Best fuzz/dirt for a Roland Jazz Chorus JC40

[BintyTwanger77]

Well the title says it all really...

I already have a Rat which sounds great into my JC, but I was wondering how a JC takes fuzz and which fuzz pedals would work. Examples I'm looking at are

Dr Scientist Frazz Dazzler
Frederic Effects Super Unpleasant Companion
Big Muff Pi with Wicker
JHS Mufuletta

Any comments on the above or recommendations apart from those? I hear conflicting reports, some say all fuzzes sound great into a Jazz Chorus, some say very few.

This is my first ILF post and I'm a long-time guitarist but relatively new gearhead, so be gentle. Cheers, all.

[Chankgeez]

What do you wanna hear out of a fuzz pedal? What types of sounds?

[BintyTwanger77]

I like playing shoegazey tones, grunge, stoner/sludge rock, indie.

[tremolo3]

I like the sound of a standalone Big Muff through a JC120. I have 0 experience with a JC40.
I didn't enjoy like 20 different fuzzes at all in none of my amps until I added an EQ pedal after any of these.

It all comes down to what Chankgeez is asking.

[BintyTwanger77]

Interesting, I have the Dr Scientist The Cleanness which has an EQ...should that go after the fuzz rather than at the start of my chain?

[lordgalvar]

The way I look at solid state is that is more open to take just about anything (I use a solid state amp too). If you like the Rat into it, you should be able to put anything really in front of it and it will sound like a fuzz. The eq settings on the amp help too but you could but you cleaness after a fuzz for a little extra boost and percieved clarity (I use boosters for that sometimes, or certain eq boosts). All should sound pretty good with your amp really (I mean taste is a different thing...but worrying about breakup and eq spikes due to overdrive...eh, not with a solid state roland). Running the cleaness first may create some saturation on certain fuzzes, but it is worth trying.

Fuzzes...there are just too many to really say "This is the one you should get". For the styles you mentioned above, I would probably stay away from the heavy gated, synthy, or octave fuzzes for now (not saying that they will not work just try to get something more normal so that you can say I like this and don't like that...then go in a direction from there).

Big Muff is probably a good place to start...there are some quality issues with the EHX ones, but there are a lot of builders that have them reasonably priced...if you talk to some of the people around here, they could probably point you in the direction that you want to go with the muff (or other fuzzes). Like, let's say you like the fuzz on a certain song...oh, that is an ic muff...you know? But getting a good soviet muff or even an nyc big box would be a good start.

Frazz Dazzler might not be bad either (haven't played one) if you like Dr. Scientist.

Algal Bloom might be a good choice. Ghost Warmjet V, DBA Fuzz War are solid starting choices too. Superfuzzes are also a lot of fun (and behringer makes a cheap good sounding one if you just want to hear through your amp).

[Mudfuzz]

Interesting, I have the Dr Scientist The Cleanness which has an EQ...should that go after the fuzz rather than at the start of my chain?

Fuzz first, that way you can sculpt the desired [or not] sound you want to get, it will but more effect-ive

[Chankgeez]

What Mudfuzz said about the pedal order. You should try it with The Cleanness before fuzz though too. You'll hear how it effects the sound that way.

I agree with ramonovski and lordgalvar about the Big Muff. That should work well with SS.

[Mudfuzz]

What Mudfuzz said about the pedal order. You should try it with The Cleanness before fuzz though too. You'll hear how it effects the sound that way.

I agree with ramonovski and lordgalvar about the Big Muff. That should work well with SS.

Muffs are good for everything [everyone should at least own one once] … well.. except my live sound not turning into a wall of mud

[CyaNitrate]

I just got a custom job from Tom at fuzzhugger, the Algal Bloom and Doom Bloom in one, and can't recommend these circuits enough. So so good. viewtopic.php?f=149&t=50471

Also, check out Black Arts Toneworks Pharoah and LSTR. BAT stuff caters to the doomy/sludgey/stonery stuff, and both are based on the Big Muff, yet way different. I had a Pharoah Supreme and it brought the heavy. Also, welcome!

[hbombgraphics]

looking at your list the wicker muff looks like a solid option
I owned one at the same time as a peavey bandit and the combination was very nice

I generally find solid state amps (set clean) are way less picky about the dirt you toss at them than tube amps.
Maybe I am the only one.

Welcome aboard BTW!

[BintyTwanger77]

Thank you, and hello! Happy to be aboard.

I suppose I'll obviously have to consider how my guitars react as well. I've got an EM Doublejet 5441 with TV Jones Powertrons and a CV Tele with Vintage Noiseless pickups.

[UglyCasanova]

JC's have basically no headroom, but they're also insanely bright, so anything with a good amount of mids to lows and plenty of texture will work extremely well.

[BintyTwanger77]

Cheers. I'm going to try my Dr S Frazz Dazzler in it tonight (maybe with The Cleanness before and after), see what happens.

[tremolo3]

JC's have basically no headroom

I thought "headroom" was the clean sound it comes out of an amp before tubes start to do the good stuff, the red color.