Dunlop JH-F2 Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face

fuzz's are tricky, it's not quite as simple as it seems, but this one is just as EZ as the others. The thing is.... there IS a SWEET SPOT .. you find it by balancing your pedal / guitar's / amps contols ... it takes some doing .. well worth the effort..

i was afraid to buy this red jh-f2 reissue based on some of the bad reviews here .. i'm writing this to let YOU know don't be..... i have a tele w/paf(alnico) in the neck semi-hot & I using a vintage series nomad (50watts) w/4x12 cab - i like to keep it simple as far as effects goes, i have a analog crybaby wah >> ts9 >> bd-2 >> cs-2 >> JH-F2 FUZZ FACE >> CH-1 >> reel echo >> amp >>> I paid $50 EBAY... ... I USE IT a freakin lot ... of you find one for around a half a bill, jump on it! as others have said - use your guitar vol - get your amp vol to correspond - i don't turn the fuzz all the way up don't need to w/ the paf's - if you spend time finding the right setting can't see anyone NOT LOVING THIS - i prefer the germaniums... to me IMHO they're warmer the sillicones splatter and need more dailing in - good in a different way - i'm giving a 10 to make up for the unfair reviews givin to it by chuckleheads - BTW this pedal might not be right for you if your tryin to imitate metallica or techo or something but it DOES DELIVER WHAT IT"S SUPPOSED TO just like a good fuzz should ..and it's a great value ,

Good sounding fuzz that can go from subtle to outrageous. Simple manual for a simple pedal. Stock re-issue.

I find that humbuckers do not sound good at all. They tend to get real muddy and thick. Single coils is where this pedal excels. When using my fender Texas special bridge, it is still a little hot but sounds much better, more definition. Anyone who says that this pedal can be bass heavy, probably is using the wrong setup. You need single coil pickups to retain the high end.

I would depend on this, but would always bring a backup.

Never had to deal with Dunlop.

I would probably buy this again, but would test and compare it with other fuzz pedals before I purchased this again. I don't like that the pedal is not that versatile when using humbucker pickups. I don't know if you could use this all the time in your pedal chain, but it is fun and inspiring to use.

Pretty easy, theres only 2 knobs, one for volume and one for fuzz. The only problem is the fuzz knob dosn't do very much for the first 3/4 of its turn, then it's very sensitive in the last 1/4 or so of it's turn, qhich you can look at two ways, it makes it hard to get that exact setting you want, but it's also very configurable

The sound is excellent - it's a fuzz pedal not an overdrive pedal, most people give fuzz's bad reviews because they don't know the difference - It's quite bass heavy and tends to cut the highs a bit, but I like it like that and it could always be changed with an EQ pedal

It's built entirely out of metal, weighs quite a bit considering theres only a tiny pcb inside the giant red casing. The only thing wrong with mine is that the stomp switch is acting up, sometimes when I turn it on it cuts most of the volume and I have to push it halfway down again to get it to work properly, this is intermittent but annoying when it happens, though nothing changing the switch shouldn't fix if I could be bothered doing it

Never dealt with Dunlop

I mostly play classic rock and blues, this pedal is a must for any Hendrix fan. I'm running it with an Epiphone LP Limited Edition with stock pickups into an Epiphone Firefly 30 DSP (a VERY good amp for all the price of it). If it were stolen I would definatley replace it, it's my main distortion pedal.

Too Easy....

