anyone have any experience with the dunlop mini fuzz face pedals?

pikingrin

pikingrin

what is this?
Been eyeballing the band of gypsies fuzz that dunlop makes, especially since they don't make the full size anymore. There are still plenty out there on the market but there is also the mini, which includes a 9v power connection versus having to drill a hole and fit a battery adapter through on the full size.

Does anyone have any experience with both the full size and the mini fuzz faces? Do they sound the same? I'm not completely sold on this thing but I'm a fuzz whore and the hendrix sig fuzz my wife got my for Christmas this last year has been underwhelming at best...which doesn't really make me want to jump into the BoG sig that much but...I'm a fuzz whore so... :D
 
I picked up the full size, Joe Bonamassa copper fuzz face this past winter...and while it is a limited edition that I got for a good price...from a pedal perspective, I wish I had a JB mini instead.
I don't think there is much difference between the copper or black versions....it's all just hype...though the copper top loks pretty cool...but the full size FF pedals are just so ridiculously BIG.

Sound-wise...it a mellower, thick tone than a lot of modern fuzz pedals....but that's what gives it the signature sound.
I have other fuzz pedals that can do all the fuzz flavors...but none of them sound quite like this FF.
You might say it's a one-trick pony....but when it's sound fits a song/mix, it really fits.
 
That's my second point of contention with the full size fuzz faces, the size of them. When you open them up the circuitry doesn't even take up 1/4 of the space of the pedal. The full size also don't have the connection for mains power, they are only battery. My Hendrix FF now has a hole just large enough for a one-spot plug to fit through with a 9v battery adapter cable coming out of it. Not ideal but not the worst.

I guess my question is more about the tone of the BoG FF overall. Is it that much different than that of the Hendrix signature? Youtube only goes so far... If the difference is negligible I won't waste another $100 or so on it and I'll make due with the 7 or 8 fuzz pedals that I already have... Band of Gypsies is my favorite era of Hendrix sounds and that's my draw to this pedal. The plain old Hendrix signature let me down countless times (whereas the others in my collection are true to their word but different, not quite there) and I'm hoping for "magic" I guess, even though I know there are many other limiting factors (I don't have a vintage Marshall stack cranked with it for one).
 
I'm sure the reason that they're as big as they are is that that's what the originals were like, and they're trying to sell you on the idea that it's the same thing through the use of cosmetics. And the originals were huge so that they would have some weight and not slide around so much. You have to remember, (well you have to imagine, I remember) that in the days of the original, there were no pedalboards. No one had even dreamed that you would ever need one. You had, at most, a fuzz face and a crybaby. That's it.
 
And I'm like you in a way, except that I'm not a fuzz whore, I'm an overdrive slut. I think 'whore' implies you get paid. :D

I doubt if I'll ever want another fuzz in my lifetime, but I could cover the floor with overdrives. It's not that I like that many, it's just that I keep looking for THE one. Or five.

In fact, I'm seriously considering dumping them all and starting over.
 
Hell, I wish I got paid...that would sure be nice. My sweetwater rep has bought me a few beers though, I guess that counts for something. :D

Yeah, I get the cosmetics argument - dunlop got my money either way, my 30th fuzz pedal will be here tomorrow...we shall see if it surpasses the Hendrix sig.
 
30th fuzz pedal?!? Damn dude! I bought my first this year, and I'm still trying to figure out how to get a good sound out of it. The JHS Firefly Fuzz has a huge range of sounds, but I'm finding that I don't really like any of them :( It's tough when a pedal has multiple touchy dials that interact with each other. A little more volume, but lower bias, but maybe a little to the left on the EQ, but a little more fuzz. No no no...less volume but higher bias but move the EQ to the right, and less fuzz. No no no...I'm thinking that I want a fuzz that's just input and output levels...

And hell, with 30 fuzz pedals, pick up a sponsor and make a YouTube channel where you review each of them in depth! Same for you notCardio, play through all of those OD pedals on video and I'd bet that you'd get some followers.
 
Tadpui said:
30th fuzz pedal?!? Damn dude! I bought my first this year, and I'm still trying to figure out how to get a good sound out of it. The JHS Firefly Fuzz has a huge range of sounds, but I'm finding that I don't really like any of them :( It's tough when a pedal has multiple touchy dials that interact with each other. A little more volume, but lower bias, but maybe a little to the left on the EQ, but a little more fuzz. No no no...less volume but higher bias but move the EQ to the right, and less fuzz. No no no...I'm thinking that I want a fuzz that's just input and output levels...

And hell, with 30 fuzz pedals, pick up a sponsor and make a YouTube channel where you review each of them in depth! Same for you notCardio, play through all of those OD pedals on video and I'd bet that you'd get some followers.
Click to expand...

I'm trying to count in my head...and I think this BoG will only be my 5th or 6th? 30 was my wife's count, as in "another one? Don't you already have like 30 of those stupid things?" :D I've got 2 big muffs, one of the old green ones and a newer silver/black one (the silver is my fav out of those two), I've got an MXR La Machine which is frickin' awesome, I've got a crappy Hotone fuzz pedal and I've got the Hendrix signature fuzz face. So, yeah, the Bog will make number 6. Oh, I've got a Wampler Velvet fuzz, too... That one is bad to the bone!

I've looked at that firefly, as well as a few of the other pedals JHS makes, but never have gotten to the point of pulling the trigger. Give it time though, there should be at least one kick ass sound in the firefly - with all of those controls it may just take a little longer to tweak to get there. If you just get sick of messing with it and want to get rid of it let me know...:D
 
I plugged in my JB Copper Fuzz Face the other night...it's nothing I get goose bumps over.
If you have a bright amp, it may work out well....but honestly, the only thing impressive is the copper finish.

The one fuzz pedal that I really want is the Dirty Boy Afro Fuzz....but that somanabitch is like $375 new.

Here's a demo of the Afro Fuzz by Blues Saraceno (this mofo can play).
His father, Alex Saraceno is the guy behind Dirty Boy pedals.
I have the Dirty Boy Ball Buster OD pedal...and that thing is unlike any other OD pedal I have or have played.
LOTS of punch and great tones.

(Oh....he says "kind of" a lot in the video :D).

 
Tad, there are two problems with me making youtube videos. One, I'd have to find a place where there's not a bunch of crap in the background - I live in something straight off of Hoarders. Two, that would mean I'd have to play in front of people. I don't do that anymore. It's to the point of being a full blown phobia. And I suck.
 
miroslav, the second sound he gets is the only one I would be even slightly interested in. And I'd much rather have that Silvertone.
 
If I only had the money.

As it is, a bunch of my guitars are sitting in the pawn shop and tomorrow's the last day to not lose them. :(

Anybody need a kidney real quick?
 
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