Leaderboard

I was the same was as you until I learned how to really drive a fuzz pedal, and then find one that would work with my style. And JHS or line 6 digital recreations aren't really examples I associate with good fuzz pedals. I would look no further than Analogman if I was buying my first fuzz. That guy just knows how to build good fuzzes consistently (it's an art form). He knows how to match transistors and that's very important in a good fuzz. And if it was just for home use, I would go with a germanium fuzz which sound awesome, but they change their tone with heat so they are not reliable on stage. Both me and the guy that really taught me about fuzzes both use the Analogman silcone BC103 fuzz on stage. Another thing is the have top be in the perfect place in your signal chain to work effectively, usually the first pedal your guitar sees! One of the great things about a good fuzz is they way they interact with the volume knob on your guitar. When rolled back the clean tone with a good fuzz is something to behold Think Hendrix's clean tone. I always used to drive them like an overdrive and that kept me from ever liking one, they are a completely different animal. You kind of have to a do a deep dive into the people that use them and find out their approach.

I like the sound of smaller amps that are jacked up a little. One of the very best club shows I ever saw was Magic Slim and the Teardrops in Kalamazoo in ‘94. Both guitar players were using Deluxe Reverbs (22 watts) and the stage volume was plenty loud. The tone was glorious.

Honestly, I have never been a fig fuzz fan for my playing. I'm much more distortion and overdrive most of the time. I just find them more musical, though with Fuzz there is also a HUGE variety of different designs / sounds / textures. JHS pedals "Legends of Fuzz" series had SEVEN different pedals, and I know many who bought every single one, because in many ways it was far cheaper than tracking down the originals. Still, I dunno, I just can't bring myself to love fuzz. I love some songs made using fuzz, but part of my brain always goes "this would sound better with overdrive". Maybe I'm just not using the fuzz pedals right.