MJM Guitar Effects London Fuzz

This is a fantastic fuzz but it's not necessarily "easy" to get a good fuzz sound with any fuzz pedal. They work their magic only in synergy with very specific gear combinations. Like all true old-school fuzzes, you can't have any non-true by pass pedal in front it as a buffer of any type will completly screw it up. Any no, you can't put a wah before it either. If you don't know what I am talking about, do yourself a favor and google to understand fuzz pedals better.

In short, fuzz pedals do not deliver the huge glorious wall of chewey gooey woofy fuzz into a completely clean amp, tube or not and especially not into a really bright, really clean amp like a twin reverb, never do that! On their own you'll get a pretty dissapointing flat sort of buzzy sound. I'm not kidding about the synergy they need. They need to hit a lightly distorted tube amp and a warm rich sound at that, like an old Plexi Marshall cranked. They work incredibly nice with a rich el-84 based amp like I have. Even then, if you want to use delay or reverb pedals after it and before the amp you're going to need some help from another pedal because delay sounds like crap into a distorted amp. What to do? Use what I call an "interface pedal." That would be an "amplike" pedal that can be set to very, very light barely distorted setting and be dynamic just like a tube amp. It must also be a big full range sounding pedal, thus no bass-less honky tube screamers etc. It needs a tone knob to control the highs. The pedal I use that works by far the best is a Zvex Box of Rock. Another possible candidate might be the COT 50. I've heard oustanding clips of another pedal called the "colorsound powerboost" that were terrific. Try an aftermarket clone by Throbak that would also do the trick. The fulltone OCD might be ok, but I recall that pedal being pretty shy in the deep bass department. I did try the Blackstar HT-drive thinking getting tube into the equation might be even better but unfortunately, that pedal did not like a fuzz in front at all and I got a really ugly transistory-fake kind of sound, much like a sansamp at its worst. So do know there are very, very few pedals that will simulate a cranked tube amp and be transparent enough to run this pedal into.

Despite learning early on that I needed a "interface pedal" as I explain above the other fuzz pedals I tried were lousy compared to this gem. The tweak fuzz by SD just didn't cut it and was absolutely incapable of Hendrix, Eric Johnson type fuzz sounds, it didn't clean up like the London either. The Keeley Fuzz head almost got there but couldn't deliver nearly the amount of distortion and was also extremely noisey. Others I tried didn't make magic for me either.

When used properly as I explain above, this pedal is just pure sonic bliss and versatile at that. I posted a youtube clip using the London Fuzz with my Blackstar Artisan 15 so you can hear for yourself. It can start off clean with a wonderfull buttery rich glow yet supernaturally transparent to the guitar tone, not the rolled off lifeless syndrome that ALL other distortion devices give with rolled off guitar volume. This is a very liberating thing! The fuzz comes up slowly then very fast between about 8 and 10 on the guitar. So by carefully controlling volume, its like having four different distortions ending up with fuzz mayhem. The fuzz knob seems to have a sweet spot to my ear. Turn it and just before maximum, you'll hear a slight "thump", I keep it just before that thump and that gives me all the fuzz I could ever want but also cleans up to virtually totally clean and again with clarity I guarante you've never heard or thought possible. Low settings are better than the best tube screamer type pedal being richer and more harmonically complex and did I say SWEET? Between that and say 9 on the guitar you have every shade of old school goodness like early zeppelin, Mountain, cream and of course light Hendrix in spades. From 9 to 10 it explodes in a wall of fuzz. I like to play mostly up to 9 than just crank that last notch for dynamic excitment, I don't just wail away all the time at max for my style of playing.

Now, if you're new to a fuzz, you are going to learn out to play differently, this not a something you do palm muted death metal cords with. This pedal is so reactive to your playing you might find yourself having to pay a lot more attention to how you pick notes and strike cords, easy does it. Don't try to muscle everthing, the more distorted you go, the lighter you need to pick. Again, check my youtube clip I think I captured a nice chunk of what it can d. In fact Dumble fanatics might agree this box with the right amp can go a really good robben ford approved tone too. Ok, I could gush for pages but I'll stop here. When used in its proper element I give this work of art a 10+.

This is a very simple circuit using NOS germanium transistors. IT is nicely built but even though we call them "stomp boxes" I recomend you STEP not STOMP on an investment like this.

