A Fuzz Primer For The Fuzzily Unprimed

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Right then, if you skip to 2:14, this episode is dedicated to fuzz pedals.
Daniel is a HUGE fan of fuzz and has assembled quite the collection.
Vintage fuzzes, modern fuzzes, octave fuzzes...
Today he's taking Mick on a whistlestop tour through some of the history, taking in a few key classics and not-so-classics on the way. They are…
(Original) Maestro FZ-1A Fuzz-Tone
(New) Dunlop Jimi Hendrix Band Of Gypsys Fuzz Face Mini
(Original) Electro-Harmonix Big Muff
(1980s) ProCo RAT
(New) Pigdog MkII Professional
(New) Pigdog Fuzzbound
(Original) Shin Ei Duo Fuzz
(New) GOG Effects Custom Dual Tarkin (and we're really sorry we sort of skipped over this one - no reason other than Dan was all excited about getting on to the…)
(New) Green Carrot Pedals Infatuator
Guitars today are Dan's Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard and Mick's Fender American Vintage 1962 Stratocaster, played through a Mallard 20-watt head, based on a Marshall Plexi circuit. The cabinet is a Marshall 2061cx with Celestion G12H Anniversary speakers.
As always, all amp and effects switching and routing is handled effortlessly by the TheGigRig G2.
www.thegigrig.co.uk/products
Enjoy this vid and we'll se you over at our new channel - please subscribe there...
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[@jaydenwiggins]

Love it! Can't wait to see what else you guys have coming this year!

[@mattpanaccio2334]

The most important element of a good fuzz isn't just a good fuzz pedal.. In my opinion, a great amp makes for a much more responsive and diverse fuzz tone, more than any other type of effect. Also matching the proper type amp with your style pedal and guitar. Great great show

[@abheceshabemuskk3531]

What is best for you? A very clean with lots of headroom sort of amp? a very pushed compressed overdrived amp tone? Or a totally crunch one?

[@jordandangelo180]

I couldn’t agree more. A great fuzz through a shit amp won’t sound great

[@michaela9817]

Just subscribed to the new channel. Looking forward to a great year of That Pedal Show!

[@SCOREWIZARDSMUSIC]

I love the history and science bits...do more of that please! I am not suggesting you turn it into a lecture but those are the parts I like the most. I love the length of these videos also, just the right amount!

[@LukeTozer]

Cheers, guys. Yet again you've saved my dull Friday afternoon at work!

[@ForViewingOnly]

Thanks guys! I was one of the fuzzily unprimed, and now I feel much more primed. I don't know why it took me two and a half decades to get into fuzz, but now I can see that it could easily become an obsession! Basic Audio Scarab Deluxe owner here... I received it on Christmas Eve and still experimenting and loving it!

[@nalu1462]

Thoroughly enjoyable viewing experience! Thanks guys;)

[@gareth662000]

Ahhhhh Friday! Relax, and see what the lads have for us this week lovely 😃

[@guilhermearaujo1781]

Watching all again on ‘18 😀 every episode is a classic.

[@lufiealice6251]

One of the best demo channels on KZbin, good work.

[@stuartnarduzzo4868]

Awesome as always guys!!

[@1961jscofield]

Just subscribed to the new channel, thanks guys for all these fantastic videos!

[@tonys2705]

Hey, you guys are great! So informative. Great chemistry. And always entertaining... You've probably helped millions of players, myself included, to make wise choices in the gear we spend so much of our money on.. Pedals, pedals, and more pedals!! Thanks guys. Great playing, by the way.... For our sakes, keep it up!

