|
 |
Download Example 1
|
| Recorded
through a Fender '60s Stratocaster. Amp: Peavey JSX clean channel with
2X12 Vintage 30 speakers, recorded with Garage Band, Sennheiser MD 735
mic, off center. Touch of Holy Grail Reverb and room ambiance.
|
Super Fuzz
Sometimes a great fuzz pedal just isn’t
enough. That’s when you need to bust out
something fuzzier. The Black Cat Super Fuzz
pedal is a modern replica of the ’70s-era
Univox Super Fuzz. It’s super because not
only does it give you fuzz, but it also has a
two-stage octave-doubling circuit. It adds
an upper octave for when you need to enter
the Octavia Zone. Think Band of Gypsys on
the song “Who Knows.” Although the documentation
on this product describes it as
“Not quite as prominent as an Octavia,” it
sounds like a full blown Octavia to me.
The knob on the left is your Balance. This
controls the amount of fuzz you want to
add to your signal. The knob on the right is
the Expander, which controls your volume.
In the middle, you have a Tone selector
switch that allows you to go back and forth
between a warmer, fuzz-meets-Octavia
sound and an interesting notched lead tone
with sharper teeth.
This particular pedal may not get as much
ear time as some other pedals on your
pedalboard, but there’s nothing like being
able to whip out these tones when you
need them. It’s a classic sound, and this
pedal does it quite well. While the Tone
selector in the right-hand position wasn’t
my fave, it worked well in conjunction
with other overdrive pedals. It’ll take your
smooth, run-of-the-mill overdrive pedal and
kick it up a notch with glorious overtones.
The left position is full of awesome and
sounds great all by itself. It’s “The Sound.”
You can get beautiful upper octaves with
as much or as little dirt as you want. It’s
very musical, and once you find that sweet
spot in your guitar’s volume control, all
things are possible. Pedals like these crave
experimentation, and this particular version
is top-notch all the way around.
Super-Fuzz
Buy if...
you love Band of
Gypsys-era Hendrix.
Skip if...
you hate that sound.
Rating...
