Best fuzz for an alt-country board

[Beavan4441]

I'm looking for a fuzz to add to a small pedalboard for a new alt-country/ classic rock band. Want something that's not too sludgy or over the top and capable of cleaning up but far enough from an overdrive to be a distinct voice. Current set up is Boss DD5 >Crowther Hotcake> TC Electronic Ditto Looper. Play a Fender Baja Tele into Vox AC15. Any suggestions greatly appreciated. Current possibilities are Analogman Astro Tone, Fulltone Soul Bender.

 

[erksin]

How hot do you run your amp?

 

[Beavan4441]

I keep it fairly clean and use the Hotcake to push it into break up. Ideally the fuzz would stack well with the Hotcake as I tend to leave that on most of the time and ride the volume knob on my guitar.

 

[erksin]

The AstroTone is killer - I had one for quite a long time. It's not terribly high gain though and sounds (to me anyway) like a more ragged overdrive or lower gain Fuzz Face style box. Great with cranked amps or stacking with other drives.

Another to consider that's a bit of an unconventional choice is the Mid-Fi Electronics Demo Tape Fuzz. It's extremely flexible EQ-wise and works well with every combo of guitar and amp I've thrown at it - even with an acoustic guitar. Plenty of gain all on its own, but will also do clean boosting as well as EQ duty.

If you want a little more danger, pretty hard to top a ZVex Fuzz Factory.

 

[Beavan4441]

If you want a little more danger, pretty hard to top a ZVex Fuzz Factory.

I saw Doug Pettibone using a Fuzz Factory with Lucinda Williams and he made it sound killer but I'd like something a little more straightforward.

Like the sound of the Astro Tone but have read it's geared for humbuckers. Worried slightly that it might be too brittle with a Tele. How's it sound with single coils?

 

[62Tele]

I'm no fuzz expert, but I really like the Skreddy LMMD these days. I'm running teles into a clean Fender voiced amp and everybody gets along. There are so many sounds in the pedal, it's hard to imagine not finding something you'd like. It's not at all fussy about where it sits on the board, so it's very easy to use.

 

[erksin]

It can be bright in certain set ups - I used it with strats, teles, and P-90s and it was fine through my rig. I just switched to using a treble booster or a Mk.1 Tonebender for things and that's why I no longer have one.

It's definitely one of the best fuzzes I've ever used through combo amps since it doesn't pump out a lot of low end.

 

[DesertDirtDog]

I recently acquired an AM Astro Tone- my first fuzz. I had an aversion previously; most fuzz seems a little (or a lot!) over-the-top for the stuff we mostly play (soul, blues, classic rock).

I caught a look at someones' board in the PT Jr thread, and my curiosity was piqued by an AT stacked into a Honey Bee OD (my favorite drive ever), so I checked out a few video demos, which were enough to motivate me into getting one.

It's pretty mellow for a fuzz, stacks wonderfully with other drives (mine is between a Klone and a HBOD), and can even be used as a dirty boost with the fuzz backed off.

Pretty cool pedal- looks like it will stay on my board until I get my BBOD back.

*My main guitar is a tele-style- ASAT Classic w/Bardens.

 

[Beavan4441]

I recently acquired an AM Astro Tone- my first fuzz. I had an aversion previously; most fuzz seems a little (or a lot!) over-the-top for the stuff we mostly play (soul, blues, classic rock).

I caught a look at someones' board in the PT Jr thread, and my curiosity was piqued by an AT stacked into a Honey Bee OD (my favorite drive ever), so I checked out a few video demos, which were enough to motivate me into getting one.

It's pretty mellow for a fuzz, stacks wonderfully with other drives (mine is between a Klone and a HBOD), and can even be used as a dirty boost with the fuzz backed off.

Pretty cool pedal- looks like it will stay on my board until I get my BBOD back.

The Astro Tone is the one I've most liked the look of so far. Had not thought of the Skreddy, which looks a very versatile fuzz that can do a lot of things, but for the limited ground I want to cover think the Astro Tone might be just the job ( and a little cheaper!)

 

[gearscrubs]

Ge fuzz face would be my first choice (the dunlop red mini is on my board, and I play a lot of Americana/alt-country type stuff). The cleanup sound is great. Second choice would be something in the tonebender family.

 

[Beavan4441]

Ge fuzz face would be my first choice (the dunlop red mini is on my board, and I play a lot of Americana/alt-country type stuff). The cleanup sound is great. Second choice would be something in the tonebender family.

Did look at earthquaker Devices Tone Reaper (which is their ToneBender clone). Cool Fuzz, but maybe more gain than I need?

 

[Smow09]

Dirt transmitter might be a cool option. It's silicon and two transistor. Not best clean up but can be pretty articulate.

 

[Slideman]

I'd say try the EQD Park Fuzz....straight forward, tamable, and pairs well with ODs.

 

[ChampReverb]

I think Gary Louris does a FuzzFace into a Tube Screamer (set clean),

The Astrotone works well too and you can push it with another boost or overdrive pedal.

-bRn r.

 

[erksin]

I think Gary Louris does a FuzzFace into a Tube Screamer (set clean),

The Astrotone works well too and you can push it with another boost or overdrive pedal.

-bRn r.

He's using an FZ-1 type fuzz now I think but don't quote me. Lol

 

[triggercut]

All of the recommendations that others have given are all good ones; another option could be something in the Colorsound Overdriver vein. They can get pretty fuzzy cranked up, but the bass and treble controls can help with fine-tuning with your rig, and they stack well with other gain boxes. If anything, there are no shortage of options out there, it's just finding the one that works best for your setup.

 

[gearscrubs]

Did look at earthquaker Devices Tone Reaper (which is their ToneBender clone). Cool Fuzz, but maybe more gain than I need?

Yeah, I did a short clip of my Way Huge Havalina (Tonebender-type) and the Dunlop Ge FuzzFace mini. On both, I had the guitar volume rolled back a bit.

 

[tanee]

Do yourself a favor and pick up a Foxrox hot silicon or cc hybrid and never look back.

 

[fareye]

Did look at earthquaker Devices Tone Reaper (which is their ToneBender clone). Cool Fuzz, but maybe more gain than I need?

I run a Baja tele into an AC15 (but mostly a Vox Pathfinder these days due to living situation) and the Tone Reaper's a great sounding pedal in this setup. You can make it have more gain than you'll need but if you run the fuzz knob around 9 to 10:00 it's really nice - it just sounds like rock n roll to me. I feel like I stepped into the 1960s every time I use it. Good volume cleanup - a really vintagy (for lack of a better word) sounding fuzz pedal.

I also have a Dirt Transmitter which has a very different voice. You can get some of the sounds you're after with this if you roll your guitar's volume back and keep the fuzz knob at 9:00 or below. I think the Tone Reaper is much more suited to the sounds you're after but both are very good sounding fuzz boxes.

 

[Mystik Spiral]

Analogman Astro Tone is perfection for this reason.