When one strives to cultivate a singularly heavy doom-laden guitar tone; one that will rearrange faces and loosen bowels all the way to the back of the house, a run-of-the-mill fuzz or distortion box will not do. For these purposes, a standard fuzz pedal can be too squishy and indistinct, turning to mud with humbuckers and punishing volumes. A standard-issue distortion pedal, on the other hand, can be brittle, thin, and entirely too bland to properly strike dread into jaded aficionados of deeply heavy music.
For heavier-than-heavy tones, the optimum tool for the job is often the fuzz/distortion hybrid pedal, sometimes colloquially referred to as a "fuzzstortion" (or some variation on that portmanteau). This breed of dirt box exists in a heavily-saturated grey area where the massive body and softer attack of fuzz meets the crunch and bite of distortion. The best of these respond musically to pick attack, sounding warm and fuzzy when gently stroked, and tighter and more metallic when viciously pummeled. Here are a few of our favorites.
EarthQuaker Devices Acapulco Gold
I really love the spartan, single-minded simplicity of one-knob pedals. I also love the sound of a cranked Sunn Model T amplifier, an unholy roar that seems to perfectly amalgamate the best qualities of fuzz and tube power amp distortion. So, it is only natural that I have fallen madly in love with EarthQuaker’s Acapulco Gold. This single-knob monster of a fuzzstortion mimics with incredible authenticity the Model T's potent sonic signature, and houses it in a petite, attractive enclosure with a solitary oversized knob. With this knob turned up and the guitar's volume wide open, it is capable of delivering a tremendous bludgeoning, but pick more gently or turn the volume down a bit, and the Acapulco Gold is just as capable with grimy overdrive sounds, or cleaner sounds enhanced with a sparkly, saturated edge.
Mountainking Electronics Megalith
Mountainking's Megalith has gotten a lot of love from the staff of Tone Report, and it's going to get some more right now. This pedal is easily amongst the heaviest pedals ever built, if not THE heaviest. The amount of virulent filth it can generate is almost comical, but the sound is pure doom and ruination. Whatever one chooses to insert into its signal path, be it guitar, bass, synthesizer, oscillator, or electronic clarinet, will be thoroughly annihilated and hurled out the other end. And speaking of that, one should take care that any amplifier or cabinet used with the Megalith is the sturdiest available and has abundant clean headroom, as the incredible volume and low end that emanates from this beast will rattle a lesser rig apart in nothing flat. Batten down thy hatches, mateys! Its footswitchable "More Heavy" function is downright dangerous, and will instantly take you to fuzzstortion heaven (or hell, if you like). On a more practical note, the Mountainking Megalith offers very comprehensive control over the mid-range frequencies, which is crucial for keeping its scorching gobs of gain from turning to mud in the context of a dense instrumental mix.
Greenhouse Effects Sludge Hammer
The name says it all—when I think about what I want in a fuzz/distortion hybrid, the words "Sludge Hammer" would seem to perfectly describe the ideal combination of characteristics, and Greenhouse's pedal of the same name delivers on its promise. Somehow it manages to be thick and woolly, and tight and crunchy, all at the same time. It's like a big, fluffy, lovable puppy dog with huge fangs and an insatiable bloodlust. Because of this beguilingly complex set of tonal qualities, this versatile box of grime is just as useful for the doom metal Neanderthal as it is for the offset Fender-wielding shoegazer. Between the Tone and Body knobs, and a handy Vintage/Modern toggle switch, the Greenhouse Effects Sludge Hammer provides the user with complete mid-range shaping capability, as well as extensive control over high-end bite and smoothness. This is key to its versatility, and makes for tons of fun for the compulsive fuzzstortion tweaker.
Wampler Velvet Fuzz
Brian Wampler's Velvet Fuzz does not have the menacing sort of name that many fuzz/distortion hybrids sport, but despite its smoother, sexier moniker, the Velvet can be quite threatening. Created to capture the tone of a classic fuzz pedal pummeling the front end of a roaring, EL34-based stack, it can do smooth and singing, molten and furry, or tight and chunky with equal ease, beautifully blending the characteristics of a vintage fuzz with the gut punch of heavy power tube saturation. The key to this flexibility is the Big/Tight toggle switch; in "Big" mode, it is more like a thick, compressed, fuzz box, but flip the switch to "Tight" and the Velvet adopts a bone-rattling distortion quality, while retaining some of the soft-edged warmth of a cranked fuzz pedal. The Wampler Velvet Fuzz can adapt itself easily to many different styles and tones, making it an uncommonly useful, multifaceted tool to outfit one's pedalboard with.
Black Arts Toneworks Destroyer
Black Arts Toneworks, out of Chattanooga, Tennessee, has forged a reputation for itself as one the premier purveyors of doom boxes in today's boutique pedal scene. The bulk of the company's output is made up of vicious, bottom-heavy fuzz/distortion pedals, many of which are considered beloved, modern day classics by heavy music enthusiasts. My favorite among these is the Destroyer, a true berserker of a stompbox that combines two older BAT boxes, the Oath and the Ritual, into one. Outfitted with a pair of footswitches and a single knob (did I mention that I LOVE one-knob pedals?), the Destroyer cascades Oath into Ritual for a combination of unparalleled sonic mayhem and blissful simplicity of operation. Either side can be used independently as well, offering a surprising variety of tones from a minimalist control set.
DOD Boneshaker
Speaking of Black Arts Toneworks, the company's Mark Wentz collaborated on a pedal design with the recently reborn DOD, resulting in the aptly named Boneshaker. This many-knobbed pedal can generate a surprising variety of sounds, from crunchy drive to ballsy distortion, and even fuzzier, gnarlier crossover tones, especially when pushed by hot humbuckers and aggressive low-end frequencies. The Boneshaker has been specifically voiced for drop-tuned guitars, baritone instruments, and bass, and it works marvelously with any and all of these. As a part-time bass player, I found it extremely satisfying in that context, with one of the biggest, meanest low-end rumbles I have ever been witness to.
Fuzzstortion is a relatively new category of stompbox (though it could be argued that the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff and the Pro Co RAT fall into this category, making it not so new after all). It is also one that is rapidly expanding, as doom metal, stoner metal, sludge, and other fuzzy, heavy forms of music dominate the underground. These pedals are not only for the brutal tones, however, as many of them, when paired with something like a Tele or a Jazzmaster, are ideal for a wide range of sounds, from post-rock and shoegaze, to punk, out-jazz, or psychedelic music. A fuzzstortion can be the perfect do-it-all dirt box for the noise-loving guitarist or bassist.