Your introduction to fuzz
Moderator: The Captain
- Doc Holliday
- Posts: 3263
- Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 10:41 pm
- Location: UK West Midlands
Your introduction to fuzz
This may have already been done but I thought it would add some cool positivity to reminisce on basically why we are all on this forum today.
FUZZZZZZZZZ
My first proper introduction to fuzz I guess was in the early 90s during the grunge scene.
I won’t lie at the time I couldn’t tell you what the difference was between a distortion device or a fuzz other than it just sounded distorted.
I grew up during the 80s listening to a lot of my dads music in the car which could be anything from The Beatles to Phil Collins. Pop/rock of the 80s being more common. Claptons journeyman, Bryan Adams etc. Most things using a chorus pedal
During the early -mid 90s I took up the guitar. Probably due to the bands I was listening to at the time. GNR, Pearljam, Nirvana, Soundgarden etc.
My Dad who also had the basics of playing guitar started buying Total guitar magazine.
I remember one of the first songs I learned to play being “ Hey Joe “ the Hendrix version.
It must have been around the time that Boss and DOD were still running the fx market. Advert after advert.
I remember my Dad buying the Zoom 505 through one of the advertised shops ( Coda or flying pig ) and us thinking it was amazingly clever.
Still while digital fx seemed to still be the craze I remember at this time used dated primitive pedals were starting to make a come back.
My local guitar shops were still all Arion and Boss but for the first time I started seeing the little big muff, Dallas arbiter fuzz face, MXR distortion + all playing a part in this magazines shoot out pedals. I spoke to Dan coggins from lovetone only about 6 months ago and told him this was the first time I saw and heard his “big cheese” plus my interest in fuzz.
Up against the likes of the Roger Mayer axis fuzz and an original sola Vox MK2.
Although most of the boxes looked ancient to me ( being only 14 at the time ) the tones still had their place.
Shortly after these new boutique company’s would also start playing their parts in offering their own themes based on these old pedals. Silly names, crazy graphics etc. It made brands like Ibanez and Boss look rather boring. I remember thinking at the time “ Boss = something my dad might play”.
But the roger Mayer spaceship pedals along with the likes of frantones “Vibutron” for instance just looked Soo cool.
A year later my Dad would introduce me to his vinyl collection - Zep, sabbath etc and again it played a part in wanting these pedals to get a bit closer to those sounds. The Zoom wasn’t quite cutting it
Although my first retro pedals were a EHX small clone reissue and a Vintage reissue big box Rat around 98 /99 once the internet started getting on the way I think my first online pedal was from the Marcaris shop. The site had a cartoon gentleman at the desk and when you clicked the links it would make cartoon type noises
I bought the coloursound Tremolo for around £89?? It was rather noisy so I didn’t have it long but these 3 pedals were my introduction into having a cool fx lineup. And retro at that.
Still I really wanted a fuzz. The EHX big muff was now back in production and Dunlop was still reissuing the fuzz face but I read that many things on both that I wasn’t sure which one I needed or wanted.
I believe my first fuzz was either a EHX muff or a Analogman sunface w/ white dot NKT275’s bought direct from mike.
The muff got flipped pretty quick if I remember. But it started my road onto fuzz faces.
One of my old favourites I bought during maybe 2009 was a Sweetsound Monterey fuzz. The volume didn’t reach unity but I just remember it sounded ace.
Aramatts mojo fuzz was another I had mid 2005ish. I used to put that inline on my pedal board and didn’t understand really why it sounded crap inline with 8 buffered, non buffered, tone sucking pedals. It took some learning to understand how to get the best out of them. A learning curve in itself let alone how they interacted with the guitar.
Still... that Total guitar mag was my reason for why I came to appreciate vintage effects and my love for fuzz. And to this day... I’ve never played a Lovetone pedal
FUZZZZZZZZZ
My first proper introduction to fuzz I guess was in the early 90s during the grunge scene.
