Gated fuzz tone, clean cutoff. It is achievable.

[FreaqyFrequency]

This is a quick and simple method I've discovered this afternoon getting a great "gated" fuzz tone. No patch for this as of now, I will simply post settings.

I'm running a PEQ in front, boosted a couple dB though this part of the chain is completely optional. I run one at the head of the chain in basically all of my patches, to provide a sort of "master flavor" control, and to block frequencies I don't want in the patch.

After the PEQ, I split the chain: one path to Pi Fuzz, the other to a Plus Dist in the chain below.

Here are my settings. Many of them are still being tweaked, so I will star the values/parameters which are significant to achieving the sound.

Drive 1
*Type: Pi fuzz
*Drive: 7.17
*Tone: 6.89
Level: 2.20
*Mix: 100%
*Lo cut: 200.0
Hi cut: 3147
*Clip type: Hard
Slew limit: 5.16
*Bias: Cranked
Bass: Flat
*Mid level: 6.3
Mid freq: 384.1
Treble: Flat

Drive 2
Type: Plus Dist
*Drive: 7.99
Tone: 7.95
Level: 3.15
*Mix: 50%
*Lo cut: 822.6
Hi cut: 8078
Clip type: 4558/Diode
Slew limit: 0.00
Bias: 0.00
Bass: -4.5
*Mid level: 4.3
Mid freq: 1552
Treble: -4.5

Note that the stars are simply what I recommend to be good ballpark settings. YMWV.

You will need to roll your volume knob way, way down in order for this to work. I suggest using it as your main control for this patch. If you're wondering why the patch sounds like full-on fuzz and distortion, just roll down the knob... I have found the best results to reside in the realm of the bridge pup on my Bongo.

I hope some people find this helpful. This is my first real step in this direction; a few months ago I told Bryan that I would go after it, but this is my first successful iteration, minus the beautiful, circuit-choking sputtering.

Very happy with this.

 

[ToneCollector]

why is this in the Bass forum?

 

[FreaqyFrequency]

I'm a bass player, and I know of at least two bassists on this forum who have been searching for a good gated fuzz sound within the Axe. This may or may not translate to guitar; I haven't tested it.

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

Hey Freaqy,
It actually does do a great impression of a gated fuzz with my bass' volume just above 0. That choked sputtering is the heart and soul of a gated fuzz for me though, but this is a nice step in the right direction. I'm still hoping Cliff can implement a true gated fuzz or something that would work in combination with the sort of thing you've made here, as I've got two gated fuzzes on my board now with an Iron Ether Oxide and a Devi Ever Bass Fuzz, and taking the Devi off would be nice.