Recreating 5 Classic Fuzz Flavors with Modern Guitar Pedals | Reverb Tone Report

Vintage and boutique fuzz pedals are great, but they're no small investment. Andy has selected some of his favorite modern dirtboxes that'll fuzz you up without breaking the bank.
Read more on Reverb: bit.ly/34FTDZq
Andy's Setup:
Amp: Suhr Bella 1x12
Guitar: Redtail Custom T, G&L Legacy, Gibson Custom CME Les Paul
Pedals: JHS Muffuletta, Keeley Fuzz Bender, Danelectro Eisenhower Fuzz, EQD Terminal, Dunlop Fuzz Face Mini Germanium
Recording Gear: Universal Audio Apollo 8 QUAD, OX Amp Top Box Attenuator, Royer R-121
Strings: Ernie Ball Slinky 10-46

[@KeithShelley1]

Holy shit that Electric Wizard-esque riff at the end was brutal!

[@JTHelectronics]

@@nickk5948 its currently in production, 149 new

[@powdermnky007]

the look at 9:50

[@KeithShelley1]

@@powdermnky007 he knows what he's doing....

[@superdriver777]

This demonstration just reminded me how epic the riff to "Satisfaction" is....after hearing it so many times on the radio, you just gloss over it, but the tone is so crazy that it must've blown people completely away when it came out in 1965 :-O

[@_-_Michael_-_]

Even Jagger and Richards were blown away, since it was just demo that was suposed to be rerecorded with horns playing the riff. Keith used Maestro FZ-1 as it was marketed, to imitate saxophone, horns, cello and so on. It wasn’t good imitation from modern perspective, but thank god he used it that day. This record kicked fuzz to charts and is our most loved type of sound some 54 years ago. Insane.

[@GildedEntries]

I really missed hearing the click of the Maestro fuzz when Keith goes into the riff. Next time could you mike the switch so we can hear the click in all its heavily reverbed glory.?

[@sundog88888]

@@_-_Michael_-_ As the story goes, The Stones were on tour when the song was released, and they didn't know that the fuzz was left in. They thought it was going to be replaced with horns. They were apparently horrified when they heard it on the radio for the first time.

[@larryh.3173]

_"...but the tone is so crazy that it must've blown people completely away when it came out in 1965."_ I was there. It did. :-) Bought my own Maestro FZ-1 later that same month, IIRC... my first ever pedal purchase! _(Bonus Thoughts: Nowadays, it's probably really hard to believe, but there were hardly any pedals being offered back in those days! My next pedals, bought many, many years later, were a Maestro PS-1A Phase Shifter, then a Ross Stereo Delay and finally a Boss Chorus Ensemble CE-1-all of which which I still own. Sadly, the Maestro fuzz went to my rhythm guitarist a few years later.)_

[@LTJR.]

@@larryh.3173 I hear you man I was a little kid and my cousin Dave took his sister Judy's album and turned me on to it.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Great playing! really capturing those classics

[@drhyde06]

Mister, you also get awesome classic tones, like the vids on fuzz you got covered. Respect! 😎

[@DANTHETUBEMAN]

that danelectro went sub basement.

[@DANTHETUBEMAN]

Have you tried a tone bender mark one , in to a Plexi?? that's The sound for me on these. lots of energy in that gain.

[@andrewpappas9311]

Nice to hear Spirit In the Sky at the beginning, that's one of my go-to fuzz riffs and it's so much fun to play

[@KimonFrousios]

I'm not a fuzz guy. So I only have 3 fuzzes on my board...

[@TheChadPad]

That sounds about right ;)

[@SteveRayMorse]

Yep. Me too

[@axelbergstrom3644]

I also have 3, and 6 that I keep just in case

[@Dam-oH]

Haha. Agreed. I think fuzz needs loud which rules out most of the scenarios I play.

[@HenritheHorse]

I only have 3 fuzzes, but one of them is a triple fuzz...

[@neudan7788]

Holy Sh**, nails Queens of the Stone age. Still the best demons on KZbin, probably the best there are. It's the inspiration, I want to go and play every time I see one of these videos. Big thumbs up! Absolutely superb.

