BLUNDERBUSS

[benjuro]

OK, verbalizing: Musket and Blunderbuss seem pretty different to me. The voicings are totally similar, but I'm noticing a slower bloom on the Blunderbuss (never thought I'd actuall refer to note "bloom" in a sentence; crap) depending on the settings and it makes a difference. The Musket is faster (and, yes, more compressed) and thus aggressive in a different way. The BB is wilder and woolier/splattier; it does a GREAT Fuzz Face with Muff-y muscle on tap, which is exactly what I'd hoped to get out of. :P (Basically very close to a FF after tape compression and Eddie Kramer's mixed it.) I'm not sure if that sounds like a rave review, but it is: It's different and it's AWESOME. -E

Awesome review...thanks Eric!
I've watched Kyle's short demo now way too many times over the last few months.
I don't yet have a musket, and really want an alt. color run, so have been semi-patiently waiting...and still can't decide on whether to go blunder or traditional musket, especially since that transparent green version popped up yesterday
I've got a Hoof, a Pharaoh and many MANY big box black and green russian muffs. I expect at least one thing out of these--humbuckery doominess with big bottom end, some bite and clarity. I love the muffs' fuzz and tone but sometimes they can be a bit too "dark" and I refuse to get lost in the band mix...these ain't just for playing at home by myself.
So fellers, if you had to pick one...which?

[Jet Age Eric]

'There's no way you'll get lost in a mix with either of these pedals. The stock Musket might cut a little better with chords because the fuzz is a little ... harder, but I think either pedal can do just about anything. ANYTHING!!!! -E

[benjuro]

Thanks E! By harder, do you mean more "metal" sounding?
The part of the clip I find most interesting/applicable is the heavy blunt chording Kyle does at the end, most like the (ab)use it'll get from me. Doom, drone, and de-tuned power chord sludge.
I sort of expected the "buy 'em both" response...

[Jet Age Eric]

No, I don't necessarily mean stylistically (although, yeah, maybe it is more metal in that respect). I really meant that the BB fuzz has a germanium-y response (duh), so it's woolier/spongier, whereas the Musket isn't wooly or sponge-y. I dunno. Hopefully someone else chimes in soon to make sense of what I'm trying to say.

If I didn't say it earlier in the thread, I've got the Musket tuned to sound like Fripp-with-Bowie, and the BB to sound like Hendrix on AYE--or Ronson with Bowie, but without the notched wah. Hopefully that helps give some context on the different textures. -E

[benjuro]

It is helpful. Are you using a strat/tele type of axe?
I think that you have both, and that they don't step on each others' toes so much that you would want to sell one, speaks volumes. Do you find a lot of overlap in the tones?

[Jet Age Eric]

Very much a Strat/Tele combo, although more Tele/JM: I've got an ASAT Special w/trem, so it's got the Tele chime, JM body, and a the Strat shimmer, which I attribute to the trem (JMs have it, too, but it's not as pronounced). I play through a beefier BFDR-type ampe

The EQ voicings are similar (I guess the same), but the difference in fuzz character (incl. the effect of the Pre control on Fuzz character) combined with the amazing flexibility of the eq means I can set them up to sound totally different. It's weird, beacuse with both pedals I had preconceived notions of what they could do and I immediately set about dialing in the tones I wanted (I already had--and still have--a great Triangle Muff clone so I didn't need straight Muff), so I never really had a big learning curve; they just made sense to me and I went straight to the sound I wanted, tweaking to perfection, of course. I've gone back to dial in Muff tones in both just for the purpose of conversations like these but, really, I'm totally infatuated with the "custom" tones I've dialed in so I've spent little time doing straight comparisons beyond what I wrote in the earlier post. -E

It is helpful. Are you using a strat/tele type of axe?
I think that you have both, and that they don't step on each others' toes so much that you would want to sell one, speaks volumes. Do you find a lot of overlap in the tones?

[benjuro]

Thanks again, Eric. Starting to sound like I really can't go wrong either way.
I'm off to spin some early Hendrix and to find the man who sold the world...

[Jet Age Eric]

Thanks again, Eric. Starting to sound like I really can't go wrong either way.
I'm off to spin some early Hendrix and to find the man who sold the world...

Do that and lemme know if you think I'm out of my mind. -E

[skip]

man o man o man am i thinking hard about a musket or the BB

[benjuro]

man o man o man am i thinking hard about a musket or the BB

Still having a tough time deciding myself...JetAge Eric's input (above) has been super helpful...still hoping some other owners will chime in

[dan_abnormal]

Really, really love mine. I used to have a Twosome, so I had the chance to compare A/B the Blunderbuss and the standard Musket.

I decided to let the Twosome go, basically because I happened to like the BB more.
It is capable of superbly handling even the neck humbucker of my custom-made Telemaster and it's simply amazing with my Jazzmasters and Jaguars. Raw, aggressive, yet defined.

IMHO it has everything you like in the Musket and more. Can't go wrong with it!

[benjuro]

SUPER helpful to hear from you...it is sounding more and more like THUNDERSTICK is the way for me to go, thanks Dan!!!

[dan_abnormal]

[skip]

i am still 50/50--- might have to end up getting them both at some point
and you guys did say the musket and the BB cut through right?

[Jet Age Eric]

i am still 50/50--- might have to end up getting them both at some point
and you guys did say the musket and the BB cut through right?

Get both. Both cut. You're welcome. -E