I am using a number of guitars, Strat, LP Classic 1960, Tele, Epi Sheraton II, Parker Fly, etc etc. I am running this through a seperate loop using a Tonebone Loopbone. I have put all of my NON true bypass foot pedals through the 2 available loops on the Loopbone (you must get one of these bad boys). I run first into a Keeley Compressor to the main input on the Loopbone. Here is how the loop with the Fuzzface looks(loop 1). Crybaby-Fuzzface to the return of the loop. In the other loop I have a Univibe (newer one)-MXR Phase 90-Electric Mistress-MXR Microamp-English Muff'n-OctaFuzz-MXR Smartgate back to the return. I run out of the Loopbone to the input of a Mesa Boogie Tri-Axis. I use a Digital Products Ground Control to switch midi patches between the Tri-Axis and an old school Alesis Quadraverb. I am also running an Danelectro Fish&Chips EQ (nicer than you think)-MXR Chorus-Boss NP50 Noise Reduction unit. I have isolated all my available loops with some sort of gate. My theory is a little in key places is better than a lot in one place. This set up allows me to use the Fuzz face with a number of textures and tones. The main thing you have to keep in mind with a fuzz is that is does not and is not supposed to shine much when playing chords. It does however, offer some interstesting harmonic depth (especially in the lower subtones)to lead playing and even nicer when you double the lines while recording. I basically crank this sucker up to about 3:00 on the volume and max blast or close to it on the fuzz. From there I control the amount of distortion with the volume on my guitars. It works particularly nice with the Strat stock pickups(Late 80's USA). Truly captures those Hendixesque moments. At lower volumes on the guitar you get a nice high end but it is not over powering. It's actually a fairly clean tone but has a nice bite and just a little snarl. At medium volume on the guitar it starts to beef up on the bottom end. Remember, I am talking about notes and solo's here. It truly adds a bottom end to the note that is familiar to many when listening to Hendrix, Eric Johnson and even SRV (English Muff'n nails his sound). As you crank it towards and all the way up on the guitar, it starts to over load and fart out from the bottom end on the lower strings particularly. The tone of the note disappears into a low end subtone with no particular note quality HOWEVER, if you are nimble and quick, it give a very intersting and musical "suggestion" of notes..in other words you don't have to be as accurate as you do quick. It's alive, not a canned sounding linear output distortion pedal. The bad news is that it is pretty noisy. Various configuration are better and worse i.e. compressor in front of it (wow! very loud). The built in Loopbone boost (great booster)=noise. The Microamp spells NOISE. however, you really can run it pretty much on it's own. It has a certain compressed sound to it and runs through time shift devices pretty nicely at low volumes but turns into a jet airplane at high volumes (on the guitar). Used with some delay, hall reverb and the UniVibe with the guitar turned down gets a very fluid sound that calls Robin Trower to mind. Anyway, the unit is a pleasure to play around with and have and do use it on gigs and while recording. If you are looking to beef up your lead tones and are willing to get a noise gate, this might be what you are looking for. If you want modern tones or metal, this is not the one you want.

Seems like a tank and about the same size as one.

No idea. No Problems

I mess around in a lot of styles but it's all rock oriented. I like classic tones that range from Hendrix to AC/DC (English Muff'n nails them). I bought the fuzzface out of curiosity after reading about all of the artists over the years who have used them. I can play fine without it but it does add another stitch the fabric. I have stomped on it for solos a number of times lately while playing live. It makes lead lines fluid and fatter. You have to learn to control this wild dog but once you get it down, you will likely use it like I do, selectively and with no regards to any musical rule whatsover!!

FEEL IT?? PLAY IT!!

This review is of a pedal that I took the guts from and reboxed them since I sent the box to Mike at Analog Man to get the Sunface conversion installed. I figured I'd keep the gut of this pedal- rebox them with new jacks and pots- doesn't affect the sound one bit (probably better quality assembely when I did this, more on this later). This is super easy to use. Not exactly easy to get a great sound out of it (more on this later).

Fuzz can be difficult to get a good sound from. You really need to have a fuzz pumping into a overdriven tube amp to get a really good sound but that doesn't excuse this thing. With the sound of this I might as well have the DOD Grunge pedal or something else that takes away all expression in you playing.

I also have an earlier version of this pedal (so early in Dunlop's production that it came in blue paint). That thing sounds pretty good for a mass produced pedal. If you look inside the 2 Dunlop's I have you'll see the reason why they sound so different. My old version has an exact copy of the original circuit; about 9 parts on the board. That must have been too expensive for Dunlop to produce and get reliable sound from because the new version has about twice the number of components (lots of trimpots, etc.).

A lot has been said about new production germanium transistors, I don't think that's as important as someone sitting down and tweaking components to get the right sound. They don't do this here. You're better going with one of the many Fuzz Face clones than this thing, you can find one that'll run you about the same price that someone cared about the sound. My first attempt at building a Fuzz Face (with way too high gain silicon transistors sounds better that this, and I had no clue what I was doing). I won't say there's no good sound from it, there's about one place on the dials I was able to get something passing but good luck finding it.

I bought this brand new and opened it up and on of the solder joints on the board was almost non existent. Just remember that this thing was made for the highest possible profit margin. The box is like a tank but I don't trust the board construction.

