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Re: Pete and Fuzz Boxes




> From: James L Jackson <jacksonj@battelle.org>
> Subject: Pete and Fuzz Boxes
>           Gang,
>           
>           Did Pete run his guitar through a fuzz box?  If so, when?  
>           Or did he get his distortion through other means?  I have 
>           never read of Pete making any reference to fuzz boxes.
>           
>           Thanks.
>           
>           --Jim
> 
>
First of all, fuzz boxes are for wusses, but having said that, there is a story
behind a fuzz box and Pete.  Back in '64, when they recorded Bald Headed Woman
(probably my 2nd favorite Who song of all time next to Dogs Part I), the
low fuzz chord was played by Jimmy Page.  At the time he was the only guy
in England who had a fuzz box, and he wouldn't let Pete play it, so Page
played the chord through the fuzz as a studio musician.  

Having said all that, I can only speak for the pure Hiwatt era, (Hiwatt amps/cabs.).  On LAL you can definitely hear it switched from clean to distorted, but
I believe this to be merely switching which pickup is being played, and having
the volume quiet on one and loud on the other will give all the effect (no pun
intended) of turning on a fuzz box.  I can tell you I modified my Hiwatt
DR103 (the platform upon which all mods are made for Who amps), and can 
get virtually the same sound as the '69-70 era sound.  It helps to be using
a '68 SG Custom with P-90 Pickups, identical to Pete's setup at the time.
So I don't think he used fuzz boxes at the time.  I thought, though, at looking
at the Kids Are Alright video of the Shepperton stuff he had a bit more of
an effects rack.  Could be.... but by them I didn't give a damn about them
so I didn't really pay any attention.   
Jeff