[@granthambeard]

BEST DEMONS EVERRRRR!

[@jordandangelo180]

I love the Fuzz Bender. I can’t wait to get one. I own a Dunlop Germanium Fuzz Face, the big red unit and it sounds unbelievable. The sustain is forever. When the volume on the guitar is on 9, it sounds completely different than when the volume is on 10. It’s super versatile. I was also impressed with the Terminal. Love EQD.

[@jerryweldon803]

The Stooges “1970” nailed with the EQD Terminal. Keep up the good work Andy!

[@gregalon]

If you can make it through this video without putting a Fuzz Bender in your shopping cart your self control is admirable.

[@bimscutney1242]

That Danelectro escalated quickly. Goes to show you don’t need the “Doominator 3000” pedal with a picture of a weed leaf on it to get brutal.

[@CappyRev]

I enjoyed the Danelectro the most.

[@hickorymccay2994]

Where can I buy the pedal you mentioned? The doom one with all the doom.

[@wildeman1253]

@@hickorymccay2994 it's called a EQD Acapulco Gold, all the Doom you could ever want.

[@benjohnson2312]

Thank you for doing a demo thats not just boring fucking blues riffs.

[@davidmuir7711]

“Axis: Bold as Love” sounded great. You were feeling it in your soul. Watched it over several times. You know, Jimi would have been fun to hear playing some Nashville hard-country, he was so good with the double stops and such. He might have gone in that direction one day, or into jazz; who knows? Such a tragic thing, so young. It still haunts me. By-the-bye, the Danelectro sure has its a way about it. Brrr!

[@Schizophrenia222]

Little Sister has to be one Andy’s favorite riffs ever, so many fuzz demos have been blessed with it!

[@al271987]

Stooges right into Supergrass? You’re a classy man, Andy! I salute you!

[@xavierdouglas-smith3682]

This guy knows his stuff and plays fantastically well.

[@meeker514]

I’ve been blessed to have obtained an original Boss FZ-2, which has since become one of if not my favorite fuzz pedal. It’s based off the Univox Super Fuzz just like the Eisenhower from Danelectro. The Eisenhower also has the independent bass and treble controls, but lacks the gain boost. If you’re looking for the sound of the FZ-2 or Super Fuzz, the Eisenhower seems like your best option without having to buy an original of either.

[@50Something]

The cheapest option is the Behringer Super Fuzz, I just picked it up because I sold my real Super Fuzz 10 years ago and really regretted it. The Behringer is really really amazing for $38.99 CAD.

[@Shred_The_Weapon]

I can easily remember being seventeen and telling my instrument retailer that I was after aSteve Vai-type overdrive. Knowing about my budget and the kind of amplifier I was using (which he’d sold me a year-and-a-half earlier), he recommended an Ibanez fuzzbox. Despite a general evasion to Ibanez (having never owned one of their guitars, basses or amps), I took his suggestion. That box was definitely a worthwhile purchase at the time, since it was totally retro, just like the second and last Ibanez stompbox I owned, a kind of new-generation Tube Screamer.

[@montearnstam6827]

On top of these reviews always being great, does anyone else think Andys guitar playing is legend?!?!?! Thanks Andy!! you rip

[@craignesbitt7856]

I like the tone of the Danelectro. My go-to fuzz is my Way Huge Swollen Pickle because of how easy it is to dial in a sound that works and cuts in a band situation. I love the tone of my Big Muff Pi and silicon Fuzz Face but they get lost in the mix.

[@pstrokeslibsarctic]

dazed and confused tone was on point

[@capotastocho]

I like Danelectro

[@davidkastin4240]

The Fuzz Bender gave me goosebumps. Nailed Satisfaction!

[@MrBladle]

I have to say Andy nailed all of the songs and tones, but now I want to see a Doom/Stoner shootout between all the fuzzes marketed for these genres!

[@alexmalch]

Big Muffuletta is perfect for stoner/doom

[@theyreMineralsMarie]

Jack White's Big Muff tone on Black Math still gives me goosebumps to this day.

