DISTORTIONS- SBS

DISTORTION PEDALS

If distortion pedals were edible all rock guitarists would be obese.

The first guitar distortion was created when someone probably in the late 40's or early 50's walked over to their small tube amp with just a volume knob and cranked it up full just to be heard in a noisy crowded club .Even when the fuzz arrived the amps still had only one volume knob. If you wanted some distortion you had to play loud.
Today's distortion can be thought of as a booster overloading a preamp inturn overloading an amp...all in one small box.
They give you anything from medium to high amounts of distortion with lots of sustain. Anything less is an overdrive, Some players back off the gain on a distortion pedal and use it as an overdrive.
Unlike overdrives where there is a great advantage to having a few. One great one is all you need.
I have four.
OK! Let's have a look at my treasures...and I will give you the how...why..and how much.

LET'S BUY A DISTORTION PEDAL

JOYO US DREAM

My first one is a Joyo US Dream...a Suhr Riot clone. It has a very American sound. It is warm with a full mid range with bit of a boost around 1 k. Shades of Mesa Boogie.. I love this sound but I love a Brit sound too.
                                                                      JOYO US DREAM  Current Price $30.00 USD

.

                             SUHR RIOT
                             Current Price $200.00 USD


















Notice  the distinct look of the Joyo ...you would never guess what they cloned

BIYANG DS-10 MAXIMUM DISTORTION
Basically a good Marshall JMC 800 take off.. I have heard a few...and the basic EQ has the familiar scoop or mid range cut that this one has...actually most have a sweeter tone. This one is a bit harsh...but in a nice nasty way.  I heard it on a Les Paul and it was great, Then on a Strat....WOW!....many good pedals make the Strats pickups sound like indistinct thin hummies. Not this...the Strat sound comes through loud and clear and  fat!...fat!..fat!.

                                           BIYANG DS-10 MAXIMUM DISTORTION

                                                           Current Price $42.00 USD            

ALL THE SAME "MOOER" OR LESS
When I first got into buying pedals on-line like most I did know what was what. I thought Gourmet pedals just have to be amazing. You could buy them from important distributors like 'Godlyke'.
Don't they sell only the best?  I heard an amazing  pedal...the TWA Flyboy FB-05 Metal Distortion....it was a gourmet pedal...my god...only $69.00 USD ....of course after shipping and various blah...about $100.00.....LUCKY ME!!! Just gotta have one!!!

The story gets better. Later I heard another demo...by Donner Giant Metal Distortion...it sounded great too....so why not get one....only  $31.00 USD...free shipping too.
So I bought that too.

Both sounded the same...and neither of them sounded like their demo!!!


Much later I found out they were both a Mooer Blade Distortion...Current Price $48.00 USD


I learnt TWO important lessons.
Do not trust a demo that does not show or tell you what amp it is going thru and you should hear that amps clean sound first.The pedal should not be teamed up with other pedals either.... unless you here it first without them.
Secondly if a pedal is made in China you have to find out if it is manufactured by the brand name printed on the pedal.

I not only ended up with 2 pedals the same...I was gouged on one. What's more although the pedal has it's use....one use...it is not what I expected or wanted.


                           Current Price $31.00 USD.                        Current Price $69.00 USD

Current Price $48.00

The pedal is as extreme metal as you can expect. The top end sounds more shrill then running your finger nails across a chalk board.
It does shine at one thing. If you want to play triplets at 120 bpm or faster every note will articulate with awesome clarity...and at that speed you will have the odd note that is played with something less then perfection...but this thing will correct your minor fluff. So I did keep the first one...the TWA.
Yes...I can play that fast....on a good day...LOL

OK...I have had for some time with it since writing this review...Plenty of time to cool out over the BS.
It is really not bad...punchy and oddly quiet. Switching to it in a solo then back to a very good Metal distortion can be quite effective...it is not noticeably different to your average listener...so they put what you CAN do with it is put down by the audience as your great technique. LOL

BIYANG METAL-END...'KING'

Before you read about this distortion...I must warn you in order to get one...you have to make a deal with some guy...I think his name is DEVOL....yeah...that's it Mr.. DEVOL!  A nice sort of guy...I think.... he is into the footwear manufacturing business...shoes or something because he wanted my sole.

I heard this demonstrated thru the clean sound of a small practise amp.

My first impression was...."OK....Who do I have to kill to get one???

So the first thing you will notice is that it's really big. It takes up a lot of pedal board space.I found a simple way to get around this. GET A BIGGER PEDAL BOARD!
Lots of knobs and switches but none of them are just stuck in there to make the pedal look impressive. You click a switch or move a knob...and you get very niceable changes.

The EQ can both boost....or cut the signal..... The killer is the mids. They are sweepable...it is like tuning in a radio...you move it until it is EXACTLY where you want it. So you want a scoop...
you can pull out the mids while leaving some low mids to add to the bass for a massive low end.

You twiddle a few  knobs and ...poof....you have perfection. but wait you have a second guitar. No big deal...plug it in.and with a few minor adjustments...and it is perfection plus for that guitar too.
You can get a Modern distortion out of it....it even has 'label' on the toggle to get you started.
BUT...this really shines pulling off those Classic Marshall Sounds.

