NPD: Bulinski Effect Pedals "Gnarly Bee" (Si Fuzzrite)

[MrShake]

Built a Fuzzrite last year, absolutely love it, but there's something intermittent I need to troubleshoot. Too risky for live use with the band. Been meaning to get a better-built replacement for stage use and this crossed my radar last week:



Si Fuzzrite clone with the "OG/Modern" switch that takes a 22K resistor in and out of circuit to switch between classic Fuzzrite and something not far from a Shin-Ei FY-2.

It does exactly what I hoped! Sounds great, controls are super-interactive, same weird "transistor blend" fuzz knob. I'm not gonna post clips, lol, because it sounds exactly like the one I built and all my favorite old garage sounds. And through late-sixites/early-seventies solid states, it's got that "Godzilla soundtrack" sting I love so much.

I haven't been inside, but build quality seems great, nice design, and good fit and finish.

Currently (6/2024) sitting at $80, so it's the least expensive proper clone I've found with the switch I like, and the company even offers a two-year warranty in the event of issues.

I don't keep up much with the boutique world, but would definitely look at Bulinski if I was needing something they offer - so far, I'm super pleased with this nasty-ass box of beautiful hideousness and absolutely delighted to be able to incorporate it into the live setup.

Happy new Fuzzrite day, to everyone!

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

Happy New Fuzzrite day to you!

I just played around with the two Fuzzrites I have the other day (both from nice German pedal builders - Bremerklang and Electric Roots - also both a tad more expensive than yours) - I love the sound but I‘m also having a hard time using them in a band setting (too nasty/gnarly/ear biting) - the closest thing (I know of) to yours might be the Surfy Industries Surfy Fuzz - it has this US/Japan switch - which might do exactly what you describe - but also a „mass“ and „harmonics“ knob which could really help in the band context.
Maybe I‘ll treat myself with one of those after some Tiki Cocktails at Surfer Joe‘s next week. But first I will check out Bulinski‘s stuff!

May The Fuzz Be With You, always!

[therizzla]

I bought an SI Fuzzrite clone over a decade ago off Reverb from a small builder and really like it and I used it for 60's psychedelic rock and Japanese eleki tones. I find it sounds best with the fuzz turned down and the volume boosted up. I recently replaced it with the Danelectro 3699 fuzz because it's much easier to dial in especially in a band setting and switching between standard guitar and bass VI. I'm very interested in the Surfy Fuzz.

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

[…]I used it for 60's psychedelic rock and Japanese eleki tones. I find it sounds best with the fuzz turned down and the volume boosted up. […]

That sounds exactly like my Jam!

My „Ritual“ has the „classic“ controls (2 knobs) - with the Fuzz being the nastiest when turned fully counterclockwise (is this your „down“ or your „up“?)

[MrShake]

[...] I love the sound but I‘m also having a hard time using them in a band setting (too nasty/gnarly/ear biting) [...]

May The Fuzz Be With You, always!

And also with you!

Yeah, this is my only holdup with these types of fuzzes - I'm in a two-piece! The narrow (or "focused") EQ seems real nasal, honky, and buzzy when there's nothing but that and drums! And no matter how big her toms are, or how hard she hits them, no bass or second guitar makes it something... specific.

I'm thinking I'm going to lean into it and try to write around it. The other gain pedals for the band are Rat and Muff with either a Foxx or Superfuzz inbetween, on the "Mode 1" setting - pinched and octavey and focused. The Foxx on top of the Rat is still "bigger" than a drill-bit Fuzzrite, but I'm just gonna drop the Gnarly Bee at the front of the line and see what I can make with it. The rest of them are pretty much set-and-forget, so I've got that limitation/directive to work within.

[therizzla]

I'm thinking I'm going to lean into it and try to write around it. The other gain pedals for the band are Rat and Muff with either a Foxx or Superfuzz inbetween, on the "Mode 1" setting - pinched and octavey and focused. The Foxx on top of the Rat is still "bigger" than a drill-bit Fuzzrite, but I'm just gonna drop the Gnarly Bee at the front of the line and see what I can make with it. The rest of them are pretty much set-and-forget, so I've got that limitation/directive to work within.

I have or have had all of the pedals you mentioned and they are all classics that cover a lot of ground. I settled on the Dano 3699 Foxx clone and the Arc Effects Big Green Sovtek muff clone as my main to distortion units and between the two of them they hit pretty much all my needs most of the time. My advice with the Fuzzrite and any fuzz, like I stated above, is to start with the fuzz control low and the output up until it gets slightly above unity gain. A little fuzz goes a long way in a band setting in my experience.

[fuzzjunkie]

One of my favorite fuzz pedals is the Basic Audio Gnarly (no bee!) and it has a similar circuit topography. It’s loosely based off the Fuzzrite, with some component values taken from the FY-2. It doesn’t have the switch, but has a 3rd control that acts as a pre gain before the fuzz.

I wonder if the Gnarly Bee was influenced by the Gnarly? It was introduced at least 14 years ago. Mine was built in 2010. Except for the switch it seems like it’s more of a direct copy of the original? The Gnarly doesn’t really do the Fuzzrite thing; it’s got more of a FZ-1 vibe with some MK-1 and FY-2 tones, but there’s a direct Fuzzrite clone he makes a couple of other Fuzzrite adjacent pedals based off variations of the same design. The Spooky Tooth is probably the most versatile and popular pedal.