FFM4: (FUZZ FACE MINI 4):
This is the mini version of the Joe
Bonamassa signature pedal, the
JBF3B. Like its big brother, it’s got a
black glosssy shell and top hat knobs.
It also contains the NOS Russian
military germanium transistors that
are responsible for reproducing Joe’s
overdriven humbucker sound. It
wouldn’t be a mini if it didn’t have an
LED, DC jack and battery door. Like
every Fuzz Face, it’s true bypass.
Note: I did not forget the Band of
Gypsys Fuzz Face Mini (FFM6). Truth
be told, it’s not technically a Fuzz Face.
The BOG is a whole other animal; it
may look like a Fuzz Face with white
knobs (all Fuzz Faces have black
knobs) but it’s not modeled after any
Fuzz Face circuit. It’s actually based on
the old Octavio circuit, first developed
by Roger Mayer. That said, it is a
super-cool pedal and worth checking
out for yourself. On the other hand,
the MXR M173 Classic 108 Fuzz does
not look anything like a Fuzz Face (it’s
square!), but it really is one. It’s based
on a two-transistor silicon Fuzz Face
circuit with two BC108s inside of it.
So which one is right for you? It all
depends: Do you need the size of a
standard Fuzz Face or would a Mini be
sufficient? Is the dirtier sound of silicon
transistors what you desire or do you
prefer the warmth of germanium?
Which one is best for the stage? How
about the studio? In the meantime,
read “Perfect Circle: Life, Death, and
Resurrection of the Fuzz Face” by Art
Thompson—it is requisite reading for
fuzz pedal hounds.
END
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