                                                                                           Current Price $65.00 USD
SO WHAT''S THE BASIC SOUND???  
sorry I can not tell you....there are not any words that I can say that would do it justice.
It really is that good.

How does it compare with all the competition?

Line up every high end gourmet distortion...even if it is a few hundred bucks!

The best you could convince me of is a tie..  this sucker will eat all but maybe a couple in seconds.

            The best thing about the Metal-End pedal

                                is.... $65.00 USD

BOGNER UBERSCHALL

So just when I sit down with my smug and arrogant self to waddle in my genius of picking the perfect pedal...this gourmet jobbie comes knocking on my opinionated door!

                                                                Current Price $200.00 USD

So what does it sound like? A damn Metal-End King!!! So who has been sneaking inside what/which box???  Just kidding!!! LOL

Ok...the Bogner is darker sounding.. Like Bogner amps it just screams "MODERN". The Metal-End sounds like it almost has a reverb on the voice...and leans heavily into the Marshall thing.
In spite of the lack of bells and whistles of the Uberschall...I would call it a tie,
If you like your distortion very defined the Uberschall will do it .It doesn't have a trace of fuzziness...you get a maximum distortion yet every note is clean and defined with maximum bite. Nothing is tighter sounding as this distortion. the high end sounds like a Tube Screamer...the bass is defined and very tight...the mids are smooth and full but they seem to make lots of room for the highs and lows.
What I like about it is it is the opposite of the Metal.End.
It is almost sythetic...but in a good way

so at the best price on Amazon at $200.00 USD . It still is worth a cautious listen. I do not think
either will disappoint you.

Bottom line. It just gets down to your taste. The Metal End is easily as good. The Metal End...is so cheap ya just gotta think...that the Bogner has to be at least a tad better. NO! it is not even 1% better...just different. So if you choose the Metal End because it is the best you can afford. Cheer up you just got a distortion that nothing can beat. Tie maybe...but beat?.... Neve

SURPRISE BARGAIN... Wampler Plextortion

So there is nothing wrong with 'any' gourmet pedal that a 75 percent price reduction can not fix.

One of  Wampler's biggest selling pedals for the last 4 years is the WAMPLER PLEXTORTION
a Marshall JMC800 distortion/overdrive pedal. You can dial in the classic scooped sound of the Metal players or dial up other great sounds  with a very nice 3 way EQ.  Perhaps get a  rich middy sound...which is very thick with lots of rich overtones. Pinched  harmonics leap out easily and the pedal is very quiet. It is made with the best parts, has a beautiful finish and is built like a tank.
They now make a variation of it nailing the EVH signature sound. So they discontinued the Plextortion.
Some dealers are waiting a bit longer and are holding down the current price as long as they can...asking between $199.00 and $245.00 for it
Others are announcing  "last chance to buy a classic" and putting the price up
In fact way up to $400.00
Last and more important to us ...some dealers are dumping them out..at $138.00 USD...we are talking
SBS prices....lol
OK not SBS prices...but for a splurge...this is a cheap treat.

COMPRESSORS- SBS....many makes,many types...2 cheapies and a best for the Bucks

lots of new up dates...vids too..
more to come...

COMPRESSORS

WHAT DO THEY DO ?

They even out your clean sound and give you lots of sustain.

You all know what they do...you just never thought about it this way

"UH!" you say!

Yes. So you watch a movie.

The dialogue when the actors are talking is easily heard

. 

If an actor screams you know by the 'TONE' of the voice it is a scream....BUT THE SOUND OF THE SCREAM IS NOT LOUDER THEN THE ORDINARY DIALOGUE.

An actor whispers and you also know by the "TONE' of the whisper it is whispering....BUT THE SOUND OF THE WHISPER IS NOT QUIETER THEN THE ORDINARY DIALOGUE.

IT IS THE COMPRESSOR  PUMPING AWAY!!!!    IT IS JUST THAT SIMPLE!!!!

HOW IT WORKS...AND WHAT IT DOES FOR YOUR SOUND

Dial up your fav clean sound. Hit a nice big fixed position chord...a G Major is perfect.

Now hit it hard...and listen to it fade away until it is gone.

Note: it is loudest when you hit it (this is called the attack) then it fades a bit (this is called decay) then it rings awhile at the same volume (this is called sustain) then it fades away to nothing (this is called release)

Now you turn on a simple 2 knob compressor and turn up the compressor knob to about two thirds of the way....and repeat hitting the G and listen. The loud hit is turned down...it is just a bit louder then the sustain....but the overall level is quieter.

So you turn up the volume knob to equal the loudness of the guitar when the pedal is off...

then....hit the G and listen again. Fat? Lots of sustain?

WHAT"S GOING ON ?

Simple...the compressor turns down the level of just how loud the signal is allowed to be no matter how hard you strike the strings. The volume knob brings the overall sound back up to the desired volume you wish to hear.
The sustain can only be as long as the strings are ringing it is just that when the sound naturally fades away that the fade has been turned up to be very loud. In short at say a 10 to one ratio the the sound is actually at all the same loudness.
If when we hit the string we were to refer to it as shouting and when it fades we referred to it as whispering ...then the tone sounds relatively natural because the tone of a shout is much different the the tone of a whisper. 

