Signal chain with fuzz, octaves, and wah.

[nb2rock]

Hello everyone. I'm fairly new to the world of fuzz and have read several threads discussing fuzzes in relation to overdrive and distortion, but haven't quite found a solid answer when octaves are thrown into the mix. I know its "all personal taste" or whatever but I'd like to hear some advice from you experts on the following setup:

Boss TU3
EHX SoulFood
Digitech Whammy V
Dunlop Crybaby
EHX HOG2
ZVex Mastotron
Boss BD-2
Boss SD-1
Ernie Ball VP Jr.
Mesa Tripe Rectifier FX Loop:
Strymon TimeLine
Strymon BigSky

How would you arrange those pedals with respects to signal chain if they were on your board?

 

[StompBoxBlues]

Just a general tip...

The biggest thing, and it's best not to have a "hard and fast rule" about this in my opinion, but you TEST the wah and fuzz together (without anything else, just those two) trying both fuzz after wah, and vice versa.

WHAT you want to be listening for is if when both are on, does the wah...wah?
Set your fuzz to how you like it without the wah in the path. Then add wah after, and listen to see if it really wahs. Some combinations won't..or very little. Move the fuzz to before the wah and (with both on of course) and then listen. Usualy that wah will be way more pronounced...but in some cases (I tend to prefer wah->fuzz when it works) wah->fuzz will be just right.

Fuzzes can be so finicky, two of the same "model" fuzz may react differently with the wah in front, and it also depends where you have guitar volume, fuzz knob, etc.

Once you establish that pair, which way works for what you want, try octave in all three positions (first in line, between wah and fuzz, which ever order you decide on of those two, and after the wah/fuzz combination) and just see which works best. Also a lot of it depends on what you intend to do.

In my case I would tend to use octave without wah, or fuzz..(maybe fuzz, but most often not with wah) but it still depends on the wah, if it is buffered or not.

Also, my main priority with Fuzz in the setup is that I am able to get a range of fuzz sounds with the volume knob on the guitar once I set the fuzz and other knobs to achieve this. A buffer (even downstream) can interefere, but most often a buffer (or pedal upstream that increases the signal, overwhelming the fuzz so I lose that guitar vol ability) that interferes, sometimes one can lower the fuzz knob to get the dynamics you want to keep.

And then there is the wah, which you may want a lot of wah, or not, but if you do you have to insure it works with the fuzz sound. Dave at Foxroxelectronics.com has a wah "impedance" thingy you can install in most wahs (if not all) that really works and will help keep wah sounds with fuzz after wah. I bought one and used it and it did the job, but in my case seemed like it still affected the fuzz (a little brighter if I recall, which may be just the thing) but not in a bad way, but in the end I ended up using my "The Wah" (BBE product) and that works with my fuzzes just fine.

 

[Nevada240]

Just a general tip...

The biggest thing, and it's best not to have a "hard and fast rule" I totally agree with this. For me, wah---fuzz---octave---so on, is what has worked 95% of the time for me. Also, I don't always use a fuzz and a wah, so they're kept separate (off) my board and only added when a gig or set calls for the use of them. i like not running through them constantly, i feel like it keeps my signal cleaner but who know.bout this in my opinion, but you TEST the wah and fuzz together (without anything else, just those two) trying both fuzz after wah, and vice versa.

WHAT you want to be listening for is if when both are on, does the wah...wah?
Set your fuzz to how you like it without the wah in the path. Then add wah after, and listen to see if it really wahs. Some combinations won't..or very little. Move the fuzz to before the wah and (with both on of course) and then listen. Usualy that wah will be way more pronounced...but in some cases (I tend to prefer wah->fuzz when it works) wah->fuzz will be just right.

Fuzzes can be so finicky, two of the same "model" fuzz may react differently with the wah in front, and it also depends where you have guitar volume, fuzz knob, etc.

Once you establish that pair, which way works for what you want, try octave in all three positions (first in line, between wah and fuzz, which ever order you decide on of those two, and after the wah/fuzz combination) and just see which works best. Also a lot of it depends on what you intend to do.

In my case I would tend to use octave without wah, or fuzz..(maybe fuzz, but most often not with wah) but it still depends on the wah, if it is buffered or not.

Also, my main priority with Fuzz in the setup is that I am able to get a range of fuzz sounds with the volume knob on the guitar once I set the fuzz and other knobs to achieve this. A buffer (even downstream) can interefere, but most often a buffer (or pedal upstream that increases the signal, overwhelming the fuzz so I lose that guitar vol ability) that interferes, sometimes one can lower the fuzz knob to get the dynamics you want to keep.

And then there is the wah, which you may want a lot of wah, or not, but if you do you have to insure it works with the fuzz sound. Dave at Foxroxelectronics.com has a wah "impedance" thingy you can install in most wahs (if not all) that really works and will help keep wah sounds with fuzz after wah. I bought one and used it and it did the job, but in my case seemed like it still affected the fuzz (a little brighter if I recall, which may be just the thing) but not in a bad way, but in the end I ended up using my "The Wah" (BBE product) and that works with my fuzzes just fine.

I totally agree with this. For me, wah---fuzz---octave---so on, is what has worked 95% of the time for me. Also, I don't always use a fuzz and a wah, so they're kept separate (off) my board and only added when a gig or set calls for the use of them. i like not running through them constantly, i feel like it keeps my signal cleaner but who know

 

[Jet Age Eric]

I've never had a problem with my wah at the front of the chain. Never. Also, given the number of pedals (many of which, I'm sorry to say, will suck tone), I think isolating the fuzz and wah will be self-defeating--everything is gonna go pear shape as soon as you plug everything else in--so you may as well just set the pedals up how you HOPE they'll work and then go from there. I go Wah--> Phaser--> OD --> Fuzz (I use fuzzes to boost solos so they follow the OD to make the boost isn't blunted by the less-boosted OD)-->Other modulation-->Delay. This progression has never let me down insofar as everything performs as expected. -E