I will answer the best I can! I feel pretty capable of this
but I'm issuing a
tl;dr warning! And pardon my typos, I will fix them as I find them
The small ones only have four knobs...x osc, y osc, master volume, and "tracking/saturation" where the two stomp basic model has four knobs as well, the usual x osc, y osc, and master volume, but instead, it has a "texture" knob, which is just code for input gain.
The 4545 is VERY responsive to volume and dynamics, and lowering the in-going volume a bit adds a bit more gated nature, and makes it less full boar. It doesn't exactly clean up, it just..tames it a bit. Having it as a knob as opposed to having to rely on other means (pedals before it, or your guitar volume) definitely has its advantages, such as not having to turn something down just for a tamer sound. You can keep your guitar volume at 11 (on a scale from 1-10) and not worry about any mid-performance tinkerings.
Both models feature two three-way toggles for x osc range and y osc range as well (low, mid, and high for each), but the new version has a two-way toggle for the old tracking/saturation, last I knew at full max and full min. On my old custom 4545, I had him install trimmers for either extent of the toggle, because my favorite position was around 1 o'clock, and I also heavily favor around 9 o' clock. I really favor the tracking on a knob. That's why on my custom 6-knobber, I requested tracking be a knob, and so be put the input gain on a two-way toggle (full on, and a trimmer to lower it some. Very handy, because on some settings, it gets a bit of these envelopy, squelchy thingies, and if I wanna rid of them, flick a toggle!).
My custom one is interesting. I've played a total of four different versions before I got this incarnate of one that isn't going ANYWHERE, and there's a very good reason. In my opinion, the old, smaller batch or two of 4545s had more full tonal range, and in my opinion, more power. Now, I'm NOT a subtle guy..I like to fuck shit up. My pedalboard is my custom 4545, a xerograph deluxe (with expression pedal), and a superdelay, all in the loop of a Chk Chk Boom. I make lots of noise, and I enjoy every second of it. Brian is amazing, because he transplanted the PCB from my very first (and favorite sounding) 4545 that was originally sent it for a small tweak fix, into a new enclosure, decked out with every feature he could think of*, to the point where since I wanted it in a small enclosure, he actually advised me to NOT open up the back of the pedal. And he knows I'm a tweaker, and I ALWAYS do that to every pedal I get my hands. But I must resist.
And then obviously there's the gate stomp. Brian developed the most natural-feeling gate out there. Behndy's been LOVING it on his TAFM (the first one to also feature this gate), and others are jumping on board, getting this gate installed. The 4545 is what started that. The first gate I had on a 4545, I had to send back to him, because it was fucked. What he developed in that time is absolutely gorgeous. It will still bleed through and oscillate on some settings, but I think it's fun!
Is the blend necessary? Honestly not, in my opinion. I love raunchy full-boar in your face noise. The blend IS nice for bass, and maybe for guitar(?), as I like to use it to cover lots more ground (it's my only fuzz at the moment, and I have NO problem having it any other way). And I do enjoy my clean tone a good deal
Non-oscillating fuzz? Like how? Like, muffy, or something? I don't...know? It can get thick and woolly, if that's your concern. I get it thundering some sub-bass frequencies through my 15" cab, too. It can do a lot! I wouldn't recommend it to everyone if I didn't whole-heartedly stand behind it.
Brian really hit a home run with it. It's SO good.
Words of advice? If you find an OG one, snatch it up, give it an honest whirl. Let it encompass you. I hope you love it. It changed my musical style. For the better, I feel. It's a core of "my sound."*deets on my custom:
Top row of knobs: tracking, fuzz volume, clean volume
Bottom row of knobs: X osc, Y osc, hi-cut (passive treble cut)
Toggle row: 3-way x osc, 3-way y osc, 2-way input gain
Stomps: Gate and Bypass
And he knows I have a 'thing for greeny stuff' so he made it FUCKING GORGEOUS. And that I absolutely adore the "radio knobs." And the serial number is: boop
