not "Axis Fuzz". The MK1.5/Fuzz Face and 1966 Italian (Vox clone) are two of the most expressive fuzzes ever. I agree with BUKS on diming the fuzz/attack knob + the two transistor circuit, when set up properly cleans up very well with the guitar's volume and is very touch sensitive to your picking. Light=clean Heavy=fuzzy dirt. Those circuits are also very transparent in terms of your guitar's tone/sound. In other words, a Tele still sounds like a Tele, a Ric sounds like a Ric, Les Paul, etc... These fuzzes are like an extension of yourself + your guitar, which is what makes them the most expressive and versatile.

I've thought about giving your 1966 a try before since the D*A*M is out of the question. I think it would help if you could provide a recording/demo since talking something up without much evidence is a bit dodgy.

[amphead777]

I think clearly the KR Gypsy Fuzz fits what you're talking about.

[lonelylooper]

Trombetta Mini-Bone/Bonemachine/Uberbone.................!

[chase1410]

Plum Crazy FX Fuzzy Lady

[Steven]

Trombetta Mini-Bone/Bonemachine/Uberbone.................!

+1.

[DGTCrazy]

I get some pretty great tone out of my P-2. Pete built a nice one there!

[Samsun19]

One more for the Bone....