Looking for versatile Fuzz

[Kuskah]

I'm looking for something that can do both the "pure" fuzz sound (as clean wouldn't be the right word) as well as go heavier if needed.

Here are my top contenders but as always, I'm open to suggestions.

1. Darkglass Alpha Omicron - the "Omega" driver is essentially a fuzz sound from what I've been able to gather. I already have a B7K and I heard AO + Microtubes chained, that can be a pretty heavy sound with the right settings.

2. Darkglass DFZ - the simplified successor of the Duality (I'd be looking at that if it was still around). I like the minimal control scheme and the fuzz seems to sound pretty good from what I've heard on YouTube.

3. EHX Big Muff Nano - Since I already have the B7K, I don't think I need the DI box version (unless you can convince me otherwise) so I'm looking at the small version of Big Muff. From the demos I've heard, they all seem a bit too driven/distorted for my liking of the fuzz sound but maybe that's just what the reviewers chose to present and it can be tamed if needed.

4. MXR M84 Bass Fuzz Deluxe - from the demos, this sounded like a cleaner, tamer version of Big Muff, which I would prefer, but then again, it may be capable of other sounds the demos didn't choose to showcase.

 

[bassbrad]

For what you describe I use a Fuzzrocious Li'l Fella that hits all the marks. What is cool is your can set one tone and then have full blast at the flip of the Gate switch which engages the gate and changes the initial gain stage setting to full [iirc].

 

[spufman]

All these years later, I still dig my Team Awesome! Fuzz Machine.

 

[mmbongo]

+1 on the Fuzzrocious Lil Fella, or @rratajski may be able to suggest something better (might have to PM him).

 

[Smurf-o-Deth]

I don’t know exactly what you’re after, but the Earthquaker Devices Hizumitas is very articulate at lower gain settings, and has a gritty, defined texture.

 

[Kerem Koseoglu]

The DarkGlass DFZ offers two distinctly blendable fuzz sounds that can be mixed with your clean sound, making it a top choice for "versatility." It's my personal favorite fuzz pedal too.

As for the Alpha Omicron, it boasts a similar level of versatility, although I wouldn't categorize it as a fuzz pedal; to me, it leans more towards being a distortion pedal.

 

[_One//Man//Mutiny_]

Wren and Cuff Super Russian is a tough one to beat. I also use a regular Tall Font Russian that has a clean blend from their custom shop.
The super Russian has a built in boost and it also has a mids switch so you can either set it for scooped mids like a normal muff or flat to give it some more heft. I think my perfect fuzz would be to take the TFR with the clean blend and add the mids and creamy dreamer switches to that. I run it with the distortion pretty low to get a super beefed up fuzzy distortion tone. But it can get fuzzy in its own right

 

[cnltb]

4 eyes comes to mind for a versatile fuzz.

There are some on reverb.

 

[theunknowndude]

Alpha omicron can get close to fuzz but is mostly a distortion I guess.
I don’t know about the dfz but I have the duality - it sounds good but was over bearing - where as with the alpha omicron you can change the gain, the duality is always full gain so even if you blend it with the clean you will still have roaring fuzz…

the two best fuzzes I’ve found are the ehx green Russian reissue - goes from distorted overdrive ish to wall of fuzz and keeps the bass. Just have to beware the tilt tone control, the more you roll it clockwise the less bass and more treble.

the other best and current I have is the fuzz in the Justin chancellor wah - which is said to be from the mxr brown acid… it’s simple but also semi versatile. Can go just buzzy to grainy fuzz (sounds kind of like a fuzz face / super fuzz a bit) and the tone is more a lpf tone control, will always keep lows but then accentuate more treble. It’s a bit of a one trick pony in its sound but it does that trick very well. ( I sold the green muff but then wanted one back so I’m getting an inverted cross audio drone muff coming in… it’s meant to be a micro pedal with normal muff controls plus blend, mids and feedback controls… very eager but will have to wait to see how it sounds)

 

[jam.majors]

A couple of other options to consider are by Source Audio: the Aftershock, and the UltraWave.
For either one you can download other people's presets and there are a LOT of them.

Aftershock lets you use emulations of existing OD/DIST/FUZZ pedals and adjust things to make them more heavy or more fizzy, and you can save a few presets.

Ultrawave can be a lot more hands-on, but again, you can download so very many presets. It also has a really solid compressor, 10 band EQ, 3 band EQ, and a boat load of other things. And 128 presets, which is an over the top number

Another great feature of either of the above is being able to use them on songs that don't require fuzz. So as an OD or Distortion or (for Ultrawave) just a compressor w/ EQ.

 

[jkmtl]

I recently bought the Fuzzrocious Lil Fella because I was also looking for a versatile fuzz, and I'm super happy with it! I had a OBNE Haunt before, and I loved how wild and crazy it could get, but I found that it simply wasn't practical in most settings. The other pedal I was considering was the SSBS mini, but I found a good deal on the Lil Fella first. Absolutely no regrets.

The tone control has an incredibly wide range. Between the Drive and Gain knobs you can find pretty much any drive from light overdrive to a raunchy fuzz and everything in between. The Gate switch is what sold it for me, since I wanted the pedal to help get synthy sounds. And it's very reasonably priced for a boutique company!

