NPD x4: DMM & fuzz content

[sal paradise]

Been of a bit of a pedal splurge, mostly for fun.

1970s DMM, 2000s DMM reissue, Zvex Fuzz Factory & an EQD Bellows clone


Firstly, the fuzz. The Bellows clone is pretty meh. It’s neither angry nor smooth & it doesn’t get as saturated as a big muff. Maybe it’s not a great copy, but glad I spent 1/4 of the price to find out it’s not for me. The fuzz factory… woah. Not really useable with the gate less than 3 o’clock. And then I think it’d get lost in a live mix. Still, awesome sounds from it, and insane how the controls do totally different things from 0-10. Should be fun to use for guitar overdubs in the studio.


Full review of the DMMs to come as I haven’t had a chance to try out the 70s one properly. Initial reactions are that the reissue is just glorious compared to the nano. I can’t get them to sound the same at subtle levels, the big box just shits all over the little one with ‘feels’ that are like a hug from my dog.

[JSett]

The big box DMMs from the 90s are easily the best IMHO. Nothing else comes close.

[sal paradise]

The big box DMMs from the 90s are easily the best IMHO. Nothing else comes close.

You’re right, I’ve been blown away by how good it sounds with almost any setting. I’m just sad at how big it actually is. Not really pedalboard friendly. But the nano can do a good enough version of it for all the gigging I (don’t currently) do.

[terminalvertigo]

I love my late 70s DMM! good grab

[sal paradise]

I love my late 70s DMM! good grab

Update: it doesn’t work properly

I guess getting one ridiculously cheap is too good to be true. Feel sorry for the person I bought it from: selling as her husband can no longer play. She said it was untested, but I think the repair job will take it over a reasonable price. So feel I need to fall back on the eBay buyer guarantee

[Unicorn Warrior]

I love my late 70s DMM! good grab

Update: it doesn’t work properly

I guess getting one ridiculously cheap is too good to be true. Feel sorry for the person I bought it from: selling as her husband can no longer play. She said it was untested, but I think the repair job will take it over a reasonable price. So feel I need to fall back on the eBay buyer guarantee

Out of curiosity, how’s it acting? I had a Boss CE-1 that I got for $200 that needed some TLC that I let go and I’ll always regret it. Sounded glorious but would intermittently cut out. I say that because you mentioned that it sounded so good.

[sal paradise]

I love my late 70s DMM! good grab

Update: it doesn’t work properly

I guess getting one ridiculously cheap is too good to be true. Feel sorry for the person I bought it from: selling as her husband can no longer play. She said it was untested, but I think the repair job will take it over a reasonable price. So feel I need to fall back on the eBay buyer guarantee

Out of curiosity, how’s it acting? I had a Boss CE-1 that I got for $200 that needed some TLC that I let go and I’ll always regret it. Sounded glorious but would intermittently cut out. I say that because you mentioned that it sounded so good.

It was the reissue that sounds great. The 70s one was doa. It’s super noisy, can’t work out whether it’s on or off, and either way as soon as you turn delay up from 0 the guitar cuts out. If you turn the feedback knob up from 0 it makes a screeching sound. Needs a complete overhaul sadly. And above my abilities.

[cestlamort]

Howard Davis (who designed the DMM) does repairs and mods on them (or at least did a couple years back).

his late 90s / early 00s Website - maybe worth contacting him

My 90s DMM has issues of cutting out (bad switch) so who knows if deoxit can alleviate the issues with your 70s one.

Depending on the price range (and given the circumstances), it may be easier to sell it as-is on Reverb than pursue a refund.

Congratulations on the 90s one though. Just magical delays.

I remember the fuzz factory being crazy sounding and crazy fussy with settings. I could only get it to consistently sound like Velcro, but there are cool sounds in there. (And I’m not a fuzz user)