Frantone Cream Puff

Three knobs - fluff (fuzz) tone and level. Not especially difficult to get a usuable sound however this is not one of those rare 'there's not a bad setting in it' pedals. In my experience usuable sounds were few.

The Cream Puff has a real nice character about it. It's quite smooth and compressed and sustains well. The harmonic content was also quite pleasing to the ear. Its sound would be in the Big Muff territory of fuzz tones. However there were several problems with the sound quality that led me sell it.

1. The pedal is too scooped in the mids for my tastes. I realise that a pedal marketed for 'rhythm' probably wouldn't have a mid hump, but I was hoping it would have flat mids or only a slight scoop. Alas, it's pretty substantial, and seems to deprive the fuzz of having any real body or presence. I could see if being pretty hard to stand out in the mix in a live situation with the Cream Puff.

2. The bass boost, which was borderline flabby. To compensate for the lack of body that accompanies scooped mids the girls at Frantone seem to have decided to boost the bass, more so than any other fuzz I've heard. The bass boost couldn't be dialled out with the tone knob without causing the highs to shriek either. This robbed the bass strings of tightness. Best setting I found was with the tone around 3 o'clock. Any earlier the bass response was so dominating as to make the tone so dull as to be vertially (and bizarrely) unusuable for rhythm, any later and the highs were too britle.

3. Pedal did not clean up well at all. The Cream Puff only sounded good with the guitar volume maxed. Rolling back the volume knob was akin to rolling back the tone knob on the pedal - it simply became dull and muddy, with none of the articulation you need for rhythm.

In short, the Cream Puff is a one trick pony. It excels in balls to the wall scooped fuzz (think Smashing Pumpkins Cherub Rock. Not saying it captures the Siamese Dream sound but that's the general direction) and does this very well, but IMO it couldn't do anything else. Way more gain on tap then you'll ever need.

It seemed very sturdy, but I didn't have it for too long. TB switch popped, which is fairly common.

Great. I emailed Frantone pre purchase about whether the Cream Puff had a preference for single coils or HBs and received a friendly response within a few days.

Overall, this isn't by any means a bad sounding pedal, it just isn't a versatile one and so its applications are pretty limited. It excelled at an intense Pumpkins fuzz sound but that's all it could do. Further, I found it only had one true sweet spot so it wasn't even like I could have different flavours of Pumpkin. As stated, unusable for lower gain applications and hence IMO for rhythm playing, apart from Nirvana or Greenday-esque powerchord progressions. The only thing 'rhythm' about it was that it wouldn't sound very pronounced in the mix. I don't play with high gain very often, so the Cream Puff's inability to produce a usuable low gain tone led me to sell it. If you're thinking of picking one up I'd highly recommend trying it out first, or else buying used - I would have been very disappointed if I'd paid the new price of $215.

This is a very well thought out fuzz, for rhythem work. It has the usual 3 knob setup (gain, tone and volume/level). It is very easy to get a good sound out of this pedal, as all the sounds are good. If you compare this to, say the Big Muff reissue (by the way this sh*ts on on the Big Muff from a GREAT hight) you find that unlike the Muff, you can set the level to where you need it and actually put the tone knob wherever you like and still get clear definition, and high sound quality. Also the gain is set perfectly so it is useable at all points (I like it pretty high). Again, really great and really easy to get fizzy trebley tone down to bassy, still crisp, full on fuzz.

Amazing, truely amazing. I think this pedal has a great sound. It sounds superb with single coils and humbuckers (I use a USA strat and a Gibson Xplorer Pro), and I feel sounds best through the clean channel of your amp. I've tried it with marshall amps, Fender amps and a little Laney 15 watt amp. Sounds good with all of them. It has a powerful sound which is nice and full, but not harsh or over the top. Sounds very Siamese Dreamy. Oh, and like I said above, it creates this powerful, yet refined tone over the full tonal spectrum. I like it a lot - can you tell? By the way, it is a rhythem pedal (like I said above) - not too good for lead, but then it is not supposed to be.
I can only criticise it in one area - with the Gain turned full up it gets quite noisy, but then again, high gain means a bit of hum so it isn't so much a criticism, but more an observation of all distortion/overdriev/fuzzes.

Super well built - I think it will last a while. Can't really give it a score though, as I have only had it like 6 months.

Erm, dunno. Heard they are cool though.

I play mostly 90's style rock, hard rock, punk and more mellow psychedelic rock. Worth every penny to me. I liked my Big Muff OK until I heard this (and also the Eurythmia ICBM fuzz - another great pedal which sounds like the Muff should). It is a really good rhythem pedal, if you want lead tones get something else (I like the Frantone Peach Fuzz). If it were lost or stolen I would buy another. I dont think I would change anything about it, no, don't think so. Another massive plus point is that it is pink - this of course means your stupid ass friends will laugh at you until you plug it in and crank it, and then melt their faces - a great, classic/modern sounding fuzz pedal which has just enough difference from the mass marketed crap (and no, I don't hate all mass produced stuff) for you to stand out, without sounding crazy - like some boutique stuff does.

