10 Incredible Fuzz Pedals – Enhanced and Edgy Sound!

One of the most highly regarded fuzz pedals is also our Editor Choice. The Electro-Harmonix Op-Amp Big Muff Pi is one of the small-sized fuzz pedals around, but it packs an enormous punch.

Suited for guitars, the Big Muff sports three visible controls, the volume, sustain, and tone. Through these knobs, you can adjust your sound to produce amazing grunge tones with a bit more coarseness to that. It also has a switch that bypasses the tone knob to give you a no-nonsense kind of sound. You can also use the tone knobs to find that perfect strike of the heavy and edgy sounds you want.

There is some flexibility with the power supply as you can run it with a 9V battery, but an adapter can also be used, although you will have to purchase that separately as it does not come with this fuzz pedal.

Despite its small size, it’s built incredibly well and is very durable. The Big Muff has long been a favorite pedal to produce that aggressive and heavy-hitting fuzz style and is one of the best cheap fuzz pedals around. The Big Muff’s most notable user is Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins.

What are our favorite features?

• Durable and compact design
• Affordable price
• Impressive sound

What could be better?

• Adapter not included

A really popular and modern choice of the fuzz pedal among customers is the ZVEX Effects Fuzz Factory Vexter. It is our Customers’ Choice because it produces the widest range of fuzz sounds among the pedals from our list, and customers love it for that reason.

This pedal boasts classic germanium transistors and is made for guitars. It comes loaded with five knobs, including volume, gate, compress, drive, and stability. Having these five knobs allows you to manipulate the sounds as you want. From a classic fuzz sound to those heavy, fuzzy tones that you might need to tame a bit, the Fuzz Factory shows a fantastic performance.

It’s powered by a 9-volt battery, and you can use an adapter as well, but just know that it does not come with the Fuzz Factory. This fuzz pedal will also last you a while thanks to its solid, aluminum frame, that valiantly endures the abuse. Despite having the five knobs, some users have pointed out that they’re not fans of them being so close together.

What are its best features?

• Produces a wide range of fuzz sounds
• Durable design
• Many ways to manipulate the sound

What could be improved?

• Adapter not included
• Knobs too close to each other

Another fantastic fuzz pedal for guitar and bass players is our pick for the best analog fuzz pedal, the JHS Muffuletta Fuzz. It has a fantastic black and gold design that is simple to use and control.

When it comes to classic Big Muff tones, the JHS takes it to another level. It has four knobs to set the volume, sustain, tone, and effects. And boy, the effects do provide excellent sound. This pedal features dials, including The Civil War, The Russian, The Pi, The Triangle, the ’73 Ram Head, and the JHS 2015. This version of the JHS fuzz pedal includes the newest effect, the JHS 2015, which is awesome for bass players.

This analog fuzz pedal comes with a 9-volt adapter and also features a true bypass for much better sound. In terms of sound, the JHS delivers a fuzz that is subdued in compression but still gives you lots of mids and can easily kick up the power. Owners of this fuzz pedal did mention that the volume can get out of whack while using the JHS, and you might have to stop and dial in a new tone. Despite this and its somewhat high price tag, we still think this is an excellent unit.

What makes it stand out?

• Six amazing effects
• Classic Big Muff sound
• Easy to use and handle

Which disadvantages must you keep in mind?

• Expensive
• Volume can get out of control

The Dunlop JHF1 Jimi Hendrix Fuzz Face Distortion is a variation of one of the most legendary fuzz pedals in history. This version is the miniature version of the original Jimi Hendrix Fuzz Face, but like the original, this version has the same BC108 silicon transistors that can cover a wider variety of fuzz sounds.

On the surface, it’s incredibly minimalistic in design, as the inspiration of the Fuzz Face comes from the base of a microphone stand. Since this is a restart of the original model, it only has the basic volume and fuzz control knobs, which, if you aren’t interested in other control types, is all you really need out of a solid fuzz pedal.

It uses a 9V battery and does not use an adapter as a power supply source. Users who are trying to emulate the same dense guitar riffs of Jimi Hendrix would be wise to give this fuzz pedal a go as it produces the sounds most similar to his riffs than any other fuzz pedal.

What are its best features?

• Simple to learn and use
• Minimal design
• Covers a wide range of fuzz sounds

What could be improved?

• Only one power supply source
• Lacks features of more modern fuzz pedals

Far and away the coolest designed fuzz pedal is the Orange Amps Fur Coat. It’s also known for being one of the most versatile fuzz pedals out there for guitarists.

The controls on this fuzz pedal can adjust the volume, EQ, octave, and fuzz. The EQ knob itself covers a wide range of fuzz sounds from sharp and distinct to a more heavy and wooly fuzz. You can also vary the tones with the Fur Coat by adjusting the octave knob. On a low setting, you’ll notice a small change in tones, and you’ll really notice that change as you crank up the octave. With just the fuzz engaged, you’ll get the classic sounds of a warm and thick fuzz from the pedal.

This fuzz pedal also comes with a true bypass and can be powered using either a 9-volt battery or a 9-volt and 12-volt DC adapter that will provide more headroom and volume.

