Finding the perfect fuzz can be an exercise in frustration. On the one hand, there's always the desire to emulate classic vintage-inspired tones like the Rock Gods before us. They used what was available at the time to forge some of the most memorable songs in history with unbeatable sustain.
On the other hand, there are musicians who wish to step outside the norm and push their own limits, using exaggerated fuzzs, like a tsunami of fuzz ready to envelop their guitar signal. Despite the already incredible credentials of some fuzz being on such iconic songs, they were not without flaws. Many of these pedals were straightforward and lacked the EQ controls that could really make a great pedal extraordinary - or not so much, due to the fact that the manufacturer was using all available parts, resulting in major part tolerance issues leading to each of the pedals. potentially sounding radically different.
The three-band EQ offers full sculpting ability to dial in any tone you want without the need for magical vintage mojo. The voicing switch can go from a classic, tight response to a dark, muddy, writhing response with a depth like hot puddle bubbling just below the surface.
The Fuzztration is not a pedal designed to play really "nicely". It's brash, raspy, doom, fluffy from top to bottom. That's not to say it can't get classic Floyd sounds, but it's not just another classic with a few more EQ options. It's hard, it's gruff, and it's like an angry lion trying to get out of its cage. When the search for the perfect fuzz leads to a plethora of choices, the end of your fuzztration comes when everything is packed into one do-it-all fuzz box. Want the classic sounds? Ended. How about some scorching doom metal or sludge rock? Yes it does that too
The volume knob is pretty self-explanatory, but it controls the overall output of the fuzztration. The Bass controls the overall bass response of the Fuzztration. Midi is standard, counterclockwise it removes part of the lower end which ensures a more searing tone, where taking it clockwise will greatly increase the lower end , going from a hoarse fuzz to a full doom machine. The midrange controls the midrange presence of the circuit. The center is quite flat, counterclockwise will dig the mids and become much more aggressive and cutting, almost distortion-like. Clockwise, mids will be added which will help combat the scoop that led many of those old classic fuzzes to get lost in the mix with the full band. The treble control affects the overall high end and brightness of the circuit and has a huge effect on the overall way the tone of the fuzz is shaped.
Noon is standard, going counterclockwise will produce a much thicker, saturated fuzz sound that sounds like a wall of wool coming from the speakers. Clockwise will increase the brightness, and therefore the hoarse and spit of the fuzz, depending on where you set the voicing switch. The Voicing switch gives you two very different but usable sets of sounds. On the Tight setting, it has a classic, more modern sound that's ... well, tighter, less saggy and acts more like a fuzzy distortion that adds up to a sum far greater than that magic number of 3.14.
The Open setting is much woolier, darker, more saggy and an overall thicker and mudder fuzz sound. The huge Fuzz knob controls the overall amount of fuzzy quality. This pedal is not designed for bright breaking edge sounds, so even fully counterclockwise it gives a thick pulverization result that works great for reciprocating rock and grunge. Turning the fuzz knob clockwise releases a torrent of fuzz, leading to massive sustain combined with some compression, classic velcro sprays and everything in between.