try DOD Carcosa.. it is mine after I had a Fuzz Face, Tonebender, Big Muffs, a Pharaoh Fuzz and a Fuzz War.. I'm settled with the DOD and it is so versatile.
Wampler Velvet Fuzz, has some Fuzz Face character, yet can get more gain, like more Rat like high gain. It still can cleanup with the guitar volume knob.
@@iommiclife794 Pharaoh is a big muff. It’s like a Civil War, with better volume knob cleanup. I’ve used one for many years. I like the Carcosa, but I like the Pharaoh better, especially stacking a OD after it, to add mids, or boost the Germanium diode setting.
@@CorbCorbin You're right. Also the Fuzz War is kinda a Big Muff on steroid-overdose. I used the Pharaoh exactly like you with a Tubescreamer right after. But in a band-context the Carcosa works for me best. The band-sound doesn't even get muddy when playing together with a fuzzy bass.
I’m interested in the Beetronix fuzz pedals. I have a DOD Carcosa fuzz and if I put it before my Earthquaker Plumes it sounds like a really huge Big Muff.
I’ve always appreciated all of your fuzz videos. To my knowledge, you’re one of the few popular RUclips guitarists who highlight the effect. For me, this video was helpful and keep them coming. I picked up the guitar in my late 40’s. As I got into fuzz, & I like them all, I was surprised to learn how much music I loved in my 20’s that was created on some version of a Big Muff. I listened to the Pumpkins, Dinosaur Jr., Sonic Youth, Swervedriver, My Bloody Valentine. Then a bit later The Black Keys & White Stripes I find out all we’re participants in this wonderful pedal circuit. Like I said, I’ve tried others & I like them but I always end up coming back to a Big Muff type of pedal. For the last two months I’m using the Hizumitas by EQD. It’s truly wonderful! This has got me listening to Boris which somehow escaped me until now. Wata is a sonic sorceress. Anyway, great video! Very helpful & I did sign up for the new rhythm course:)
With you there mate, I was in my 40's too when I picked up the guitar......fuzz has become an obsession!! Early Black Keys really does it for me.....have you tried the 'Hoof' by EQD?
@@adriantyler6911 Yes Adrian I have the Hoof & like it very much. I don’t want to collect too many pedals so I’ve adopted a Mary Condo philosophy. I allow myself fifteen pedals at any one time. I can get anything I want BUT, I have sell a current pedal. This keeps me in check with gear acquisition syndrome. That said of my fifteen pedals 5 are fuzzes. Hoof, Russian Pickle, EHX Rams Head, TF Russian by Wren & Cuff & lastly Hizumitas are the fuzzes. They are all very enjoyable. I’m curious what fuzzes do you use? Are there any on your wish list?
If you like the Big Muff, you should try out the Animalizzer. You get a bunch of circuit options for both stages, and you can control the EQ. That's been my go to fuzz since I got it.
Dude, I'm about the same age and into every band you just listed lol. I've been playing guitar since I was a teenager and didn't get my first fuzz until about a month ago. How the heck have I gone my whole life without one?! Insanity. I picked up an EHX Nano Russian Pi about a month ago and am absolutely loving it, especially paired with an EHX Pitchfork. I just need a 2nd fuzz for wild and messy lead sounds. The addiction....it's begun
Boris are amazing. Huge output of music and loads of variation in styles. Saw them in Glasgow a few years back and can still remember my ribcage vibrating
I've listened to it about a dozen times in the past 24 hours. Wouldn't be mad at a full track of it or something similar. Love the attack on that tone -- sounds like a slap on those chords.
I had been looking for my Fuzz for a long time and I went for the Fuzz Factory route. That thing is wacky crazy to tame, but man, the range of sound is just amazing. It literally is a factory to craft your own sound.
What an amazing video! I never really understood fuzz till I saw this video and it really was a massive mindblower. The way you show up the diferent textures of the tones and sounds the pedals can offer its amazing. This was an absolute game changer for me and I really aprriciate it. Haven't felt so inspired to make music in a long time. Thanks :).
I have a lot of fuzz pedals, but my favorites are the Zvex Fuzz Factory (I have an old hand painted one) and the Warm Audio Foxy Tone Box. Thanks for this video Rhett! I'll be checking out some of the pedals you recommended!
Rhett you've done your evangelizing well. I'm really really into fuzz at the moment, having neglected it for decades. I love the early basic circuits and how changing a couple of components can make a big difference in sound.
unlike most fuzz demos, you put each in a musical context! well done, love your channel my fav fuzz is the Vemuram Myriad Fuzz - so much headroom and tone for days - Josh Smith and Vemuram have a made a perfect beast! pricey but worth every penny
I wasn't into fuzz in the beginning of my journey. Well, not until I learned how to use one and where to place them on my board. Now I completely love them. Thanks for your take on these gems. Your insight on this types of pedals, here on this video and in the past videos, have been most of the reasons I turned my head and started to look at them. Thanks Rhett!
I would say a muff is nice middle ground between fuzz and overdrive/distortion. It's hairy, but not too heavy, heck you can even get one that can bypass the tone stack to get real close to distortion. If you really wanna get down and dirty with muff, I recommend the tone-wicker. The tone wicker switch really brings chaos, and I mean it in a good way.
