Fuzz deafness?

[spacelordmother]

you have to have at least one fuzz on your board at all times it is law

Sorry to disappoint you, Gerard.

[AxAxSxS]

I'm really digging dialing back the gain and stacking different flavors. I find that helps let the differences shine through. I do have "that sound" and I know how to get stuff to where i want it. Last night I alternated between Pharaoh> ocd> Quantum Mystic>Revelation and Pharaoh>Volt Thrower>Destroyaer. So very similar but one was more defined and better for the fast parts, and the other is thicker and better for the slow parts. I doubt anyone in the room aside from the gear geeks at the very front were aware I changing anything at all, but I got a ton of comments about how good stuff sounded and how they could hear all the leads blah blah blah.

[gunslinger_burrito]

This thread gives me another reason to play live more often. I've only really played my drone/noise stuff live, and so I know what pedals do what in the context of a wall of crazy looped noise.

I know the feeling of coming back to write stuff and putting on my headphones only to think "Damn, this sounded way better yesterday." The biggest differences I notice seem to be in how much presence I'm hearing. Sometimes the fuzz has the right amount of buzz, crackle, and low end, and some days that same setting will sound like the aforementioned "horde of angry bees." Since I do most of my shit at home through monitor headphones, I try to record short samples of songs I'm working on, or riffs I'm been playing, played through different fuzzes, pickups, or settings. Then the next day I'll listen to the samples back to back through the headphones or through the computer speakers (two on the desk, with a sub woofer on the floor). That usually gives me a good bearing on what what what. Also, having a day between recording and listening helps.

My biggest frustration is getting the tone broad enough, with enough distortion to sound really heavy if I want, while retaining enough clarity to play something a little intricate. So far, the mini has blown everything else out of the water in that regard. I like what AxAxSxS said about stacking; I do a lot of that too, although it's hard live because the gain usually gets too high. I might pick up another mini someday so I can have one set to really heavy and gated and one set to the heavy distortion I really like. Or one heavy and another as a clean boost.

[Hyphen Nation]

I'm always amazed at how much my sound changes in the context of a band…it's amazing how some pedals just shit out once there are other instruments sharing the audio spectrum.

[neonblack]

My mini has proved invaluable in fattening up certain pedals that lose low end or oomph. i have it set as more of a chunky overdrive/light distortion and keep it on about 90% of the time.

After playing around a little more, I realize that I just may not be as in love with the Unpleasant surprise as I thought I would. I find myself using the TAFM a bit more. Im borrowing the Surprise and am talking to Behndy about buying it, but haven't pulled the trigger just yet. I just cant find a tone that I like that sounds good all over the fretboard. Im going to take a little more time with it before i make a final decision.

[Chankgeez]

I think the Unpleasant Surprise is more suited to guitar than bass. Even with guitar, almost all the settings lose low end. I have to use EQ to restore the bottom frequencies. I love it though, it's a fantastic pedal.

[neonblack]

Yeah, seems that way. I hate it, because I know its a badass pedal. I just play the wrong instrument for it. If I had a 2 person band with a loop pedal, I could see myself using it to play some gnarly stuff over a looped bassy part. But I need a looper. And a drummer.

[skullservant]

Fuzz is such an interesting thing.

I think for me personally I don't figure out how different all the fuzzes I've used or use until I get rid of them and want them back because there is something about this fuzz or that fuzz that is somehow different.

Sure, the audience probably isn't going to be able to hear the difference between a Rams Head and a Tall Font, but there is definitely something different.

I don't know what the point of this post was

[neonblack]

I get what youre saying. since I let Chankgeez borrow my SSStampede, there are times when I wish I could have it back. like it would be perfect for this one part.

I dont think Im keeping the Unpleasant Surprise. Im a little... fuzztrated at the moment.

I think I'm gonna play clean for a couple days. See how everything sounds after that.

[Chankgeez]

... since I let Chankgeez borrow my SSStampede, there are times when I wish I could have it back. like it would be perfect for this one part.

Do not worry, I will send it back to you by the end of this week.

I'm gonna try to do some recording before it's gone though.

[neonblack]

Haha that wasnt a thinly veiled hint, I swear! I'm glad you were able to try it out. And its been good for me to spend some time away for a while. I can come back to it with new ears.

[Chankgeez]

I know it wasn't a hint, but I know you miss it.

For me, the SStampede into the Diabolik is a killer combination on guitar. Probably a little less so on bass, but I think if you've got something to boost low end after 'em, you should be fine.

[Mudfuzz]

I'm always amazed at how much my sound changes in the context of a band…it's amazing how some pedals just shit out once there are other instruments sharing the audio spectrum.

I know! that's why I keep going back to the same few pedals every time, like with that Katana sound pedal, it is not my favorite sound playing by myself but in a band it just always sits just right even when battling three guitarists

[skullservant]

I'm always amazed at how much my sound changes in the context of a band…it's amazing how some pedals just shit out once there are other instruments sharing the audio spectrum.

I know! that's why I keep going back to the same few pedals every time, like with that Katana sound pedal, it is not my favorite sound playing by myself but in a band it just always sits just right even when battling three guitarists

Just like Fuck vs Mini for me. Love the Mini for at home, but the Fuck just works so well in a band context that I've not even considered trying the Mini there

[neonblack]

I put my mini up for sale and took it off my board recently. Then I realized what a dumb idea that was. I'm so glad nobody bought it.