Find out which Fuzzes Jimi Hendrix really used!
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- Опубліковано 2 чер 2024
- Join me on a sonic journey through the legendary Fuzz legacy of Jimi Hendrix! In 'Jimi Hendrix Fuzz Legacy and Tones,' we delve into the iconic Fuzz pedals that shaped Jimi's groundbreaking sound. From Germanium to Silicon, we explore the evolution of his tone. While I will be showcasing these incredible tones on a maple-necked Strat, Jimi's later-career favorite, we aim to provide a unique perspective on the magic of Fuzz.Discover the history, the innovation, and the experimentation that made Jimi Hendrix a true pioneer of rock music.
If you're a fan of Jimi Hendrix, Fuzz pedals, or just love the essence of rock and roll, don't forget to hit the 'like' button and subscribe for more Jimi Hendrix-related content.Thanks for tuning in, and let's keep the Fuzz legacy alive! 🎸🔊
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Off the shelf equipment used in my videos:
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Single links:
Pedals:
Dunlop Jimi Hendrix Fuzz Face Mini
thmn.to/thoprod/309743?offid=...
Dunlop Germanium Fuzz Face Mini Red
thmn.to/thoprod/309741?offid=...
Universal Audio UAFX Lion 68 Super Lead Amp
thmn.to/thoprod/577467?offid=...
Origin Effects RevivalDrive Compact
thmn.to/thoprod/572211?offid=...
Xotic EP Booster
thmn.to/thoprod/235844?offid=...
Nux Tape Echo
thmn.to/thoprod/539421?offid=...
Boss RV-6
thmn.to/thoprod/368461?offid=...
Amps:
Marshall 1987x
thmn.to/thoprod/166987?offid=...
Fender 59 Bassman LTD
thmn.to/thoprod/170637?offid=...
Attenuators:
Harley Benton PA-250 Power Attenuator
thmn.to/thoprod/510412?offid=...
Two Notes Torpedo Captor 8 Ohms
thmn.to/thoprod/415490?offid=...
Harley Benton PowerPlant Junior
thmn.to/thoprod/264101?offid=...
Pimp your Strat:
Highwood Guitar Parts HG-10,80 Relic Vintage Saddles
thmn.to/thoprod/421862?offid=...
Raw Vintage Spring Set
thmn.to/thoprod/275673?offid=...
Strings & Things:
Harley Benton SpaceShip 60
thmn.to/thoprod/368158?offid=...
Elixir Optiweb 19052 Light
thmn.to/thoprod/404866?offid=...
Chicken Picks Regular 2,6mm Pick 3 Pack
thmn.to/thoprod/494404?offid=...
Fender Strap Blocks
thmn.to/thoprod/317124?offid=...
Harley Benton Solder-Free Patch Cable KIT
thmn.to/thoprod/410584?offid=...
Equipment used:
Fender Custom Stratocaster 1969
Marshall 1987 Plexi (50w)
2x12 Cab with Celestion g12h30 55hz
Dunlop Germanium Fuzz Face - AC128
Jam Pedals Fuzz Phrase Germanium - CV7003 as an alternative to NKT275
Roger Mayer Axis Fuzz Silicon
Dunlop Jimi Hendrix Mini Silicon - BC108c
Don Poniz Silicon - BC183L
Gibson Maestro Replica Germanium
Big Muff V1 Replica Germanium
00:00-00:37 Intro Jam
00:38-01:46 Introduction
01:47-02:48 Year 1966
02:49-04:44 Year 1967
04:45-08:08 Roger Mayer
08:09-14:18 Year 1969
14:19-20:51 Year 1970
20:52-23:36 Excursion to 1966 and 1968
23:37-24:20 Outro
I made a Fuzz with AC128 and AC188 (Ge) and that sound, I couldn't chanhe for no other....
Thank You and Cheers from Argentina.....
People must understand JIMI PLAYED SO MUCH CLEANER THAN WE THINK.LISTEN TO B.O.G.FIND OUT YOURSELF.CLEAN AND LOUD.
Marshall stacks on 10 and a fuzz face clean? It was filthy 😂
B.O.G clean? Machine Gun, Man.