[@johndrowe5281]

I currently only have six fuzz pedals but by far my favourite is… Well maybe not “by far”, however, my current favourite is Keeley’s ‘s Fuzz Bender! Gives everything from Germanium to Op-Amp to Silicon with a twirl of the “Bias” control! And the HUGE fuzz control, as Andy alluded, can give you all sorts of flavours from each of the three “kings of fuzz” mentioned! Super pedal - try it! Also, I don’t know if Keeley still makes this one but find a “Black Top” fuzz - it has extremely good - GREAT - sustain on its “bold” switch setting (a bit like the E-H Muff Pi original...) Thank you, Andy. Great demo ... as always. God bless and stay safe. Roctor

[@buddhamus]

Once again Andy shows why he is the king of gear reviews. Great playing and knowledge of playing styles and tones. All good stuff.

[@KrisCadwell]

Pick a favorite fuzz tone? Just one? Impossible.

[@dominicmcmahon4798]

I played my Keeley fuzz bender into my thunderverb 200 head out to a torpedo live then into a pa today. The sound was absolutely perfect. Robert did a seriously good job with that pedal.

[@FretFriendGWaL]

Wow: that Danelectro Eisenhower!!! WOW! Did I say WOW yet? WOW!!!

[@johndrowe5281]

I currently only have six fuzz pedals but by far my favourite is… Well maybe not “by far”, however, my current favourite is Keeley’s ‘s Fuzz Bender! Gives everything from Germanium to Op-Amp to Silicon with a twirl of the “Bias” control! And the HUGE fuzz control, as Andy alluded, can give you all sorts of flavours from each of the three “kings of fuzz” mentioned! Super pedal - try it! Also, I don’t know if Keeley still makes this one but find a “Black Top” fuzz - it has extremely good - GREAT - sustain on its “bold” switch setting Thank you, Andy. Great demo ... as always. God bless and stay safe. Roctor

[@chvckfventes]

I bet my neighbors would love some "No Pick Blues" as well. That sounds absolutely massive. Probably the best way to shake off a roof. 😂

[@isaacjohnson.]

epic. just epic. Nice job Andy, excellent playing, and great dialing in those tones.

[@adamburton7471]

That’s the best recreation of “Little Sister” I’ve ever heard

[@KarlSheridan]

The Keeley fuzz bender sounds great

[@caseyking8394]

Enjoyed the dino jr inclusion!

[@paulsummerside]

Loved the Fuzz bender, but hardly “budget” Some nice pedals there. Great review .

[@andredegiant3876]

That Fuzz Face mini sounds divine. It doesn’t get super heavy but the older I get, the less I care about gain and more about sound quality

[@YanivZukerman]

Bold As Love was great

[@bradmcleod3073]

Favorite fuzz tones anyting from early grunge music out of Seattle and anyting by Jimi Hendrix I achieve all those fuzz tones with a way huge swollen pickle and an old school Dyno electric French toast

[@matthogan-jones117]

Favourite fuzz tone is an old RAT into a cranked Orange amp. But that Danelectro sounds fucking awesome!

[@swid_swid_swid]

RAT isn't a fuzz, though, it's an overdrive - it functions by an op-amp driving a diode-based clipping section into clipping, whereas a fuzz pedal features several cascading transistor-based gain stages, each driving the following stage into further clipping with each stage. A lot of people consider RATs fuzzes, because they can venture into a noisy, hard clipped territory (and I tend to sympathize with people who are more likely to classify the pedal as a "distortion" - a far more vague term - though the circuit design unmistakably follows the same philosophy as a TS, OD, Dist+, etc., so even that designation is objectively wrong - it is indeed a versatile overdrive, but an overdrive, nonetheless), but - and I swear I'm not just trying to be pedantic - there are certain sounds that all fuzzes are capable of achieving, and RATs are incapable of those sounds at any setting.

[@matthogan-jones117]

@@swid_swid_swidI see the pedal pedant has arrived. Stfu my post is correct and you can go and bore someone else.