I won’t lie at the time I couldn’t tell you what the difference was between a distortion device or a fuzz other than it just sounded distorted.
I grew up during the 80s listening to a lot of my dads music in the car which could be anything from The Beatles to Phil Collins. Pop/rock of the 80s being more common. Claptons journeyman, Bryan Adams etc. Most things using a chorus pedal
During the early -mid 90s I took up the guitar. Probably due to the bands I was listening to at the time. GNR, Pearljam, Nirvana, Soundgarden etc.
My Dad who also had the basics of playing guitar started buying Total guitar magazine.
I remember one of the first songs I learned to play being “ Hey Joe “ the Hendrix version.
It must have been around the time that Boss and DOD were still running the fx market. Advert after advert.
I remember my Dad buying the Zoom 505 through one of the advertised shops ( Coda or flying pig ) and us thinking it was amazingly clever.
Still while digital fx seemed to still be the craze I remember at this time used dated primitive pedals were starting to make a come back.
My local guitar shops were still all Arion and Boss but for the first time I started seeing the little big muff, Dallas arbiter fuzz face, MXR distortion + all playing a part in this magazines shoot out pedals. I spoke to Dan coggins from lovetone only about 6 months ago and told him this was the first time I saw and heard his “big cheese” plus my interest in fuzz.
Up against the likes of the Roger Mayer axis fuzz and an original sola Vox MK2.
Although most of the boxes looked ancient to me ( being only 14 at the time ) the tones still had their place.
Shortly after these new boutique company’s would also start playing their parts in offering their own themes based on these old pedals. Silly names, crazy graphics etc. It made brands like Ibanez and Boss look rather boring. I remember thinking at the time “ Boss = something my dad might play”.
But the roger Mayer spaceship pedals along with the likes of frantones “Vibutron” for instance just looked Soo cool.
A year later my Dad would introduce me to his vinyl collection - Zep, sabbath etc and again it played a part in wanting these pedals to get a bit closer to those sounds. The Zoom wasn’t quite cutting it
Although my first retro pedals were a EHX small clone reissue and a Vintage reissue big box Rat around 98 /99 once the internet started getting on the way I think my first online pedal was from the Marcaris shop. The site had a cartoon gentleman at the desk and when you clicked the links it would make cartoon type noises
I bought the coloursound Tremolo for around £89?? It was rather noisy so I didn’t have it long but these 3 pedals were my introduction into having a cool fx lineup. And retro at that.
Still I really wanted a fuzz. The EHX big muff was now back in production and Dunlop was still reissuing the fuzz face but I read that many things on both that I wasn’t sure which one I needed or wanted.
I believe my first fuzz was either a EHX muff or a Analogman sunface w/ white dot NKT275’s bought direct from mike.
The muff got flipped pretty quick if I remember. But it started my road onto fuzz faces.
One of my old favourites I bought during maybe 2009 was a Sweetsound Monterey fuzz. The volume didn’t reach unity but I just remember it sounded ace.
Aramatts mojo fuzz was another I had mid 2005ish. I used to put that inline on my pedal board and didn’t understand really why it sounded crap inline with 8 buffered, non buffered, tone sucking pedals. It took some learning to understand how to get the best out of them. A learning curve in itself let alone how they interacted with the guitar.
Still... that Total guitar mag was my reason for why I came to appreciate vintage effects and my love for fuzz. And to this day... I’ve never played a Lovetone pedal
- innerflight
- Posts: 4931
- Joined: Sun Apr 14, 2013 8:27 am
- Location: The Ferry
Re: Your introduction to fuzz
I came to guitar quite late in life, was early 30’s so only been playing for about15 years but straight away I knew I wanted the fuzz sound, the first one I bought was the Fulltone Soul Bender thinking it would give me the Zep sound, great first pedal I think, still love that shape. I realised that wasn’t giving me the sound I looked for and bought a Williams MKII (not Steve but the other dude) that eventually brought me to the DAM forum and down the rabbit hole I went and waved goodbye to my wallet
’brutish in character but not thug like’
- Doc Holliday
- Posts: 3263
- Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 10:41 pm
- Location: UK West Midlands
Re: Your introduction to fuzz
Ha. You know that was the first Fulltone pedal I bought back in 2007.
