How to use a fuzz

[ryanverbena]

I'm looking into buying a sunface NKT 275 but i have never used a fuzz before. Do you run them through a clean amp? i have a framus ruby riot with a sweet clean channel and high gain, and i was wanting to try a fuzz on the clean channel for a nice 'in-between' sound after various overdrives have failed to impress.

 

[teleblaster]

Turn it up and use your volume knob on your guitar for finding the sweet spot tone that you like. The sun face cleans up really nice. kind of a lower mid boost {cleanish} to full on fuzz. It would help to have your amp turned up too. Hope that helps.

 

[Last Nerve]

Congrats!
My FAVORITE FUZZ!
Try it in a clean amp first. Use just the guitar-fuzz-amp while testing. Notice the changes in gain you get when moving the VOL knob, as mentioned above.
Around 8-9 I get a great OD tone with FUZZY edges - Black Crowes, in my rig.
Crank it for more gain, for solos or some ZZ Top tones, in my rig.

I'd say only use as a solo boost on a dirty channel, but just experiment.

 

[JLee]

If you're using single coils, turn the amp up so it's just breaking up. Single coils and Fuzz Faces are a little more forgiving with amp gain than the humbucker/fuzz combo. Ge Fuzz Faces really blossom with a touch of amp gain, whereas Si Fuzz Faces and higher gain fuzzes can be harder to control. Riding the guitar volume with a Fuzz Face is a beautiful thing!

 

[wingwalker]

I have an AnalogMan modded Arbiter Fuzz Face (which is pretty much a Sunface) and I love it! I can really agree with what these guys have already said. Just remember these pedals are very sensitive to your volume control on your guitar and to the way you play.

I turn my fuzz control all the way up and control it all from the guitar. You can go from almost completely clean (with buckers...with singles it will COMPLETELY clean up) to fullon fuzz and a half a million shades in between...my fav things to do are like Last Nerve mentioned...pull the guitar back just a little (on my R8 it's around 7 to 8 on the volume control) and you can get a nice crunch that works well on chords and leads or go full on, on the volume control for nasty fuzzy leads and riffs.

Just remember to spend some time dialing it in and make it work...these pedals are not as simply and plug in, turn up and have good tone...you have to really work with it to make a great sound but once you unlock it you'll see it was well worth the work!

 

[M@tt C]

Just remember these pedals are very sensitive to your volume control on your guitar and to the way you play.

I turn my fuzz control all the way up and control it all from the guitar. You can go from almost completely clean (with buckers...with singles it will COMPLETELY clean up) to fullon fuzz and a half a million shades in between...my fav things to do are like Last Nerve mentioned...pull the guitar back just a little (on my R8 it's around 7 to 8 on the volume control) and you can get a nice crunch that works well on chords and leads or go full on, on the volume control for nasty fuzzy leads and riffs.

Just remember to spend some time dialing it in and make it work...these pedals are not as simply and plug in, turn up and have good tone...you have to really work with it to make a great sound but once you unlock it you'll see it was well worth the work!

Well said. I've found that my Addrock Germanuim (NKT 275's) works best for me with the amp overdriving quite a bit rather than clean. Then agin, that's what works for me- you may have a very different result. Experiment, experiment, experiment! The volume pot on your guitar is the key though- a fuzz will really respond to subtle changes. Oh, and critical thing to mention is that usually a fuzz likes to be first in the signal chain.

Good luck!

 

[wingwalker]

Well said. I've found that my Addrock Germanuim (NKT 275's) works best for me with the amp overdriving quite a bit rather than clean. Then agin, that's what works for me- you may have a very different result. Experiment, experiment, experiment! The volume pot on your guitar is the key though- a fuzz will really respond to subtle changes. Oh, and critical thing to mention is that usually a fuzz likes to be first in the signal chain.
Good luck!

good call!

Get the fuzz in your chain as close to the guitar as possible and try not to put any buffered bypass boxes between the two...it just adds a terrible treble to the over all tone and makes it harder to clean up well wiht your volume control.

 

[ryanverbena]

cool thanks guys! can't wait to get my new fuzz