Fuzz is an incredibly interesting guitar effect. My favorite use of it is in songs from RATM like Killing in the Name Of and Bombtrack, although that was primarily Bass.
Depends on the fuzz. I love the Muff sounds used by Gilmour and Smashing Pumpkins, yet very different Muff circuits. Love Hendrix’s Fuzz Face tones. Then there octave fuzzes, whether Octavia or Superfuzz, to a Muff circuit or Fuzz Face with an octave foot switch. Mono is very different than polyphonic. It’s a deep rabbit hole.
Just really getting into fuzz, have a original Russian green big muff that kills a dunlop hendrix fuzz a fairfield unpleasant surprise, and my most versatile: earthquaker devices hoof reaper.
Really enjoyed this breakdown. I don't have a whole lot of experience with fuzz pedals, but I have one that I love and use all the time, the Way Huge Swollen Pickle. Some grimy fuzz, and a TON of bass boost.
I've loved the SuperFuzz since Pete Townshend used it live (through Hiwatts) in The Who during the late 60s and early 70s. My favorite use of the Fuzz Face is Jimi at Monterey where his amp does sound like it's going to explode while it's grinding and growling through the feedback like a rocket-ship launching!
Man your level 3 jam is immense, love the lo fi feel of it - inspired me to work out a variation, drenched in reverb with an EHX Octavix and hip hop drums backing track, just getting lost for hours on this riff
This video was right on time for me as I am trying to choose a fuzz pedal to explore. I like the tone Bender example a lot, really enjoyed all your musical demonstrations. I believe I will slowly accumulate different pedals overtime to truly get a feel for each flavor. The fuzz Factory is probably going to be my first.
Jordan Bosstone! Snarly, high-pass, vicious little beast, even octaves up at random. I've got a homemade one I built for $25 bucks. Gets great radio reception, too---pulls in those AM bible stations for your Ministry covers.
great video! my selection 1. Dunlop FFM2 mini 2.Keely Fuzz Bender 3. EHX Octavix (the most underrated octave fuzz IMHO) 4. Fuzz Factory 5. Way Huge Swollen Pickle or DOD Carcossa.
Demo tracks sounding super fresh here! My favorite old standby fuzz is Big Muff for sure. I’ve recently started acquiring more flavors. On my board currently is the JHS Cheese Ball, a little more colorful but very usable. The wildest one I have right now is probably the JPTR Silbermaschine.
Dear Rhett, You absolutely have Earned and Deserve every penny and Subscriber since your channel is a truly Superbly helpful guide to saving mucho dinero, time and avoiding much confusion and serious headaches for anyone paying close attention here. Don't EVER think you aren't doing something really important or needed with your career and OBVIOUSLY GREAT TALENTS since you are ALSO graciously promoting other people's Businesses and needed Skills as well . "Use it or lose it" goes a saying and you are using your God given gifts very well in a wonderfully INSPIRING fashion too. Your dear wife and family should be very proud of their "cute as a bug" son and husband. May your finances also be endlessly Blessed too these days and beyond, Amen.
Just picked up a 3 Series fuzz to try something new and so far it sounds epic. I have a dedicated Octron 3 octave pedal for that flavor which also does an incredible job. I’m a HUGE fan of Matt Bellamy and have been aware of the Fuzz Factory for a long time now. May have to give that a try at some point. I mean Matt has some built into his guitars so it must be good.
I came to fuzz from high gain overdrive. I was used to the power chords that work well in that realm. It took a LONG time for me to realize that fuzzes work best with single notes and out performs overdrive in that area. Love it.
I’ve started building my own pedals and have really been intrigued by fuzz. I’m up to four so far and will continue building more because they’re awesome!
I absolutely love my Ram's Head Big Muff (the only fuzz I currently have). It sounds great on it's own and it pairs well with an overdrive or distortion to fill in the mids that the pedal naturally scoops when I double track parts. It adds "heft" to the rhythm tracks and punch and sustain to the single line/solo parts.
The rams head is my go to fuzz. It was my first fuzz 30 years ago, and I always end up going back too it, and the reissue is cheap and sounds exactly like the original! I am always trying out new fuzz pedals, I own a bunch now, but only the rams head has a permanent spot on my board.
I've gotten to the point that I always try a Fuzz Face with any new song I'm learning to see if it will work. The dynamic sweep from your guitar's volume is just incredible and fits most anything that doesn't require straight distortion, like metal. Also, I can't believe muffs weren't mentioned in the video.
The Kangra fuzz is so much more versatile than shown. You could do an entire episode on it. It is useful for covers or playing out, but you can get wild with it as well. Not to mention it is basically an auto/manual wah pedal and filter fuzz.
Great video Rhett! Here's my choices for each category: Fuzz Face - Skreddy Lunar Module Deluxe Tone Bender - Keeley Fuzz Bender Octave Fuzz - JHS Supreme Fuzz Factory - I'm changing this to Muff - Black Arts Pharaoh Fuzz! :) Character Fuzz - Trombetta Mini Bone
Yes!!! Hey Rhett! Finally your deep dive into this rabbit hole...I think tonally fuzz covers more ground than anything else in the world of effects... arguably distortion and fuzz are interconnected....imo...great work man 🤘😜🎸🎶☮️
My favorite fuzz that i own currently is an 90s fulltone octafuzz. Mine is an early serial number that includes the switch to turn off the octave. I use in both setting. Love it.