[@TheGigRigDaniel]

+Tony Sinopoli thanks Tony, Majd sure you're subbed to the new channel :)

[@ChrisGeddesMusic]

Watching the glorious bromance between you two blossom has been a privilege to behold. Subscribed to the new show, and am eagerly waiting the new videos. Awesome news to hear you'll be working with Andertons and Pete as well. If you want a suggestion, it'd be cool if you did some videos comparing Chinese pedals to the ones that inspired them. Particularly the Klones, the Tone City KoT copy, and the Tone City Mandragora (Kalamazoo copy). Maybe even compare the Angry Charlie to the MI Crunchbox. I know a few other channels have done this, but you guys actually know how to play guitar, and you always do a great job of micing your amps, so your videos are far more useful.

[@TheGigRigDaniel]

Cheers Chris, yes, I want to do a show on clones, should be interesting :)

[@arbiforumnow]

Yup... my favorite fuzz video. thanks guys!

[@CARBr6]

Oh my God! I love that COG Effects Custom Dual Tarkin. That is my kind of Fuzz!! And that Infatuator, AMAZING Excellent video guys. I will be subscribing to your new channel, FEED my pedal addiction

[@DomSchu]

Man that Big Muff sounds killer

[@SCOREWIZARDSMUSIC]

New channel looks amazing! Organized by subject just how I always wished channels would do!

[@slowpoke7888]

Very cool trip back in time.

[@ed1978ed]

Another great show guys! And wow! That Muff!! And also the Rat! Great stuff!

[@edwinjanack1847]

That Pedal Show is a great learning experience. I've learned more from you guys than I had learned the whole rest of my music experience. I sub'd to the new channel, and thank you so much!

[@TheGigRigDaniel]

Our pleasure Edwin :)

[@Volos__]

Not gonna lie, I absolutely LOVE that sound at 13:42. But that's because I like noise and The Dillinger Escape Plan and other marvellous explorations in grim dissonance. STRAYA!

[@JoeAlba]

Nice work, guys! I'd love to see an episode on running fuzz in front of a dirty amp instead of a clean one. Or even putting a fuzz in front of a light distortion pedal, which is what I wind up doing often. It's pretty fun.

[@ggman946]

I laughed out loud when you put them all on at once

[@strings2wood]

Loved Mick's ballad at the end...

[@itsdaviaquino]

Dan and Mick, this is the BEST guitar related channel on youtube. You guys know your shit and do such an amazing job in passing it on. There's way too many guitar wankers out there that will "demo" a overdrive pedal by cranking the gain all the way up. I wish I was still living in Dublin and we could go for 347 pints of Guinness whenever you guys were visiting!!! Keep on rocking that pedal show!!!

[@brianpatrick6102]

Has it been 4 years already?!? This is still my favorite episode. Glad I'm not the only one who turns into a giddy school girl over fuzz. =)

[@furyiiiplate]

Back in 70's I was just trying to play and I bought a Little Muff Pi. When I plugged that in, all of a sudden I could play like a whizz. I was 14 and playing Black Sabbath. Some of the most Glorious Days of my life. I would love to buy another, but can't find them anywhere.

[@FunctionStore]

Loved the 'Shin Ei Duo Fuzz', it is basically an analog octave-up fuzz with those harmonics (which now you just mentioned now that I watched it longer)

[@GuitarStu]

Fuzz Fuzz Fuzz. The new channel needs more Fuzz!

[@charlie7011]

thankyou for doing more fuzz!!!! Can you please do another show with more obscure fuzz tones?

[@Hangingofgiants]

Band that really well used that discordant stuff Mick is doing at 14min is Norma Jean. A Small Spark vs A Great Forest was the track which immediately sprung to mind.

[@JaggySam]

I've got one of the GCP Infatuator's from the original run of 20. Great pedal, so many options!

[@BasementShopGuy]

Guys - I'm friggin' dying over here with the "name-drop" horn. SO funny!!

[@rjoshi1]

I laughed so hard .. you guys are awesome. 9 chained fuzzes is hilarious :)

[@TheGigRigDaniel]

+rajesh joshi ;)

[@orcristwielder]

+Raj Joshi Great tone...you could really hear the wood in the guitar hey? :)

[@thepeoplesgunny4180]

Gents.. your vids.. ALL of them.. are great for a sagging economy. Appreciate you both!