[@swid_swid_swid]

@@matthogan-jones117 Ha, sorry. I'm not being pedantic, though - this video is about fuzz pedals, and you're commenting about overdrives. . .like if it were a video about phasers and you started talking about a compression pedal without any connection. Do what you will, though. Have fun playin' your ukelele, since words are apparently meaningless! :D

[@swid_swid_swid]

@@matthogan-jones117 also, FWIW, I didn't mean to be a dick, anyway - just talking gear nerdery in the comments section of a video about gear nerdery - assumed you might be interested in hearing more info about your pedal based on the context, didn't mean to offend. :D Apologies!

[@pookachu64]

Matt Hogan-Jones it’s really not

[@carlospaz28]

I'd use the Danelectro & Andy's Electric Wizard Inspired Riff as new way to summon the Devil.

[@edadpops1709]

Nice dino jr

[@joebobhenrybob2000]

Reverb dropping out of a charity event because Glenn Frick was also contributing to the charity and reviewed a certain pedal... SUPER classy, Reverb. You've made Music Go Round my first option.

[@Gathbard]

Dammit Andy...you just sold me on the Keeley Fuzz Bender

[@ian.macnicol]

Out of Touch I’ve got an army green one for sale

[@xdumpstrspunionx902]

Really love the Keeley Fuzz Bender

[@alenac7269]

WOW!!! I really enjoyed this ;) Incredible playing, incredible tones -Andy is soooooo cool!!!

[@kevinbirge2130]

Andy is now an icon.

[@mattlawson714]

Every fuzz video should start with something similar to “Spirit in the Sky” which you have done. Amazing!

[@PhilLament]

Honorable mentions to get various tones: DoD Carcosa & MXR Super Bad Ass Variac fuzzes.

[@garethbyrd5860]

The Carcosa a sleeper. It's so versatile.

[@reecedeyoung6595]

I have the variac fuzz. It's got some great sounds. I just wish the voltage adjustment knob was post gain compensated.

[@flux1968]

Sanford Rogers I have a Carcosa and I agree, it's very versatile. I don't know why it doesn't get more love.

[@daveslev]

Thanks for the Feel the Pain lesson!

[@chrishansen-crowley3287]

Zvex Mastotron is my fave. Their subs switch makes it so I don’t lose the bass.

[@santellavision]

I've probably purchased 20 fuzz pedals. The best I've found is the Death by Audio - Fuzz War. Stunning and incredibly versatile.

[@joshuajaworsky5367]

Damn was not expecting the danelectro to sound that good

[@roccer2112]

Andy is really the man, every demo makes me want to go out and buy something

[@TheChadPad]

That Eisenhower Fuzz kicks ASS!

[@BreauxBobby]

Wow. Really cool and versatile fuzz.

[@bobilly]

Thought the Eisenhower was a Foxx Tone Machine clone but this certainly sounds more Shin Ei Superfuzz/Boss FZ2 w that dead on Electric Wizard tone.

[@3three3three3three]

i have the terminal and it's amazing with bass. very synthy. really nails the exit music tone

[@dawsondm1]

What a great video demo! Thanks Andy!

[@leifcarney1075]

Woah! I was aware of all of the different pedals you were playing but haven’t heard the Danelectro Fuzz....that was a hell of a sound. 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻

[@mrfrontranger7911]

The sixties -70 s What a great time in rock . My teens were rockin!!!

[@ciro0107]

That Danelectro killed so fucking much

[@bartni]

this danelectro fuzz is really nice, thanks for introducing

[@MidnightStorm4990]

6:58 I knew what that was before the title came up fucking love it

[@jefftheposter]

8:05 Fantastic!

[@chrisnagy1429]

Beeyooteefull!!! Amazing playing and the tones were smack dab on the money. I love all of them and especially the player. King Andy. Yay!!!

[@FretFriendGWaL]

0:12 extreme left = DOD FX-65 Stereo Chorus: one of the best stereo chorus pedals on the planet IMO (I have one) :D

[@thejonnyfantasm]

Pink Drive by Garland Effects out of Houston, TX mixing it with a Mythos Pedal Golden Fleece or Chupacabra

[@kalkidasofficial]

Jonathan Fant yeah! Golden Fleece and Chupacabra are fantastic!

