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JHS Pedals Releases second batch of its Legends of Fuzz Vintage Circuit Recreations

Basic AudioFarmer Factory EffectsFuzzJHS PedalsOctave FuzzOpAmp FuzzSilicon Fuzz+-
2023-GPX-JHS-Fuzz-Legends-PT-2-V4-700.jpg

I commented on this new trio already in my recent monthly pedal-chain update post. When the first batch came out I noted that this style of unergonomic enclosure was not really to my preferences - it was overly large, and even worse - it had its knobs mounted on the top edge - facing away form the player - making it difficult to see exactly how the fuzz is set up. Then as now, I’m of the same mind that these are really rather unergonomic and unnecessarily large pedals. Moreover, and apart from ...

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17 of the Best Billy Gibbons Style Overdrives and Soundalikes

Analog AlienBasic AudioBixonicBlackstone AppliancesBogner AmplificationBoostBoost and OverdriveDecibelicsDistortionDrunk BeaverExpandora PedalsFuzzJ RockettJHS PedalsJRADKeeley EngineeringMissing Link AudioMythos PedalsOverdriveStomp Under FootWay Huge Effects+-
2022GPXBillyGibbonsDrives700.jpg

This article has been a long time coming - I’ve teased it a few times now - but there was always one or two pedals missing from the list - and in fact new varieties and iterations inbound! I have all of these in the reference collection now bar the Analog Alien Bucket Seat Overdrive and the super rare Keeley Bootlegger Overdrive - which was a Sweetwater Limited Germanium Run of the Red Dirt - back in 2016.

 

I probably won’t be getting the Bucket Seat as I don’t really see the point in that ...

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2022 July Pedal-Chain Update - Episode VII - Midsummer Summation

Basic AudioBig Muff Style FuzzBJFEBjörn JuhlBoostBoost and OverdriveBossDelay WorkstationDigital ReverbDistortionDriveDrunk BeaverExpressionFlower PedalsFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGermanium FuzzHamstead SoundworksKeyztoneLeyland PedalsMeris EffectsModulationMulti-DriveNeunaberOCD Style OverdriveOctave FuzzOld Blood Noise EndeavorsOverdrivePedal ChainPickup ModellerReverbReverb WorkstationSilicon FuzzSolidGoldFXTremoloUtility+-
2022-GPX-Pedal-Chain-Update-July-700.jpg

Each of the months this year has been pretty exciting in several ways while we’re still facing various unprecedented delays in getting our hands on new pedals. I’ve had numerous talks with industry insiders this month and it seems that the order cycle for certain components - particularly in any sort of quantity - is as much as 18 months now. Shipping costs are still near an all-time high, while some of the container shipping is starting to come down a fraction - but still nowhere near pre-...

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And the 20th Basic Audio Acquisition is ... the Kay Octave Fuzz

Basic AudioBest of BrandsBig Muff Style FuzzFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGermanium FuzzMaestro Style FuzzModulated FuzzOctave FuzzOddball FuzzOpAmp FuzzOscillating FuzzRat Style FuzzSilicon FuzzSuper-Fuzz StyleTone Bender Style Fuzz+-
2022GPX20BasicAudio700.jpg

Back in May I asked ’Which Basic Audio Fuzz should I get next?’. And we had lots of suggestions and recommendations - thanks for your participation! - the leading ones included :

  • Bye Bias
  • Fuzz Right
  • Super Fuzz
  • Texsur

Some of these were already on my Hitlist. While I have around a dozen Super Fuzz varieties in my reference collection to-date - so I’m not necessarily looking to add to those any time particularly soon - I also have a fair few Fuzzrite types now - while the Bye Bias and ...

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Which Basic Audio Fuzz should I get next?

Basic AudioBig Muff Style FuzzFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGated and Velcro FuzzGermanium FuzzMaestro Style FuzzModulated FuzzOctave FuzzOddball FuzzOpAmp FuzzOscillating FuzzRat Style FuzzSilicon FuzzSuper-Fuzz StyleTone Bender Style Fuzz+-
2022GPX19BasicAudio700.jpg

Readers should know by now that I’m a huge fan of ’King of Fuzz’ John Lyons and his Basic Audio Imprint. I don’t believe anyone is more prolific than John - who has turned his hand to pretty much every fuzz variety there has been over the years. With a superb quality approach which marries practicality with aesthetics, extended features and superior sounds!

 

His current active pedal range consists of around 40 key fuzz varieties, while over the years he must have made around 100 different ...

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28 Favourite Fuzzy-Drive Pedals

AnalogWise PedalsBasic AudioBixonicBoost and OverdriveCaroline Guitar CompanyChase Bliss AudioCrazy Tube CircuitsCusack MusicDecibelicsDemedash EffectsDemon PedalsDistortionDrunk BeaverEmpress EffectsFlower PedalsFuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionHudson ElectronicsJHS PedalsMad Professor EffectsMythos PedalsPaul Trombetta DesignPettyjohn ElectronicsSitek Guitar ElectronicsSkreddy PedalsStomp Under FootThroBakTrue North Pedals+-
2021GPXBestFuzzyDrive700V2.jpg

Readers should know by now that I’m a huge fan of the overlapping genre of Fuzzy-Drive and Fuzzstortion style gain pedals - which tend to cover a variety of Fuzz, Overdrive and Distortion pedals - which all have a certain fuzzy character to them where they blur at least a couple of boundaries.