What happens is the same for all compressors. How it's done is different

The problem with compressors is that this is an unnatural thing to do....the best try and hide it. They also try to remove the side effects created by different methods of compressing. Like 'poping' which is the sound made on the 'attack' or the pluck sound of a string. No matter what electronic device you put a guitar signal thru...the natural sound of the guitar will change. Some designs try to fix this ...while others say...if the guitar signal is going to be 'coloured' lets try to make a colour that is pleasant...even desirable.

COMPRESSOR TYPES

THIS IS WORTH A QUICK READ...SOME OF YOU HATE THE TECH THING...SO

 ONLY THE 'NEED TO KNOW' INFO IS HERE.

OTA:  Operational Trans Conductant Amplifier

            All you need to know is it is the cheapest. The 'pop' is very noticeable in most...but the best have a nice 'colour'
If you now what a 'saturated' distorted guitar sound...sounds like...just think of the same sound...but completely free from dirt...saturated but dead clean.
The first one ever made is the MXR Dyna-Comp...lots of pop but the colour though glaring is pleasant. Not long after that the Ross came out...the pop is softer...the colour is less strident.

Like the unintentional sound of the distortion of early amps...some  Funk players and virtually all Country players have made the 'SOUND" of the OTA compressor ...especially the MXR,  part of their sound.

The KEELEY 4 KNOB  ....quickly got a reputation as the best of this type...it hides the 'pop' by giving you a knob so you can let the compression kick in after the 'attack' is over. Best of all its overall colour is simply very pleasant. Do in no small part to the best components.
The newcomer is the WAMPLER EGO ....a new contender for best OTA...they use a 'blend' knob to allow some of the natural signal to be combined with the compressed one. Both pedals work and sound great. There are others in the wings..
but this is all  $200.00 plus stuff
.
The coolest of the new comps has got to be the Xotic SP Compressor...a new Ross comp...mini pedal with a nice job of killing the 'pop'...fixing the highs and lows ...and managing to give the thing a really great sound in the bargain. It is also the cheapest of the new breed of OTA gourmet comps.

VCA:  Voltage Controlled Amplifier

            the cheapest way to get a straight forward colourless signal.

            Keeley does these too.

FET:  Field Effect Transistor

           clear but with character...just a little bit of sweet distortion
           The URIE/UNIVERSAL 1176 arrived 1968....is still considered the best...and the most loved
            compressor...ever. You can now get the Origin Effects Cali 76 pedal clone.

      Cali 76   Current Price $564.00                                      UREI 1176 Current Price $4000.00 USD
                                                                                                             or more !!!!  used.

OPTICAL: Photo Resistor

                     smooth and natural sounding...organic earthy...but slow response time.

                      Diamond make the most note worthy

MULTI-BAND:  Software based digital

                            Used in software based Workshop recording. One can divide the signal up and compress the lows different from the highs..or the upper mids different then the lower mids etc.
The possibilities are endless. Or...copy the sound of any type or even a specific model of a well known or classic compressor The downside to some is that digital has it's own tone or colour. A glassy sound..that sounds crisp and clean to some but metallic and strident to others.


COMPRESSOR EXPANDER:
This is hybrid of both a compressor and an expander. What is an expander? Simple it is the opposite of a compressor ...it turns the signal up. It can be cleverly used so that when the comp has started to fade away it turns the volume up. It creates a swelling effect. This is a godsend if you are doing a hammer-on or a gliss or even a long vibrato as you do not have that terrible effect of your fingers still moving and nothing is coming out! I call it the terrible 'choke'. At high gain you often get some feedback from the amp. BUT! At lower gain it is a problem.

The Keeley Plus is a good example of this. At $129.00 USD it's a bargain. I expect the basic circuit borrows from the OTA Keeley 4 knob. Unless you are into a very even clean sound perhaps using acoustic style finger picking or perhaps a folk or jazz flavoured music and find the swelling a bit too dramatic then this pedal is not to be missed. Keeley are in a lot of bricks and motor stores so trying it out should not be too hard.

.
AIR COMPRESSOR
                               Do to it's incredibly loud noise floor. No one knows how well it works Many think this replacement for Ross's original pedal version is why the company went under..

WHICH IS THE BEST FOR YOU?
WHICH IS THE CHEAPEST?

The best way to think of a Compressor is see it as an Overdrive for your clean sound.

You would not use a Metal overdrive for music that needed a Tube Screamer.

Of course taste comes into it too. Since we are all about price we will look at the cheapest 

way to get the desired results.

There are 2 types that will do a great job for under our goal of under $100.00 and one 

that will almost do anything for under $200.00

The cheapest is an OTA ...the second cheapest is an OPTICAL and the splurge item is

MULTI-BAND.

.

THE BEST CHEAP COMPRESSORS

These are the best 3. All are Pro sounding. Three I own. I choose the fourth one because the quality is second to none and there is little this thing cannot do. It is here because it is an exceptional value for the money.
I recently had a chance to try a Joyo...so it is here too.
I am debating whether or not to show you a demo...because there is nearly nothing to hear.

I will put in one that is the only one that best describes how they work. This is an exceptional video.
The guy takes a difficult subject and makes it clear and actually quite easy to follow.
I think you will even find it entertaining.