I don't think this topic is explored enough, it is very deep and there are a lot of tones and changes, and how he used them was incredible. Awesome that you have the guitar strap that matches the guitar! I love guitar straps from that era, and I got the "Stained Glass" Ace reissue for my sunburst strat.
Thanks for your feedback. I hope you'll enjoy my tones and insights. I will consider going even deeper into the settings etc., but that's gonna be another video probably.
Please keep up the great work!
Thanks so much 🙏
Great presentation Mikel, thanks!
Thanks a bunch my friend ✌️🙏👍
Very informative, and great playing too! Thank you.
Thanks a bunch for your feedback ✌️☮️✌️🎸
Your playing's terrific!
Thanks so much for your kind words ✌️🎸
Great video, very detailed, good work👍👍👍
Thanks a lot 🙏🔥🎸✌️
Awesome video man very informative
Thanks man 👍 I’m happy that you could get some good information 🙏✌️🎸🔥
Fantastic work! I really enjoyed it
Thanks so much for your positive feedback 🙏✌️
Great playing and super informative video 💜
Thanks ✌️
Hey friends tons of Fuzz tones in this video. Leave a Thanks a like a comment and watch entirely to support my channel the best way 🙏❤🎸🔥
00:00-00:37 Intro Jam
00:38-01:46 Introduction
01:47-02:48 Year 1966
02:49-04:44 Year 1967
04:45-08:08 Entering Roger Mayer (Year 1967 continued)
08:09-14:18 Year 1969
14:19-20:51 Year 1970
20:52-23:36 Excursion to 1966 and 1968
23:37-24:20 Outro
Beautiful video, beautiful content, thanks for this gem! ❤
Thanks for your positive words 🙏 Highly appreciated ✌️🔥🎸
Thanks!
Thanks a lot for your great support 🙏
Fantastic video and story telling. I love how you broke it down and provided pictures to go along with the story. Really great work you are doing. I enjoy every bit of it.
Thanks a bunch ✌️🔥 One more to go with the Octavio 👍🎸☮️
@@MikelBluni Looking forward to it! Also, I was wondering if you knew what Jimi was doing different with his setup for the Maui show?
@@daveedmunds1770 Maui = other Fuzz, no Octavia. Pls check my recent Jimi's Fuzz Legacy video to find out more.
Great video, very informative as always. I have bootleg cassettes of shows like NY Pop festival 1970 and some others from the summer of 70', and there is a huge jump in radio interference during the summer of 70' shows compared to earlier 70' and 69' shows, also that grey fuzz he started using after the red w/ white knobs had a muddier or fuzzier sound to it compared to the red/white knobs pedal, I find that one to have a much smoother and more usable gain.
Thanks a lot 🙏 The radio interference is absolutely prominent and I personally like the grey Fuzz quite a lot due to its organic sound 🙏🔥
@@MikelBluni I'll have to try a bc108, I find that even with (most likely) the same pedal/amp setup, different shows sound different probably due to recording methods. I particularly like how the way works with the fuzz, in the late 90's I had a Dunlop red fuzz face, vox v847 wah, and the Dunlop uni-vibe with foot controller going into a 100 watt Marshall Plexi reissue (I'm guessing a 1969 or 1970 due to the presence switch)and 2 4×12" cabs with greenbacks and vintage 30's, using a 97'-98' Woodstock mirror strat, the wah never ever worked well with the fuzz, I was always scratching my head wondering why. This was before the internet was helpful in that sense. Thanks for helping dawn some light
@@Inspector-71 Thanks for sharing. I pretty much like these BC108s, but then again, putting a regular production Fuzz after the Wah causes issues. A Wah buffer is the least thing I’d ever do. Fortunately, Sabbadius has come up with a TFK BC108 working after the Wah 🙏 Hey, I also had the Dunlop UV with the according foot controller. It sounded awesome, but was a tone sucker as the heel position never really canceled or bypassed the UV 😜
@@MikelBluni correct, definitely a tone sucker, I had better luck with Dunlop's Rotovibe than the UV.