 

[BassBrass]

There are lots of words used for fuzz, I have no idea what your ""pure" fuzz sound" IS other than maybe a superfuzz, which I find is best for the high frequencies (like MXR Fuzz with the clean) and how the Wounded Paw attack goat works well because it has an eq. and blend so you can set the high fuzz to be added to whatever is there and not get in the way of the low end.
I'm using 2 wholly mammoth clones, a Mooer fog and zvex's own Mastrotron, either by themselves (the Fog has a gate) or together (sounds like bass Fripp). I find they cut through and are heard as notes and not as an amorphous cloud. They work well with filters and delay effects too. If I'm solo then I can use the mxr Brown Acid or the black arts Pharaoh (a muff type, with great mids) or dod Caracosa, or mentioned above, smallsoundbigsound TAFM (I have an early one with a bias control, so it gets sputtery/synthy like their mini, but the clean blend preamped sound makes this pedal. never got a darkglass because I'm set and they are SO expensive.

 

[Snaxster]

I'm looking for something that can do both the "pure" fuzz sound (as clean wouldn't be the right word) as well as go heavier if needed.

Hello. There is more than one pure fuzz sound, since there is more than one type of fuzz circuit.

With that said, check out FENRIS by Fjord Fuzz.

 

[jdjk7]

Hello. There is more than one pure fuzz sound, since there is more than one type of fuzz circuit.

With that said, check out FENRIS by Fjord Fuzz.

View attachment 5237319

I can get some nice sounds out of my Fenris, but it can definitely be fickle and hard to tame. The low end retention also just isn't quite what I need, so I use it with a clean loop blender.

 

[Snaxster]

I use it with a clean loop blender.

Heresy!

 

[Kuskah]

Is there a good EU distributor for Lil Fella? Looks interesting but I get most of my stuff from Thomann and they don't seem to have the brand at all.

 

[J-phatt]

There are lots of words used for fuzz, I have no idea what your ""pure" fuzz sound" IS other than maybe a superfuzz, which I find is best for the high frequencies (like MXR Fuzz with the clean) and how the Wounded Paw attack goat works well because it has an eq. and blend so you can set the high fuzz to be added to whatever is there and not get in the way of the low end.
I'm using 2 wholly mammoth clones, a Mooer fog and zvex's own Mastrotron, either by themselves (the Fog has a gate) or together (sounds like bass Fripp). I find they cut through and are heard as notes and not as an amorphous cloud. They work well with filters and delay effects too. If I'm solo then I can use the mxr Brown Acid or the black arts Pharaoh (a muff type, with great mids) or dod Caracosa, or mentioned above, smallsoundbigsound TAFM (I have an early one with a bias control, so it gets sputtery/synthy like their mini, but the clean blend preamped sound makes this pedal. never got a darkglass because I'm set and they are SO expensive.

I am playing a Little Bear clone of the Wooly Mammoth, and really like the massiveness of it. I find the fuzztoan is heightened when filtered. I discovered Eventide’s Stuck Phasor (Modfactor setting #46b) with the resonance (‘Speed’ knob) set to a low number yields a massive bottom end with chewy treble, reminds me of the ostinato bass in Beastie Boys’ ‘Cookie Puss’.

 

[BassBrass]

I am playing a Little Bear clone of the Wooly Mammoth, and really like the massiveness of it. I find the fuzztoan is heightened when filtered. I discovered Eventide’s Stuck Phasor (Modfactor setting #46b) with the resonance (‘Speed’ knob) set to a low number yields a massive bottom end with chewy treble, reminds me of the ostinato bass in Beastie Boys’ ‘Cookie Puss’.

Time has passed since my post above, because now I'm using an EH Ripped Speaker (set just so it gets into that filtered sounding ballpark), into an old Fulltone Fat Boost into smallsoundbigsound Mini (has a Bias knob and left of noon is synthy smooth, a bit like starved voltage effect overdrive kept in control with the Trebel knob rolled off a bit) before the compressor (a necessity). I have a redpanda Kangra that has the fixed filter function as well as regular sweeping) so there are ways to get there to a buzz like 10 tubas. Actually the most Ive heard together is 3, but you can imagine.

 

[rratajski]

Is there a good EU distributor for Lil Fella? Looks interesting but I get most of my stuff from Thomann and they don't seem to have the brand at all.

Effektboutique is the best place to order our stuff in the EU. We also sell direct and ship worldwide (but taxes...).

 

[J-phatt]

Time has passed since my post above, because now I'm using an EH Ripped Speaker (set just so it gets into that filtered sounding ballpark), into an old Fulltone Fat Boost into smallsoundbigsound Mini (has a Bias knob and left of noon is synthy smooth, a bit like starved voltage effect overdrive kept in control with the Trebel knob rolled off a bit) before the compressor (a necessity). I have a redpanda Kangra that has the fixed filter function as well as regular sweeping) so there are ways to get there to a buzz like 10 tubas. Actually the most Ive heard together is 3, but you can imagine.

I saw some dude on YouTube extolling the benefits of the Line 6 Helix multieffects floor unit for dubby effects mimicking the studio work of a Jamaican recording engineer who went by the monicker Scientist. Probably the Eventide H9 would work as well as a single device that can achieve all these processes together. I’m glad I came up with a patch involving only 2 devices. Now I just have to read the Eventide manual to learn how to save my setting and access it readily (not remotely obvious to this analog thinker).