[@TheGigRigDaniel]

+Mike Jackson cheers Mike ;)

[@jordandedomusic]

I have a silicon OxFuzz on the way. Can't wait! Btw, you guys should do an episode comparing speakers. There's such a vast selection out there but you could cover the more common makes and throw in some wild cards.

[@VintageSG]

Fuzzy-wuzzy wuz a bear Fuzzy-wuzzy had no hair Fuzzy-wuzzy wuzn't fuzzy, wuzzy.

[@AName-mg2bd]

This just made my day.

[@MWHOME]

Awesome! And even better, you get to see your fillings at 2:33!!! Rock on gents.

[@simon01ize]

The Hendrix Fuzz Face is so,so good.

[@benworrell4412]

I use the swollen pickle, super versatile fuzz, but man i want more fuzz pedals lol

[@estring69]

I think you guys have edged into the lead. Nice!

[@whangie1]

If this was made today (2019) they would have had access to the EHX reissues of the Triangle, Op Amp and Sovtek Big Muffs. I would have liked to see them try those!

[@Jpup3]

Brilliant vid guys! I've learnt a lot from you guys and about gain structure and ordering pedals etc having just started building a pedalboard! Although will there be a video where you're NOT staring into each other's eyes? ha.

[@krispatel1]

Great vid. I think I liked the tonebender the most. I still need to get one. I've just bought a fuzz probe. Bit disappointed that you didn't check the cleanup on that last sound haha

[@ramonaHQ]

That Big Muff sounds REALLY good. 😻

[@iiaaiiaannaaiiaaii]

Great show as always, thanks. Have you guys done a gated fuzz episode?

[@JIMJAMSC]

I credit the Big Muff to the large surge of guitarist that appeared in the early/mid 70s which fueled the 80s era. I remember the guitar as this thing that sounded nothing like the records and was frustrating. Then I plugged it into a Muff!! The coolest most incredible sound ever came out of the speaker and I was forever addicted. Had the Muff never appeared, a lot of guitarist like me would have gave up.

[@_PJC_]

fantastic as usual Gents. Micks all pedals on attempt at plastic surgery by adam ant was massive. maybe the Goombay dance band next week!

[@peterzarkadas]

Good one. Very funny and informative.

[@The10000lbGorilla]

I love my Muff, one of my favorite things is using it with my looper and overdubbing the same riff 2 or 3 times and suddenly you have a synth line that sounds absolutely nothing like a guitar.

[@JudsonGraham]

i love herarinng the different pedals with the different guitars and going "oh that's (insert band here)"

[@cgraugaard]

Absolutely in love with the Pigdog MkII Professional! It's just too expensive for me. Any suggestions on a cheaper alternative?

[@MessiahofFire]

26:58 Best Part, somehow still has more clarity than a metal zone.

[@DrumStrum]

Thanks again, guys.

[@juanmartinreborati7928]

Awesome!! Thanks!! What about fuzzes and wah-wahs? To Buffer or not to buffer? Have a great year!! Cheers for Uruguay

[@williamrustrum]

Sweet! I hope to run into you guys at NAMM!

[@konnektlive]

Thanks heaps :) Been following your channel since day one and I absolutely love it. Oh BTW, I'm a RAT collector and and RAT is both distortion and fuzz. I was waiting for you to dime the distortion knob on it to get into crazy crazy fuzz type unique to RAT. If you keep the distortion low with the volume at 3 or more you are in distortion heaven! But if you keep the volume at noon or 1 o'clock and dime the distortion with the filter at 2~3 you are in fuzz world. Cheers! And please if you can make a video about buffers and also about volume pedals. Where to put the buffers in the chain to help us use the volume pedals (volume pedals usually suck tones! grrr!) without the tone being affected. Thanks again!