OTA

This is a great place to start. In spite of the 'poping'. The classic MXR DYNA COMP is the yardstick against all OTA compressors ...since the others are all clones or modified clones.. The cheapest of the clones is the CALINE CP-10 HOT MUSHROOM compressor. The casing is a little larger then the MXR but the same sturdy type.
You can cut the pop back to a usable amount. The sound is pleasant enough. The low end is compromised a little but so are all OTA comps. The highs are strong enough and it cuts through and sounds great in a band context.

ALL GOURMET OTA COMPRESSORS ARE BASED ON A ROSS

Alternatively...the second compressor available on the market after the MXR was the now defunct Ross..It is said that the Ross used the MXR extensively  as a primer to build their compressor.
In keeping with this tradition...the Keeley 4 Knob...started with the Ross design to build theirs.

Ross with a couple of mods they manged to smooth out the 'pop' from the MXR and give the user a slightly smoother sound.

Joyo do a Ross clone.  It is confusing as they call the thing the Dyna Compressor. It is not! It is a very,very light sounding Ross clone. It is definitely usable...but it really should have more meat on it's bones.

I like these things..they are a bit funky... just so Rock N Roll

I decided to give you the vids...but my descriptions will tell you more.

I have been upgrading my compressors lately....because they are always on and first in the chain...my logic is simple....garbage in...garbage out. I still use my Caline and like it except for the weak low end.
The original Ross has just the right amount of tidy up on the MXR design..to not kill its soul.
But as they are defunct..I thought...forget it!
BUT....maybe not. Listen to the final vid of the MXR converted into a Ross at the end of the OTA section.
If for no other reason then to actually 'hear' ...not only the difference...but to hear clearly the sound of a compressor.


MXR DYNA COMP                                                CALINE CP-10 HOT MUSHROOM
Current Price $80.00 USD                                       Current Price $26.00 USD

This is the best vid to hear the Caline & it sucks!!!

JOYO JF-10 DYNA COMPRESSOR    Current Price $29.00 USD

                           

                                         
Original Ross  used  $550.00 USD

                                                             XIN SOUND
                                                          COMPRESSION SUSTAINER
                                                        Current Price $25.00 USD

I needed a third comp for my effects loop...so I took a chance on a Xin Sound
(pronounced Shin)

It is another MXR type but like a Keeley has a knob to let the attack thru to kill the 'pop'. The low end is unusually fat. Unfortunately the highs are weak.
It is built in a sturdy MXR style box.
The fit and finish is very good. The company boasts about using Japanese and German parts. Since all OTA comps are a bit handicapped from the start. The personal tone that the maker can get into them is everything. The Xin simply lacks character...where the others in this review in spite of their flaws all have a fairly decent tone.

 The Caline Hot Mushroom.. is a clone of the MXR.
  "In spite of it's flaws it just sounds good"  The real MXR has a nice aggression to it and the bass is weak but the lower mids have punch and that really helps give it some muscle.
I leave it on all the time pushing my overdrives with level at...unity and comp at...1 o'clock and forget it.
and at $.26.00 USD wa-da-ya got to loose!

AMMOON COMP

A Joyo discontinued nano compressor rebrand for one third the price. An average Dyna-Comp knock off with a switch to put back some highs.

At the price you can't loose,

Current Price $22.00 USD

THE DYNA ROSS

One last thing....a real Ross comp has hit the stratosphere in price...it is a modified MXR.
The circuit in all the Dyna Comps over the years has remain the same...the brand name of the parts have varied but it still sounds basically the same. So if you can scoop up a used one cheap you can ship it to JHS who will convert it into a Ross with their Dyna Ross mod. for $50.00 USD.

The Chicago Music Exchange has come up with a clever idea They are an MXR dealer. They shipped off 10 or so Dyna Comps to JHS and had the mod done.You can now buy a converted MXR comp brand new $150.00 USD. All considered not a bad deal

There are many Gourmet brands that find they can always sell a few compressors by doing little more then cloning a Ross. You still get a great sounding pedal...but the Dyna Ross mod gives you the same thing for a bargain price.

                                                          

OPTICAL

Optical does not pop...it almost doesn't sound compressed unless you are the one on the guitar playing thru it.....because you still get the sustain. It definitely changes your tone but in a kind way.
It adds a bit of warmth.  The top end can tank. The big yellow gourmet Diamond Compressor is designed to add it back. Turn the knob up for some of the sweetest highs you ever heard. Fortunately Mooer comes to the rescue. Their Yellow Compressor is a really decent clone right down to the sweet high end EQ. Distortion pedals naturally sustain...but a little compression can add a lot. The OTA type is very hard to get right when used with distortions. It can be be too little or not enough. The Mooer does a great job.
I find the Optical compressors are just right for that little extra when using a distortion pedal or great on an acoustic electric guitar.
But with Over Drives I still love a good OTA...poping or not.


DIAMOND CPR1                                                       MOOER
COMPRESSOR                                                  YELLOW COMP
Current Price $209.00 USD                                Current Price $53.00
                                                                           

UPDATE

MIGHTY SOUND M7

COMPRESSOR

Current Price $23.00 USD

I do not have one of these but they are manufactured by Caline. 

Caline do not make mini pedals with their name on them so it is not a rebrand. 