What do we love it for?

• Octave-up effect
• Produces unique and vintage tones
• Flexible power supply

What were we disappointed with?

• Large body

Don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten about bass players and present to you the incredible MXR M84 Bass Fuzz Deluxe. For bass players, it’s common that when they use a fuzz box, they often get a loss in the low end. To remedy this, many bass players use more modern fuzz pedals, which often come with a blend knob that enables the players to lower or increase the fuzz.

With the very lightweight MXR fuzz pedal, however, you can take the extra mile thanks to the dry and wet control knobs. These knobs take over the ‘clean’ and ‘effect’ signals and make you sound like you’re running two separate amps. Along with the wet and dry knobs, there’s also the standard tone and fuzz controls.

This fuzz pedal also comes with a true bypass, like most newer pedals, and is powered by either a 9-volt battery or an adapter. In terms of the fuzz sounds it produces, you can expect a massive range in tones, from one that has a more modern bite to the expected wooly, fuzzy funk sounds. While most bass players absolutely love the MXR, a few did note that they wished it had a volume control knob.

What are our favorite features?

• Great fuzz range from wet and dry knobs
• Good stability of notes
• Can use battery or adapter

What could be better?

• Construction could be more sturdy
• Lacking volume knob

Is there seriously a fuzz pedal with a cooler-sounding name than the Way Huge Swollen Pickle MKII? Its unique and funky name is also what this fuzz pedal brings to the table for guitarists.

This stompbox features three knobs, including loudness (volume), filter, and sustain. It provides more tweaking options with the addition of two smaller knobs, the crunch and scoop. These knobs help to alter the fuzz’s compression intensity.

At first glance, you’ll notice right away that the Swollen Pickle is definitely much bulkier than other modern fuzz pedals. Because of this, it can withstand enormous amounts of wear and tear and will last you quite a bit of time. It produces a wide range of tones but is more known for a biting and gritty fuzz sound that can be compared to Jimi Hendrix. Just don’t increase the volume at its maximum because it can ruin the sound. It comes with a 9-volt battery, but you can also use an adapter if you prefer that as your power source.

What are our favorite features?

• Incredibly durable design
• Gritty fuzz sound
• Multiple ways to adjust the tones

What could be better?

• Sound isn’t great with the volume on full blast
• Bulky

The Wampler Velvet Fuzz V2 is a fuzz pedal for the guitar that sports a simple three-knob design. The knobs control the volume, tone, and brightness, and there is also a big/tight switch to change or sculpt the settings of the fuzz signal. It has a true bypass and can be powered using either a 9-volt battery or a power adapter.

The creator of this fuzz pedal describes the sound produced by this fuzz pedal as “aggressive yet smooth”, and we couldn’t agree more. When set it to ‘big’, you get a lot of compression and fuzz. On the other hand, when switching it to ‘tight’, you’ll experience a much cleaner sound with a tight bottom end.

The construction of this fuzz pedal is also durable and sturdy and can take quite the beating, like most fuzz pedals today. It is a bit more on the pricier side, but it does produce a very smooth and balanced sound thanks to the toggle switch.

Why are we impressed?

• Durable
• ‘Pure fuzz’ and ‘fuzz like distortion’ modes
• Can use battery and adapter

What negatives must you be aware of?

• Expensive

A company with a solid reputation for making some of the best guitar effects on the market is EarthQuaker Devices. Their Hoof Hybrid Fuzz, or more affectionately referred to as the Hoof, is no different.

Many people pick this because of its incredible versatility and depth of the sound. It has a hybrid germanium-silicon design and sports four controls on this stompbox: shift, tone, level, and fuzz. These controls all work well together to provide a much wider depth of tones, including grunge, alternative, and clean, modern sounds as well.

When it comes to power, it’s up to your playing needs as it can support a 9-volt battery or an adapter. From compressed distortion to smooth and clear, the Hoof can really show off its versatility, which can be amazing during any playing session or concert. Guitarists who have purchased the Hoof say it’s amazing but pricey at the same time.

What are its best features?

• Very versatile in sounds
• Smooth hybrid design
• Wider depth of tones

What could be improved?

• Expensive

One of a few fuzz pedals on our list that can accommodate both guitar and bass players is the Fulltone 69 MkII. As it says on the casing, it was hand-built in the USA.

This pedal has a simple design and only rocks a volume and fuzz control knobs with two smaller input and contour knobs and a true bypass. While the bright red casing and big white lettering may make this look like an unassuming fuzz pedal, you couldn’t be more wrong. Its vintage personality brings about great tones that have a rich and massive fuzzy attack. Adjust the ‘woofiness’ of your fuzz by lowering the input and play around with your harmonics and sustain by tampering with the contour.

Like most fuzz pedals, it is built like a brick and can last the punishment that you will put it through. It also has run on a 9-volt battery or an adapter if that’s what works best for your playing style. While this is a good fuzz pedal, many people have said that you could definitely get one that has more features at this price tag.

Why is it special?

• Can use both guitar and bass
• Rich and vintage tones
• Can work with battery or adapter

What are the flaws?

• Lacks value for the price