The owner Mike was nothing but top notch to deal with, answered all e-mail promptly gave honest answers to every question.

I play a little bit of a lot of things. These days I've strayed pretty far fromm my EVH/80's metal days and am totally immersed in the music I grew up with, Zeppelin, Hendrix etc. I am also really inpired by Eric Johnson and that type of wide interval horn-like legato playing, sort of jazzy rock. THis pedal made everything I was striving toward come true. I have had lots of other pedals and amps. This is a pedal I literally think of as a precious musical intrument. It is especially a pedal you could just leave on and just play with the guitar volume. The ability to so dramatically ride up and down through different shades of distortion from clean to all out fuzz will have a dramatic effect your musicianship and get out out of your rut I promise.

Lastly a little tip you might appreciate: There is a lot of voodoo about using carbon batteries and I decided to stick with that and not use a pedal board supply. (This has a reverse polarity so you can't daisy chain it anyway). But we all hate batteries because we have pull it off the pedal board, ruining the velcro each time, mess with screws, measure the battery to see how low it is etc. So here is my trick: Get a batter clip and wire it to a barel connector to plug into the power input of the pedal. I strap a couple batteries for spares with velcro and stick them on my pedal board next to the pedal. That way you just pull the battery off your board and swap onto the next one when you want to change. Also a piece of cake to measure to see where your voltage is. No charge for that tip!

2 knobs, easy enough. However, to truely get the "right" sound from this or any germanium fuzz face-type pedal,set fuzz control on pedal to max and adjust volume from the guitar. This will give you many shades of fuzz from slightly overdriven to fat full fuzz tone.

I'm using this with a Fender Strat w/ custom shop '69 pickups, and a Dr. Z MAZ 18 JR as well as other guitars and amps. I have bought quite a few fuzz face type pedals in the past and I think this is the best. Until now, my favorite FF was an analogman modded Dunlop FF with NKT 275 NOS transistors. WHile that IS an awesome pedal, the MJM was best for the Hendrix thing. THe MJM is not QUITE as fat, but just enough beef without sounding bloated. It has alot of gain/fuzz compared to others ('69 pedal for instance)but it's really dynamic and cleans up well. Some would argue that it doesn't clean up AS much as the analogman sunface, but Hendrix's pedals didn't clean up 100% either so for me this was perfect. The London Fuzz is very balanced tonally. It has a fat low end but very clear treble that cuts through. The London FUzz is inspiring and authentic sounding in a way that I just haven't found in any other Fuzz Face. Sounds good at low volumes too! It is a bit noisy because it has high gain transistors and is susceptible to wah ocillation and radio RF, so if you plan to gig with this, keep that in mind.

I haven't had this for long so it's hard to tell. It's well made but I suppose there is always the chance for a cold solder joint or something. THings happen. If this pedal is being used for your main sound, it's alway good to have a back-up of anything.

Michael from MJM one of the best boutique guys I've dealt with. He answered all of my questions through email and rarely did I wait more than an hour or so for a response. When I ordered the pedal from him, he shipped it from Canada on a Friday and I received it the following Monday in Indiana!!!

I highly recommend this pedal. I've been searching for the true Are You Experience, Axis: Bold As Love Fuzz Face tone for 20 years! I feel that I have finally nailed it with this. It's also reasonably priced as well. The only caveat that I can think of with this is that it's not usable with a wah pedal (however, most FF circuits aren't good for this anyway so I won't deduct any points)

Easy to use? You'd be a moron if you couldn't figure this sucker out. One volume, one gain-knob. i prefer the gain full at all times.

I know i'll never be able to sound like my favorite guitarheroes, because 50% of the sound is in their fingers.
But this pedal helps me a tad.

I am using the fuzz with a Fender MIJ Jazzmaster and a Laney Supergroup MkII, and an old Yamaha amp.
I don't think its as gainy, as some might think, but its okay, 'cause it still delivers nice, creamy, smooth fuzz.
back off the volume on the guitar, and i tell you, you get the sweetest overdrive ever.. really, i have heard nothing better.. and i also own a Fulltone OCD.

It is noisy, when the gain is all the way up. but hey, go figure..

It's as solid as a tank!

The company is great! Mike, the guy i talked to via email, was super-friendly and answered all the questions i had about this pedal.
Great service, and he promised me a full refund if i disliked the pedal.
This doesn't seem to be the case, though!