[@brianpatrick6102]

This fuzz addict approves. :) Never have enough fuzz. See you on the new channel.

[@justdeletethisaccount4411]

The square wave is rather smooth sounding actually, with flat tops and no peaks. Most fuzz tones, like a saxophone will produce a sawtooth wave. Nice history of the fuzz. Thanks

[@tonyz4292]

Great episode! Think it's time for a univibe shoot out! 👍🏽

[@qorwoduf4]

Hey Dan! Big fan of your work. Which Jackson Ampworks amps have you tried? I'm guessing you don't have the one in the video anymore given the video is from 4 years ago. I'd love to hear about your experience.

[@JeremyMetal]

That Strat sounds so damn good.

[@SickMetalAddict]

Hey you guys at Pedal Show! Would you please do a demo of how you can get the Victory V40 1x12 to sound like something that compares with the Marshall JTM45 as a clean base for pedals, and demonstrate it through the angry charlie and OCD? I really wanna see that mid hump being articulate with the v40 in a similar way it is with the JTM :)

[@commandhtf]

Proco Rat fuzziest setting is: Distortion maxed and filter at 9. You won't believe how fuzzy it sounds, especially with humbuckers.

[@bryanallenguitar6714]

to me the best sounding pedal here was that red mini fuzz face.. did you hear that? that Gnarly "wooooooo"... teetering on the edge of breaking throgh and/ or feedback,,,, love love love love... just ordered one..cheap too! half the price of the analog man sunface! (which is a great great pedal..dont get me wrong)

[@Harry-zc8rg]

I agree I love mine. It is a very unique fuzz sound. Very aggressive and chaotic sounding, but it is a pretty versatile pedal. I go back and forth between the Band of Gypsys fuzz and an If6was9 Fuzz.

[@gilbert9086]

Lmfao You guys had me cracking up so loud at work with all those pedals on. x) wild.. Also, I want one of your pedal show shirts!! How can I purchase one

[@iamkennymartin]

Check out the Caroline Olympia Fuzz and/or the Caroline Wave Cannon MK I at high gain. Great stuff. I took my big box Rat off the board for the Wave Cannon. And I mean it has a 'Havoc' switch. You can't go wrong. ;)

[@npinero1]

lol! The horn is awesome

[@eivindnyhus9181]

I love the BigMuff. What a fist of facebreaking power that thing brings!

[@TheGigRigDaniel]

Yeah, it's pretty amazing

[@MrShadowofthewind]

No rumble from Link Wray ? Probably the first ever song that used fuzz, and till this day the most badass !

[@coreyweatherford3297]

Pretty sure they didn't have fuzz pedals in 58. He used a fuzz face live in the 70s, but the original is just a super dirty cranked tube amp. Probably a fender tweed.

[@MrShadowofthewind]

Corey Weatherford It doesn't matter what he used, what matters is his sound used on the track, wich undeniably had fuzz to it, Tony Iommi never used fuzz pedals yet there is fuzz in his sound aswell from the laney amp - dallas rangemaster combination, Link Wray claimed he used to punch holes in his amps for the effect, he is probably the reason why the fuzz effect exists.

[@VintageSG]

Nice to see Link getting some love. Check Grady Martin out too if you haven't already. He was getting some great dirty tones with the Johnny Burnette Trio that sound mighty fuzzy to me.

[@WatchesnguitarsDK]

Anderton's NAMM coverage was great last year. This year's going to be even greater!

[@WatchesnguitarsDK]

Or Anderton's' or whatever :-)

[@HawxGaming]

+Wethewax Andertons or Andertons, Kope or Cope? My brain...

[@HawxGaming]

Nein.

[@WatchesnguitarsDK]

+Hawx Ha! I guess I got a problem. Or I've got...

[@DIEGO55762]

Really monster sounds.you play guitars so cool. which fuzz you used at 2 19 to 2 31 minutes video? thanks bros .