This is a silly cheap price and for any compressor

for an Optical it is a gift. I would buy one if I were you...it may be all you need...or you can add an OTA and have two. Besides if you hate the M7...I am sure you can find a buyer that will give you  $23.00  as that is dirt cheap for any used pedal.

NOTE: I do have a Mighty Sound Analog delay so I can certainly attest to the quality of the construction..and as for the delay...it was chosen as one of the  FIVE BEST DELAYS in a review. 

It is certainly a great sounding pedal.

MULTI-BAND

Because Multi-Band is digital software it can clone anything. The TC ELECTRONIC HYPER GRAVITY takes advantage of this. They give you quick access to an optimized multi-band

sound and to a faux OTA Dyna-Comp knock off. The pedal can download new patches right into the pedal...you can even do this from a smart phone. If some hot star works with them to get his ultimate patch...over night you can have a copy of it. The quality of both the sound and the casing is excellent..

I am always amused that those that feel the need to keep the purity of their guitars sound nearly always buy analog pedals...analog pedals ALWAYS change the sound. Fortunately the best can add a winning  personality of their own to the sound.
I like both...to me it is the application...like does this guitar and that overdrive with that compressor sound great together.

One should consider that a compressor is more then often an 'always on' kind of pedal...and as such a very neutral sounding digital pedal can be the right answer. Especially one although not entry level is
very cheap compared to it's real rivals the $200.00 plus group.   

                 

TC ELECTRONIC

HYPER GRAVITY

Current Price $129.00 USD

So in summary...OTA is for the musician that not just wants a tool but a pedal that has a personality and life of its own. It is as much an 'effect' as a chorus or phaser.
.
The Optical is much more laid back but it gets the job done.

The Multi-Band is so versatile that you don't have to make up your mind. You can use one of many patches...even down load new ones.

So if money is tight go with OTA or the Optical...do what I did I got the OTA...and later added the Optical...having both works for me.
At about $80.00 in total for 2 comps that's pretty cheap
 and it gives me a lot to work with.

SPECIALTY COMPRESSOR ???

Jangle Box
JB Nano
Compressor Sustainer
Current Price $215.00 USD

This little gem is a very effective but odd pedal. it is designed to take your clean sound compress it then put a treble boosting ringing chime effect that sounds like the Rickenbacker sound of the early Beatles and especially the Byrds. Throw in Tom Petty and early REM and you know what it does.


If you turn on a delay pedal with a single 300 millisecond single repeat...you even get a passable faux 12 string. Better yet get a DigiTech Mosaic 12 string pedal.
It is very convincing. But it is a one trick compressor and not cheap. It is an OTA compressor with a fancy treble booster.
Also on the down side it is very noisy...as in VERY NOISY.
The only other pedal the company make is a noise gate. LOL now that is funny. All kidding aside I really love how it sounds. I can not help but think that a small cheap treble booster with a fixed band pass going through an OTA compressor of your choice could probably produce the same results much cheaper.
I see this as a great tool for a singer songwriter with an acoustic guitar
sensibility who wants an electric guitar sound that is compatible with his
acoustic guitar style technique.

Anyhow I thought you would enjoy knowing about this.
The average guitarist without any compressor
would find one of the better cheapies...more then enough to do the job.

The mid size black one is $220.00 USD  and one that looks identical in silver is made off shore and is reorted to be a bit quieter. It is $185.00 USD. The little Pic is the big guy at $325.00 USD. Those that are going to spend this kind of money are most likely building their sound around the styles that fit this sound. As such it is an important part of their gear. So saving $35.00 is nearly pointless. They might as well have the U.S. gourmet jobbie unless of course the reduced noise in the
silver pedal is significant.

Ya gotta admit...it does sound cool...I heard them all...and even the cheaper ones sound the same as the bells and whistles model.

If TC Electronic did an algorithm for their compressor to copy it
the noise would be gone...the price would be much cheaper...and for those of us that like a bit a variety...just a simple download..and we would all be smiling !!!
Ok...Ok...some of us would not be smiling.

-------
AFTER ALL IS SAID AND DONE...and having own the entry level OTA jobbies...and updated to a couple of "SUPER' OTA's and even have an opticial...
I think the best deal going is finding a used MXR Dyna Comp...any year will do.
Then getting the JHS mod done..to turn it into a Ross.
Give the JHS vid another listen..the guitar tone is not destroyed but a lot of punch and sustain are added.

FUZZ SBS

FUZZ ...the granddaddy of distortion

The first commercially available stomp box

GIBSON MAESTRO FZ1 FUZZ  1962 

  
   WHAT DID IT SOUND LIKE ?
Well check out the video.  If  You are not too Stoned!

almost no sustain !

It was the first pedal I ever bought.

...used $15.00

Like the few Fuzz pedals that followed it. The transistors were Germanium...they had a distinct sound that is very full and warm. The low end is very deep and at it's lowest seems to fade away.The highs are there...but unlike a silicon fuzz..it does not have a crisp tight defined edge on either the top end or the bottom. 

The  Geranium Fuzz is not suited for mass production because the transistors  had to be matched...and checked for leaks..this took someone to test ever one and group them in pairs to make a Fuzz.  So when the  silicon transistors became affordable....bye bye Germanium.

