Fuzz EQ

[jesperbc]

I have a Little Big Muff Pi and a Deluxe Big Muff, both great sounding pedals doing what the Muff circuit does best, however...

I find that even the DMB with the mids boost engaged doesn't cut all too well in my band, because it never really comes up into the upper mids, where my guitar usually hangs out, while the other guitar player occupies the lower mids.

Is this a general fuzz thing, or is it just the Muff circuit with its particular scooped mids EQ curve?

I've kinda given up on the Muffs, because I can't get them to cut, so I'm wondering? Can you guys recommend a (not Muff based) fuzz pedal that isn't scooped in the mids? I'm trying to avoid Muff based fuzz pedals with a mids control added in, to for now.

I want to try something else, which in itself is very problematic, since I am totally in love with the Smashing Pumpkins Big Muff sound of the Gish and Siamese Dreams era tracks like Rhinoceros, Tristessa, Geek USA, Silverfuck (and Starla from Pisces Iscariot).

I realise that most of these tracks are layered a million times and recorded Muff can be made to sound completely different mixed with all kinds of different types of drive, but I also think that I've read that Billy Corgan used a Ram's Head style fuzz pedal in that era, so it must be possible to capture somehow.

Thank you.

[Jondog]

Lots of options. What price range?

[jesperbc]

Well, it could be a clone kit or something mass produced, but I'm not going for booteek list prices. Something like Wampler pedals go for around €230 new in Denmark ~ 1.699 Danish kroner (DKR) incl. VAT, which to me isn't a ton of money, but the absolute maximum that I'm willing to pay for a pedal, or so my wallet tells me.

Also, I know BYOC make the Large Beaver, Black Arts make the Pharaoh and some other fuzz's, there's Blackout Effectors, Catalinbread, Red Witch, Maxon Elements, Fuzz Face and so on and so on, but I have no way to try these pedals with the band and I've had it with reading about fuzz pedals online. It gives me nothing useful, other than G.A.S.

[indianDYsummer]

I have an Earthquaker Devices Hoof fuzz, which I like quite a bit as a Muff-style fuzz with added mid-range control. EQD pedals are pretty affordable IMO.

I have a BAT Pharaoh en route to my house right now too, which I can come back later to comment on. Based on demos and reviews at this site, they seem to sound great in general and jive well with Oranges.

[John_BlackWolf]

Musket fuzz sounds like what you want

http://proguitarshop.com/blackout-effec ... al-v2.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Thinline_slim]

OP, I'm kind of with you on the Muff. I have a Nano Muff that I only use if I'm the only guitar player otherwise it's just mud on stage.

I personally like a Fuzz Face type circuit or the Tone Bender type circuit. They don't naturally have a mid scoop, which helps. And for a really broken/fried speaker kind of tone I have an Octafuzz-type clone I use.

[jesperbc]

I have an Earthquaker Devices Hoof fuzz, which I like quite a bit as a Muff-style fuzz with added mid-range control. EQD pedals are pretty affordable IMO.

I have a BAT Pharaoh en route to my house right now too, which I can come back later to comment on. Based on demos and reviews at this site, they seem to sound great in general and jive well with Oranges.

Does it work in a two-guitar band?

I'd love your impressions of the Pharaoh fuzz, too!

[jesperbc]

Musket fuzz sounds like what you want

http://proguitarshop.com/blackout-effec ... al-v2.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The Musket sounds cool, yeah. Have you tried it a two-guitar band?

[jesperbc]

OP, I'm kind of with you on the Muff. I have a Nano Muff that I only use if I'm the only guitar player otherwise it's just mud on stage.

I personally like a Fuzz Face type circuit or the Tone Bender type circuit. They don't naturally have a mid scoop, which helps. And for a really broken/fried speaker kind of tone I have an Octafuzz-type clone I use.

I may be able to borrow a Fuzz Faze Mini from a friend - that would be interesting.

I only just now discovered the MXR Custom Shop La Machine. What a cool pedal! Real mean, 79's high gain fuzz tones with octave up, and it sounds like it has a lot of mid range. I'm really bad at judging this from just listening to a Youtube video. Anyone else have this problem?

[Jondog]

I was going to say a fuzz face like pedal. If you can get your hands on a Red Witch Fuzz God ll, that's a great fuzz pedal!

[Les Paul Lover]

The pharaoh and the musket are variations on the muff, with a different tone control.

The pharaoh has lots more low end and and mid hump too. Not too sure about the musket.

If you are up to making your own clone of a Bmp or derivative, do go and visit http://www.pedalparts.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. He can fix you up with a kit that will do what you want, or will advice you.

I've got his clone of the way huge red llama too - very transparent fuzz, makes for a great lead tone or mild fuzz / OD.no tone control on that one, and it really is pretty transparent.

I will build a clone of his bmp with a tone control similar to the pharaoh at some point, but I still need to finish a reverb kit and his fuzz factory clone too... Have you thought about the fuzz factory ?

[jesperbc]

I stumbled upon the MXR La Machine last night, and hot pretty hooked. It's apparently a derivative of a Foxtone Tone Machine, and Poodle aka Fuzzdog (lol) has a Foxx Tone kit that I might try out. But I need to make an easier kit first, like the Bazz Fuzz or another one know fuzz.

http://shop.pedalparts.co.uk/FoxxTave_- ... 90624.aspx

[jesperbc]

The pharaoh and the musket are variations on the muff, with a different tone control.

The pharaoh has lots more low end and and mid hump too. Not too sure about the musket.

If you are up to making your own clone of a Bmp or derivative, do go and visit http://www.pedalparts.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. He can fix you up with a kit that will do what you want, or will advice you.

I've got his clone of the way huge red llama too - very transparent fuzz, makes for a great lead tone or mild fuzz / OD.no tone control on that one, and it really is pretty transparent.

I will build a clone of his bmp with a tone control similar to the pharaoh at some point, but I still need to finish a reverb kit and his fuzz factory clone too... Have you thought about the fuzz factory ?

I haven't thought of the Fuzz Factory. I been looking at the Fuzz Face and a couple of other builds, just to get started. Which of his kits is based on the Pharaoh?

[Les Paul Lover]

Musket fuzz sounds like what you want

http://proguitarshop.com/blackout-effec ... al-v2.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The Musket sounds cool, yeah. Have you tried it a two-guitar band?

Looks like pedal parts does that one too?
Not sure if I interpret that correctly?

http://shop.pedalparts.co.uk/Bionic_Guz ... 69773.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[indianDYsummer]

I have an Earthquaker Devices Hoof fuzz, which I like quite a bit as a Muff-style fuzz with added mid-range control. EQD pedals are pretty affordable IMO.

I have a BAT Pharaoh en route to my house right now too, which I can come back later to comment on. Based on demos and reviews at this site, they seem to sound great in general and jive well with Oranges.

Does it work in a two-guitar band?

I'd love your impressions of the Pharaoh fuzz, too!

I actually haven't played the Hoof with a 2 guitar band, but IMO, it should cut pretty well for a muff style fuzz, and at least better than a standard Muff. I can get brighter/middier sounds out of it akin to how I'm used to EQing to get my guitar to cut though. It still has some girth and low end to it, too.

I may have an opportunity in the next week to try it out in a 2 guitar band, so I'll come back if I do. I'll also be able to compare the Pharaoh to the Hoof (solo and possibly with a band).