My first fuzz pedal had germanium transistors and it sounded real weak in hot weather even with new batteries
Your videos, definitely including this one, are riveting to someone like myself who is not so much a Jimi enthusiast as a Jimi FANATIC 😁. Excellent work and really appreciate how you include the graphic on screen (including knob settings for the FFs) of the fuzz being played through at the time.
Thanks for your great feedback 🙏👍 My goal is to go a little beyond and so I’m happy to hear that my approach is of help. Stay tuned for the next video and spread the word 😀✌️🔥☮️
@@MikelBluniI watched it again, and should also comment that all of your snippets of playing between the explanations and descriptions really keep it compelling, and make this video an instant top echelon classic on the subject.
@@mattragan1142 Thanks for giving me this important feedback! Good to hear that the selected visuals are contributing to your enjoyment. I select them very carefully and contextually 🙏☮️✌️🎸🔥
Cool video! Would love to hear more about the Octavia and the order of effects with regards to the Univibe.
Thanks a lot 🙏 Actually, when you watch my video about Jimi’s amp setting I’ll explain a good bit about setting and order of the effects ✌️🎸💯
Pretty definitive Mikel!
But for maybe the last 3 years ago there have been some very interesting developments of the ‘West Coast Fuzz’. You should check it out!
Always on, 2-gain stage… Ge transistors, I’ve not heard anything as close to Woodstock as that fuzz!
Thanks for your reply. Are you referring to a certain product/brand with the West Coast Fuzz or do you mean Dave‘s schematic? GE transistor? Interesting. My Roger Mayer Axis is the closest I’ve ever experienced, especially the the cleaned up tones are spot on ✌️☮️✌️🎸
@@MikelBluni it’s the Weyer schematic indeed, Glen has built a few and Eric Jujian uses one too. Not many out there in the wild!
- It’s a 3 transistor circuit, cleans up well with guitar volume on the first gain stage.
Also the BoG Fuzz that Dunlop claim was modelled after the original unit uses Si transistors, I have one of these and to be fair it is great but your amp needs to be pretty cranked, to get a good sound, as does the Axis fuzz!
@@3rdtonefromthesun Roger Mayer Axis - hearing is believing. You gotta know know how to set and ride your amp then it opens up.
Amazing video as always! I’m wondering if you’ve ever tried the PRS HDRX? I’m looking to buy this amp, it’s supposed to be based off the circuit in jimi’s Woodstock super leads
Thanks man 🙏 I haven’t tried the HDRX, but would like to, because on all demo vids it either sounds too bass heavy or people play non Jimi related stuff that makes it even more difficult to get a clue.
Super info! Any thought on which fuzz type at Winterland?
Thanks ✌️ probably the Axis with the amps having slightly more bass and less treble dialed in.
beautiful explanation. the most beautiful and clear one I've read! Congratulations! Which of all the fuzzes you used is your favorite to sum up Hendrix's sound? With which transistor? And which silicon transistor does the Axis Fuzz have inside?
Thanks a lot 🙏 I’m a heavy user of the Axis Fuzz. It’s been on my board forever and it just nails Jimi’s tones pretty decently 👌 It features the 2N3904 & 6 and they are really unique sounding 🔥🎸✌️
@@MikelBluni thanks alot for your answer
10:25 wow
The Maestro sounded awesome!
Absolutely 👍 I totally dig it 🎸
Great video Mikel! But a couple things, the red fuzz used at new port and Woodstock was possibly a different one to the one used at BOG and definitely a different one to the red fuzz used in early 1970, as there was two red fuzz faces, one with two white JAZZMASTER knobs and white lettering, and another with black lettering, one jazzmaster knob and one Octavio knob, after 1969 the one with white lettering was never seen again and was replaced with the one with black lettering and then that was replaced with the grey fuzz face which was most definitely a bc183 due to the design of the shell and the knobs it sported but Jimi did have bc108 and a early germanium one floating around in late 69 and 1970.
Fantastic information. Would you mind telling me where this information comes from ?