Haven't tried. I can do most necessary repairs myself.

You're better served buy one of the multitude of Fuzz Face clones. Some of those are going to be more expensive (Diaz Square Face, Analog Man Sunface, Phoenix Custom Electronics Fuzz, all of which I own and love for their things) but are better than this thing. There are pedals out there for the same price or less that will sound so much better, just check Ebay for "fuzz". It has the vibe with the cool box but the sound just isn't there. Don't think you're going to get the Hendrix sound when you buy this.

2 knobs...one stomp switch...it`s easy even for drummers.

Just like I`ve read above, Fuzz pedals are made to sound like crap and this one is the crappiest of all. Just plug your guitar into a good "TUBE" amp and there you go! Beautiful fuzz tone.
It`s not noisy at all...I guess I`ll dare to say that this is the most quiet pedal in my chain. I have a Fender JapStrat 68`Reissue trough the FuzzFace, a RatII and a Small Clone Analgog Chorus trough a 64`Fender Tremolux Blackface 35watter head with a 2x12 60`s Bassman cabinet.

I bought this pedal beacuse:

1) I love Hendrix.
2) I needed some Red-lightsaber attitude in my solos and riffs.

This pedal is NOT for metalhead losers! This is the Real Deal for serious people looking for serious tone.
Go get one and you`ll be admired by the other guitar players around you.

It`s built like a Panzer.
Made to survive bombings and nuclear attacks.

I`m an engineer, so if something happens I`ll do my own costumer support or I`ll find somebody to do it for me.

I play rock n`roll. Been playing for 11 years and never tried anything better.

Its easy to use but I don't like the battery being loose inside, only thing holding the battery is the terminal connection.

Gibson Les Paul Custom with a Marshall 1959 -- fuzz face sounds like crap no matter what settings. same guitar with a fender twin reverb--this pedal sounds awesome, sounds like Hendrix on "Like a Rolling Stone" Marshall doesn't need any effects like fuzz, distortion, or od, just turn amp up past seven. This pedal needs to be used with an amp with a clear and clean sound. I give it 10 because when i use it with my fender twin reverb, it has a very warm and soothing tone. The volume on the pedal will also make the amp go even louder.

Does what it's supposed to do every time for 10 years.

N/A

I've been playing for 25 years. I bought this because Hendrix had one. I will never hot rod or modify this, it's fine the way it is. If it ever breaks or something, then I might change some of the resistors to get a different sound, but I'd buy another new one too. It has always been a part of my set up, couldn't be without it.

???I don't get it? plese help???! LOL, you get the idea. This is as easy as an on pf lamp with a dimmer.

I give it ten here, because the Fuzz it gives is exactly the fuzz it sells! I play along to the Hendrix DVD's and I can get his live sounds with my Jap Fender and My Fender Twin amp. Chain Setup:My Fuzz into the Vox Wah into my Octavia, into my univibe and finally the Leslie 147 unit.

no problems in two years. It took me this long to get all of the above gear. Can't rate these untill you rate them in there environment. unlike the many others we see below :/ ??

never saked with no problems ;)

Please checkout the sound section, it's all there, right where it belongs..... in the Sound! ya dig?

2 knobs ... fuzz and volume ... tunr them to 12 o'clok then play.
if you want to clean up your sound, just roll back your guitar volume ... want more fuzz, cranck your guitar volume to 10 !

note that my pedal (a Crest Audio ri. type 2, with BC109 transistors ... not a Dunlop in fact) has been modified by Olaf Nobis of Banzai Effects (best pedals on earth) who installed me a true bypass switch ...

i play a Gibson LP Jr. or Fender Telcaster us > Fuzz Face > Cry Baby (true bypassed) > Marshall Blues Breaker ri.
sounds just perfect, can play everything with this set-up, blues rock, funk, 70's hard rock etc etc ...

i've tried a lot of drive box before buying a fuzz face, and to me, nothing sounds better than this through a Marshall plexi ...

this pedal is really dynamic, transparent, it responds well to the volume variations from the guitar.

the original switch was really crappy ... but with then new Banzai one, i think this pedal will be in my setup for a long time !

for me it's a ten ...
don't need to buy a 150$ clone like a MJM, Fulltone when you can find this mid 90's reissue on Ebay for around 70$/?.

if it were stolen i would try to buy an original one, or buy a SolaSound Tonebender ri.

if you're looking for a good old 70's sound, just check this pedal !