THE BEST SILICON FUZZ

Silicone does not sound worse...or better...just different. The 'Big Muff' was not the first of the silicone Fuzz pedals.

But it is still available and still the basis of most Fuzz boxes, It is also the most cloned,

                                                          

                                                                     Biyang do a perfect clone in their FUZZ FZ-7

                                                             Current Price $46.00 USD

BIG MUFF    Current Price $82.00 USD

One reviewer said if the FUZZ A7  was painted a crazy colour and had a silly name it would easily pass as one of the better gourmet                                                       pedals.

.

Fuzz is great to have as a distortion option.

Many of the gourmet pedals sound damn good. BUT...besides the price they often end up turning them into an actual distortion pedal....and for that just buy one of the better distortion clones.Considering everything...the Fuzz A7 is a no brainer.
That said, there are a lot of used Muffs out there. lol

Speaking of Muffs...check on these

$24.00 USD

ROWIN LEF-606 FUZZ

$65.00 USD

I owned a Big Muff Nano that I sold. It was not even close to sounding like the standard full size Big Muff as seen in the video.The resonance point in the Rowin is slightly higher ...higher but not too high otherwise the difference is inconsequential. Rowin is a Mooer Triangle Fuzz rebrand. The video speaks for itself.
The triangle name is associated with v.1 of the first Big Muff. The space between the 3 knobs creates a triangle.
I bought one. A no brainer ...small/cheap/classic...
and it sounds as good as any fuzz I have ever owned!!! ...NO BULL!!!

The truth is that every time a competitor brought out a new fuzz.that caught on EH would tweak the                              v.1. There are over 30 different big Muff pedals.So                            if someone says the v.1 was the ultimate.                                            Ask them which one. LOL

B.I.YC  Li'L BEAVER  Fuzz (Prebuilt)

Yes... nice little mini pedals with a parts perfect clone of one of 4 different ....Big Muff Fuzz pedals.

YES.... THEY ALL LOOK THE SAME IN THEIR PLAIN UNPAINTED BOX


-The Sovtek Green...made in Russia model .... the tear your face off model. Unusually tight.
.
-The NYC standard new model fuzz....Fat lots of bass and highs...smooth

-Ram's Head the best of the early issue fuzz pedals....medium between the NYC & Green. My personal fav.

- The Triangle the first ever Big Muff....surprisingly articulate and controlled. Almost overdrive in character.

OK...this all about spending a little more and get a part for part copy of one of 4  Big Muff classics?
I am talking gourmet style mini clones.

First BIYC stands for Build It Yourself Clone

BUT!!!
You can buy one already made for $85.00 USD...a part for part clone of the 3 most famous oldies...or the current model. Check out the vids to hear the originals. I can not find vids on the BIYC...but...
Axe and You Will Receive.....the exclusive source of prebuilts...have a great reputation for selling the best for fair prices.
After a lot of research...I found that most of the old pedals varied in the choices of parts...enough to keep their pedals in the same ballpark of sound...but enough that 3 or 4 pedals made over one year would sound at least a little different. Sooo I expect that BIYC will be dead on with schematic with the correct parts...but could sound different. Let me put it this way...if a schematic tells you to use.... a #2 Cola transistor..fine...but some pedals then came with Coke transistors and others Pepsi.
One nice feature is they have drastically cut down on the noise the originals made
.
In short...I believe you can get a great pedal for a reasonable price. A good clone is a keeper. You could add a second gourmet fuzz later...but no need to get rid of your BIYC.

I must admit I always wanted the Green Sovtek

...it is actually one of the rarest to find...as it was

unique in it's over the top rip your face off aggression!!! 

I actually have a single space on my board...and it will just fit!    Decisions?  Decisions?

Current Price used $ 500.00 USD

THE BEST GERMANIUM  FUZZ

The best Germanium Fuzz... was a third generation design based on
the Gibson Maestro Fuzz..
The Solasound MkII ...discontinued ...a victim of the silicon transistor.

How did it sound???         Led Zeppelin...  Jimmy Page used it until it died.

                                                            Cream... Disraeli Gears LP

.
                                        SOLASOUND MKII TONEBENDER     1966-1968

Current Price $1065.00 USD (used)  OUCH !!!

UPDATE:

The original Tonebender was a Fuzz tone that a London session man brought to Gary Hurst the repair guy at Macri's Music store in London's West End....to see if they could mod it for some sustain. He did it and very shortly word of mouth created many orders. He tried to sell his design...but no takers. So with the help of the Macari family they set up their own pedal biz. The store is now run by the second generation who as a surprise for their dad had a hundred pedals made for his birthday...to exact original spec. The idea was they would sell these for about $600.00  each...to pay for the costs. They figured it would take awhile but they could recover the costs. All 1oo sold out in less then 48 hours!

In short...they are now back in business. There is a long waiting list.

the price is a cool...$565.00 USD

There are several clones...all are pricey and are gourmet pedals. They are close but not the same.

                        EXCEPT.... TONE HUNGRY
                                            HUNGER BENDER
                                            Current Price $155.00 USD

                                                                               

...rumour has it that Tone Hungry is a one man operation...with the owner/builder making the pedals one at a time
so....stock goes quickly

What a very unusual situation...relative to getting the $565.000 reissue....or another gourmet copy
that costs more and is not as good as the Hunger Bender....