@@jupitermoongauge4055 thanks, hours and hours of time wasted lol I used to go through Jimis tour archives and find every photo I could of every gig, I have a slideshow on my old computer of every gig that jimi used the red fuzz faces at 69 - 70, I will have to go through and find it lol, there’s a great shot at Berkeley where it pans from Mitch’s kick drum to jimis foot using the wah and you get to see the red Fuzz with Octavio knob clear as day, also back in the day there used to be a theory that the fuzz used at Isle of weight was a BC108 due to some deceiving camera shots but through watching it in freeze Frame it was in fact the bc183 fuzz jimi had been using throughout that tour, and that’s what you have to do sometimes, look through everything with a fine tooth comb and one thing I learnt was to take every thing Roger Mayer says with a grain of salt lol you never know if what he is saying is just for marketing a product or bad memories. As he was not very involved at all with Jimi from 1969 onwards, also anyone who tells you jimi used to go wah, Univibe, fuzz are a few photocells short of a univibe lol and you have to remember jimi would not often preform with heavily modded pedals live, hence the lack of Octavio pedals live and so on, but these red fuzzes could be the exception, most people who are using little fender or mesa boogie 5 watt combo crap and trying to use a plexi overdrive pedal or there fuzz face with the fuzz on 10 have no idea what there doing, once you play through a 100 watt vintage styled amp cranked on about 7-8 (10 is generally to mushy for the Hendrix styled tone) you begin to understand why everything worked the way it did with jimis rig and why he set his pedals the way he did, please if you have anymore questions that I might be able to answer feel free to ask!
The band of gypsy was Octavia without the Octave generation. I Always think that
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. The whole Octavio without octave thing is something I always found hard to believe. Further I’m not sure if Roger Mayer ever confirmed that and at last that would mean the Axis is the Fuzz unit of the Octavio. Mmmh, I’ll be honest, I’ve played a bunch of Octavios/Octave pedals and the Fuzz in either case didn’t feel like the Axis 🤯🎸🔥🤯
Thats right..its a octavia with one of the diodes lifted but it has to be the circuit with audio transformer splitting not the later one that uses a transistor...
Great video Mikel! How much do you work the guitars volume in these examples? And do you have a treble bleed installed? I tend to find germanium fuzzes "sweeter" sounding, but I also appreciate the temperature stability of silicon transistors.
Hey Eric, thanks man ✌️ I work the guitar‘s volume a lot and try to take advantage of the whole range of sounds the Fuzz delivers. Usually, clean tones are between 1-2, raspy Red House Blues tones around 5-6 and the rest from up there. I rarely put the volume on 10, it’s rather somewhere a hair before ten 👍🎸🔥 I don’t have a treble bleed installed. I love to have the tone become a bit darker, mellower when turning back the volume. To be honest, I never had severe issues with GE Fuzzes and temperature. I have my Hendrix phases…currently I’m totally in love with early Experience stuff so I play a GE Fuzz very often. My main Fuzz though is the SI based Roger Mayer Axis 🎸 Try a BC183L - it’s the perfect in between, although Jimi never used cone ✅
@@MikelBluni Are the BC183L axis fuzz still made? And how does the axis BC183Lfuzz clean up compared to your fuzz faces?
@@holmerz Actually, the Axis Fuzz was only made with European NPN and PNP transistors (2N…). The BC183L in the video is a Don Poniz Fuzz from Spain, featuring NOS Texas Instruments transistors. It cleans up perfectly, just as great as NKTs, better than AC128s ✌️☮️👍
@@MikelBluni Interesting, gotta look into to that, thanks for sharing
@@holmerz You’re welcome 👍🎸👍
You do a fantastic job, I really like it, and I think I can contribute a little to the nerds amongst you.
There are so much more to FF´s than transistor type. It is a long story, but I will try to keep it relatively short.
Some common terms: Ge = Germanium, Si = Silicon, hfe = Amplification factor. Q1 and Q2 are the 2 transistors in a Fuzz Face.
Ge transistors are known for temperature dependence, current leakage and a quite low and very high spread in hfe. AC128 is listed to have minimum of 45 hfe, but can vary from 20 -
150 or so, and even lower if it is the ones with the cooling plate on it. And Ge transistors cannot be measured by standard multi meters or the cheap Chinese component testers,
because leakage will show up as hfe, and measuring leakage calls for special equipment.
