Fuzz Face?

smudge_lad

Never had one, always kinda wanted to try one as I don't always get along too well with Muff based fuzzes.

Any recommendations on which make/model would maybe be a good place to stat? Nothing too expensive.

OR......does my PTD Mini Bone (3-knob version) get me into close enough territory that I shouldn't even bother?

Sassafras

The Mini Bone seems to cover the Fuzz Face sound quite well.

Beexter

I'm with you regarding muff-style fuzzes - went through a load but couldn't get them to sound right. Much prefer fuzz face type circuit as I like the way you can get so many different tones just by adjusting the guitar volume. 

Again. I've gone through a shedload and the one that has seen off all-comers is the Mojo Hand Crosstown - it can be dialed in to sound pretty close to any other fuzz face I've compared it to, and that includes an Analogman sunface which is considered the holy grail. Should be able to get a used one for £80 g £100.
The other one I really like is the Mxr Classic 108.

Octafish

Check out the Mooer Grey and Blue Faze. These are Fuzz Face clones in mini pedal enclosures, the Grey has germanium transistors (early Fuzz Face slightly splatty, lower gain, cleans up well), the Blue has silicon transistors (later Fuzz Face, more gain, more uniform sound). EIther can be had for under £50 new, I'd recommend the Grey. As someone who's not got on with Fuzzes in the past I'm really loving the Grey Faze.

Cheers

JD50

Thing I find with FF type pedals is they all sound pretty much identical to my ears.... I've had one that cost over £150  with 'apparently hard to find mojo yet everyone sells a version' NTK275 germanium transistors & one which cost under £30 with BC108s?

I sold the expensive one and kept the cheap one.

shaunm

I've had quite a few from the cheap to the £250 Analogman versions and they do differ. What I have noticed is that price is no indicator of it being good. It's down to you. 

For what it's worth my favourite by far is the Band of Gypsys mini fuzz face. 

dano

I've got a Dunlop mini silicon fuzz face (the dark blue one) and it's very good. Well worth trying out.

About £40-50 used on eBay, and if you don't like it easy to sell on.

Ben8010

The Dunlop mini FFs are a good place to start. They have the basic FF sound and can be bought cheap and sold easily like @dano said.

5redlights

Look at the Boss FZ-5 Fuzz too. Really good clone and you get the added benefit of an octavia and maestro fuzz. Got mine off ebay for £45. 

57Deluxe

I nearly bought a Fuzz Face for the then new price of £9.50 in '74...I dithered as I only earned about £7 a week for my Sat Job and paper round and wanted EVERY penny for the brand new FS1e I was set on on my 16th B'day.

It then went up to £14 and then I lost interest. I used to walk to the TV and Radio shop (!) in my lunchtimes to study it through the window whilst at the Sat job... I am sure I was excited cos I'd only ever seen them Red and this was Blue...

Glad I didn't as would have hated it  - especially as my then amp was (is) a Germanium tranny amp too...

Blacksheep

I am a self confessed Fuzz Face obsessive. Finding a Fuzz Face that suits your needs can take time.
i find they can be very amp specific. Something that sounds good with Plexi-type amp will be horrible with a Fender. I also find FFs can be particularly picky about el84 amps, which I tend to use. 

I currently have a germanium SunFace, an original Fulltone 69,an SM fuzz, a Fuzz Face mini, a Monsterpiece NPN, a Keeley Monterey and a Captain Coconut. I prefer the first two, which are quite low gain. 

If you happen to live anywhere near me (Kent/Sussex border) you're welcome to borrow a couple to try. 

hotpickups

I'd be interested to hear any experience of which fuzz face type pedals would suit a tweed deluxe style amp? Analogueman sun lion?

bbill335

I just got an EFE Black Acid which is like a hot rodded FF in that it gets pretty heavy and doomy. However, between the extra "drive" control and the guitar's volume, I can get a classic fuzz tone with a full range of gain levels with the guitar's volume. It's like a perfect non-octave fuzz/distortion. 

pintspiller

JD50 said:

Thing I find with FF type pedals is they all sound pretty much identical to my ears.... I've had one that cost over £150  with 'apparently hard to find mojo yet everyone sells a version' NTK275 germanium transistors & one which cost under £30 with BC108s?

I sold the expensive one and kept the cheap one.

That's like something I did a few years ago. I modified my MT2 to remove the buzziness and it turned into a great overdrive pedal as I also modified it to clip differently. It sounded so similar to my SD1, so I sold it.

shaunm

hotpickups said:

I'd be interested to hear any experience of which fuzz face type pedals would suit a tweed deluxe style amp? Analogueman sun lion?

I would say not. There's too much low end and you won't cut through a mix. 

hotpickups

shaunm said:

hotpickups said:

I'd be interested to hear any experience of which fuzz face type pedals would suit a tweed deluxe style amp? Analogueman sun lion?

I would say not. There's too much low end and you won't cut through a mix. 

Ah well that explains a lot why I couldn't get on with certain pedals. Namely a muff type fuzz 

shaunm

hotpickups said:

shaunm said:

hotpickups said:

I'd be interested to hear any experience of which fuzz face type pedals would suit a tweed deluxe style amp? Analogueman sun lion?

I would say not. There's too much low end and you won't cut through a mix. 

Ah well that explains a lot why I couldn't get on with certain pedals. Namely a muff type fuzz 

I did specifically mean the sun lion. There are so many FF type pedals out there that you will find one that works. 

Fuzz Faces are funny things. Try loads and pick your favourite

hotpickups

Well I was hoping not to have to keep purchasing and selling on etc until l find what I like. That's what I was referring to really. 

pintspiller

Taste is personal. There is no guarantee that you will agree with all opinions of other users. The only way to be sure is to "purchasing and selling on etc". 

Trying as much stuff as possible in shops is great. And you can get a good idea of what-is-what, but buying it and living with it for a few weeks and months before deciding is the best.

Blacksheep

Also bear in mind that Fuzz Faces often sound best with the guitar volume knob dialled down slightly. I love the Sunface with a strat. But with the guitar volume on 10 it sounds like World War III. Dialled back to 8 or 9 you start to get that fantastic violin-like tone. 

simonbeckwith

The issue I have had, is what sounds good at home, gets lost in a band situation, finding a fuzz with enough mids is really hard to find. Playing a LP & Strat in to a Cornford (Marshall-esque) which poses problems in itself, what sounds good with a Strat sounds naff with a LP and vice versa