BJFE / BearFoot fx Guitar Effects Community

Ok, here we go….first review of the AWF. This is AWF SN# 002.

Equipment: my fav Strat, a D’Pergo Aged Vintage Classic w/ aged ‘50s pickups in the well, neck position. This guitar is slightly on the bright side with a one piece maple neck and swamp ash body, and the pickups are a relatively low output wind. It has a really nice chime with a JHE-"Are You Experienced-Wind Cries Mary" quality as a reference. Then into a Carr Mercury w/ NOS RCA 6L6 set clean, into my fav old Fender (open-back) 2x12 w/ Cele Gold and UK G12H30…a lovely combination for picking up all the details.

So first some time with the AWF on its own. Each of the three knobs (vol, tone, fuzz) behave like you’d expect. The fuzz is not overbearing, but very nice in that it seems to be a deep fuzz, yet not dark, and it retains individual note clarity well. I liked the tone a bit more to the treble (CW) around 2:00 than usually (around 1:00-1:30). Rolling the guitar tone knob was not as drastic as some fuzzes. Rolling the guitar volume knob cleaned up nicely with very good response to picking dynamics. I am also very pleased to report that it plays well with my Wah (RMC3).

Now put it side-by-side with the Pink Purple and the Candy Apple:
First impression, AWF is the “fullest” sounding of these fuzzes. The best way I can describe it is that it sounds to me like the fuzz is acting on a deeper (lower) range of frequencies in the composite signal, but not muddy like I’ve found with other fuzzes. So it made me wonder about a fuzz face comparison. I plugged in the MJM London for some side-by-side, which quickly refreshed my dark fuzz reference. But the AWF is not dark like the fuzz faces (I’ve played) and retains much better note clarity.

Now back to the other BJFs…the AWF is a much deeper fuzz than the PPF or even the CAF in its CW Nature side. In order of apparent “most” fuzz (this is different than “deepest” fuzz) it goes CAF, PPF, and then AWF. Maybe I’d better define my words a little better here. By “deepest” I’m referring to whether the fuzz is more like a buzz riding on the top higher frequencies or something that is cutting much deeper into the frequency content. Maybe others would say “fuller” or “meatier.” Then when I use “most” it is more like a comparison of the “strength” or gain of the fuzz…kind of like Muff is the most. Maybe these two concepts are more tied together than I know, but anyway, my ear hears some kind of differences in these two separate notional realms. So I see the AWF as the “deepest” but the furthest from “most.”

So, now when I work the guitar controls, the tone roll is pretty consistent with all 3 and not as drastic as some other fuzzes. The guitar volume-roll cleanup of the AWF is noticeably better than the CAF and even the PPF. It is also the quietest of the three with no guitar signal.

Well, so those are my early observations. I really like the pedal! I see only minor overlap, if any, with the other two…three if you want to count the Fuzz1. OF course this unfortunately means that I "NEED" all 3.

I’m a little hesitant to try to provide more specifics because so much is dependent upon your other equipment and playing style, especially with the finicky things that are fuzzes. Plus, it is really hard, for me anyway, to describe sounds with words. But if there is something more you’d like me to explore, please let me know. Nothing can replace eventually playing one yourself with your favorite setup. I hope this helped. Have Fun!!!

Now after some more-relaxed playtime with my new fuzz-buddy, I will go read the SWF reviews to see if I am surprising anyone.

Oh, and of course the artwork on the inside...nice!! (Taking that cover off for the first time is always a kick.)



Also, I'll put up an update on depth and fullness of fuzz once I get the nod for 18 volts.

Excellent

this is a dumb question possibly, but is this the same as the Snow White Fuzz but with a different name?

Excellent discourse TF!

Yes I would agree with 'Deeper but not Darker' and would add 'Looser' - the CAF and PPF were made to be useful anywhere and so are refined and controlled abit so they sit anywhere.

the others like Folk Fuzzes and Snow Whites are looser,less refined sounds and evoke a more 'vintagy' type response....and react more with the guitar volume

The AWF is a slight variation of the SWF (mostly in the EQ/ tone control and name ) and should also be useful at 18v as the SWF is... so try that too.. I havent yet.......
oooh I havet tried stacking it with the HB either come to think of it

Anybody tried a Little Red Trebler with the Arctic / Snow White?

GREAT REVIEW,,,,,,,,,,

Excellent review above...right down the track that my Arctic White is taking me. I've been pairing it up with a Klon with super results. Using the Klon as a lower gain option in front of the Arctic or the Arctic as a high-gain route, but hitting them both is resulting in a flowing lead tone that I keep looking at my rig to see what's on. Talking about notes playing themselves and sustaining for days. I'm now running the Swart a lot cleaner and nailing the dirt with just these 2 pedals. Tasty indeed!

hey donner,

how would you explain the differences tonally between AWF and SWF? I LOVE my SWF, but I was wondering what changes Bjorn made?

i don't know what the differences are, but your SNOW WHITE FUZZ haunts me, comes to me in my dreams, and taunts me with it's superior tone....

Bobby D wrote:i don't know what the differences are, but your SNOW WHITE FUZZ haunts me, comes to me in my dreams, and taunts me with it's superior tone....

Here's BJ's post on the differences:

BJF wrote:Hi,

On Snow White Fuzz:
This is a fuzz I initially made for my own use, but also to have something new at a guitarshow- always good to have something new at shows


Anyway, yes I still like it and use one only I feel that with the advendt of the Snow White Auto Wha that is the MP version of the BJF VCF and the MP version uses the last revisions of the BJF VCF and the only difference being that the inputbuffer is transistorized in the MP due to parts density but then the MP version can be half the size almost as compared to the BJF version, right well now the Snow White fits well with the Auto Wha and maybe Auto Wha is easier to grasp than Voltage controlled Filter but anyway back to Snow White Fuzz and there's a conflict in names so henceforth the Snow White Fuzz becomes the Arctic White Fuzz.

Hm, right well for that I'll make just a tiny change to the tonecontrol in view of feedback given on this forum and that's just something to make more use of the below noon settings of the SWF that seem to be less used.

I am very happy with how the SWF reacts dynamically and the circuit will remain the same in that respect so in effect Arctic will be just a tad brighter and a bit more compact sounding while yet close.

The last SWF's were sent without serial number by misstake and the numbers will be listed later.

Thank you gentlemen for your participation and I am also humbled that people liked what I made for myself.

SWF is stackable but also reacts with what it is driven by and this is transfered to Arctic.



Really I like the way a fuzz can be controlled for almost ugly and daring to behaved just by touch..........that's a
'I didn't do anything..............Woohoo.

Anyway have fun
BJ

So Bobby, did you try the SWF with an LP?...they really shine w/ buckers!