3 knobs, one footswitch, one led, one input, one output.
The controls all have a sensible sweep, the tone control is very nicely voiced- unlike a lot of pedals, you can actually use this one to fit your guitar where you need it in the band's mix, and still sound like you. Well, a very fuzzy you. The volume is also well judged, and the gain control is useable throughout its entire range. Its not hard to get a good sound, and it's almost impossible to get a bad one.

This is a very strong sounding fuzz pedal, but it's also a very tight sound. Imagine a Big Muff that worked for rhythm without getting lost in the mix/band, but a without the background noise and extreme tone control. Then imagine it better.

Through a Marshall TSL and 800 it sounds huge, like an audio fuzz wall. The only possible downside is that the bass can be so strong the speakers on smaller practise amps fart out, but it's a pedal that sounds better at stage volumes.

It's normally used with an SG or a tele, sounds so good with both that it's now 'my sound'.

The construction is solid, and the board inside looks very neat and well done. I have no hesitation to use it without a backup.

I had to email Frantone with some enquiries regarding this and another pedal. The response was very quick and helpful- I wish all companies could work this way. I can't really see that I would ever need the pedal upgraded, and I doubt it will ever need to be repaired. I can only give a rating on the experience I've had, but I'm confident if i needed more support they would be just as helpful.

I play noisey fuzzy pop, Ride, NIrvana, Jesus and Mary Chain, Smashing Pumpkins type stuff, but with tighter rhythm. Not original, but it keeps me happy. I've been playing 10 years, and I've lost count of the fuzz and distortion pedals I've used and been disappointed by. The Cream Puff is the best fuzz I've used for rhythm, everything else sounds weak in comparison. It's also a nice colour!

I wish it had been cheaper, especially with the weak American dollar right now, but even at #140 it's still a worthwhile investment because it makes me sound so good.

If you're interested in this, you should try one out. It might not be the sound for you, but for me it was perfect, so it gets a 10.

It's a piece of cake,it don't need no manual, there's three knobs, fiddle a bit with them and you'll find the sound you want easy.

I'm playing an SG, a Firebird and a Maton MS500 through a '72 Marshall Super Lead, and an Ampeg VT-40 combo.
Depending how much you fiddle with the Fluff, you can go from nice grany fuzz to super maxed out turbo fuzz.

I wouldn't bring a back up for this, why should I, it's sturdy build, so unless you drown it in beer, it'll properly keep working.

Havn't had to deal with them so far, and I don't expect to either, but I hear that they're cool.

I play hard alt. riff rock'n'roll, and I've been doing that for a couple of years now, I've played other fuzzes, but this is by far the best I've tried, if lost I'd buy one just like it instantly.

It has couple of extra plusses:
The super bright LED, there's light enough coming out of this, to guide a ship to shore on a foggy night, you'll know when it's on.
And the color, it's PINK, how many guys do you know that has a PINK pedal, it takes balls to have such a "cute" pedal, that at the same time, rips your heart out with it's sound.

Very easy to use. three knobs. Fluff (fuzz), tone, volume. Just turn the fuzz up al the way. set tone around the middle, and set volume where you want it.
Manual was a printed sheet of paper. It has a cool Pink color and a super bright L.E.D light.

I use an old Audition brand guitar from the 60s/70s with single coils. Tech 21 Trademark 10 amp. and Before the Creme I place a Z-Vex Machine and after the Creme Puff I plave a blue Line 6 Modulation modeler pedal. I get a very quiet sound when I'm not playing. when I play it has a great Fuzz - very full with plenty of low end. When I turn on the Z-vex Machine I get a totally Fuzzed out crazy Jesus and Mary Chain sound. I've looked for this sound for years and have finally found it.

Seems very strong and dependable. I don't think I'd need a back up.

I send an email question to Frantone and got a response in less than 24 hours - and that was over the weekend! Very helpful Support.

I commpared the Creme Puff to many other fuzz pedals and this sounded the best. It has the fuzziest and fullest sound I could find. The Z-Vex Fuzz Factory was too wacky and the sound would either squeal or have too strong of a gate and cut the sound off too much. I almost got the Frantone The Sweet pedal but decided the Creme Puff was Fuzzier and more defined. maybe another time I will get the Sweet. It sounded good too but different. I tried a tone of other Fuzz pedals too - too many to remember and the Creme Puff Blew them away.
The sond has more definition than many other Muffled Fuzzes.

