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Gated Fuzz


shizznit
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I'm in the market for a gated fuzz pedal. I really like the sound of the Chunk Brown Dog, but I have phoned around quite a few places and nobody has one in stock. I might order one from Mark @ Bass Direct and wait for it, but before I do so is there anyone that can think of an alternative that will do the same job, but for less dollar? The Brown Dog is quite pricey (and takes up a lot of pedal board space!)

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Not many cheap gated fuzzes around apart from the odd Wooly Mammoth clone, but that only plays nicely with passive basses and no active preamps/pedals before it - looking at your sig, you look like you play active basses so this is a no-no.

Source Audio OFD does a decent gated fuzz, plus the gate control can be used to gate any of the other fuzz models.

Edited by dannybuoy
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The ZVex Mastotron sounds great, is reasonably priced, and works well with active basses.
I've heard differing accounts as to whether the Mastotron is technically 'gated' but it certainly has that sound - the Waveform knob when fully clockwise sounds really 'pinched'

BTW, I'm just buying an Oxide at the moment, and will have a play and keep my favourite, so I'll have one of them on the market soon

Edited by Roland Rock
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[quote name='GazWills' timestamp='1398972641' post='2439646']
I've not played one, but have heard several demos of the fairfield circuitry unpleasant surprise and it sounds really really good
[/quote]

I love the manual:

"Onset Control - Turn it up for more saturation, longer sustain. Down for sputtery ad-lib farts"

Sounds great!

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z.vex's fat fuzz factory is gated, works with active basses (although seems to work 'better' for lack of better description of what it does when paired with passive ones) - but is one hell of a crazy fuzz; some say no facility to blend in the dry signal is no good for low end, definition, etc., but I love it for how unhinged and noisy it can get - or unhinged but quiet as the gate is really, really good.

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Thanks for all the replies guys. Though all my basses are active I set the EQ flat on most occasions, so I should get a response from whichever pedal I end up with.

Edited by shizznit
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I'd pick the Mastotron over the Oxide happily. I think the Mastotron is the best sounding, bass friendly gated fuzz available off the shelf. It sounds massive. The subs switch gives some immense options when blending the signal and it plays nice with passive or active.

Actually, the Oxide is the one gated fuzz I was really not happy with tonaly, though it was a decent fuzz with the gate rolled off.

Edited by pantherairsoft
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[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1399630772' post='2445998']
I love the Mastotron, but for the filtered fuzz I'm after, the Oxide nails that Synthy vibe I'm after.

BTW, the Mastotron sold within a couple of hours!
[/quote]

Blimey, I didn't realise people were after them! Need to put mine up. Unfortunately all those Mammoth clones means I don't think I will ever get a good price for mine.

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With only YouTube videos to make judgements from, I have narrowed my selection down to the Chunk Brown Dog and Oxide Iron Ether (The Oxide is my fav). I checked out the Source Audio OFD, but not fussed on the tonal character of that gated fuzz. The Mastotron is really sweet too, but I do prefer the Oxide ever so slightly. So, I attempted to order one via their website this afternoon and they have none in stock! Why is this so bloody difficult?

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[quote name='shizznit' timestamp='1399654593' post='2446410']
With only YouTube videos to make judgements from, I have narrowed my selection down to the Chunk Brown Dog and Oxide Iron Ether (The Oxide is my fav). I checked out the Source Audio OFD, but not fussed on the tonal character of that gated fuzz. The Mastotron is really sweet too, but I do prefer the Oxide ever so slightly. So, I attempted to order one via their website this afternoon and they have none in stock! Why is this so bloody difficult?
[/quote]

Taylor (Iron Ether) has had major issues, and hasn't taken new orders for months, but I hear they are up and running again soon

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[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1399654942' post='2446415']
Taylor (Iron Ether) has had major issues, and hasn't taken new orders for months, but I hear they are up and running again soon
[/quote]

Cheers Roland. I will email Taylor to see if I can pre-order one.

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smallsound/bigsound make the TAFM by the way! It's my favourite fuzz but I'm not a huge fan of the gated mode since it maxes out the gain when engaged.

Didn't think of the BBM Deluxe - does anyone know if the gate can be used to get abrupt staccato sounds, or is it more designed to reduce noise?

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[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1399704183' post='2446765']
smallsound/bigsound make the TAFM by the way! It's my favourite fuzz but I'm not a huge fan of the gated mode since it maxes out the gain when engaged.

Didn't think of the BBM Deluxe - does anyone know if the gate can be used to get abrupt staccato sounds, or is it more designed to reduce noise?
[/quote]

What I really meant to say is the [u]Fuzzrocious Grey Stache[/u] ! I've been using it for months, you'd think I'd get it right ! To be honest, I think I've been referring to it as the "Fuzrrocious TAFM" for all that time ! Once I'd got it I just down to enjoying playing it and forgot all about thoughts of other fuzzes and researching them.

Lol. What a pillock I am !

Edited by hamfist
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  • 4 weeks later...

I didn't email Taylor at Iron Ether as I bought a EHX Big Muff PI Deluxe for £60 off eBay. I have had it for three days now. Hmmm...it's good and might be a keeper, but I do prefer the sound of Oxide pedal as it has more of a synth quality to it in comparison, which is more in line to what I want. That 'morph' control is pretty awesome.

I have also been looking at the Source Audio Bass Multiwave Distortion II. I might move onto that at a later date. Okay, it's range of tones is a bit overkill for what I want, but you can't knock it for £150 and does pretty much the same thing as the Pro model for less dolla. Being able to use an expression pedal with it does open other possibilities. I refuse to use the Hot Hand. You do look like a pillock waving your hand around like Christina Aguilera with that thing attached to your hand

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A compatriot of mine builds Whooly Mammoth clones with an active/passive switch and internal pre-gain control so you can use them with active basses.

https://www.facebook.com/calzamps

It's called the fuzzonetti and there are a few demos on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UA3GQwDEBg

It sounds just like the original and the guy posts to the UK (I received mine a few days ago).

The pedal is not produced from any blueprint found on the internet but from a professionally reverse engineered Whoolly Mammoth. The builder works in R&D at a telecom company so he knows what he's doing.

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