I just gave away an Ellman Abstract Fuzz and a Roy Electronics Fantasio fuzz on the Great Canadian Pedalboard. Both incredibly tasty and sometimes weird fuzzes! The one on my board right now is the Demon Girl from MayFly Audio.
Categories sound pretty good to me. The only thing I would change, is to put a big muff pedal as level one. The reason people hate fuzz is because it forces you to adjust your playing and respond to what the fuzz is doing. The Big Muff is the only fuzz that doesn’t require much, if any, adjustment from the player to sound good.
I was hoping to see that awesome Royal Jelly although it's not a standalone fuzz. Good video. Too many guitarists have their minds made up about fuzz without ever trying a variety of them.
Dude, totally off topic but I remember when you had a few thousand subs. Closing on half a mill you must do an epic special 😅 anyway completely deserved 👍
For a lot of early fuzzes your guitar is part of the fuzz circuit, so you might want to experiment with different combinations of guitar and fuzz. I think a whole section was missed here - level 6: doom/stoner/shoegaze. Throw in a muff with optional massive delays and a load of also optional reverb.
I absolutely love the" Barnes and Mullins Fuzz" as well as my "Doom King" (A modified Big Muff IC77) and my "Old Hag" and "Fet120" Fuzzes: I guess I am a "Fuzzaholic" no wonder our band's motto is "In Fuzz We Trust" 🤣 BTW, Sick Slide tone. Better the Josh's
This is some of your BEST work to date Rhett. Were any of those jams parts of actual songs? So good. I’ve tried fuzz a few times. Guess I’ll have to try another one 🤷♂️
I really enjoyed your playing on this video my favorite was level 3-4 I use an Fulltone OCD into an BBE Crusher distortion besides, EHX attack decay with fuzzy or Q Tron + also built in fuzziness. Always open to your suggestions
My top 5 (with modified categories): 1. Earthquaker Hoof (distortion/fuzz) 2. JHS Crayon (wide-ranging/weird dirt sound generator) 3. Danelectro French Toast (or Dano 3699/Foxx Tone Machine...Octave) 4. Roger Mayer Mongoose (Character Fuzz) 5. Earthquaker Cloven Hoof (with low output pickups, can do a sort of overdrive fuzz thing; also noticeably different from the regular Hoof) 6. Death by Audio Fuzz War (extreme but easy to use fuzz)
I was experimenting on my Helix. I loaded the Marshal Plexi Jumped amp, and cranked down the gains, using the normal and bright gains to balance the tone, but both down less than 2. Kept the Master at 10, and the overdrive was light but grittier, more of a power tube distortion. Then I loaded the Bighorn Fuzz going into it (model of a EHX Big Muff Rams Head). Holy shiznit, what a great tone! It was like my tubes were about to explode and my speaker voice coils were about to rip off the cones, but in a really good way. And the sustain was beyond Spinal Tap. As a tube distortion snob, I was astounded at how much I liked that Fuzz!
I have all kinds of fuzzes: Fuzz Faces, ToneBenders, an EX Ram's Head reissue, and a Voodoo Lab Superfuzz. They are all fun and I switch them out according to what I need.
I bought a Kangra Filter Fuzz. Using a control pedal on the filter makes it so interesting and versatile.... all types of tones and a funky faux wah effect which can be used with or without the fuzz engaged. Very cool unit, although a little pricey.
If you're interested a unique fuzz pedal I would recommend the Keeley Fuzz Bender. It's a cross between the time Bender and an octave fuzz. I have one and is quite possibly my favorite pedal on my board at the moment.
The FUZZVANGELATIST strikes again! Gotta have a Big Muff in there somewhere. Probably No. 1 Rhett, you got me into FUZZ and it's costing me but I like love it! I am currently using a SICFUZZ on my board. Cheap and dependable you can get these from Donner for less than $30. This is a great way for someone to try FUZZ and not spend a lot of coin.
Arguably, fuzz has more diversity in it's flavours than more overdrives. It can splat, it can woosh, it can DOOM, it can crunch (yes, crunch) and everything in between. It can do the duties of overdrive and more. Beside it's all about what you're using it for and working towards that context.
Hey Rhett what caught my attention more than the Fuzz pedals was YOUR playing! I love everything you played. I always do. You make me want to pick my guitar up and jam. When are you going to put some of your solo work on Spotify???? 🎸
I had borrowed a Black Cat / OD Fuzz, I loved it, then my friend took it back. So I bought a Big Muff nano, it’s not what I was looking for, so I’m still on a fuzz quest. I played the Earthquaker Devices “Hizumatis” yesterday, that’s on my radar.
Fuzz factories are instruments in their own right. If you take the time with one and have one on your desk while reaping a solo you can get otherworldly sounds going on.
I'm a bass player. I work with two guitarists. one of them is willing to let me walk him down the Fuzz avenue. He's a very good guitar player, and not a gear guy at all. I am a complete gear nerd on the other hand. I own at least 4 fuzz pedals that I can find. There are many pedals in my arsenal. When he asked me what playing through a fuzz pedal was like I explained that a bad fuzz pedal is like driving a Camaro and pretending it was a Ferrari. A great fuzz pedal is something you can play into. It feeds a lot of information back to you in a way unlike distortion does, and in a good way. Am I off in my thinking Rhett?
i’ve had a germanium fuzz (catalinbread karma suture) for years and just got an octavia fuzz (earthquaker tentacle). so many weird and awesome sounds between them.
