Solo BOOST pedal for a Fuzz?

[cray2008]

I am currently running the analogman sunface and am boosting it (after in chain)with a rangemaster pedal. The rangemaster increases the level, adn adds nice harmonics-it's doesn't make the fuzz more ballsy. I like a compressor before the fuzz too....but not sure? What do you use?

 

[giggedy]

what are you asking exactly?

 

[re-animator]

I think the compressor is giving you issues. They castrate your signal (i.e. cut off the balls).

What I like to do with fuzzes is find a sweet spot on your volume knob (on your guitar) and then turn up that knob when its solo time.... this will also give you more sustain/compression for your lead sound.


but i find most fuzzes work best with the gain maxed and distortion controlled from the guitar.

 

[devnulljp]

AC booster? Sounding nice with my Fulltone 70.

 

[cray2008]

what are you asking exactly?

Asking for a good booster -that works well with a fuzz

 

[cray2008]

AC booster? Sounding nice with my Fulltone 70.

Do you run the Ac booster before or after the fuzz?

 

[lifeinsong]

Try an Xotic RC Booster, works really well with most pedals...great EQ to help shape your solo tone.

 

[silencer eleven]

i use a ton of fuzz and a use a boss ge-7 with sniper mod after all my fuzzes and it works well. i just run it flat with the gain up a little. should do the trick.

Jordan

 

[pgissi]

Fuzz is especially hard to boost given the nature of the destructed waveform, its severe clipping which someone said "castrates" your tone and thats a good way to put it since fuzz is an overabundance of upper harmonic 2nd and/or 3rd order distortion, the fundamental tones in the lower range of 160 to 500k is masked if not filtered out and this is the meat of the guitar signal.

Some of the suggestions here for a post fuzz pedal boost are right on, you want to use a clean booster type of pedal post the the fuzz to kick it up, using a compressor post fuzz will boost but will also bring up the noise, I would avoid and using anything pre fuzz will give you more fuzz and there usually is more than enough.

The Xotic RC or any booster like it that does not clip is the key, you want clean raw gain boost, a simple and adjustable boost up from unity and likewise a post fuzz eq pedal will also work, maybe even better, depends. Or a on the cleaner side, medium OD pedal can work also especially one with a clean blend control like the Sparkle Drive and there are others.

Lastly, the best clean boost that just kicks up the raw volume is an EQ in an amps series FX Loop if your amp is equipped, minimal coloration, it just gives you what you have only louder and acts like turnning up the master volume if its that type of amp.

If your using a non master volume amp, I would try an EQ after the fuzz

 

[fuzz_factor]

What about a Fulldrive 2 in Comp-Cut mode? Putting one before my fuzz kicks it in the pants a little, maybe it'll work the same after? I'll try when I get home from work if I have the chance.

 

[pgissi]

What about a Fulldrive 2 in Comp-Cut mode? Putting one before my fuzz kicks it in the pants a little, maybe it'll work the same after? I'll try when I get home from work if I have the chance

Stacking OD/Dist/Fuzz pedals can be differentiated in 2 ways and I believe you will find the Fulldrive 2 after your fuzz will deliver a better boost

-when stacking the cleaner pedal before a dirtier or fuzzy OD tends to create more od and saturation with less overall clean/raw boost

-placing a cleaner type of pedal after a dirtier OD will provide more clean boost of whatever comes before whether its a low or medium gain OD, Dist or Fuzz pedal

 

[medwards1969]

I noticed that what you first described is what the Analog Man Sun Lion alread is, that is, a Sun Face followed by a Beano Boost. That pedal can give you 3 useful combinations. So, taking the fuzz and boosting it works, but if it was a medium drive pedal instead of a fuzz, adding an additional light distortion pedal in front will "add" to the gain. Then I would guess to say that people have run both of these schemes with some success. That is, two drive pedals in series will sometimes give you a third combination of drive, which gives you a lot of choices, but put a clean boost after what-ever, will more often give you a boost of what you have already got, which is also useful for fills and leads. I think it often depends on your amp and how it is set up as well. If it is clean but nearly at the verge of breakup anyway, then when you plow a clean boost into it, you get some amp volume from the remaining head room but then some of that heavenly preamp distortion too.

Maybe if you had fuzz, a weak drive, then medium drive, then a clean boost, that would give you the most commonly useful combinations available. Am I right? Or, a better question, is it actually overkill?

 

[fuzz_factor]

Stacking OD/Dist/Fuzz pedals can be differentiated in 2 ways and I believe you will find the Fulldrive 2 after your fuzz will deliver a better boost

-when stacking the cleaner pedal before a dirtier or fuzzy OD tends to create more od and saturation with less overall clean/raw boost

-placing a cleaner type of pedal after a dirtier OD will provide more clean boost of whatever comes before whether its a low or medium gain OD, Dist or Fuzz pedal

Interesting! Thanks.

 

[bwc3000]

I boost my Fulltone '70 with an HBE Uno Mos...it's a great clean boost on its own, but it works well following the Fulltone, too, especially with my Telecaster...it's not noisy, either.

 

[Jumblefingers]

I find that if you are going to use a booster in front of a "vintage style" fuzz like a Am Sun Face etc you should look for something simple and minimal in circuit that has no buffer. If you are using a HB equiped guitar putting a Beano boost (Analog Man / Retroman / Keeley Java) can work well to add some upper harmonics and allow you to roll back the level of fuzz and then boost it both in terms of volume and harmonics with the Beano. I've tried this and it works well...

 

[devnulljp]

Do you run the Ac booster before or after the fuzz?

I've got the fuzz first - tried it later in the chain and it seemed a bit noisy.
This way, it sounds very nice depending on how you set things it can getquite tasty. Some folks seem to hate them, but I love my AC.

(Just waiting for my foxrox wah retrofit to come so I can put the wah back in there.)

Someone else mentioned an RC boost too - I'd guess that would work but haven't used one myself.