Placement for Germanium Fuzz as compared to Silicon.

[Catoogie]

I have a Dunlop JH-1 Fuzz and from what I understand it sounds best right from the guitar and before all other effects. My question is, are Germanium Fuzz pedals the same or can the be placed down the line?

 

[JRC4558Dude]

Ideally, yes, a GE fuzz will work best right after your guitar. Also, just like your JH-F1, you don't want to have any pedals with a buffered bypass before a GE fuzz. The low impedance output of a buffered pedal (like a BOSS pedal) will make the GE fuzz sound awful, and also affect its ability to "clean up" when you roll down the volume on your guitar.

 

[Catoogie]

Ideally, yes, a GE fuzz will work best right after your guitar. Also, just like your JH-F1, you don't want to have any pedals with a buffered bypass before a GE fuzz. The low impedance output of a buffered pedal (like a BOSS pedal) will make the GE fuzz sound awful, and also affect its ability to "clean up" when you roll down the volume on your guitar.

Thanks!

 

[teleking36]

First in line brotha! That way you maximize your "clean up" factor. I run my Sunlion first in the chain and jack the Fuzz up almost all the way, then use my guitar's volume knob to get some of the most wonderful overdriven tones you've never heard. Works so well this way. Then you can use other dirt boxes later in the chain to push your tone into meltdown territory.

 

[redbeardrob]

i think germanium is more tempermental than silicon is. you could put them after true bypass pedals, and they typically really dislike buffers.

 

[drolling]

I usually run my fuzzes first, too. Unless I've got a wah onboard; in which case, it's the only pedal in front of the fuzzbox

The JH-F1 FREAKS OUT if you put a wah before it (howling feedback!), but this is typical of vintage FuzzFace circuits - Dave Fox' designed a 'fuzz-friendly' buffer to eliminate this problem, which is common to silicon loaded FFs only. Germanium fuzzes (including the Ge-based FuzzFace) do not have this problem, but you generally want them first in the chain anyway, on account of the way they interact with your guitar's volume pot

 

[kelvinator60]

Yep fuzz first NEVER after a buffer.

 

[Mycall1983]

Are both germanian and silicon based fuzz pedals low input impedance? Does ge vs si react to volume roll the same? Is placement to the the front of the chain as important for both as important? Does modern vs vintage matter? I have an mxr slash octave fuzz pedal and is 6th in line after my aby box, tuner, Wah and two multi fx pedals, my wah and two multi fx pedals are all buffered, should I move the fuzz? It's a silicone based pedal my first and last pedals (other than aby box, tuner at front and noise gate at rear) are deliberately buffered in an attempt to retain my natural tone as possible. I'm a little confused, some say boost first some say Wah some say buffer some say fuzz I can't have them all first lol

 

[Meriphew]

I currently have two Germ fuzz boxes - a Spaceman Sputnik, and a Prescription Electronics Experience. They are always first in line after my guitar.

 

[Mycall1983]

Including tuner? Do you only run one amp? And in you're experience would you take the same path if you were using a si fuzz pedal?

 

[KoskineN]

On my board, it's Wah -> Fuzz -> tuner -> ...

I use either a Sunface TI/UK or a Fulltone '69, and they react well to the wah, which is a RMC 10( I think it has a fuzz-friendly buffer in it).

 

[Kelly]

Depends on the circuit. Fuzz Face is really temperamental. Big Muff style fuzzes, not so much. If your fuzz sounds fine where it is in the chain it's probably fine there.

 

[Highway Chile]

True bypass pedals can be put in front of fuzz. My setup is Fulltone Deja then Fulltone 69 then Maxon AD-80. Maxon isn't true bypass but it doesn't matter because its at the end of the chain.

 

[Meriphew]

Including tuner? Do you only run one amp? And in you're experience would you take the same path if you were using a si fuzz pedal?

I go guitar > Ge fuzz > buffer (splits signal A to the rest of my fx, and signal B to my tuner).

 

[Mycall1983]

So the fuzz has nil effect on you're tuner? So if I test my fuzz pedal direct to amp and it reacts differently I should consider moving it up the chain?

 

[Meriphew]

So the fuzz has nil effect on you're tuner? So if I test my fuzz pedal direct to amp and it reacts differently I should consider moving it up the chain?

I'm sure it would if I tried to tune with my fuzz pedal on, but I don't do that.