[@jamessankey01]

Great vid, thumbs up, but you guys ; you've got to annotate the details with time stamps. The size of reverb = no excuse for this omission. Alot of us use these videos for reference. And to really sell the pedals, they should be listed with songs, and times in the details.

[@o.r.grinter7763]

Yes Dino!

[@granthambeard]

Credit to you for playing supergrass son 👍✨

[@disembodiedstudios]

Just busting out feel the pain ehh.. Andys the best. Is there ANYONE who DOESN'T love him?!? Lol

[@billcarson4749]

supergrass! great andy...

[@justinprince222]

God damn that fuckin QOTSA little sister was spot on. Killer playing and killer tone

[@davidtexmex1616]

The moment I saw that capo on the third fret I knew what was going down 🧢

[@BSTRDSTV]

J Mascis liked this

[@kevinbirge2130]

I finally broke down and bought a Shin-Ei Companion. Expensive, but it sounds right.

[@awol.oper8r]

Love my terminal!

[@wizardtooth666]

I been wanting the Keeley and danelectro

[@ICACJ]

But aren't all of Andy's riffs inspired by electric wizards?

[@kosycat1]

Nailed those tones. I have a the BOG fuzz face, Ampeg scrambler clone(a pretty accurate one) but with output knob, and Roger Mayer Octavia, and a rat on my board

[@bocollins1222]

I just noticed Data chillin above the DOD. Make it so Andy....make it so.

[@Kozhanich_i]

Я уважаю этого человека. Хорошие обзоры.

[@paulvigos1]

JHS was expected to be very versatile. Keeley FUZZ is top class. the pleasant surprise was dano fuzz. . I think Jhs is one hell of a choice because of its value for money ratio.

[@BarnacleButtock]

Love the Queens!

[@mypal1990]

The Sasori by Solidgoldfx never disappoints with a recreation of the Companion Fuzz.

[@chrishepburn1503]

Haha I sold that as well. I've tried so many Shin ei Fuzz clones. I think I just need to get the real deal.

[@greeniz2k7]

@@chrishepburn1503 I wasn't looking specifically for the Companion fuzz tone, but tried the Sasori and also sold it. Then I got the 76 fuzz, also by Solidgoldfx, and it's amazing. Kinda in the realm of a Super Fuzz/Standard fuzz/Companion fuzz gritty octave tones and much more tweakable

[@chrishepburn1503]

@@greeniz2k7 it's funny because I have the 76 Fuzz and I Iove it as well. Was looking for a Ibanez standard Fuzz/ super Fuzz clone and it works like a charm.

[@ikesours6558]

Thank you for Dinosaur Jr. J Mascis IS fuzz.

[@johanhofstedt7317]

Andy is King!

[@garagistes1]

Little help: what makes it sound like "Have you seen her?" by the Chi-Lites?

[@JimmyJammy97]

holy wuusshh that tone at the end!!

[@brenan6]

Woah, was NOT expecting Supergrass to make an appearance.

[@eldude-iv8dw]

I have the Muffuletta, it’s epic. But Andy you are right even w the JHS...sadly no you’re always hunting for more fuzz. More!

[@saam6768]

fuck yeah on playing feel the pain.

[@thatguyinaband6341]

Fuzz Bender is the best!

[@alancastellon9225]

Great video makes me wanna experiment with some tones

[@GraffitiPhysical]

A fantastic review. Got to say I like them all. Ahahahahaha. I've already got the fuzz face, it's great with a gained up Marshall because it's subtle. The rule is the higher the output of the fuzz pedal the cleaner your amp has to be.

[@BluesBrogio]

this is andy at his best! love it :)

[@Dudldom]

I got a question. How do these fuzz pedals compare to the Pussy Melter from Steel Panther?

[@therollband1290]

This guy is like the encyclopedia of guitar riffs

[@obody-sl9np]

The fuzz bender sounds THICCC

[@chrishepburn1503]

I bought the Terminal but it didn't do anything for me so I sold it. And I'm a Fuzz junkie with many different Fuzz pedals. I think I will just have to get an original Shin ei Companion fuzz