[@chrisdeterman3247]

I went with an mxr classic 108. so far no oscillating annoyances even without the filter. I'm using a vox wah. problem now is I wonder what the others sound like?

[@chrisheyes66]

Love the Matt Bellamy tone with them all on at once, yeah!!

[@kclawrance]

What's the guitar paradisso thing you have going on with Andertons and Danish Pete I'm curious as to the different formats?

[@JimijaymesProductions]

Couldnt find any videos where you covered fuzz and realised they are on this channel not the new one (well not really neww these days). Have either of you tried the Maxon Elements, Im looking for a MKII and its Wind considerably cheaper than alot of them, there is also Fire and Void which seem cool.

[@belo1971]

What is the softer fuzz to start with for a guy completely in love with boutique OD pedals ? Thanks and kindest regards

[@Avalanche1368]

+ You want some FUZZ? Run an J. Rockett Archer Ikon on a clean boost setting into a JHS Firefly into a Big Muff and you'll have more fuzz than an all girls junior high school! It's amazing the tones that you can dial in with the 3 pedals stacked together. I stumbled on the set-up when I added the firefly. I had planned on replacing the Muff with the Firefly, as it's such a good Fuzz pedal...... But then I figured since I had room on the board for both pedals, to leave it in place until I needed the space. I'm glad I did!

[@urilacambrafrias]

Hey man you're awesome as always, keep on rocking! I just need an Univibe style pedal video, that's indeed an awesome pedal with no some many options as other pedal style! Cheers from Catalunya!

[@gdawgs101]

Earthquaker Devices: The Depths. You're welcome...

[@urilacambrafrias]

Hey man have already seen this a long time ago! Extremely cool, but no tremolo option....What a Shame. Maybe the Fulltone Mini Deja Vibe....

[@gdawgs101]

+urilacambrafrias I know the MXR/Dunlop Hendrix Vibes have a tremolo option. Not sure about the Deja Vibe although I've heard it's a great pedal.

[@urilacambrafrias]

The EHX Good Vibe is a cool option, with photocells as original, but demos don't convince me.... as the Voodoo Lab Micro VIbe, also with photocell but no trem. The MXR is indeed cool and seems to sound great, although not photocells. I must definetly try them! (though the Fulltone seems the one for me...)

[@TheGreensuperman]

Can you guys do a fuzz shootout through a fender deluxe reverb type amp? So we can see the different characteristics of different fuzzes through a clean tone

[@lukepowell1201]

Good God that was awesome!

[@EzyoMusic]

I own a ZVex Fat Fuzz Factory by now, but I'm looking for another to complement it!

[@Fugue602]

Hope to meet you guys at NAMM!

[@vetacoth]

What song was that at about 15:30 ? It's been itching at me and I feel like it's a Hendrix song but I just can't remember! It does sound glorious though.

[@TheNorthAmericanGuitar]

Yes indeed! And an SG Jr!

[@TheGigRigDaniel]

My 61 Les Paul Jr, just a ridiculously wonderful guitar :)

[@TheNorthAmericanGuitar]

+Daniel TheGigRig I beg its pardon!

[@jonnyhafer6279]

you guys gotta check out the original maestro demo record. you will hear it sounding like many horns really well. also check out Otis Reddings version of satisfaction he uses horns for the riff. its very cool... Jonny Hafer Sound Sounds fuzz filters

[@1971SuperLead]

I had no idea the Rat was a fuzz. So glad you had a Maestro here. A pedal you might have forgotten was the Boss Heavy Metal pedal.

[@JimijaymesProductions]

+1971SuperLead Technically Rat isn't really a fuzz (it is opamp based and uses clipping diodes but so does the Op amp muff) but it gets fuzzy at high gain so can get fuzzy tone but compared to saomething using germanium transistors it isn't quite the same.