 

For me the sort of archetype of that sound is the Bixonic Expandora - while there are a great number of pedals that fall into that same sort of catchment area - and the 28 listed here are just a small...

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2021 July Boss Month Pedal-Chain Update - Episode VII - Boss Level Endgame

Bardic Audio DevicesBasic AudioBlackhawk AmplifiersBlues Driver Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBossBoss MonthBrown Sound DistortionChorus and VibratoD*A*M EffectsDecibelicsDelayDelay WorkstationDigital DelayDigital ReverbDistortionDriveDrive WorkstationDual-DriveEffects Pedal MakersEnvelope Filter and Auto WahEQFlangerFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzGermanium FuzzHarmonizerInterchange Noise WorksKlirrton ManufakturKMA AudioLooperMarshall Style DistortionMetal DistortionModulationModulation WorkstationMulti-DriveMulti-FXNoise GateOctave FuzzOctaverOverdrivePedal ChainPhaserPitchPitch-ShiftingReverbReverb WorkstationSilicon FuzzSuper-Fuzz StyleTape DelayTremoloTubescreamer Style OverdriveUtilityVox Style DistortionWah and Fixed Wah+-
2021GPXSKPedalChainUpdateBoss700V3.jpg

So this is the culmination of my first ever ’Boss Month’ concerted focus on everything Boss! I do hope you enjoyed the broad sweep of all those articles - and had some fun with my speculative projections and suggestions. The natural end to all of that is of course to set out the pedal-chain as a Peak Boss implementation - using what I have within my extensive Boss collection. I of course had to add a few more units - but only a handful really. I’m guessing some who don’t read my text ...

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The 3 Key Original Fuzz Face Types and Derivations

Analog.ManBasic AudioBearfoot FXBest in ClassBMF EffectsChase Bliss AudioChase ToneCrazy Tube CircuitsDanDrive PedalExpresso FXFoxrox ElectronicsFulltone EffectsFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGated and Velcro FuzzGermanium FuzzJDM PedalsKing Tone EffectsMonsterpieceSilicon FuzzSitek Guitar ElectronicsSkreddy PedalsSolidGoldFXSpaceman EffectsStomp Under FootTate FXWren and CuffZvex+-
2021GPX4FuzzFaceTypes700.jpg

This article has been much requested - following on from my similar takes on the 7 Key Big Muff varieties and 9 Key Tone Bender varieties. I’ve sort of covered this a little bit before courtesy of my 6 Potent Fuzz Face Pairings feature and also my piece on Key Fuzz Transistors, while this offers a more comprehensive and expansive overview.

 

Everyone knows the story about how Ivor Arbiter of Sound City / Drum City fame sort of adapted the MKI.V Tone Bender format into a mic-stand-base ...

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12 Degrees of Saturation - 2020 Key Fuzz Categories Edition

12 Degrees of SaturationAnalog.ManAnarchy AudioAnasoundsAnimal FactoryBasic AudioBearfoot FXBig Muff Style FuzzBigfoot FXBlack Cat PedalsBlammo ElectronicsCatalinbreadChase Bliss AudioChicago StompworksDanDrive PedalDanelectroDeadFXDistortion LimitedDunlop EffectsEl Músico Loco FXExpresso FXFeaturedFjord FuzzFredric EffectsFulltone EffectsFunction F(X)FuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGated and Velcro FuzzGermanium FuzzJAM PedalsJordan EffectsKeeley EngineeringKing Tone EffectsKMA AudioKO AmpsMaestro Style FuzzMaxonModulated FuzzMojo GearMojo Hand FXMonsterpieceMozztronicsMXRMythos PedalsNorth EffectsOctave FuzzOddball FuzzOneControlOpAmp FuzzOscillating FuzzPigDog PedalsPigtronixProAnalog DevicesReuss EffectsRoerich InstrumentsRonSoundSchu-ToneSilicon FuzzSitek Guitar ElectronicsSizzorfite StudioSkreddy PedalsSolidGoldFXStomp Under FootSuper-Fuzz StyleThorpyFXTone Bender Style FuzzTrefilio PedaisVahlbruch FXVick Audio+-
12DegreesSaturationFuzzEdition700V3.jpg

This is probably the most anticipated of my 12 Degrees roundups - and is a touch more complex and different to the other 2 in the series. Within each category here there can be a huge difference in character and output - for instance with Fuzz Faces going from quite mild to rather searing Meathead and Regulus VIII levels of aggression. So the gradual step up in gain per category doesn’t apply here. And because of circuit variations and differences in components and construction, each and every ...

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Pete Cornish Gilmourish Pedal Sound-Alikes and Near Match Alternatives

Basic AudioBig Muff Style FuzzBoost and OverdriveBuffalo FXDistortionFuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionMarshall Style DistortionMojo Hand FXOverdrivePete CornishSilicon FuzzSkreddy PedalsStomp Under FootSuper-Fuzz StyleToneczarTop ToneVick AudioWren and Cuff+-
2020GPXAltPeteCornishG2700V2.jpg

I’ve had something of a David Gilmour and Pete Cornish fixation of late - obviously interrupted by homage to and celebration of the late great Edward Lodewijk Van Halen. There is just one final closing chapter on the Pete Cornish phenomena which is my listing of near match and sound-alike alternatives.

 

Pete Cornish pedals - the neater Deluxe line in particular are some of the very finest effects pedals ever created in terms of their beautifully and richly nuanced output - and ...

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