Controls:
?In/Out Jacks
?Fluff (gain)
?Tone (bassy to trebley)
?Vol. (output volume)
?True Bypass switch (on/off)
and a bad-assed pink paint job.

It's pretty simple to get a good sound of it, as long as the tone is between 2 and 5 o'clock and sound will sound sexy. Just a small bit of tweaking and it'll be perfect.
Manual is a bit slip of paper basically stating the same as above. You don't need it.

I'm running it thru a Fender Mustang 69 Reissue ->Crybaby Wah->MXR Micro Flanger->Boss CE" Chorus-> Boss DD3 Delay->Orange AD140 or Fender Twin.

The effect is really hissy and noisy thru my Mustang, but that's just the pickups on it (Crap, you see, need replaced) but thru my SG there's very little noise.

As soon as you put it on, if you aren't blinded by the million candle spotlight LED, then you'll notice the pink monster can go from zero to 110%. Sweeeet! There's a slight pop as the unit is turned on but this is to be expected as it is true bypass. It sounds like a US Big Muff with a more sensible amount of gain and more individual tone. Kinda half Big Muff, half ProCo Rat. It's got a less mids to it. But over all it's THE fattest sound ever. So tasty.

Only owned three weeks, but it's a solid aluminium chassis, simlar to a MXR Phase 100, should it's pretty damned sturdy. Electronically seems well put together.
You could gig without a backup easily but i've got my Big Muff just in case ;o) If in doubt use the Muff.

No real dealings with the company. Emailed them to check where they sold them in NYC and got a response next day. Pretty fast and nice friendly email. Good guys.

I've been playing for about...5 years now? Think that's right. I play mostly music from my own band but this pedal can cover a lot of genres, as long as it aint metal cos it aint got that crunch,BUT it's a fuzz so why would you want that?
It's got such a distinctive fat tone and bags of gain (fluff!) that can just make any rig sound super sexy. The ladies will bow before you.

very eay to use...3 knobs, labeled "fluff" (fuzz) tone and volume. the manual is a small scrap of paper, but you don't need it. It took me a few days actually to get the sound i really like out of it, but just about any sound out of it is pretty good. you'll wanna tweek the tone and fluff for hours, so if you're impatient, better get something else.

i'm using the puff with a tele thru a Vox valvetronix 60 watter. Despite all the cool sounds i can get right thru the amp, i am still a dirtbox nut, and the puff was right up my alley. The puff is relatively quiet considering the amount of fuzz, and it does have true bypass which is cool--it doesn't deaden my tone when not switched on. the sounds are huge, this is more a rhythm fuzz then a lead fuzz....think the end of "speak see remember" by pavement. if you don't now that song, then just think fat as all hell. you coul blow up a cheap amp with this baby. maybe jut a little one dimensional, so i'll give it the 9.

backup? at 175 dollars, my backup is an old big muff. but i think she's built like i'll never need a backup. theLED is more of a spotlight--super bright! iwouldn't want to lose one of the screws that holds the bottom on (think an old MXR) or i'd be...no pun intended...screwed.

email mia at frantone and you'll get a response the same day. that, my friends,is customer support.

i love my puff....it's better than my big muff cuz it has midrange, so it cuts better. i play shoegaze/electro rock, kinda like duster or even MBV, or fennesz or something. idunno. i know i like huge mounds of fuzziness and noise, and the puff gives it to me. and it's pink, too....cute. i'll give her a 9 as not to gloat.

3 knobs resonablely easy. Fluff(gain), one and volume. Manuel will start one off well!!

I am a vintage and boutique effect collector. I use old les pauls, dimarzio pickup ibanez and a 52 tele through a tsl-100 usually. This is a fuzz. NOT overdrive. It is to be used on a clean channel. It is True Bypass which makes it great. It has a 60s type sound to it. Very very fuzzzy. Lots of crunch. I am afraid I have to say it is very hard to find a great tone but after some time I managed. It is a beautifully worm and wolly rythemic sound. Not even old germanium fuzz or zvex fuzzfactory can make. I have many fuzz pedals like colorsound tonebenders, Vintage Deluxe Big Muff, roger mayer, zvex...... This gives a sound that none of them can.

True Bypass, solid casing. Ordinary Boss 9v power supply can be used. Should be fine!!

NONE

I play from blues to zakk wylde. I am not a great fuzz guy, more of a overdrive. But sometimes I find fuzz pedals V useful. I have been playing for 5 yrs. If lost I will buy again. I like the distinctive sound it gives but I wish it is more versitile. It is more of a rythem pedal, not a lead pedal. If you want a lead fuzz and a frantone, Get the peach fuzz, these are AMAZING too! Buy one! they even look nice!!