Thanks, Rhett 🙏 Looking at my effects pedal collection, I think a good many of them are variations on fuzz. I'm not sure I could catalog them into a 1 through five ranking. Some of my favorites are Reza Guitars & Effects 'Gilmore Girl' that evokes the fuzz tone from David Gilmore (big surprise), as well as the 'Reza Rekt' and 'Apocalipstick'; I'm also fond of NSP Effects 'Blood Blender', 'Beltsville Legend', and 'Consigliere' pedals; gotta give a shout out to 'The Blessed Mother' and Wildwood Mjolnir, too.
Cool videos and great sound! This will give people a general feeling for the different fuzzes, but I don't think this is a good way for someone to find the right fuzz for them. Each sound example has different mixes, different treatments to the guitar such as eq, panning, doubling, etc, and the way you play the guitar varies. Again, the video is super cool and it celebrates a love of fuzz. Awesome! It's just that every guitar, amp, and player are so different that a viewer may get the wrong impression and pick up the wrong one for them. My first fuzz was a big muff, and I still love it! But, I was still so new to music that I had no idea why my stratocaster sounded nothing like my favorite bands through it. It's super boring to just play the exact same thing and only change the pedal, but you could meantion that you have other content to help people understand the nuances a little better before they buy their first fuzz.
I would put Big Muffs as the best entry level fuzz because a lot of its most famous users use them more like a distortion/overdrive pedal, hammering out chords and rhythm parts just as much as leads. They have a wide range of tones in them, too. Great for the player who doesn't rely on the guitar's volume knob to clean things up (because they notoriously don't clean up very well that way). I wouldn't change Rhett's list, other than putting Big Muffs at level 1, and then fuzz face, tone bender, etc.
IN that song "Spirit in the Sky" by Norman Greenbaum, is that guitar using a fuzz? I like that odd guitar (or maybe it's the bass, non-musician here) sound in that song.
"There's a fuzz pedal out there for everyone"
I'm still searching for it Rhett! This video is super helpful!
try DOD Carcosa.. it is mine after I had a Fuzz Face, Tonebender, Big Muffs, a Pharaoh Fuzz and a Fuzz War.. I'm settled with the DOD and it is so versatile.
Wampler Velvet Fuzz, has some Fuzz Face character, yet can get more gain, like more Rat like high gain. It still can cleanup with the guitar volume knob.
@@iommiclife794
Pharaoh is a big muff.
It’s like a Civil War, with better volume knob cleanup. I’ve used one for many years. I like the Carcosa, but I like the Pharaoh better, especially stacking a OD after it, to add mids, or boost the Germanium diode setting.
I run a Big Muff with Tone Wicker and the Carcosa, both very high gain and broken sounding in different ways
@@CorbCorbin You're right. Also the Fuzz War is kinda a Big Muff on steroid-overdose. I used the Pharaoh exactly like you with a Tubescreamer right after. But in a band-context the Carcosa works for me best. The band-sound doesn't even get muddy when playing together with a fuzzy bass.
Really! Liked this Rhett. My favorite, and only fuzz right now is the Rockett Hooligan. It has an incredible range of tones in there.
I’m interested in the Beetronix fuzz pedals. I have a DOD Carcosa fuzz and if I put it before my Earthquaker Plumes it sounds like a really huge Big Muff.
I’ve always appreciated all of your fuzz videos. To my knowledge, you’re one of the few popular RUclips guitarists who highlight the effect. For me, this video was helpful and keep them coming. I picked up the guitar in my late 40’s. As I got into fuzz, & I like them all, I was surprised to learn how much music I loved in my 20’s that was created on some version of a Big Muff. I listened to the Pumpkins, Dinosaur Jr., Sonic Youth, Swervedriver, My Bloody Valentine. Then a bit later The Black Keys & White Stripes I find out all we’re participants in this wonderful pedal circuit. Like I said, I’ve tried others & I like them but I always end up coming back to a Big Muff type of pedal. For the last two months I’m using the Hizumitas by EQD. It’s truly wonderful! This has got me listening to Boris which somehow escaped me until now. Wata is a sonic sorceress. Anyway, great video! Very helpful & I did sign up for the new rhythm course:)
With you there mate, I was in my 40's too when I picked up the guitar......fuzz has become an obsession!! Early Black Keys really does it for me.....have you tried the 'Hoof' by EQD?
@@adriantyler6911 Yes Adrian I have the Hoof & like it very much. I don’t want to collect too many pedals so I’ve adopted a Mary Condo philosophy. I allow myself fifteen pedals at any one time. I can get anything I want BUT, I have sell a current pedal. This keeps me in check with gear acquisition syndrome. That said of my fifteen pedals 5 are fuzzes. Hoof, Russian Pickle, EHX Rams Head, TF Russian by Wren & Cuff & lastly Hizumitas are the fuzzes. They are all very enjoyable. I’m curious what fuzzes do you use? Are there any on your wish list?
If you like the Big Muff, you should try out the Animalizzer. You get a bunch of circuit options for both stages, and you can control the EQ. That's been my go to fuzz since I got it.