Guitar centre San Francisco.
I was visiting and asked to try it out. The guy behind the desk told me to go back to the front desk and to leave my passport or drivers licence with a staff member first then I could play it
Played it, bought it and probably had it for about a year. One of the first tonebender type pedals I owned. The plum crazy Sci Clops being the first
Guitar centre San Francisco.
I was visiting and asked to try it out. The guy behind the desk told me to go back to the front desk and to leave my passport or drivers licence with a staff member first then I could play it
Played it, bought it and probably had it for about a year. One of the first tonebender type pedals I owned. The plum crazy Sci Clops being the first
- Spook
- Posts: 564
- Joined: Sat Apr 06, 2019 4:38 pm
- Location: South of heaven
Re: Your introduction to fuzz
If i remember correctly, it was Dinosaur jr who turned me on in the early 90's...big muffs and so on, when i started diving deeper
found out Hendrix used a fuzz face i was hooked.
Pre internet it was a lot harder to figure shit out...
found out Hendrix used a fuzz face i was hooked.
Pre internet it was a lot harder to figure shit out...
- Philip
- Posts: 10413
- Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2008 9:22 pm
Re: Your introduction to fuzz
Unknowingly through Stone Roses debut in 1989/90, knowingly soon after through Axis Bold As Love which I bought as a soundtrack to my first smoke of hash.
The hash turned out to be fake, the album blew my mind anyway igniting what had been a light interest in to a burning passion for guitar.
Got a Profile Silhouette strat and Peavy Rage 108 amp from my folks. Later through guitar magazine I saw DOD Classic Tube and Classic Fuzz ads, got those and with a cheap plastic JHS wah and the Hal Leonard Hendrix books got experienced.
The hash turned out to be fake, the album blew my mind anyway igniting what had been a light interest in to a burning passion for guitar.
Got a Profile Silhouette strat and Peavy Rage 108 amp from my folks. Later through guitar magazine I saw DOD Classic Tube and Classic Fuzz ads, got those and with a cheap plastic JHS wah and the Hal Leonard Hendrix books got experienced.
- Doc Holliday
- Posts: 3263
- Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 10:41 pm
- Location: UK West Midlands
Re: Your introduction to fuzz
Hendrix FTW
- pothole
- Posts: 988
- Joined: Sat Apr 10, 2010 5:51 am
- Location: b o i s e
Re: Your introduction to fuzz
J Mascis was my fuzz mentor as well...so I started buying and trying every big muff I could find while learning to play Dinosaur Jr songs.
- Jim Goad
- Posts: 3457
- Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2008 4:23 pm
- Location: Oxfordshire UK
Re: Your introduction to fuzz
Funny how you mention old pedals seeming to look dated and primitive. I passed on a script logo MXR distortion plus for £25 when I was about 14 for that exact reason. Ended up with my Aria ADT1 distortion instead because it looked more modern.
First proper fuzz was a Big Muff Pi reissue which was a bit underwhelming.
First proper fuzz was a Big Muff Pi reissue which was a bit underwhelming.
It's like an orange on a toothpick
- Doc Holliday
- Posts: 3263
- Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 10:41 pm
- Location: UK West Midlands
Re: Your introduction to fuzz
Yep same here with the muff reissue. Maybe down the line I’ll have to give another muff a go. Not a EHX reissue though.
- redeyeflight
- Posts: 6939
- Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2008 10:48 pm
- Location: Seattle
Re: Your introduction to fuzz
Jimi Hendrix signature dunlop fuzz face was my first fuzz. I played it through my peavey rage amp with my Les Paul studio lite. It made quite a racket...my poor mom had to put up with it and I don't think she ever complained.
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