ilovefuzz.com

I was just taking a look at my fuzz pedal collection and I realized that in between the stuff I built for myself and all the other pedals I scored at eBay, garage sales, etc. there are a few low budget surprises that have stayed with me well over a year, which means they are keepers.

here's my top 3 list of low budget fuzzes in no particular order:

- Danelectro French Toast
yes, you have to be able to adjust really small knobs that are really close together, but it's an inspirational and versatile pedal - if you know how to use it (PUs, playing style & amp)

- Nobels Fuzz FU-Z
just three knobs, but with perfectly chosen ranges, if you can't get a good/sick sound out of this pedal, the problem is you

- Ibanez FZ7 Fuzz
not sure why there isn't more excitement out there concerning this pedal. being one of the underappreciated tone-lock series it often goes for under 30 EUR and it's stunning, the Damage switch is really the icing on the cake
I was amazed to find that this pedal, built by the 'tame' company Ibanez, embodied so many facets of what I cherish in a fuzz pedal

so what are your sercret low $$$ weapons?

I picked up an old Dunlop Classic Fuzz from their old "Hendrix Systems" line for like $15. It's a buffered germanium Fuzz Face in a small package, I love it. I wanted to get the Octave counterpart but one never came up with a good deal. No idea how that one sounds.

I also have the FZ-7 which was apparently valued so low on the used market at the time that the guy gave it to me for free. Also a really fun pedal (especially with an EQ), although noisy.

Cheap pedals are my favorite.

Way Huge Red Llama

Rat

&

Ibanez SB7 Bass Synthesizer.
3 modes: autowah, synth 1, synth 2...all capable of gritty, gated, square filtered fuzz when you hit'm hard

Algal Bloom
Algal Bloom
Algal Bloom

dod classic fuzz is tits

Soda Meiser, Big Muff Pi, Visual Sound Angry Fuzz

Lab Ratchet. Devi Torns Peaker. Blue Box. Could probably nail those three for under three hundred.

Blue Box, Ampeg Scrambler clone (the available circuits are just fine, and pay somebody to build a cheapie), and whatever Devi I can get in stock that's mean and not an OD.

That right there is well under $250.

Hot Silicon - DIY counts as low-budget, right? 3-silicon transistor tone bender w/ another tranny buffering a tone stack. Sounds enormous.

SIB! Nick Nitro - don't think they still make these, but ousted to have one and I loved it like a child. The octave fuzz was the most evil sound ever. I got it for $150 new, which, in Australia, was crazy.

How much is the DBA Fuzz War? $150? Does that count? This thing's so fucking nuts even its nuts have nuts.

..

I'm a sucker for cheap distortions...dod death metal, danelectro black licorice (octave down), etc
Need to get another blue box soon.

Yeah, the French Toast is an amazing pedal for the money.

And whoever said Ibanez SB7, good call. I wouldn't call it a fuzz but I can get alot of cool synth filter sounds out of it, especially stacked with dirt. Got mine from GC for $9.99.

AC128 wrote:- Ibanez FZ7 Fuzz
not sure why there isn't more excitement out there concerning this pedal. being one of the underappreciated tone-lock series it often goes for under 30 EUR and it's stunning, the Damage switch is really the icing on the cake
I was amazed to find that this pedal, built by the 'tame' company Ibanez, embodied so many facets of what I cherish in a fuzz pedal

because it's hard to love a pedal that you stomp on and you're never sure if it picks it up and turns on

Hyperion and Soda Meiser

NME Donner Party: Check out my demo of it on YouTube.

AB-Synth is a pretty crazy deal for what it does.