Tools, Tones and Toys for Guitarists
This one is interesting; it’s a bit MXR Distortion + at the front and a Big Muff tone control at the back. Here we have the Roland BeeGee – I have no idea where the name came from back then. That is an interesting choice from Roland. ROLAND AF-60 BEE GEE – VERO LAYOUT … Read more
Another variation on the Big Muff, the Elk Super Fuzz Sustainar from the early seventies – one of the earliest Japanese copies known. The Elk Super Fuzz Sustainar originally used PNP transistors, which is completely unnecessary now, given the availability of good NPN transistors. The tone section is slightly different from a regular Big Muff, and retains more high-end across … Read more
The Hoof Fuzz – a great variation of the venerable Big Muff from Earthquaker Devices. I think this was the one that really put Earthquaker Devices on the map back in the day. The Cloven Hoof is very similar, but without the germanium transistors. What really helps these is the mid-shift pot. Being able to flatten … Read more
The Univox Super Fuzz is indeed super – possibly my most favourite octave fuzz ever… that was until I discovered the Foxx Tone Machine. It’s now second on the list, although it’s kind of special to me, largely due to Poison Ivy from the Cramps. It’s a legendary fuzz sold under many different names, … Read more
So it’s a Super Fuzz… well, almost. The Ibanez No59 Standard Fuzz has a JFET booster, as opposed to the more complicated 2 x transistor arrangement in the Univox Super Fuzz, and a very slight change in the tone filter section; apart from that, same same. It’s more Super Fuzz than the Ibanez Standard Wau Fuzz, … Read more
Not one seen often in the wild – this is the fuzz section from the Roland AD-50 fuzz wah. ROLAND AD-50 DOUBLE BEAT – VERO LAYOUT
The Ibanez Standard Wau Fuzz is a variation on the Univox Super Fuzz (like so many others). It’s slightly more compact as it uses a JFET instead of 2 x transistors to boost the signal. IBANEZ STANDARD WAU FUZZ – VERO LAYOUT
The Pete Cornish NG-2 fuzz is quite the fuzz pedal. It’s probably one of my favourite modern fuzzes. It’s a real beast when you dial everything up. PETE CORNISH NG-2 – BIG MUFF STAGE The first two stages of the Pete Cornish NG-2 are pretty much a Big Muff. Boost, then clip. The Big Muff … Read more
This is a bare-bones Roland BeeBaa. I built the full version and found that all I really used was the scooped fuzz sound – so this is just that. Nothing but unadulterated vintage Japanese fuzz…. I think this works best with low-gain transistors. I made a version using weird KT315 Soviet BCE transistors, and it sounds mean. … Read more
This diode compressor is by Jonny Reckless on DIY Stompboxes. An original design of his – it’s a really cool sounding compressor, I like it a lot. You can definitely hear it working, this is not one of those compressors that you aren’t sure if it’s on or not – great for clean sounds on a strat. He … Read more