Dude, I'm about the same age and into every band you just listed lol. I've been playing guitar since I was a teenager and didn't get my first fuzz until about a month ago. How the heck have I gone my whole life without one?! Insanity. I picked up an EHX Nano Russian Pi about a month ago and am absolutely loving it, especially paired with an EHX Pitchfork. I just need a 2nd fuzz for wild and messy lead sounds. The addiction....it's begun
Boris are amazing. Huge output of music and loads of variation in styles. Saw them in Glasgow a few years back and can still remember my ribcage vibrating
Love the fuzzed out version of I Don’t Trust Myself! Such a cool take on that song
I've listened to it about a dozen times in the past 24 hours. Wouldn't be mad at a full track of it or something similar. Love the attack on that tone -- sounds like a slap on those chords.
Can you tell me what the song was in level 3?
I had been looking for my Fuzz for a long time and I went for the Fuzz Factory route. That thing is wacky crazy to tame, but man, the range of sound is just amazing. It literally is a factory to craft your own sound.
That Octave fuzz really reminds me of Eddie Hazel, especially his cover of “California Dreamin’” .
Cool stuff :)
There's also the other aspect of the octave fuzz. If you don't know what I mean, look up Electric Wizard.
This was fun. The focus on Fuzz rather than a specific pedal was a nice respite from pure pedal demos.
What an amazing video! I never really understood fuzz till I saw this video and it really was a massive mindblower. The way you show up the diferent textures of the tones and sounds the pedals can offer its amazing. This was an absolute game changer for me and I really aprriciate it. Haven't felt so inspired to make music in a long time. Thanks :).
Big Muff Pi! I added a treble booster before it (Caitlinbread Naga Viper) and it really brought it to life.
I have a lot of fuzz pedals, but my favorites are the Zvex Fuzz Factory (I have an old hand painted one) and the Warm Audio Foxy Tone Box. Thanks for this video Rhett! I'll be checking out some of the pedals you recommended!
Rhett you've done your evangelizing well. I'm really really into fuzz at the moment, having neglected it for decades. I love the early basic circuits and how changing a couple of components can make a big difference in sound.
unlike most fuzz demos, you put each in a musical context! well done, love your channel
my fav fuzz is the Vemuram Myriad Fuzz - so much headroom and tone for days - Josh Smith and Vemuram have a made a perfect beast! pricey but worth every penny
I wasn't into fuzz in the beginning of my journey. Well, not until I learned how to use one and where to place them on my board. Now I completely love them. Thanks for your take on these gems. Your insight on this types of pedals, here on this video and in the past videos, have been most of the reasons I turned my head and started to look at them. Thanks Rhett!
Man not sure if Rhett is doing the video editing but the editing is on point. Love the sound effects when the text comes in.
I think his wife Tilly is a sports photographer/ videographer. He probably gets some help 😊
Bro that stromer has been the best purchase I've made in a while. That thing is PERFECT! With octave on or off it sounds amazing!
Great video man! Way more people need to watch this. The JHS Kilt, Mythos Golden Fleece, and Kangra cover most of my fuzz needs at the moment.
I would say a muff is nice middle ground between fuzz and overdrive/distortion. It's hairy, but not too heavy, heck you can even get one that can bypass the tone stack to get real close to distortion. If you really wanna get down and dirty with muff, I recommend the tone-wicker. The tone wicker switch really brings chaos, and I mean it in a good way.
Muff is definitely my favorite
Just bought a Muffuletta, I've never had any big muff before. I'm excited to experiment.
The Deluxe Muffs are also in world of their own and can go to serious chaos territory. I have the Sovtek Deluxe on my board and it's crazy heavy
Haven't tried the tone wicker muff, but in my experience the op amp one can get really heavy and chaotic too
My favorite trick has always been a boss sd1 with no gain into a standard big muff with the sustain at only about 1 o clock
Fuzz is an incredibly interesting guitar effect. My favorite use of it is in songs from RATM like Killing in the Name Of and Bombtrack, although that was primarily Bass.
Agree.
Depends on the fuzz. I love the Muff sounds used by Gilmour and Smashing Pumpkins, yet very different Muff circuits.
Love Hendrix’s Fuzz Face tones.
Then there octave fuzzes, whether Octavia or Superfuzz, to a Muff circuit or Fuzz Face with an octave foot switch.
Mono is very different than polyphonic.
It’s a deep rabbit hole.
Just really getting into fuzz, have a original Russian green big muff that kills a dunlop hendrix fuzz a fairfield unpleasant surprise, and my most versatile: earthquaker devices hoof reaper.
dude just the artistry put into this content, the demo songs, the navigation... this video is invaluable.
Really enjoyed this breakdown. I don't have a whole lot of experience with fuzz pedals, but I have one that I love and use all the time, the Way Huge Swollen Pickle. Some grimy fuzz, and a TON of bass boost.
I've loved the SuperFuzz since Pete Townshend used it live (through Hiwatts) in The Who during the late 60s and early 70s. My favorite use of the Fuzz Face is Jimi at Monterey where his amp does sound like it's going to explode while it's grinding and growling through the feedback like a rocket-ship launching!
Man your level 3 jam is immense, love the lo fi feel of it - inspired me to work out a variation, drenched in reverb with an EHX Octavix and hip hop drums backing track, just getting lost for hours on this riff
Why am I watching this? I have a broken Squier Strat and no amp!
