Buffalo FX Evolution, Skreddy P19, Mojo Hand Fx Iron Bell

[Ivo]

After doing lots of forum reading/searching, I've narrowed it down to these 3. Anyone who can bless me with comparative tales would be most kind. I've been looking to get a companion fuzz to go with my Skreddy LMMD. I use it mainly for lead playing with lots of sustain and would like another fuzz for the same application, but with a different flavor - so I'm thinking Muffs for this application! Can the Evolution do the lead sustainy thing just as easily as the P19 or will it need a boost? The P19 appears to be slightly higher gain, but that could be compression and me pulling things out of my ass.

It's funny: I don't even listen to Pink Floyd, but apparently I dig all the pedals that are meant to get that sound. Thanks for reading!

 

[SurfGreenTele]

I've been looking to get a companion fuzz to go with my Skreddy LMMD.

You need one of these then:

 

[Ivo]

You need one of these then:

lol I walked into that one. Well played!

 

[SurfGreenTele]

lol I walked into that one. Well played!

Unfortunately, I can't follow up with any useful info on the fuzzes in question. *backs out slowly*

 

[msnes335]

Don't have any of those 3, but I recently picked up the Vick Audio 73', and it's great. I also looked at the Buffalo, and the P19, and the Vick won on the combination of price+Gilmorish review. It's very quiet which is a plus, tons of sustain, especially at Madison Sq Living Room levels, worth checking out. FWIW, the Buffalo also scored as high on the Gilmorish page.

 

[PurpleJesus]

The Evo is amazing. I can't compare it to the other two, but it's the real deal. Incredible tone.

 

[mach1]

I have an Evolution. Never tried the other two but have owned other fuzz pedals. The Evolution is by far my favorite mid gain pedal. I really wouldn't call it a fuzz - more like a distortion with some fuzzy qualities. It's very dynamic and really acts and feels like an amp, not a pedal. The controls are probably the best setup of any I've tried. You move them and they respond but in such a non typical manner. They are tuned just perfect and every setting is good. No hard to find sweet spots - they are all good. This pedal exceeds at lead lines. They are fluid with tons of texture and clarity. A held note kinda blooms and then sustains with a kinda 3D quality. It really nails the Gilmour tone.

 

[R.C.Moran]

I'll second what mach1 said about the Evolution. It will give you a lot of sustain, and I think it performs better without any sort of booster. Out of the lot I think it's the best and most versatile. The P19 will get a bit more saturated as it is a muff variant, but both have plenty of gain on tap. The Iron Bell sort of sits between them. All 3 are really good, but the Evo just does more.

 

[mmolteratx]

The Iron Bell is a P19 with a mid pot in place of the switch. Both are very much Big Muffs, whereas the Evolution is in the same camp, but more refined, less scooped and definitely cuts better. They're all good pedals, so you can't lose out, but the Evolution would probably be my choice.

 

[sanhozay]

played them all and the evolution is a very complete package. less muffy and more drivey. so, if you want a tight distortion style pedal, it does that beyond amazing but it certainly isn't a total substitute for a muff. i think the p19 is one of the most versatile pedals that skreddy has ever done, but anything that gets billed as a muff finds a niche market and can get overlooked.

 

[Skreddy]

FYI:

The Evolution is inspired by the Cornish G2, which takes the Big Muff circuit, uses germanium clippers, and re-tunes the whole gain and eq structure into more of an overdrive than a fuzz.

The P19 is inspired by the recorded fuzz tones from Pink Floyd "The Wall" and used the values from the Cornish P1 as a point of departure (since I wasn't privy to Gilmour's rams head, this was 2nd best starting place).

So they're not really in the same classification in terms of gain and sustain. It's more of a question of are you looking for an amp-like drive or a sustaining fuzz?

I'd certainly compare the Skreddy P19 to a Cornish P1 or P2, but never a G2. For that, I'd send my HFD into the ring.

 

[DecoWaves]

+1 Iron Bell ... although it is my understanding that it is the same circuit design as the P19 with, as someone above shared, the difference being the mid-pot vs the switch.

I have and love the Iron Bell and it is fantastic for leads. I have a hard time describing it as it makes no sense ... "the cleanest high-gain muff I've had the opportunity to play". Better said, the overdrive/fuzz sticks to the lead tone and, that usual uncontrollable wall of residual sound found with a muff is actually very tame -- unless you are playing chords -- and even then, it is very articulate. My favorite setting is the gain set to 9pm on the dial (low), the mid (Colour) turned all the way up, the tone turned all the way down, and volume set to a slight boost over unity. I bump it up a notch by kicking on the Gain Changer before it, set on low-gain at the cusp of break-up.

It has a sweet singing sustain with bite ...

 

[goodhonk]

How about the new skreddy russian muff?

 

[Windup 43]

Don't have any of those 3, but I recently picked up the Vick Audio 73', and it's great. I also looked at the Buffalo, and the P19, and the Vick won on the combination of price+Gilmorish review. It's very quiet which is a plus, tons of sustain, especially at Madison Sq Living Room levels, worth checking out. FWIW, the Buffalo also scored as high on the Gilmorish page.

I looked at the same ones too and a few others, but also ended up picking the Vick- I could've spent more, but the clips of the Vick really sold me. No regrets, I absolutely adore it.

 

[Ivo]

Excellent responses all. Cleared up a lot for me. Looks like the Evo is somewhat of a different beast and I was a bit hasty in comparing it to the other 2. I still may end up trying one since I can cut the price with a 4th of July discount.

FYI:

The Evolution is inspired by the Cornish G2, which takes the Big Muff circuit, uses germanium clippers, and re-tunes the whole gain and eq structure into more of an overdrive than a fuzz.

The P19 is inspired by the recorded fuzz tones from Pink Floyd "The Wall" and used the values from the Cornish P1 as a point of departure (since I wasn't privy to Gilmour's rams head, this was 2nd best starting place).

So they're not really in the same classification in terms of gain and sustain. It's more of a question of are you looking for an amp-like drive or a sustaining fuzz?

I'd certainly compare the Skreddy P19 to a Cornish P1 or P2, but never a G2. For that, I'd send my HFD into the ring.

Thanks Marc! I placed an order for the HFD on your website a couple of days ago. Just sent an email requesting a switch to the P19 if that is alright.