Looking for a dirty and fuzzy blues sound...

[moba]

Hello.
I'm looking for a new pedal with a fuzzy dirty sound. Something like the white stripes' death letter sound.
I was thinking to the Mayo pedal. Have you got suggestions ?
Thanks a lot.
Best regards.

[rewog]

I think the Mayo would be a good choice.
It's based on the Big Muff like Jack White uses, and Skreddy's (Marc's) stuff is tuned and quality - he's super fussy about using the best transistors and parts.

[moba]

Thanks for your answer.
Is is possible to have a little bit of gain with the mayo ?
I'm not looking for a "chaos sound".

[teleblaster]

Try a lovepedal woodrow. nice dirty tweed sound, cleans up really good too.

[bennettcab]

Just a couple thoughts. I am listening to "Death Letter" as recorded on De Stijl and I am pretty sure he uses no fuzz boxes, or any effects for that matter. Live he uses a Big Muff and a Whammy on this song. I understand you want to get a tone similar to this song's tone. But here is a suggestion, just a suggestion: if you want to nail the early White Stripes tone buy an old Silvertone Twin Twelve (1484) amp. These can be dirt cheap or expensive (for what they are) depending on where you buy / find them. I know he is known for playing the 100w 6x10 (1485), but he didn't have a 1485 till after De Stijl. By not forking out the money for a Mayo pedal could pay for a big chunk of the Silvertone. But then obviously you have a 2x12 amp which takes up a lot more space than a pedal thats already not that big. Something to think about. I have looked for a pedal that nails the old Silvertone tone, but they can't really be found. Pedal that sound like an old tweed amp is as close as it comes. And by the way he plays that song with this Kay guitar, set up for slide:



All that being said, Jack uses a Big Muff a lot live, just not as much in the studio. So some sort of Muff or clone would have a White Stripes sound.

millis

[street]

Yeah, millis is right, it's all in that old Silvertone amp.
I think in the recording he's on his bridge PU with that red plastic guitar he has. I think it's an Airline.
The warmth of those old Silvertone amps and the bridge PU on an old Airline with everything cranked will get you very close, if not nail that tone.
I have an old Silvertone 1482 and a super cheap Silvertone guitar with the DeArmond PU's and in the bridge position, with the amp cranked, I can pretty much hit that tone he has on the CD.
I can do do well also with an original HWY1 Tele (I think they have hotter PU's than usual) and a Lovepedal DOV before the Silvertone amp. Tele's gotta be in the bridge postion though.

Love that tune and was happy to see a young band covering Son House.

Actually just remembered, he usually plays open tuning slide on a cheap semi-hollow. So he could be playing that on the CD.

[rewog]

Not sure if it's just the Silvertone in the studio, but he uses a Twin Reverb on stage as well.

Moba - not sure about the Mayo, but the Zero i have doesn't really clean up at all.
Drop Marc at Skreddy an email.

[rewog]

I just found this in reference to the Elephant album:-

"Jack used two amps for the sessions-his Fender Twin Reverb and a Selmer Truvoice Zodiac Twin 30. The Selmer took the place of his Silvertone amp, which he didn't want to ship to England. I close-miked the amps with Shure 545 and AKG D25 mics in various configurations."

[cbpickin]

Originally Posted by rewog

Moba - not sure about the Mayo, but the Zero i have doesn't really clean up at all.
Drop Marc at Skreddy an email.

The Mayo is a muff style fuzz and doesn't clean up at all either, but it is a great fuzz, especially with the mids switch to help it in the mix.

[XKnight]

Fuzzy Dirt = Tonefactor Mule

[moba]

Thanks a lot for all your answers.
The mule sounds great but there's no eq knob.
I'm looking something more for 2 or 3 notes chords than for solos.

[rewog]

If you're looking for something with a bit less than the Muff style Fuzz .... I am lovin' the Hotcake ATM.
Once the gain gets above about 1.00, it gets pretty dirty with a really nice saggy feel.
Especially nice through a brighter amp.

[bennettcab]

Originally Posted by rewog

I just found this in reference to the Elephant album:-

"Jack used two amps for the sessions-his Fender Twin Reverb and a Selmer Truvoice Zodiac Twin 30. The Selmer took the place of his Silvertone amp, which he didn't want to ship to England. I close-miked the amps with Shure 545 and AKG D25 mics in various configurations."

Apologies for the off topic:

Thats why he didn't have his Silvertones on the Black Pool Lights DVD. I didn't really care for the sound of the pair of Twins he used on that DVD. Those old Selmers are great sounding. Impossible (for me) to find here in the states. Franz Ferdinand recorded their self titled album through a croc skin Selmer Zodiac Twin. I like a lot of the tones on that record too.

millis

[havran]

Moba, you should try the ThroBak Overdrive Boost. It goes from perfect clean boost (or treble boost if you wish) to farty fuzzy storm. And in between there is that slightly fuzzy blues overdrive that cleans up very well. Unique and pretty sexy sound. It is the most versatile pedal I've ever had.