3 fuzz
the launch of the maestro fuzz tone in 1962 was a game changer
The launch of the Maestro Fuzz Tone in 1962 was a gamechanger: it was one of the very first effects pedals that secured its place in history when Keith Richards plugged one in to record Stones classic
(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction in 1965. Since then, fuzz has evolved to become one of the most varied effect types, spawning octave-fuzz effects like the Octavia (think Hendrix’s Purple Haze) and the high-gain, scooped grind of Electro-Harmonix’s snigger-inducing Big Muff, as heard on just about every distorted guitar track on The Smashing Pumpkins masterpiece Siamese Dream.
What all fuzzes have in common is a lower clipping threshold than a distortion pedal, resulting in an almost totally square wave. That’s why some fuzzes sound almost like a synth at times. The key difference between sounds lies in the transistors used: vintage fuzzes such as the Fuzz Face used germanium transistors, producing a warm, mid-gain sound. Raunchier fuzzes, like the Big Muff, tend to employ silicon transistors, which produce a harsher, more compressed tone. Because fuzz circuits are relatively simple, pedal builders will often employ a host of other tweaks, from multiple modes to noise gates and beyond – listen to Matt Bellamy’s use of a Z.Vex Fuzz Factory on Plug In
Baby to hear how far it has come.