Which one - such a fuzzy world!

DWBH · February 19, 2009, 04:05:56 PM

I'm looking for a thick, massive, wall-of-noise (well, not noise per se) sounding fuzz.
Something that'll cover Dinosaur Jr, Pink Floyd, Muse, Smashing Pumpkins nicely, but that has a nice growl to it. And that sounds good through a transistor amp.
The Big Muff is too smooth, I'm afraid. I'd like it to have a certain crunchiness and bite to it.
I use a Telecaster and sometimes a transistor amp. Fat with leads, massive with chords
Devi Ever Hyperion? Frantone Peach Fuzz (too smooth as well, I think), Fuzz Face (not gainy nor massive, I think).. Fender Blender?
Any other ideas?

Is there a DIY solution that will save me?

bumblebee · February 19, 2009, 04:52:11 PM

Have you ever tried the opamp big muff with tone bypass? its different to the transistor version and i'd call it crunchy.

DWBH · February 19, 2009, 05:03:48 PM

No, I can't say I have.
Are there (audio)clips?

Keep'em coming

bumblebee · February 19, 2009, 05:10:44 PM

Go to the euthymia website and listen to his ICBM clone, its not an exact clone but its pretty close to the sound. My original sound better and slightly crunchier though IMO.
His doesn't have tone bypass which really increase the mids and crunchiness, its good to be able to remove the tonestack in this pedal.
I traced my original, its not a small layout as it was intended to replace a RI NYC muff guts soif you ever need it PM me.

Solidhex · February 19, 2009, 05:50:26 PM

Quote from: DWBH on February 19, 2009, 04:05:56 PM
I'm looking for a thick, massive, wall-of-noise (well, not noise per se) sounding fuzz.
Something that'll cover Dinosaur Jr, Pink Floyd, Muse, Smashing Pumpkins nicely, but that has a nice growl to it. And that sounds good through a transistor amp.
The Big Muff is too smooth, I'm afraid. I'd like it to have a certain crunchiness and bite to it.
I use a Telecaster and sometimes a transistor amp. Fat with leads, massive with chords
Devi Ever Hyperion? Frantone Peach Fuzz (too smooth as well, I think), Fuzz Face (not gainy nor massive, I think).. Fender Blender?
Any other ideas?

Is there a DIY solution that will save me?

Yo

Wow that's pretty confusing. You basically describe a Big Muff exactly and then say you don't want a Big Muff! You might want to consider modding a Big Muff to your taste. Bumblebee's suggestion for being able to bypass the tone stack is a good one. Getting those mids back can give you more perceived crunch. Keeping the couling caps to .1uf will tighten things up. Another suggestion is to have the diodes in the second clipping stage switchable. You lose fuzz saturation but you get more crunch and "grunt" out of the muff. It also in my experience makes the pedal have a more defined buzzy texture to it.
I built an op amp Big Muff once. I wouldn't consider it a "wall of fuzz". You might like it though.
A fuzz face sounds best through a crunchy tube amp IMO. If you're running a cleanish solid state amp you want the fuzz to do all the work. I haven't played through a Fender Blender so I couldn't say either way on that.

--Brad

DWBH · February 19, 2009, 06:12:09 PM

Yeah, I noticed there was some contradiction..

I heard the opamp Big Muff clips - it sounds really good. They were recorded with a Les Paul, I don't know how different would it sound with single-coils. It wasn't that 'wall of sound', but it did sound good.
I've thought of modding a Big Muff. However, I'm trying to get as much feedback as possible - the trial and error method doesn't work well with people who are always short on money - me

Gregory Kollins · February 19, 2009, 07:09:54 PM

There are so many fuzz options... keep your mind open! Listen to everything. Look up the Skyripper, Escobedo's harmonic jerkulator (one of my favorites! nails the Black Keys sound), the fuzz circuit from the Octavia, on run off groove or homewrecker as the "untavia", Lovetone Big Cheese, and the tone bender. However... Smashing Pumpkins is more of a distortion sound... am I right? Their heavier stuff sounds more like Dr. Boogie ground to me. Like, MASSIVE distortion CRUNCH type stuff.

