Xploration • Curation • Recommendation
Rabea anoints the Way Huge Swollen Pickle Jumbo Fuzz MKIIS as the King of Fuzzes in Andertons' recent head-to-head Fuzz-Off
Key Points
Rabea named the Way Huge Swollen Pickle Jumbo Fuzz MKIIS King of Fuzzes in Andertons' blind Fuzz-Off; blind tests hinge on luck and calibration.
Controls: Loudness, Sustain, Scoop, Filter, Crunch. MKIIS can depart from Big Muff—Jeorge Tripps reworked the Muff circuit for brighter tones. MKIII Smalls released start of 2020.
Both MKIIS and MKIII Smalls are on Andertons' Fuzz selection. As of the article, price was £159.
Purchase: missed initial stock, reordered and received within a week. Preferred: three big dials ~2 o'clock; Scoop CCW; Crunch CW.
For electrical safety or pedal modification, consult a qualified tech.
I don’t always pay too much heed to these head-to-head blind tests - as so much relies on luck and happenstance and serendipity - in ensuring that a particular pedal is dialled in to its optimal output. I’ve witnessed many a shootouts before where some of the best pedals were incorrectly calibrated / dialled in, and were not portrayed anywhere near to the best of their abilities - while in this particular shootout I felt that most of the leading lights came off pretty well.
I could not really fault any of Rabea’s decisions - and like him - I was hugely impressed with the sound of the Way Huge Swollen Pickle Jumbo Fuzz MKIIS. Back when the MKIII Smalls version was released at the start of 2020 - that went straight onto the wishlist (while I did not get around to acquiring one yet!). But after I heard the Andertons shootout I decided that I had to have its larger and more granular predecessor MKIIS sibling.
Controls - Loudness, Sustain, Scoop, Filter, Crunch.
I wasn't the only one inspired by this video - as I and another fuzz enthusiast both tried to buy the single remaining one in Andertons stock at the time - he obviously completed the task a split millisecon before I did - while the system told me my purchase had been successful - with a promised Monday delivery.
But when that did not look likely to happen (no notifications on the day!) I chased it up and found out that the other guy had snagged the pedal - and I was on the reorder list! Fortunately the reorder came in pretty quickly and I had mine by the end of the week.
I've featured some of the other key compact enclosure contenders in my above visual - where I already own and really rate the Boss FZ-1W, and Fjord Fuzz Hedda. The Greuter Audio Jumbo Fuzz and JHS 3 Series Fuzz have long been on my wishlist too - I will add those soon enough - while the must-have one here was really that edition of Swollen Pickle - which at times sounded nothing like a Big Muff. Jeorge Tripps obviously made his own idealised version of the Muff Circuit - akin to what he wanted it to sound like - which takes it well beyond the more typical Muff soundscape - with some really bright and searing classic tones onboard too.
I kind of prefer it set with the 3 big dials each at around 2 o'c, Scoop fully CCW, and Crunch fully CW - while there is a tonne of great tones onboard - for instance dialling up the Scoop for more traditional Big Muff tones!
Both MKIIS and MKIII Smalls varieties are available from Andertons' Fuzz selection for the same price of £159 - as mentioned - I always thought I would go for the smaller version - but I was persuaded to get the larger more granular one.
Did you have any other favourites in the selection that I've not touched on - and did you feel that the Swollen Pickle was the rightful and justified winner?
