Fuzz

Axe_meister

I love some of Jimi's Fuzz tones, but for the life of me have never been able to achieve them.
Have tried Germainium and Silicon Fuzz faces into Marshal amps at full chat.
Have tried modelling systems such as the Helix, but never seem to get that sound.
With Germanium fuzzes it sounds all warm and muffled, with silicon it slices your head off and dies not sound pleasant.
Guitars have been single coil strats with decent pickups (Texas specials and BK Apache). 
Yet I can get my Voodoo labs Octavia to sound just like purple Haze (Octavias are supposedly hard to dial in).
Current rig is now fully modeller based but would like to have a good fuzz first in the sign chain before any kind of buffer.

Lebarque

Jill Hendricks?

Axe_meister

gah bloody auto correct.

Fuengi

Have a word with @Magnetic_Effects he is doing a limited edition Fuzz at the moment which might fit the bill. 

Fuengi

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/141472/magnetic-effects-black-moon#latest

EricTheWeary

Curly cable. 

punchesjudy

Get yourself a Castledine Olympic Fuzz. 

jacksparrow

KR Gypsy fuzz for the win. a much smoother (won't slice your head off) silicone based fuzz face that nails Band Of Gypsy's tones.

bbill335

Dunlop reissues are pretty naff, but a decent fuzzface needn't cost the earth. Remember to use the guitar's volume knob to get some clarity (particularly if the amp after the fuzz is clipping) 

silicon fuzzface types worth checking out: meathead dark/black dust/black acid (or the pedalparts one-knobber kit)

lukedlb

Thorpy veteran does the fuzzface thing with extra sauce plus a second helping of treble boost. I have the silicon version and it has the cry of silicon and the body of germanium. Yes, the ge version is the rare one but the silicon is great. And I’m all about Hendrix tones. As for germanium fuzz, Sonus 68 does the trick (I have two!). 

NorthernStomps

I can hook you up with a Fuzz Face clone that's been recommended, the Black Moon. Its ace!

lincolnblue

Anyone tried the Expresso FX FZG-1? Is it any good for good germanium fuzz sounds?

EricTheWeary

EricTheWeary said:

Curly cable. 

Well I've has a couple of Wiz's for this ( okay, they might have been ironic) so I'll persevere: I remember Scott Henderson saying that high capacitance curly cable ( or any long cable run really) was one of the key things he had to do when doing a Hendrix tribute. I'm fairly sure he was being serious and googling this I stumbled across something by Pete Thorn which said quite similar. It's one of those occasions when you don't want buffers before or after the fuzz so if your modelling set up is buffering the signal after the fuzz that isn't helping. 

ICBM

EricTheWeary said:

EricTheWeary said:

Curly cable. 

Well I've has a couple of Wiz's for this ( okay, they might have been ironic)

One was me and wasn't ironic - it's a key part of the Hendrix sound.

You can simulate it with a cap if you don't want to use one - between about 1000pf and 4700pF should be about right, and a small cap will easily fit inside a jack plug.

Reverend actually used to fit one on the jack in some of their guitars, but personally I think this is a bad idea as it's not easy to switch out if you don't want it.

57Deluxe

Cwoily Cables - the biggest contributor to impromptu guitar Dings! - when you step forward that inch to far...

Winny_Pooh

Curious, which Marshalls and which fuzzes have you used? Bear in mind that aside from Band of Gypsys you can't assume the gear used. Jimi often used cranked Fenders in the studio (Bassman on Voodoo Chile).
Also plexis with the bright cap on the volue knob are too bright at low volumes for a fuzzface. 

FWIW the lunar unit does a smooth 'recorded' fuzz that you might really love for lead playing. As I only use it stacked, I personally use a Suhr Rufus as it's very controlled & has great eq.

simonbeckwith

Knock your gtr volume back a smidge to say 7-8 and it should get rid of some of the woolyness. I didnt get fuzz until I tried it, and for me, the Hendrix BC108 Silicon Fuzz is awesome. 

thecolourbox

EricTheWeary said:

Curly cable. 

I've recently switched to a curly white cable because it's more flexible in a packed room where I have to lean over things to switch stuff on and off, and I genuinely do think it sounds better, but that could be nonsense of course because I also think a lot if things which are incorrect

breakthemachinefx

I would definitely look at Magnetic Effects, based in London. My favorites of theirs at the moment are: Black Moon and the Buzzer. They do a limited distortion as well called The Lonely Robot. New guys on the block are Soundbrut who do one called FU which is a variable fuzz.

Fuengi

Have just got the Black Moon myself from @breakthemachinefx set it up on the original Fuzz Face setting this morning and had a blast, gotta say it's quite a pedal. 

I've also got a White Atom Fuzz which is superb, but the Black Moon is more mellow and has that germanium warmth. 

Both pedals are really low noise compared to other fuzz pedals I've owned and the clarity is fantastic, makes creating music with the pedal so enjoyable.

breakthemachinefx

Fuengi said:

Have just got the Black Moon myself from @breakthemachinefx set it up on the original Fuzz Face setting this morning and had a blast, gotta say it's quite a pedal. 

I've also got a White Atom Fuzz which is superb, but the Black Moon is more mellow and has that germanium warmth. 

Both pedals are really low noise compared to other fuzz pedals I've owned and the clarity is fantastic, makes creating music with the pedal so enjoyable.

This is good to hear, if its ok with you, i'll pass your feedback onto Magnetic Effects?