Ge transistors are mostly PNP, which means they will have plus to ground.
Si transistors are not very temperature dependent, have no leakage, can have much higher hfe, and are sorted into hfe classes ( A, B and C), and they can be measured by standard
multi meters. So they are a lot easier to work with. Si transistors are mostly NPN, which means they have minus to ground.
The hfe has a very high impact on the sound of a Ge Fuzz Face, and they were known for, that maybe 1 out of 10 sounded good. Arbieter might have tested transistors for leakage,
but certainly not matched them for hfe. Rumor has it that Jimi lent a whole bunch, and picked out the ones that sounded good. It is a common belief that Q1 needs to have a hfe of
80 - 110, and Q2 about 20 - 30% higher. Devices with a hfe under 60 is normally seen as unusable. Si transistors normally have a much higher hfe, but not the BC138 that is listed
to minimum of 35 hfe. But some of them will probably go up to the 150 point also, and there is reason to believe that the relation between Q1 and Q2 should be in the same ball park
as the Ge ones.
Looking at BC108C is a completely other case, but again I think the hfe relation matters. BC108C - min. hfe 420, BC108B - min. hfe 200 and BC108A - min. hfe 120. So I think there is
reason to believe that BC108A would be an interesting contender. It seems that the new FFM´s are still not transistor matched, at least the Si ones. I recently had a FFM3, it sounded
like garbage, and I read that a guy had measured his transistors, where Q1 had much higher gain than Q2. I am aware that you can adjust the bias inside those pedals, and I did that
with no luck.
Unfortunately people don´t learn from history.
What an awesome contribution to the discussion! Thanks for your input it's highly welcome and interesting. Actually, I have found the AC128 to be extremely prone to temeprature. For my video I have used the current Mini Hendrix BC108c pedal. I was very satisfied with it and thought it was very close to the Axis. You can hear that in my video - it's really hard to distinguish between both. I could imagine that it is - like you say - a hit and miss with these mass produced unmatched units.
Excellent documentary video as always, so in my opinion the various Fuzz pedals that are in circulation are recreations to get as close as possible to Jimi's sound, they are all valid however they are not identical to the Hendrix sound, in my ignorance perhaps because the materials and the components used at that time were different, or because Jimi experimented and had everything modified, I don't know. Of all the ones I listened to in this video, the One I Like the Most, Which I Think is Closest to Jimi's sound, is the gray Fuzz Face BC108c (si) but also the Big Muff Triangle sounds a lot like Hendrix to me, not me I imagined it.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts ✌️ Components were different. I’ve played some couple of mud and late 60s Fuzzes and somehow they all sounded warmer. You are right with the newer Fuzzes try to get you in the ballpark, manufacturers might also bear in mind that not everyone’s a Plexi at home. However, it’s interesting that you mention the BC108 being your favorite. I felt it really has that little something going on that gives me immediate Jimi vibes 🤩🎸
@@MikelBluni If you've tried it, what do you think of the Dunlop Band of Gypsys Fuzz Face Mini?
@@Savior.Greenmount It’s nice, but it doesn’t clean up as nicely as other Fuzzes. What sets it apart is that has a truckload of gain, which I don’t think any of Jimi’s Fuzzes had in that amount. I think the JHF1 or the mini version of it are the one that is really the closest you can get in that price range 👍
@@MikelBluni ok 👍🏻👍🏻
@@MikelBluni What do you think of the Triangle Big Muff?
Would the Fuzz Face BC108c (si) be the FUZZ FACE MINI FFM3?
Yes the Mini FFM3 is the Bc108c 👍
@@MikelBluni ok 🤗🤗🎸🎸🙋🏻♂️
Mikel, Hendrix used the GUILD foxy Lady pedal on Electric Lady Land. The Guild Foxy Lady is a modified Mosrite fuzz pedal that has bigmuff tone circuit as I believe because the GUILD engineer had to modify the pedal. Hendrix used TWO mosrite fuzz pedals STACKED on the song foxyland because hendrix didn't know about the fuzzface pedal until after it was recorded. If you have to check the recording dates of when hendrix purchased his first fuzzface with the recording dates of each song on the first experience album. You should make a video about this stuff.
