Dividing line: Fuzz vs Distortion and GO!

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Diynot

Well-known member
Some posts here lately have me questioning my definition of “fuzz” and “distortion”. In your words define them for me. Can be a technical explanation or more esoteric “feelies” or tone description. Let the battle begin.
 
My understanding is that fuzz is a type of distortion. The distinction would primarily be the harmonic content of the altered signal and a more extreme clipping of the signal. I don't really think it matters too much—there's a ton of overlap. The terms are more useful as descriptors than discrete categories.
 
So for me, in the broadest of terms, distortion is “tighter/clean cut with sharp scissors” tone whereas a fuzz is like a “looser/frayed, jagged edge” tone. From a topology stand point (with a few exceptions) fuzzes seemed to be more transistor based with one transistor pushing the next into over saturation with or without diodes. A distortion seems to always be primarily IC based with diodes handling the clipping. Based on that, I believe a Big Muff to be a fuzz.
 
Diynot said:
So for me, in the broadest of terms, distortion is “tighter/clean cut with sharp scissors” tone whereas a fuzz is like a “looser/frayed, jagged edge” tone. From a topology stand point (with a few exceptions) fuzzes seemed to be more transistor based with one transistor pushing the next into over saturation with or without diodes. A distortion seems to always be primarily IC based with diodes handling the clipping. Based on that, I believe a Big Muff to be a fuzz.
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Well said. There is a lot said here…multiple justifications: tone, circuit, sound.
 
I think I'd go along with fuzz being a type of distortion - it distorts, after all. I don't use "distortion" pedals, but I use fuzz and overdrive.

For me an overdrive can get almost clean, whether by lowering your guitar volume or by lowering the gain. A distortion can't clean up and generally has a lot more dirt on tap.

A fuzz can sometimes clean up with the guitar volume but not always. The big thing for me is that fuzz has a splatty, synthetic kind of low string response which often has a different tone from that of the guitar. A distortion's tone is generally tighter and bears more relation to the inherent tone of the guitar.

It really is one of those things which is difficult to define "but I know it when I hear it"!
 
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I put Muff in the fuzz category.

I don't care enough to fight about it (especially to the ☠️), so I'll just let @Big Monk believe he's right.

The Rat, it can't decide what it wants to be, but I put it on the edge of distortion, dipping its toe in the fuzz in its extreme settings.
 
Big Monk said:
All I know is that The Big Muff is not a fuzz and I’ll fight to the death, Spock vs. Kirk style, with anyone who disagrees.
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Fripp got a muff to sound the same as a Buzzaround. A Buzzaround is essentially a Tonebender MK3. A Supa Tonebender is essentially a muff sans one set of diodes. Tonebenders are the best fuzzes. Anything that shares a name with a Tonebender, even if it has nothing to do with one of the Tonebender circuits, is inherently a fuzz. Therefore muffs are fuzz by proxy
 
Big Monk said:
“Objection Ya Honah.”

“Sustained.”

“If it pleases the court Ya Honah, I’ll have the jury note that @Bricksnbeatles circuitous rambling is a mere distraction from the main discussion here: a Big Muff is most certainly not a fuzz. Keep n mind, the very soul of distortion is at stake here.”
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I agree wid da yout
 
The Buzzaround is my all-time favorite circuit. And it is 100% a distortion. I use it for metal. The big muff is totally a distortion as well. Fuzz destroys dynamics and chords.
 
“Sustain(ed)” like a knob on a FUZZ pedal🤣. In the interest of science though what does a Muff sound like when all diodes are removed? I have a dizzy tone that is the bomb, but I def class it as a fuzz tone wise
 
If a muff is a fuzz… and my fender 5f1 is an amp… and crank the the amp to the max and it sounds like a muff… does that make the amp a fuzz 🤔?
 
Isn't is weird how we want to classify things? Can't a Big Muff just be a version of Muff - a large one? (I wonder if the Big Muff would have sold as well if they had called it a Small Muff?)

My uncertainty in how to classify pedals, whether distortion, fuzz or overdrive has made me just refer to them as "dirt" pedals. Or even "Grrr" pedals.

And while thinking about this, possibly a little too cerebrally, I think a Big Muff has to be a fuzz. Because no woman would ever refer to the distortion between her legs.
 
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