Fuzztastically Cool

Well, I don't tend to use effect pedals much these days - I used to be a complete junky pedal whore - but in recent weeks I've kind of collected a few, just for a change like. Flangers I love, and a bit of chorus is very nice too thank-you-very-much, and delay is just cool, and as for my favourite Dod Classic Tube Overdrive, well, what can I say. Stuff your Centaur, this is awesome.

But for me, I have to say, fuzz is the perfect pedal. It sounds groovy, you can get away with a lot (always a consideration for me, I have to admit) and there is so much variation to be had, the world is a better place.

So when I was talking to Mike at 'Life Is Unfair Audio',  I did the obvious thing and tapped him up for a good deal on one of his glorious pedals, and man am I glad I did.

The pedal I got is his 'Awkward Breed', and it nailed everything he described.

So anyway, it showed-up yesterday, custom painted with style and and all due aplomb, and after the 'Fuzz Factory' disaster which I really can't bring myself to talk about, I was pleased that it only had two knobs to twiddle. For one with such a little brain, it was quite the relief, I have to say.

See, as far as pedals go, I'm more your find-a-sound-I-like-and-walk-backwards-from-it-and-never-return kinda guy, as opposed to your sonic explorer. But with fuzzes especially, I do want to use those funny knob things on the guitar and change things around that way, and so this has proven perfect.

And a two-knobber it may be, but man there is no shortage of stimulation. My first inclination is to go for a classic 60s fuzz, and that was easily found - I was playing The Rilkean One, so what did you expect? - but that wasn't the end of it's range, as a twiddle here and there could take you all the way to daft flat battery noises, and every stage in-between.

In a lot of ways it reminds me of the range of tones I used to get from my Zoom Ultra Fuzz, which I'm sure isn't bootique enough for many, but has an incredible variety on tap. But loving the Zoom though I am, this definitely has a richer sound across the spectrum, and manages to both give you those classic sounds whilst also being totally modern. A nifty trick to pull off indeedy.

Mike is launching Life Is Unfair Audio on-line soon, and if this is his starting point, I fear I may well be joining the ranks of the pedal junkies once more. In fact I have gone back to an old Ibanez DFL Flanger - Tom Morello started using one after he heard mine all those years ago. Probably. - so can't wait to see that and my Awkward Breed playing nicely together. Going to be groovy.

If you want to get in touch with Mike, he is on The Fretboard Here. Top chap and brilliant builder methinks.

Right, back to murdering My Bloody Valentine...

La la laaa

Tatty, Kooky, Fuzzy and Titch

Well, what can I say - that there Zoom Ultra Fuzz arrived and it is a bit of an addictive thingie. I can sound like a pedal with a flat battery going thru an underpass without any kinda hassle, all while a plane takes off from behind the curtains, demons cry with extravagant flatulence and dogs are called from all over the county.

It gets worse if I try to play something too.

That is a good thing.

The Flanger also arrived, though with a teensy glitch, but that will be fun when I get it going too methinks.

As for other bobbins, well I had a bit of a stock take, thought about cutting the grass, shopping and other things and the net result is that I have sanded down the body for The Kooky One so that it is pretty much ready to be paislified.

There is only so much real life I can take.


I also spent far too long playing The Tatty Adonis One and marvelling at the sound of that there Mojo Wide Ranger. I realise somebody will buy it now, they always do just at the point I begin to think I may be able to hold onto it.

But The Kooky One: For once I have all the bits and as Mr Mojo did me the wiring loom, I should be in clover when I get that far. All of which means I'm hoping to have it done next week, which would be cool methinks.

After the neck version, I'm quite all-a-bubble to find out what the bridge-focused Gretsch pickup sounds like, particularly when pick 'n' mixed with a couple of lipstick toobz.

But first I need to get the paisley on there. I must admit, I've sorta missed doing that.

La la laaa

Fuzzy, Yet Flanging Too

Well, I've been away a couple of days, so nowt really to report on the Progress of the Jooks, but I am going to order a new blend pot for The Ronin One today, which will be exciting.

Well, for me anyway.

Other than that, I'm hoping for a couple of new arrivals. neither of which are guitars or have elements d'boutique as they are pedals made by Boss and Zoom.

Never though mass consumerismisational stuff would happen to me.

The first is uber fuzz from a Zoom Ultra Fuzz. I've never tried one, but been told that these go above and beyond in the fuzz dept. so that means it has to be worth a try. I found a couple of YouTube vidz to fall asleep too, as you can see.

The Boss is a Flanger (HF-2) as basically, I can't imagine fuzz without flange, and Boss pedals are just predicable and good. So what can go wrong.

I realise I keep buying pedals and then using them twice and then selling them, but such is life. It hardly stands me apart from the flock.

Other than a bit of tinkering, I can't see me starting The Fabulous and Kooky Ones until next week as real life has jumped up and started waving, but you never know...

Elsewhere in footyville, it saddened me (though not for too long or muchly) that The Wulfes went down last week. I'm sure we'll smell see them soon, one way or another, but there we are.

What I won't miss is The Villa if they go down, but I can't quite see it happening, not least because my Baggie boys are no doubt mentally on Weston-super-Mare beach already and we play them tomorrow, which should be enough for them to stay up, I would think. Nice to finish above them for once though.

La la laa