Fuzz through a dirty amp...it's a f*$kin' problem!

[laughter_much_louder]

First post here. I'm having trouble with fuzz. I have a modest fuzz collection that I play at home with my Vibro Champ and all of my fuzzes sound incredible through that amp. But I'm playing in the first band I've ever played in that fuzz seemed appropriate. Only I can't get fuzz to sound good through my Marshall style amp that gets really cookin'. I play through an 800 clone that has a gain stage removed(as I understand it) and I wind the gain down as much as I can without sacrificing level(we play loudly.) It's a really dynamic amp so to me it's mostly clean and mildly dirty when I dig in. So I'm sacrificing gain from the amp for fuzz...which also makes Overdrive pedals mandatory. It's a frustrating journey because I'll be recording with the Champ and fuzz so I want to play with fuzz live.


Every fuzz I own sounds muddy through this amps like this. Is it a lost cause to play fuzz through a dirty Marshall?

[MechaGodzilla]

Set the amp dirtier, use your guitar's volume to clean it up as required.

Your fuzzes can be your ODs too, using the same volume pot technique. The broadcast and sunface should clean up really well.

Always set fuzz loud.

[Davin]

Fuzz into a dirty amp can be tricky. You're basically running up against the headroom of the amp. I've usually found that lowering the gain a bit and boosting the treble (or cutting the bass frequencies) helps a lot. Then find the right amount of overall volume that pushes the amp to where you want it to be. Too much bass will make it sound muddy or cause the amp to fart out and if it's already a little gainy just a dab more fuzz sounds a lot bigger than the same fuzz sounds into a clean amp.

And, as always, use your volume and tone controls on your guitar.

[frigid midget]

I hear you. Ever tried a plexi style Marshall though? Or something else with enough clean headroom? I'm sure that replacing your amp wasn't the kind of solution you had in mind, but I doub't there's a magical fuzz pedal or hidden amp setting that'll do the trick

Other than a different amp, a loud clean boost to give the amp that extra little oomp might get you close enough? Easy on the low end, you wanna keep things tight and clear.

[coldbrightsunlight]

Fuzz into a dirty amp can be tricky. You're basically running up against the headroom of the amp. I've usually found that lowering the gain a bit and boosting the treble (or cutting the bass frequencies) helps a lot. Then find the right amount of overall volume that pushes the amp to where you want it to be. Too much bass will make it sound muddy or cause the amp to fart out and if it's already a little gainy just a dab more fuzz sounds a lot bigger than the same fuzz sounds into a clean amp.

And, as always, use your volume and tone controls on your guitar.

This right here.

[Casavettes]

I would definitely try a treble booster or something like EQD’s Arrows. That made my fuzz pedals and overdrives bust through like the kool aid man.

[Gone Fission]

Last few posts are on point. 800 clone with a gain stage removed should be a Plexi/Super Lead, give or take. So I have suspicions something else might be going on with the amp. Any mention of “Jose mod”/“Brown Eye” or any other jargon? Those two are about clipping diodes added to the circuit, adding distortion and compression but nixing some headroom and a bad idea for a fuzz platform.

[systemofameow]

Fuzz into a dirty amp can be tricky. You're basically running up against the headroom of the amp. I've usually found that lowering the gain a bit and boosting the treble (or cutting the bass frequencies) helps a lot. Then find the right amount of overall volume that pushes the amp to where you want it to be. Too much bass will make it sound muddy or cause the amp to fart out and if it's already a little gainy just a dab more fuzz sounds a lot bigger than the same fuzz sounds into a clean amp.

And, as always, use your volume and tone controls on your guitar.

I've been having problems with a bassman-like amp farting out against my normal fuzz/distortion settings so this is incredibly helpful. Gonna try some of this the next time I'm at my spot.

[neonblack]

Harmonic Percolator my dude. It was my only hope when I played through a vox clone that got dirty quick. Percolator was the only thing that didn't fart out.

But like everyone else was saying, less bass and gain.

Maybe try something more "textural" than high gain. Something with a lot of character that won't saturate like crazy. Something with a bias control maybe? Like a fuzzy OD?

[Davin]

A Percolator's a great idea. You can dial in tight and trebly which is what you want to punch through your amp's headroom.

[misterstomach]

So an 800 with a gain stage removed would basically be like going into the low input on a regular 800. I've done this a ton with fuzz. I usually had the preamp gain cranked. So it was a slightly hairy clean with more breakup as you dig in. I probably play a different kind of music than you and I've never used any of those pedals you have, but the amp always took fuzz like a champ for me. I play through the high input mostly these days, with the preamp around 5-6, so it's louder and just a hair dirtier than cranked through the low input. Still sounds killer. Are you sure your amp is a very faithful clone of a marshall? You don't often hear complaints about fuzz through a marshall. It's worked for everyone from jimi hendrix to dinosaur jr to yob.

[BetterOffShred]

Black Forest is always a good option. And percolator.. both good options.

[rfurtkamp]

I never could get an amp with gain to sound right with my toys.

For a one-shot instance, I love the sound of the right Marshall-ish thing- but I always go back to the Jazz Chorus/Fender 6L6 dead clean.

[laughter_much_louder]

Thanks for all the replies y'all!

-Indeed it is an 800 circuit made by Acorn. Bryan pulled out one gain stage because I expressed wanting more clean headroom. The amp is pretty clean by my standards but every fuzz sounds super over saturated and too compressed. Which is rad for certain parts of songs but not all. Even if I roll the bass on the amp all the way off everything has so much low end.

[TheOndrakGuy]

...suggestion for an affordable high headroom amp in the 100w or more range?

If you want nice and affordable, you can do worse than a Red Knob Fender Twin. I gigged with one for years and could never get it to break up (which suited me just fine). Louder than God's sneeze, a bit bloody heavy, but absolutely brilliant as a clean platform. They're not exactly 'desirable' or even really that good to look at, but they're amazing at what they do and can be had pretty cheaply.