Stellar content, good sir! 👍
Lol
Rhett is in a blood feud over getting people into fuzz. His own words “on a personal vendetta” 😂✌️
This video was right on time for me as I am trying to choose a fuzz pedal to explore. I like the tone Bender example a lot, really enjoyed all your musical demonstrations. I believe I will slowly accumulate different pedals overtime to truly get a feel for each flavor. The fuzz Factory is probably going to be my first.
Jordan Bosstone! Snarly, high-pass, vicious little beast, even octaves up at random. I've got a homemade one I built for $25 bucks. Gets great radio reception, too---pulls in those AM bible stations for your Ministry covers.
great video! my selection 1. Dunlop FFM2 mini 2.Keely Fuzz Bender 3. EHX Octavix (the most underrated octave fuzz IMHO) 4. Fuzz Factory 5. Way Huge Swollen Pickle or DOD Carcossa.
The different video effects over the tracks were a nice touch.
Demo tracks sounding super fresh here! My favorite old standby fuzz is Big Muff for sure. I’ve recently started acquiring more flavors. On my board currently is the JHS Cheese Ball, a little more colorful but very usable. The wildest one I have right now is probably the JPTR Silbermaschine.
Some people keep crucifying this effect, without experimenting with them. Forgive them, Rhett, for they know not what they do.
Dear Rhett, You absolutely have Earned and Deserve every penny and Subscriber since your channel is a truly Superbly helpful guide to saving mucho dinero, time and avoiding much confusion and serious headaches for anyone paying close attention here. Don't EVER think you aren't doing something really important or needed with your career and OBVIOUSLY GREAT TALENTS since you are ALSO graciously promoting other people's Businesses and needed Skills as well . "Use it or lose it" goes a saying and you are using your God given gifts very well in a wonderfully INSPIRING fashion too. Your dear wife and family should be very proud of their "cute as a bug" son and husband. May your finances also be endlessly Blessed too these days and beyond, Amen.
Cool video Mr. Shull! I enjoyed it!
Oh my goodness Rhett! The jams in this video are awesome! So inspiring x
Just picked up a 3 Series fuzz to try something new and so far it sounds epic. I have a dedicated Octron 3 octave pedal for that flavor which also does an incredible job. I’m a HUGE fan of Matt Bellamy and have been aware of the Fuzz Factory for a long time now. May have to give that a try at some point. I mean Matt has some built into his guitars so it must be good.
I came to fuzz from high gain overdrive. I was used to the power chords that work well in that realm. It took a LONG time for me to realize that fuzzes work best with single notes and out performs overdrive in that area. Love it.
This demo is great! All your tunes were so nice, and who ever you have playing drums is a beast!
I’ve started building my own pedals and have really been intrigued by fuzz. I’m up to four so far and will continue building more because they’re awesome!
Love the “don’t trust myself” jam at the end! Mayer is the best!
I absolutely love my Ram's Head Big Muff (the only fuzz I currently have). It sounds great on it's own and it pairs well with an overdrive or distortion to fill in the mids that the pedal naturally scoops when I double track parts. It adds "heft" to the rhythm tracks and punch and sustain to the single line/solo parts.
Yes, Ram's Head is really great! Though I always play it into an amp in light overdrive. I think then it shines the most.
The rams head is my go to fuzz. It was my first fuzz 30 years ago, and I always end up going back too it, and the reissue is cheap and sounds exactly like the original! I am always trying out new fuzz pedals, I own a bunch now, but only the rams head has a permanent spot on my board.
Way to do the fuzz face dirty. It can do so, so much more than that song showed… easily the most influential “simple” circuit in guitar history
You are making me buy the Kanga:) Such a cool jam.
Automatic thumbs up anytime I see the word Fuzz in your video titles!! Thanks to you I’m hooked on fuzz.
Favorite fuzz tone would probably be a Japanese FY-2 “Companion” fuzz with a bass. That combo sounds super brassy and I love it!!
I have one, too, but I wasn’t able to tame it yet, it sounds like a fart unless I feed it with a super soft signal…I used a guitar of course
Ha. Love the Beato hand on chin pose in the title card. 😂
I've gotten to the point that I always try a Fuzz Face with any new song I'm learning to see if it will work. The dynamic sweep from your guitar's volume is just incredible and fits most anything that doesn't require straight distortion, like metal. Also, I can't believe muffs weren't mentioned in the video.
Loved this. And may I say, the unsung hero of this video is the Delay Llama Extreme… killer tones out of that thing! A fuzz’s best friend
JAM Pedals don't make a bad pedal.
The Kangra fuzz is so much more versatile than shown. You could do an entire episode on it. It is useful for covers or playing out, but you can get wild with it as well. Not to mention it is basically an auto/manual wah pedal and filter fuzz.
Wildest fuzz I've ever heard was in a casual Local Natives song, "Gulf Shores", plus it's melodic as hell
Great video Rhett! Here's my choices for each category:
Fuzz Face - Skreddy Lunar Module Deluxe
Tone Bender - Keeley Fuzz Bender
Octave Fuzz - JHS Supreme
Fuzz Factory - I'm changing this to Muff - Black Arts Pharaoh Fuzz! :)
Character Fuzz - Trombetta Mini Bone
That Level 4 play - sounded out of this world. Great video, thanks!
