Boss FZ-2 Hyper Fuzz

The pedal has 3 modes and is pretty hard to dial right, does not work well for chords ... It took me a long time to bond with mine (had it over 10 years and really been using it on my main board the last 6 months). This pedal is a love/hate thing depending on who you ask.

mode 1 (named vintage... I think) can do octave fuzz if dialed properly (that's how I use mine) . However the octave sound does not sound like a scrambler to me (more mids and less hi/low and the sound is not as focussed -- the attack is slower, it sounds modulated(!) and is not as percussive/tight); btw I have only heard clips of a scrambler, but I have a french toast which I believe is closer to the sound of the scrambler

mode 2 (modern): Is a tight Fuzz with lots of high/low. I dont really know what to compare it to, but it is very different from 1.

mode 3 (boost): Is a boost with 2 bands EQ ... I have read this is how Orgy use the pedal.

Also I might get banned for saying this, but I find the buffer in this pedal sounds great... unlike other boss buffers I have tried. It really enhances the sound of my single coil guitars whenever its in my chain.

 

I love the FZ-2.
The boost is great, though it is set at 25db, which is huge. The cool part is that the treble and bass knobs work on the boost too. I use one as a simple treble booster for darker amps. Mode 2 is really scooped and sounds a lot like my foxx tone machine. Though the octave up isnt as pronounced, you can get lots of robot-y intermodulation going. +1 on the buffer too.
FWIW I've read that electric wizard used mode 1 on their dopethrone album, but for 'we live' they used the boost into Matamps. Not sure how true that is though.


First post

 

I had one of these. Velvet Revolver used one for the boost function too. It's definitely one of those secret weapons hiding in the Boss arsenal.

 

it's a great pedal, but i have seen the price rising on the lately. it sounds like a superfuzz clone to me.

 

Great pedal!

It won't do straight up ring mod effects to chords, but it still gives you that salty octave tone. Less in your face octave than most other frequency doubler pedals.

 

You'll love this guy, then.. The tone sits somewhere between ring modulation & octave-up fuzz.

Neither mode's what you's can a smooth 'pretty' fuzztone, and the booster circuit can be very useful for wringling more distortion outa your amp or other dirt boxes. Nasty piece of work all around.

Another great discontinued BOSS pedal...

 

Is this pedal silicon based or germanium? My guess would be silicon... can't find any info on it...

 

My guess's silicon also.

 

They weren't doing the modeling thing yet right?

 

According to this,
http://www.bossarea.com/loadpage.asp?file=boxes/fz2.xml
it was made from 1993 to 1997.
I read in a book about Boss pedals that the circuit was loosely based on that of the Japanese fuzzes like the Super Fuzz.

 

oh, i have one of these, & i do like it (although i'm on the hunt for another fuzz pedal! the endless search...).
the 3 modes are useful.
mode 1 is more of a "vintage-y" sound, more 60s i guess, you can get octaves sometimes (seems random, depends on hitting harmonics i think)...but in using this /playing this i can sort of see the sounds hendrix was getting...it really does make you play differently i think (think more riff orientated-chords as most say is not good). hitting single notes just sounds so huge (the amp blowing up is a good description for this). there are times to me it doesn't sound like there is much variation in the tone controls of this....but it is fuzzy-good-ness in sound i think....
mode 2 -is more modern sounding. more metal-sounding to my ear. i don't use as much.
the OD mode-i just discovered (i love mode 1)-w/ the right hint of distortion/slight dirt, w/ the OD engaged it sort of reminded me of the clarity that VH can get w/ his distortion. it definitely makes my amp go LOUD in this mode!!!! it's useful though!

 

Supposedly the FZ-2 is a slight variant of the Super Fuzz circuit with a boost in it. Whether or not it is, I don't know, but that's what I've heard. I love mine-- it's one of the greatest Boss pedals they ever produced, IMO.

And yes, no digital moddeling here at all.

 

FZ-2 mode II is where it shines. Drop D riff rawk works great, don't know why people say chords don't work well.

Mode I is more 60s. Many pedals do this, and better.

I remember the boost being WAY too much volume, as in almost blow your speakers if you aren't careful.

Having a 2-band EQ was very nice.

It was my first pedal. Sorry I sold it.

Wish they reissued this. But Boss doesn't care to revisit past successes.

 

ok, playing my fz-2 yesterday, i rarely play in mode 2 (or fuzz II).
so messed around w/ it yesterday. wow, you can get some sounds. not sure how to describe the sound, part -"grungy" sounding, part metal, maybe a bit industrial, amp exploding sounds for sure....but i'm loving this...again messing w/ this makes me wish i wouldn't have sold my fuzz factory (i know , i'm an idiot!)....

does anyone know if the 2 modes of fuzz in this thing are modeled or based on anything else (older fuzz models)?

fun to rediscover how much fun certain pedals can be......

add: yes, I seems more "60s", II seems more modern (90s?), & the boost is as someone says above: LOUD!!!!!

 

Stephen Carpenter (Deftones) used one for a LONG time.