It is very easy to use! (only a volume and Fuzz knob), but still very difficult to get a good sound out of it! There is a manual (more like a drawing) in case you need to switch your empty 9 volts battery! This is a standard unit! No mods! A Jim Dunlop reissue of the Dallas-arbiter fuzzface distortionbox (JHF2)Serial number 932168, and both potentiometers read R1379337, which suggests that this pedal/ these potentiometers was made in the 37th week of 1993. I believe that, cause i baught it in 1993! there's no adapterinput, which is true to the original, but NOT very practical. More on that lateron..

My setup: A Japanese Fender stratocaster '68 reissue into this fuzzface, into a 100 watt 1959 Superlead "Plexi"reissue thats connected to a 1960TV (Tall vintage) 4x12 speakercabinet, loaded with standard 25 watt greenback reissuespeakers.

I've also tried it with the same guitar into a little Fender champion 110 transistoramp.

I gues this pedal needs volume! The louder the volume, the better the fuzz! The potentiometers work just fine, the fuzz and volume climb up nicely from 0 to 10. The fuzz likes your low e string!..So much that it seems to neglect your other 4 or 5 strings..more on that later. I tried to get the Hendrixvibe, but i can't say i nailed it! (this has nothing to do with my ability of playing!) I guess the pedal has a sound of it's own.

For people looking for a tubescreamervibe: look elsewhere! Fuzz is NOT distortion, and it's also NOT overdrive!

I wish the pedal would spread the fuzz over all six strings a bit more! I believe the sound is there, but it doesn't come out! Like if you were listening to it with a big stuffed cloud of cotton in your ears! This is a 5.6!

Well, it seems to be build like a tank! However, 2 things have happend:
The backplate is hold with one center screw. If your being very enthousiatic about your bands music, this screw can (and will!) bend when stepped on hard! I havent found a replacement screw in a hardware store somewhere. Also, this mid nineties version came with crappy tiny supersmall black rubberfeet. Again: When stepped on hard, these feet can (and will) brake. It's funny to see that jim Dunlop changed these feet on more recent pedals.

The switch reads "Mexico" on it. Why import cheap switches??

Sorry, never dealt with them!

The price i payed: 199 dutch guilders back in 1993!
(which is about 90 and a half Euro's today!)

Well, It's meant for that 60's type stuff. Vintage rock. And, to me it doesn't do quite well. therefore: TRY BEFORE YOU BUY!! If it was stolen, I personally wouldn't get anotherone: Try all of them and you'l choose another brand! Guaranteed! But some buy these for there cool looks and change the innards! Maybe i will also in the future.

I got my first guitar 10 years ago, so i still have a lot to learn.
I love the looks about it, and also the fact that it just has 2 knobs. I hate the fact that it's a battery-only pedal!I also hate the hype about it!This is not Hendrix in a stompbox! Be real! There are also stories of Jim Dunlop relabeling cheaper transistors with "NKT275" to be more true to the original. I don't know if its true, but the sound this pedal makes needs to be heard before you buy! The original will sound MUCH different! (Thats why there are a lot of peole offering upgradekits!)

Years after i bought it, I was able to compare it to a Roger Mayer Mongoose fuzz,a Roger Mayer Axiss fuzz, and a Roger Mayer voodoo axe!Conclusion: Compared to these, the Fuzzface is a JOKE!(Must admit: the fuzzface looks VERRRY cool!) But it's not only looks we are after here..

Buy it secondhand,to save some bucks (and take it to a guitarshop to compare it with a new one!)..if you get a good deal,you can always change the innards in the future!

I wish it had a adapterinput!..and a Roger mayer spitfirefuzz sound!
I also wish the fuzz would be more spread on all six strings! No chords can be played here!..And i wish mine was hammerite grey!
(instead of standard red!)The knobs don't look like the original to, something you would expect from a reissue! Nowadays, i don't use it very often..Dont believe the hype! The looks are simply greater then it sounds! No wonder you can always find them on ebay! These opinions are handy, but there only opinions! Get a great deal on something that sounds right to YOU! Try before you buy is really the best advice!