For the WALL OF NOISE, I run my Big Cheese absolutely cranked into my Octavia on a low pseudo ring mod setting. Maybe with some wah on top... gets intense. Throw in some choppy trem and a crazy delay behind it. feedback, crying children, etc.

brett · February 19, 2009, 07:45:45 PM

It's probably a little nastier than you are after, but the much overlooked Fuzzrite is excellent.
The Hidrosis is as good as the op amp circuits get (it's a variation on the MFZ-1, as used a lot by the Black Keys).
Or you could just reduce the 500pF feedback caps in the BMP. That takes out a lot of the smoothness and puts some highs back. Try 330pF. Possibly, feedback will be even more of an issue.
You can also do a lot with a Rat turned way up.
Just my 2c.

uncle_benny! · February 19, 2009, 08:01:22 PM

if you want to try before you go to the trouble of building a BMP EH have released a BMP with tone bypass switch and a 'wicker' switch. the wicker switch apparently allows a more raspy sound.

http://www.ehx.com/products/big-muff-pi-with-tone-wicker

I havn't palyed it so can't speak for the tone but you could give it a try and at least narrow down your options.

John Lyons · February 19, 2009, 08:35:07 PM

+1 on the big muff with the AMZ "presence control" .
This alowas you to alter the mid response which will bring back the mids and give you a better cutting sound.
You can dial it back to get the classic BM sound if you want (or somehwhere in between)
The screddy "Mayo" is a BIG sounding version of the BM that i'd recommend.
You can find it at that "other" pedal circuits site... wink wink...

The fuzzrite is a good one as well as mentioned above.
Just use 47k collector resistors instead of 470K to get a bigger, less zippy sound.

john

Gregory Kollins · February 19, 2009, 09:10:36 PM

Oh, speaking of the fuzzrite, look what I found:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110351120282#ShippingPayment

If I am correct, this is the same pedal. With ancient archeological rust mojo.

MikeH · February 19, 2009, 10:25:55 PM

I say Zvex Fuzz Factory. It will give you that thick 'wall of sound', but it's not as smoth as a big muff.

DWBH · February 21, 2009, 04:42:01 PM

Quote from: uncle_benny! on February 19, 2009, 08:01:22 PM
if you want to try before you go to the trouble of building a BMP EH have released a BMP with tone bypass switch and a 'wicker' switch. the wicker switch apparently allows a more raspy sound.

http://www.ehx.com/products/big-muff-pi-with-tone-wicker

I havn't palyed it so can't speak for the tone but you could give it a try and at least narrow down your options.

I heard some samples and yeah, it did give the Big Muff more bite and raspiness.
I wonder: what is the Wicker switch all about?

bumblebee · February 21, 2009, 09:40:36 PM

Yeah the wicker muff is definitely cool, you should try one.

Quote from: MikeH on February 19, 2009, 10:25:55 PM
I say Zvex Fuzz Factory. It will give you that thick 'wall of sound', but it's not as smoth as a big muff.

The fuzz factory is thin as hell, it sounds like ass stock IMO. you need to double in the input cap and quadruple the output cap, then its thick!

Gregory Kollins · February 21, 2009, 11:29:40 PM

Also, there's the absurd expense... if you buy it from Mr. Vex, that is. Nothing against him, all the more power to him if people will pay it. Just, I won't.

I mentioned this before, but it really is one of my all time favorite fuzz pedals:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pzqo6SN-5ZY&feature=related
Simple, juicy, squishy, and tasty. EASY build.
Now, I built the harmonic jerkulator, but by all accounts, the sound is very similar (old, rare parts swapped out for modern, easy to find ones).

Note: man in vid added tone control.

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Which one - such a fuzzy world!