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Hi,

I don't know much about these pedals. I get the impression that they're both very bright and buzzy, but I don't know what how they differ in sound, specifically to one another. I thought my first attempt at building a kit could be one of them, since they're pretty simple circuits, but I wasn't sure which. I'm more familiar with how Fuzz Faces and Big Muffs sound, I've never had a chance to play this type of fuzz pedal. Maybe you could help get a good impression of them? I looked a bit on Youtube, but the audio varies so widely from video to video, it's not very useful. Sorry if this is a too-common question, I just want to learn more about them.

They both certainly can be bright and buzzy. I think the Fuzzrite a little more so than the Maestro.

YouTube'll at least give you a general impression. Though I like them both, I think I'd try the Fuzz-Tone first. I think it's the slightly more versatile of the two.

I have a Maestro Fuzz-Tone FZ-1b, but have never played the Mosrite one you mention. The Maestro is not flexible, will not clean up with the volume knob, and has very little dynamic range. It does not do well with chords or even power chords - only single notes. The feel is much like a monophonic, extremely compressed synth. There's no give at all. It does not play well with others and has a bad attitude. All in all, I'd say it's the perfect fuzz.

The one I have cuts through a busy mix very well, but it doesn't get extremely loud on its own. You might need to watch your volume because it can cause a big jump in gain (the real kind that makes things loud as fuck, and not the slang term referring to amount of distortion or fuzz).

It's a fun effect and one that's not really represented widely on the current market. The only one I can think of that could nail it exactly is the Bigfoot FX Spaghetti Western Fuzz. The ZVex Mastotron sounds like it might get pretty close. The Malekko b:Assmaster is based on another Maestro box, but the demos make it sound a little softer around the edges and a little bassier.

Thanks for the response, fellows! I get the impression that the Maestro is more nasally and the Mosrite is more trebly, but it's so hard to tell with the wide variation in recording technique and other variables on Youtube.

Hmm...

... build both, find out firsthand.

Chankgeez wrote:... build both, find out firsthand.

It may be the only way out of this mess.