Saturday, January 16, 2021

Charlie Fuzz Wah Wah Pedal

Brownrice recently sent me the following: 

I don't know if you were ever into guitars enough to remember "fuzz boxes". They were one of the first distortion pedals available for guitars back in the 60s and along with "wah wah" pedals enjoyed a considerable vogue from the late 60s through the 70s. Some time in the late 70s they got renamed as "distortion pedals" and are still a stock in trade of many electric guitarists. Anyway..... recently I stumbled on a small pedal company in Melbourne, Oztralia who make a variety of such pedals and was kinda amused to find that one of their more popular models is marketed as the "Charlie Fuzz". It's a dinky little thing that features the classic Life photo of Chuckles on it. The eyes are 2 red LEDs which light up when the pedal is turned on. I'm certainly not a "Manson apologist" but the sick fuck in me just couldn't resist buying one... I thought it might make for a good (and suitably divisive) post :-) 




If you are interested, here's where you can get one!

at

17 comments:

  1. orwhutJanuary 16, 2021 at 12:07 PM

    My son told me about wah wah pedals when he was going through his guitar phase in the 90s. I don't remember him ever having one.

    ReplyDelete
  2. starviegoJanuary 16, 2021 at 7:43 PM

    Check out this groovy old commercial showing what wah wah pedals do:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17h773ldGds&list=RD17h773ldGds&start_radio=1

    ReplyDelete
  3. DougJanuary 17, 2021 at 4:44 AM

    I have a Mosrite Fuzzrite and, a Univox Super-Fuzz...in storage at my folks house...thanks for reminding me!

    Here's a cool article on classic fuzzboxes, who used what, and...on which classic fuzzed out cuts. YouTube links also provided.

    https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.musicradar.com/amp/news/pioneers-of-fuzz-13-guitarists-who-defined-the-fuzz-pedal

    ReplyDelete
  4. brownriceJanuary 17, 2021 at 4:44 AM

    Sadly, the Charlie Fuzz isn't actually a wah-wah pedal, just a fuzz box... though quite a good one. Great for playing authentic-sounding renditions of Helter Skelter :-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. brownriceJanuary 17, 2021 at 7:25 AM

    Interesting article, Doug... thanks for sharing. Nice couple of fuzzes you've got in storage... both classics. I had a Univox back in the early 70s but sadly I lost it somewhere along the line. So it goes :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. DougJanuary 17, 2021 at 9:41 PM

      Until I get them from storage I am a bit nervous. Lost a vintage Big Muff to a rehearsal space theft in the 90s.

      I bet your Univox was germanium too!
      😢

      Delete
    2. 47str8legApril 23, 2021 at 8:58 PM

      "Big Muff" made me laugh. Old friend I used to play with in the late 70's-early 80's had one. It was like the worst sounding box ever lol !
      Cannot believe people would pay big money for them. They were pretty awful.

      Delete
  6. orwhutJanuary 17, 2021 at 9:24 PM

    I checked with Mrs. Whut and our son did have a wah wah
    pedal. We think it left town when the "friend" he'd left it with moved away. His $90 odd dollar Swiss Army Knife disappeared during the same move.

    ReplyDelete
  7. DougJanuary 17, 2021 at 9:46 PM

    I came across a Canadian Jane Doe #59/Reet Jurvetson 5TH ESTATE video on YOUTUBE and, posted it HERE for those interested. It is good.


    https://www.mansonblog.com/2016/04/mulholland-drive-jane-doe-59-identified.html?m=0

    ReplyDelete
  8. orwhutJanuary 18, 2021 at 9:00 AM

    Doug said...
    What a jerk "friend"

    That was over 20 years ago. If he hasn't changed his ways, he's probably a guest of the state.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. DougJanuary 18, 2021 at 11:23 AM

      Those vintage pedals lokely used germanium pots...much better than the newer ones.

      Jerk (possibly/hopefully) incarcerated

      Delete
  9. DavidJanuary 19, 2021 at 9:39 PM

    Had a fuzz box back when 1976. Can’t remember the name. This is cool. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Chris BJanuary 20, 2021 at 8:48 PM

    Last time I was looking at guitar amps there was one that had bluetooth to talk to your cell phone. On your phone you had the amp app and could download various effects and modelling directly into the amp.

    ReplyDelete
  11. UnknownJanuary 25, 2021 at 6:54 AM

    Trying to reach Mary Brunner to ask for DNA test

    ReplyDelete