Takin this youtube thing to the next level homeboy! Amazing video. Cheers from Dirty Jersey brother..
Yes!!! Hey Rhett! Finally your deep dive into this rabbit hole...I think tonally fuzz covers more ground than anything else in the world of effects... arguably distortion and fuzz are interconnected....imo...great work man 🤘😜🎸🎶☮️
My favorite fuzz that i own currently is an 90s fulltone octafuzz. Mine is an early serial number that includes the switch to turn off the octave. I use in both setting. Love it.
I just gave away an Ellman Abstract Fuzz and a Roy Electronics Fantasio fuzz on the Great Canadian Pedalboard. Both incredibly tasty and sometimes weird fuzzes! The one on my board right now is the Demon Girl from MayFly Audio.
Excellent video, very inspiring because I love fuzz. Maybe miss an honorable mention for a big muff style pedal
The octave fuzz example sounds very nice, reminds me hard to satriani-well played!👌🏻🙏
Bought a Big Muff Pi because of your videos.
I don’t think I’ve turned off since. Brilliant tone with my P90’s
I think I am addicted to octave fuzz! I really love the Mythos Argo, and the Beetronics Octahive. So saucy!
Categories sound pretty good to me. The only thing I would change, is to put a big muff pedal as level one. The reason people hate fuzz is because it forces you to adjust your playing and respond to what the fuzz is doing. The Big Muff is the only fuzz that doesn’t require much, if any, adjustment from the player to sound good.
I use a heavily modified fuzz face as essentially my low to mid gain overdrive sound and I love it.
Great video. Lately I'm into fuzz pedals, this video helps a lot.
Please do a video on glassy fuzz clean tones.
The MXR Variac fuzz is my favorite, it can do anything!
I was hoping to see that awesome Royal Jelly although it's not a standalone fuzz. Good video. Too many guitarists have their minds made up about fuzz without ever trying a variety of them.
Dude, totally off topic but I remember when you had a few thousand subs. Closing on half a mill you must do an epic special 😅 anyway completely deserved 👍
Love the video editing on this one, the camera work is also amazing
For a lot of early fuzzes your guitar is part of the fuzz circuit, so you might want to experiment with different combinations of guitar and fuzz.
I think a whole section was missed here - level 6: doom/stoner/shoegaze. Throw in a muff with optional massive delays and a load of also optional reverb.
Great idea for the video Rhett! Very useful for me, thanks. Maybe do 5 levels of delay or some other pedal next. Well done man
Dug that 3rd song with the octave fuzz!!! Very cool!!!
I absolutely love the" Barnes and Mullins Fuzz" as well as my "Doom King" (A modified Big Muff IC77) and my "Old Hag" and "Fet120" Fuzzes:
I guess I am a "Fuzzaholic" no wonder our band's motto is "In Fuzz We Trust" 🤣
BTW, Sick Slide tone. Better the Josh's
What sort of music do you make?
This is some of your BEST work to date Rhett. Were any of those jams parts of actual songs? So good.
I’ve tried fuzz a few times. Guess I’ll have to try another one 🤷♂️
The last one was based on John Mayer's 'I Don't Trust Myself With Loving You', not sure about the others.
I really enjoyed your playing on this video my favorite was level 3-4
I use an Fulltone OCD into an BBE Crusher distortion besides, EHX attack decay with fuzzy or Q Tron + also built in fuzziness. Always open to your suggestions
My top 5 (with modified categories):
1. Earthquaker Hoof (distortion/fuzz)
2. JHS Crayon (wide-ranging/weird dirt sound generator)
3. Danelectro French Toast (or Dano 3699/Foxx Tone Machine...Octave)
4. Roger Mayer Mongoose (Character Fuzz)
5. Earthquaker Cloven Hoof (with low output pickups, can do a sort of overdrive fuzz thing; also noticeably different from the regular Hoof)
6. Death by Audio Fuzz War (extreme but easy to use fuzz)
I was experimenting on my Helix. I loaded the Marshal Plexi Jumped amp, and cranked down the gains, using the normal and bright gains to balance the tone, but both down less than 2. Kept the Master at 10, and the overdrive was light but grittier, more of a power tube distortion. Then I loaded the Bighorn Fuzz going into it (model of a EHX Big Muff Rams Head). Holy shiznit, what a great tone! It was like my tubes were about to explode and my speaker voice coils were about to rip off the cones, but in a really good way. And the sustain was beyond Spinal Tap. As a tube distortion snob, I was astounded at how much I liked that Fuzz!
I have all kinds of fuzzes: Fuzz Faces, ToneBenders, an EX Ram's Head reissue, and a Voodoo Lab Superfuzz. They are all fun and I switch them out according to what I need.
Great video man, production quality is superb!
#3 I would have said KHDK Unicorn Blood II, but there are no wrong answers. Great demo for each category! You represented like a boss.
I bought a Kangra Filter Fuzz. Using a control pedal on the filter makes it so interesting and versatile.... all types of tones and a funky faux wah effect which can be used with or without the fuzz engaged. Very cool unit, although a little pricey.
If you're interested a unique fuzz pedal I would recommend the Keeley Fuzz Bender.
It's a cross between the time Bender and an octave fuzz.