AT $155.00 USD THIS IS ACTUALLY A BARGAIN.!!!



Make a list of what you think a great Fuzz will do. SURPRISE!  This won't do any of them!
BUT...
...............It has a reasonable sustain.(not amazing                                                                                                                       sustain)
..... .........It does have a great tone BUT.....(other Fuzz units although they are silicone Fuzz boxes have great tone too)

               SO WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL !!!
                              It is amazing for real chord playing...not just power cords. Listen to ZEP!  All the notes have great definition. To say the sound is fat...is misleading...as we all have a similar idea of what the term means when talking distortion.

The best word to describe the sound is...FULL....really really FULL...and that overused word warm.
It sounds very organic and natural sounding. Flat out it has a lot of bite...easily  soften it by pulling back a bit of the highs on the guitar.  On the early Zep records...I thought the guitar sound was just an over driven amp.

So if you are like me and use mostly distortion sounds behind the vocals....and we all know that backing vocals is 90% of what we do all night at a gig. Having a pedal like this is a must.

Speaking of Zep...Page always used a Dallas Rangemaster treble booster.teamed with a Tone Bender...check out the Treble Booster Post

There is the original Tone Bender...the Mk2...a Mk2.5....that was still sold as a MkII...and finally a MKIII. All are slightly different....all have their fans. The MKIII tried to capture some of one and some of two. It also included a tone control. The MKII is probably the most popular. It is definitely an improvement over the first one.  It is a case of if it is not broke don't fix it
I think this all a little too precious. The 3 gives you more...and you can easily adjust the controls to get so close to a two...that the difference is negligible.

THE SECOND BEST GERMANIUM  FUZZ

Ok cheer up. I won't let you down.

Once again...the germanium fuzz that was the biggest seller was the first generation of the
.....Arbiter Fuzz Face
It came out very shortly after the first Tone Bender with virtually the same spec. Note the same spec

as the original...not the famous MKII

...Dunlop do a very good job of it..... BUT
why not check out the Mooer clone?


MOOER GREY FAZE
Current Price
 $55.00 USD   >>>




The rebranded
TOM'SLINE G-FUZZ
Current Price
 $45.00 USD


I like this better then my Muff....I am disappointed with the Muff....it sounds too much like another distortion pedal rather then a Fuzz. My memory is short...as I owned one the minute they came out...back when they only ran on a battery. If you push it very hard it howls and/or makes horrific noise. I like to cover all the bases...so it's a keeper...and as I have mentioned before I have 48 pedals on my board. They are in loops...and my loops have noise gates...I have a gate on the input as well.
The loops with overdrives have a noise gate set up as a 'hard gate' ...deliberately set to chop off the end of the signal so I can stack or drive anything very noisy into something usable

.

MOOEN MOO FUZZ

This is a modern Fuzz...I was tempted to put it on the Dream Fuzz List but it is cheap enough to be here. First Mooen have a rep of being about 20 percent higher then other Chinese pedals.This puts a lot of people off. It put me right off. But I have since learnt it is because they are using high end parts. In some ways they are a pioneer of trying to be a Chinese Gourmet pedal.
This has been perhaps their best seller since the beginning. They have recently offered it in a smaller box (MXR type/size).
This is the one that is presently at a good price.

So what is the big deal. Well it basically has one defining sound...a huge fat mid range..lots of lows...not muddy but not to much highs. The big selling feature is the sustain.

Current Price $33.00 USD

                                      ....it sustains foreve

\

                                  THE DREAM FUZZ LIST  

A TEAR YOUR FACE OFF FUZZ ...WEE BEAVER FUZZ

EL MUSICO LOCO
WEE BEAVER FUZZ     Current Price $149.00 USD   (for either size)

El Musico Loco is in Spain.. the company's focus was to make high quality pedals that did a single function. No bells no whistles no gimmicks. In spite of that they do get carried away with the finish. The labeling is engraved and  then the pedals are highly polished. The parts are the best of the best...Nasa spec Neutrik quarter inch input jacks. The overkill on the finish is a needless excess...and since most players are going to stick this on a pedal board and not be pulling the cords in and out daily...then this makes the jacks another needless overkill. So this all adds to the price.

Ok...What about the Fuzz?
Well this one has a story. A musician had a friend that gave him a home made germanium fuzz. It was most likely an on-line design taken from an early Fuzz Tone or Fuzz face schematic. The first fuzz face was made of 7 parts. Anyhow the guy loved the fuzz but it was wired full on and did not have any EQ. So he brought the pedal to El Musico. So as a place to start...they threw in the EQ design of a Big Muff (an obvious way to start as right from the get go this is what separated the Big Muff from it's competition.)
                                                                              Plugged it in and.....WOW!!!!

If it's not broke don't fix it!!!!  This is the pedal you get.
The trouble with the modern fuzz is that they have been refined and refined until they are no longer a rough, crude tear your face off pedal. In fact they are really just a mildly buzzy overdrive.
Not this one!
  Play every gourmet fuzz in a row twice and try and pick one that stands out. NONE!
But this one stands out big time...what is more...there are at least 4 sweet spots on the distortion dial...not just one. Although most will set it near 9 o'clock.

