ilovefuzz.com

I have a Devi pedal (WS)(got a ruby coming), I've got a Dwarfcraft pedal (ECT), I've got a DBA pedal (IOS) and I've got a Malekko pedal(A-Master Germ).

I still haven't tried out a Fuzzhugger pedal. I think I am most interested in the Arch Flash and the Algal Bloom. Just curious what might an empty niche with what I've already got?


Anyone know how much more some custom graphics might be? or no graphics at all?

the AB is more of a traditional-ish fuzz with harmonic richness so thick it'd give you diabetes if it was a slice of cake.

i said somewhere that its sorta like the girlfriend you can take out with the fam, the bros, and still have somethin fonkay to do for the two of you.

and the Arc Flash is kinda the same, but not... like... same level of versatility (from everyone gushing about it) but a different sound, and from some of the demos, i think it works better on bass than the AB.

Gearmond wrote: i think it works better on bass than the AB.

Tom is working on that

Mudfuzz wrote:

Gearmond wrote: i think it works better on bass than the AB.

Tom is working on that

will there be a special title, or just like ABBA (Algal Bloom; Bass Adjusted or whatever). DETAILS, MAN!

Tom is working on the phasing where a signal is split and then brought back together, I will say no more

.... ok....

I'll say this... what Tom has told me of his ideas is fucking awesome But you'll have to ask Tom as I'm not going to steal his thunder...just prod him now and then intill I has me one!

Mudfuzz wrote:Tom is working on the phasing where a signal is split and then brought back together, I will say no more

.... ok....

I'll say this... what Tom has told me of his ideas is fucking awesome But you'll have to ask Tom as I'm not going to steal his thunder...just prod him now and then intill I has me one!

well excuse mr best friend with inside secrets

To wikipedia for different, yet thematically relevant names!

howbout...
ShipWrack - wrack being a thick dense algae that basically engulfs shipwrecks.

The Sargasso Sea - the middle of the atlantic thats filled with algae.

Kelp Forest - kind of along the same lines. kinda has a ring to it, imo. potential for really cool art. hell, just google image search and its like woah

There's something very real, organic and a bit primitive about the Arc Flash. It's a quite mellow and fat sounding to start with, then the high gain channel gets splatty. Set to max fuzz on the regular channel, boosted with a bit of Singing Tree and going into a Fender Twin has become my go-to guitar sound. You should know there's a slight delay when engaging the fuzz in some settings which you may find annoying; to me it's part of the charm (admittedly I'm a fanboy).

I'd say it's quite a bit different to the fuzzes you've mentioned, but I've never owned any of them so I could be talking out of my arse.

Tom's also the best to deal with, as everyone here knows.

A lot of people probably start with the Algal Bloom or AB-Synth...but it depends on your taste! If you're not scared (read: if you're into more extreme or unusual tones), the Arc Flash, Velcroscillator, or Phantom Ring might be worth looking into!


The Algal Bloom is pretty, from the overdrivish tones to the full harmonic fuzz. Great note separation, definition, tons of responses and textures to dial in. It was designed to be my idea of the ideal fuzz, but prettier and complex-chord-friendly...slightly classic, slightly garagey, all around use fuzz! It only gets a bit nasty (scrambly) if you crank the Gain, Starve, and Bloom completely.

I know you didn't ask about the AB-Synth, but there's some confusion out there about how the AB-Synth differs from the Algal Bloom. It's not just added oscillation! It subtracts the Algal Bloom's dirty gain and overdrive stage, and doubles the fuzz stage for a very different experience!
The AB-Synth is overall higher gain (unless you get the 5 knob version, you can't really reduce the gain), more clipped, searing, sizzling, but not gated or nasty. It has a lot of ear-pleasing fuzz tones, and only when you turn the Fuzz control the last little turn does it compress and get splattery and overfuzzed. The AB-Synth is a unique oscillating experience--you can play over the oscillation! With your guitar's volume on full, it'll only start to oscillate when you stop playing. Using this, you can get blips in-between notes of a solo, or let a note or chord ring out for 10-20 seconds before it gradually devolves into blips. Turn your guitar's volume down, and the oscillation gets lower, and most notes come out an octave down (can be see in this demo).
With the 5 knob version, you can reduce the gain, slightly cleaning up, or dialing in some nastier slightly gated tones. It also will gate the oscilation, which means more flexibility, but more tweaking!

The Arc Flash is a pretty experimental design...with two knobs and two modes, it can deliver nearly 1:1 (unity) clean tones, overdrives, muffish-yet-grindy fuzz, distortions, to waves of overfuzz. It's somewhat of a secret weapon imo...but I won't hide the fact that it seems like 4 of 5 people love it, while 1 of 5 people...really don't. It has a pretty full spectrum--while it's got a pretty beefy low end, it also has lots of highs. So it might not gel with everyone's setup, and some settings might be too noisy for single coils (I use it with both p-90s on for hum-canceling). Also, I'm going to be taking a look at it very soon to consider a v2.

dorfmeister wrote: Just curious what might an empty niche with what I've already got?


Anyone know how much more some custom graphics might be? or no graphics at all?

There's also the Phantom Ring for some glitch octave down, high gain octave up, and ring-modish tones...and the Phantom Arcade if you're insane!

Custom graphics vary by method (graphic, paint, custom prints) but typically run $10-25 depending on how custom we go and what supplies are needed. Anyone interested in custom graphics, just shoot me an email!

Another +1 for the Arc Flash. It is VERY bass friendly (and even though people may say "works well on guitar and bass," that's not always completely accurate) and pulls a lot of tones, from subtle to full on, smack you with a sledgehammer tones. I actually have used it a lot in the more subtle settings, allowing it to give me that grit that a Sansamp provides, without any of the muddiness and "blah" that myself and others have found with a Sansamp.

I have a Chalice, which is the AB-Synth without the oscillation (osc doesn't have consistent results with active basses, and Tom was very good to point that out). That's more of a brighter, buzzsaw like fuzz to my ears. Not as versatile - to me - as the Arc Flash, but definitely usable, especially when I'm copping guitar-like solos (I play a 6 string bass).