I have one and is quite possibly my favorite pedal on my board at the moment.
You still loving it? I'm debating whether to get one
The FUZZVANGELATIST strikes again! Gotta have a Big Muff in there somewhere. Probably No. 1 Rhett, you got me into FUZZ and it's costing me but I like love it! I am currently using a SICFUZZ on my board. Cheap and dependable you can get these from Donner for less than $30. This is a great way for someone to try FUZZ and not spend a lot of coin.
Arguably, fuzz has more diversity in it's flavours than more overdrives. It can splat, it can woosh, it can DOOM, it can crunch (yes, crunch) and everything in between. It can do the duties of overdrive and more. Beside it's all about what you're using it for and working towards that context.
No doubt a great video, it's still amazing to me to hear these jams with a fuzz, usually I see somebody turn on the fuzz and doom starts right away.
My gateway fuzz that got me hooked was the chupacabra. Now I’m into the hard stuff.
That's good! I had a good chuckle.
Hey Rhett what caught my attention more than the Fuzz pedals was YOUR playing! I love everything you played. I always do. You make me want to pick my guitar up and jam. When are you going to put some of your solo work on Spotify???? 🎸
Thanks Rhett ! Btw Il think you are a brilliant musician. You definitely have your own thing going on. I Dig that. God bless my friend!
I had borrowed a Black Cat / OD Fuzz, I loved it, then my friend took it back. So I bought a Big Muff nano, it’s not what I was looking for, so I’m still on a fuzz quest. I played the Earthquaker Devices “Hizumatis” yesterday, that’s on my radar.
First fuzz was acquired last week. Great first impression.. went with a bender.
I found mine. The Foxy Tone Box octave fuzz from Warm Audio. It's really what I have been looking for for years. Love it.
My son got me a Russian bigmuff for my birthday and I love it. BTW how the studio build going? Hope to see more on that son
Wasn’t this video here some days ago and then it was gone? Or am I having a deja vu?
I saw that too.
Thanks for putting out all your wonderful content!
Fuzz factories are instruments in their own right. If you take the time with one and have one on your desk while reaping a solo you can get otherworldly sounds going on.
I'm a bass player. I work with two guitarists. one of them is willing to let me walk him down the Fuzz avenue. He's a very good guitar player, and not a gear guy at all. I am a complete gear nerd on the other hand. I own at least 4 fuzz pedals that I can find. There are many pedals in my arsenal. When he asked me what playing through a fuzz pedal was like I explained that a bad fuzz pedal is like driving a Camaro and pretending it was a Ferrari. A great fuzz pedal is something you can play into. It feeds a lot of information back to you in a way unlike distortion does, and in a good way. Am I off in my thinking Rhett?
In my opinion the more the fuzz pedal pushes the harmonic spectrum the better. I like that.
I’ve had the Walrus Kangra for a couple month now. Great pedal with lots of fun stuff to discover.
i’ve had a germanium fuzz (catalinbread karma suture) for years and just got an octavia fuzz (earthquaker tentacle). so many weird and awesome sounds between them.
i like big muffs and i cannot lie...
tonebender mkIII is also great though
some say the mkiii mkiv is what the big muffs wanted to be 😂
Thanks, Rhett 🙏
Looking at my effects pedal collection, I think a good many of them are variations on fuzz. I'm not sure I could catalog them into a 1 through five ranking.
Some of my favorites are Reza Guitars & Effects 'Gilmore Girl' that evokes the fuzz tone from David Gilmore (big surprise), as well as the 'Reza Rekt' and 'Apocalipstick'; I'm also fond of NSP Effects 'Blood Blender', 'Beltsville Legend', and 'Consigliere' pedals; gotta give a shout out to 'The Blessed Mother' and Wildwood Mjolnir, too.
Cool videos and great sound! This will give people a general feeling for the different fuzzes, but I don't think this is a good way for someone to find the right fuzz for them.
Each sound example has different mixes, different treatments to the guitar such as eq, panning, doubling, etc, and the way you play the guitar varies.
Again, the video is super cool and it celebrates a love of fuzz. Awesome!
It's just that every guitar, amp, and player are so different that a viewer may get the wrong impression and pick up the wrong one for them. My first fuzz was a big muff, and I still love it! But, I was still so new to music that I had no idea why my stratocaster sounded nothing like my favorite bands through it.
It's super boring to just play the exact same thing and only change the pedal, but you could meantion that you have other content to help people understand the nuances a little better before they buy their first fuzz.
Thank you sir. The fuzz factory jam was excellent
I would put Big Muffs as the best entry level fuzz because a lot of its most famous users use them more like a distortion/overdrive pedal, hammering out chords and rhythm parts just as much as leads. They have a wide range of tones in them, too. Great for the player who doesn't rely on the guitar's volume knob to clean things up (because they notoriously don't clean up very well that way). I wouldn't change Rhett's list, other than putting Big Muffs at level 1, and then fuzz face, tone bender, etc.
IN that song "Spirit in the Sky" by Norman Greenbaum, is that guitar using a fuzz? I like that odd guitar (or maybe it's the bass, non-musician here) sound in that song.
Yes. I’m pretty sure it’s a Maestro FZ-1A. The FZ-1 is its predecessor and used perhaps most famously by Keef on”Satisfaction”.