This is definitely a splurge. BUT!  It will only leave your pedal board to be moved to your next pedal board ...the really big one....only to be moved to the next one...the one that has to have wheels to move it...LOL.

One last thing. It comes in 2 sizes. The price is the same for either one. They both have the same circuit. The larger one simply has a battery compartment. Trust me....you will buy more pedals. I recommend the mini one.

UPDATE:  The company was a one man operation...and he has died. The site is still up...but
with a notice...that things may get back on stream. BUT...it is over a year.

The guy died!  What a drag!!!
This guy was destined to bring us all some great stuff!
Used they go for big bucks even $300.00. Not a surprise!
I got the bigger one just recently for the new price. It is in mint condition!
But I waited about 2 years give or take! 



RAINGER FX
DR. FREAKENSTEIN'S DWARF & DWARF BITCH

So NOT CHEAP...but incredibly useful. lol
A total wall of sound...verging on out of control...at times breaking up and even disintegrating.
A bit loud and it would stand out like a tsunami.
It comes with a little foot operated device that opens the filter. You can hit a power chord or a long note in a solo and give it a bit of a 'swisssssh'. NICE! Or you can make some really weird noises. The best thing about the squashes and squeals you can make they are unusually effective and musical...not just a gimmick. It works best sticking to power cords. I will write a song around it. It forces you to think different and be creative.

The down side is that it is really a one trick pony...and not cheap. Most will rather have a classic but heavy duty fuzz with the standard tight muscle sound. I have such a Fuzz...so this appeals to me mainly for its big 'wash' sound. I think it may stack well...put it with a really great overdrive and it becomes a whole new sound as it would make a very exciting dirt pedal you already have...absolutely massive.

Yup! I got one.

The vid gives you all the what where and how...Playing around with the touch sensitive pressure controller is great fun...after an hour or so I could easily control the squeals and buzzes. You can stack just about anything in front of it ...it can hold it's own...other pedals just change the colour a bit...and add even more sustain.
Give it a thought. It's not for everyone.
But...if it appeals to you...I do not think you will be disappointed.

Current Price $159.00 USD

DEATH BY AUDIO
APOCALYPSE FUZZ

                                                       Current Price $ 270.00 USD

Insanely huge sounding Fuzz....
It is actually 5 fuzz pedals in one box. BUT...you can not stack them...poo!

\

I treated myself to one.
I love it.
BUT
I would not recommend it...the only big deal is it's bigger than  GREEN sound.
A Big Muff on steroids.
But give it a listen...If you are a Fuzz Nut...it is at least worth that.

I use it a lot for big long sustained power chords in a Chorus. It is perfect for that.
 prefer my overdrives and my 3 metal distortions for other things.

Every year when the reviews of the "BEST FUZZ BOXES OF THE YEAR" come up from both critics and consumers ...some new pedals are included and older ones dropped this pedal is ALWAYS THERE WITH THE BEST.



THE THORPY FX
FALLOUT CLOUD FUZZ


Formally Known as the 'Muffroom' Cloud...until they had a 'Fallout' with EH wanting to sue them over it being too Big Muff like sounding.       LOL...groaner
Thorpy has successfully reinvented the OD by creating 2 EQ filters both a High and Low that sound and act exactly like a tube amp. The pedal does not try to emulate any brand of amp. It maintains the voice of both the guitar and amp you are using.This you need to know to understand how this fuzz works.So...they put that EQ in their Fuzz. Now a fuzz by nature will disguise your guitar and amp sound...but this EQ makes the fuzz respond like an amp.The pedals parts are all state of the art. Even the housing is a heavy gauge stainless steal. The noise floor is as quiet as humanly possible.The pedal is a totally unique fuzz. 
The tone borders on one of the better Metal sounding Amps with a 2 cab stack.The point is it sounds amazing and is as responsive as a state of the art tube amp.

Current Price $290.00 USD

Is this the state of the art Fuzz pedal? I don't know. I think realistically it is not. Since it is a cross between an extremely high gain amp pedal and a fuzz. Traditionally a fuzz does not actually have an EQ...just a passive tone to cut the highs.  It is to the fuzz what an Electric car is to the automobile

So ....very cool ...very unique ...not cheap and I do not think it replaces a classic Fuzz.
Worth a listen at the very least.

One of the fattest guitar distortion devices on the plant !!!
Nothing has a low end that is as low as this gets ....and is even half as tight...note on the vid...it is also dead quiet the honk , hus and hum is just not there.

This is pedal is spectacularly HUGE sounding

If you love this pedal...join the line...it gets longer every day !!!


IBANEZ
FZMINI
850 FUZZ

$90.00 USD

In the mid 70's Ibanez brought out their overdrive. In reality it was a silicone fuzz ...a damn good one and it sold well.

Awhile ago it was rereleased in it's original case.
This year it is available as a mini pedal.

I have decided to sell my apocalypse to get back the real estate for
a M.I. Audio Megalith Delta high gain pedal.So if I do i will not have a silicone style fuzz on my board. I thought i might squeeze in a mini pedal.There are not a lot of choices. I stumbled on this one and was knocked out. Aggressive and with a wonderful nasty growl in the low end.More balls then a Big muff and much longer sustain.
It is quite simply one of the best out there so at $90.00 usd its a SBS.