Some great information here 🙏 I might take your idea as an impulse for a future video 🎸🔥
Jimi used the fuzz face before he experimented with the guild . The guild was built as a tribute to him and he tried it on some fecordings but also Roger Mayer made a lot of pedals for him to use for recording purposes . He used the maestro fuzz before he went to England then he used the Marshall Supa fuzz then he went to the Arbiter fuzz face. Then went to the other forms of fuzzes...most especially the boxes Roger Mayer had made for him
@@paulyounger8884 Well Mikel Bluni really needs to do a Hendrix Fuzz pedal TIMELINE video lesson, pressure him to do one
The Guild came out in 1968 the fuzz face came out in 1966
Hendrix used the fuzz face in 1966
There is also a receipt that proves Jimi bought a Marshall Supa Fuzz from Manny's
Yeah thanks for mentioning, I’ve seen that with the wrong spelling of Supa. But nobody knows whether used it or not. I’ve concentrated on the stuff I have found some kind of usage proof for. That’s why I included the Big Muff as an example for the Foxey Lady.
Thank you for this video... For some reason I always thought he used a superfuzz and/or big muff...(probably because that's what I grew up listening to in the 90s)... Also find it a little bit funny that I'm a lefty trying to learn Hendrix licks from a righty..
Thanks a lot for your kind feedback. Maybe UA-cam has a mirroring function function so it’s easier for you to follow 🧐 ✌️
I dont intend to be rude, just to join information to analize it. Roger Mayer met Jimi in 1967 and remain very close to him in studio, rehearsals, through the American tour, and other later events. He stated that never saw or knew Jimi using a germanium fuzz. Mike Piera stated in his AnalogMan web site that original fuzz faces didnt have AC128. That the firsts AC128 come out in the 90’s fuzz faces reissues, and that none of them sound good nor cleans well.
Thanks Leonardo, don’t worry you’re not rude 👍 Am thankful for you sharing the Infos you have at hand. I personally am very convinced that Jimi used a stock Germanium Fuzz when he first got his hands on it. Further I believe Roger modded some stock Germs initially 😊 ’ve met Roger a couple of times and don’t recall him saying something about Jimi not using Germanium Fuzzes. ✌️🎸🔥
@@MikelBluni thank you for your reply. This is the first of 4 sections interview. In one of them Mayer stated that.
ua-cam.com/video/_Yy-IYE-YsY/v-deo.htmlsi=R3DAhwheoXeHpiiq
Miami Pop Festival and other shows in the period of March- May 1968 were a Manny’s Fuzz.
@carlygtr554 Yes that’s what I have also stumbled upon, but proof was hard to find 👍
I don't think the fuzz face figured as much as people make out..the marshall superfuzz Is the sound of AYE to my ears,it's biased warm and cosy like tonbender..jimi and roger found out fast that the fuzz face circuit was unrelable ..the axis fuzz is best fuzz for hendrix,or an octavia with audio transformer splitting and a diode lift..you can catch jimis three distinct eras with those 3 fuzz pedals and not one of them is a fuzz face..its my 2 pence as someone who built them all to get my opinion..I was interested as to why the fuzz sounded different on blues or some live recordings..
The Miami Pop Festival is from 1968 and not 1966
Fantastic information. The part where you suggested Jimi was using a modded germanium FF because it worked with a wah, also possible may be that he was using a stock FF with a modded wah. If you put a 39k or similar value resistor on the output of a wah, it will work great with a Fuzz Face. The fact that it would attenuate some signal from the wah wouldn't make much difference because those wahs weren't true bypass
Man I love your channel ! Cheers ! Oh ! almost fogot , what wah did you use in thiis video if i may ask ?
Thanks a lot! I don’t remember using a Wah in that video 😀 If so…it was probably a Joe Gagan Woodstock Wah ✌️🎸☮️
@@MikelBluni Hey thanks !