[@chrislongovids]

+JimijaymesGuitarist I would never classify the Rat as a Fuzz pedal. It's basically a tweaked version of the MXR Distortion+. To disagree with teh video, I'm not sure if I'd call the Big Muff circuit a simple fuzz either. It's got four transistor amplification stages (opamps in some versions), two being diode clipping stages. Compared to Fuzzface circuits which are basically two transistors and some biasing circuitry. I've always considered Big Muff a distortion that can sound fuzzy. The scooped mids are what does it.

[@1971SuperLead]

CAL NYC Really? A Rat is a tweaked MXR Distortion +? Because I love the Distortion +. I don't feel like the Rat is as dynamic (meaning the distortion fades quickly when rolling off the guitar"s volume) I love a dynamic pedal. Someone tell me what the most dynamic pedal is.

[@khurai111]

+1971SuperLead I agree the Rat is not a fuzz but the manual for the thing wants us to call it that way.

[@gabrielperrymusic]

Yeah, I didn't think a RAT pedal was considered a fuzz pedal either. I've tried different fuzz pedals, but just can't get on with them. I do, however, have a few RAT pedals and love 'em. They seem smoother to me compared to fuzz pedals.

[@83draconian]

Hey guys!! Big fan of yours. I was wondering if in the near future, you could do a video on how switching a 12ax7 tube for a 5751 tube has an impact on a tube amp (in the first position AND on the Phase Inverter position). Does it REALLY give you more Clean Headroom, reduces volume, etc.? Also, what are your personal preferences on the matter? I would really appreciate it.

[@TheGigRigDaniel]

I think a show on valves is a good call :)

[@mattyk112]

+Daniel TheGigRig and one on rectifier tubes and solid state ones

[@nicholasgell3264]

All fuzzes on together was the funniest moment in youtube pedal reviews. ever. Mick's face at the end looks like he's just but seriously busted doing something very bad. :)

[@MrJaapdeboer]

So I've been looking for a fuzz pedal, but it seems to be very hard. I like the sound of the Swollen Pickle and some of the available fuzz faces, but I usually do not like Big Muffs. I play a Danelectro into a Marshall silver jubilee 1x12. I also have other guitars, but intend to use the fuzz mainly with the Dano Any recommendations are greatly appreciated

[@alguitarchristie]

Hey guys, I was looking back through all your videos on Fuzz, trying to find the Fulltone soul bender, but didn't find it. Have you tried it? And is it worth me driving 20 miles to try?Of course you are the standard by which i judge all others. Cheers

[@zlippery1]

It would be interesting to have an discussion about bias. For example tone loss with a lot of pedals. TheGigRig business models IS pedals put on a rig. Very often straight in to the amp gives best tone.

[@MrBingping]

Surprised you guys didn't include the tube driver. I know it was marketed as an overdrive, but it definitely gets fuzzy with the gain dialed up

[@toreknutsen7251]

I'm using a fuzz face 68 clone with germanium together with a voxac15c1/ac10c1 and telecaster. Dirty top boost an the FF on full both on gain and volume (just a hair back to get rid of the bumblebee sound). I control everything from my volume and tonecontrols. Sweet sounds all over from clean to fat lead. Almost always on:)

[@toreknutsen7251]

Fuzz face 66 clone not 68....;)

[@EdParker98]

Hi guys, I'm in the market for my first ever fuzz....any recommendations for a good all rounder that covers most sounds that is other pedal and humbucker friendly? I don't mind spending a bit. Any advice would be much appreciated...ps loooove the show!

[@mattchutney]

G'day just wondering about your thought of the z vex fuzz ez and if you rate them or not?

[@koski666]

I want a That Pedal Show t-shirt!!!

[@fillipemadureira9210]

You should make a video about octave fuzzes!

[@Iisidjenejiirjrkgawdcv9888yyyt]

Love you guys! OMG! DAMN!!!!!!!!!!