I mostly play oldschool rock ala CCR, Stooges, Zeppelin, MC5, Hendrix and so forth.. the pedal is an awesome match with these things. I can have everything from nice spanky clean with a tad of crunch, through a real warm and crunchy sound, to crankin' lead-tone.. beautiful!

If the pedal was stolen, i'd buy a new one as soon as i could afford it.
also i need to get some other pedals from the company!..

Very simple indeed...just "Fuzz" and "Level" controls. I use mine with Level at 10 o'clock and Fuzz anywhere between 3 and 6 o'clock.

I`m running this pedal as follows...

Fender Strat/Gibson Les Paul Studio > MJM London Fuzz > Fulltone Fulldrive 2 > Line 6 DL4 > 60`s Blackface Fender Deluxe Reverb

This beauty immediately sounds effortlessly great. I was after that Hendrix Voodoo Chile fuzz that just pulls and pushes your tone, screaming every note you sustain and thats exactly what I got with the Fuzz turned all the way up to 6 o'clock. As I backed the fuzz off slightly and switched to the neck pickup of muy strat I captured another favourite tone of mine...the solo from "Time" by Pink Floyd!
But as a recording artist I`m not just interested in recreating the sounds of my favourite artists, I also need a usable, tweakable and recordable fuzz and I definately have that with this pedal.
As you roll back the volume on the guitar it really hits you just how good this pedal is...it cleans up so well and retains all of the tone of your guitar. And unlike most pedals where you loose alot of high end when rolling back the volume, this pedal shimmers and retains that responsive feel and clarity. You really get that "Little Wing" tone perfectly!
The London Fuzz has kicked my Fuzz Factory off my board! To me the fuzz factory only had one really usable and dignified sound and this pedal just does that sound so much better! Just with the "fuzz" control on this you get such a varied option of usable sounds!
I must say that this pedal really sounds at home through a slightly cranked amp on the verge of breakup. For me, I had the deluxe reverb on 4 and had the level on this at around 10...it just sang so beautifully!...each note sustained like a dream and broke into musical and controllable feedback. Sounded amazing with a little fast Echo!
Anyway, I never thought I`d find a pedal worthy of a 10 but this really does deserve it!

Looks very reliable. I`d be surprised if it broke on me. The wiring is very neat too. And it looks great in a deep Red colour! Only reason that it doesn`t get a 10 here is that I can`t imagine any electrical product lasting forever!...I don`t expect it to!

Before buying the pedal I spoke directly to Michael and asked for his opinion on which of his pedals I should go for to achieve the sound I wanted. He was very helpful and shipped my pedal out to me that day! As it was coming from the US I expected to be waiting a fortnight but it arrived just a week later! He didn`t rip me off on the postage cost either, which is something that most people do! He is always very quick to answer any questions and I totally have faith in that if anything were to go wrong he`d get it sorted very promptly!

This pedal really inspires and makes you want to sit playing guitar for hours! It`s a real breath of fresh air to deal with such a nice guy and recieve such a great pedal. I will most likely be using this pedal forever!...I really can`t image any better fuzz pedal!
And all this for a very reasonable price!...perfect!

There's a Level and a Fuzz control... how much easier can it be ?
If you can't get a good sound out of it, Either you don't know what a Fuzz is or you simply just don't know what you want. There's a led and an Ac adaptor connection. The only thing that bugs me is the four screws to get the battery out. There should be an easy to open way, but its no big deal.

I run a 1976 Gibson Firebird through a Blackface Fender Vibrolux and trust me, whit the London Fuzz you get Clapton's woman tone all the way !!! There's signing sustain and easy to control feedbacks. The Fuzz gets really wild after 3 o'clock, I love it.

I use it for gigs, studio and any other time I'm playing guitar. I've had it for about 15 months now and had not a single problem, and I abuse this thing.

I bought it used, never had trouble with it so...

In conclusion, this is an awesome pedal. If you need a great sounding, easy to use professional Fuzz, do not hesitate to buy the MJM GUITAR FX London Fuzz.

The London Fuzz is easy to use. In my opinion it sounds best with both the "Fuzz" and "Level" knobs maxed, and controlling the dynamics with the volume knob on the guitar, but obviously different settings yield different tones.

I run a '57 reissue Fender Stratocaster into the London Fuzz and then into and Orange AD-30r. I bought the London Fuzz specifically for the Stratocaster, for some reason it does not sound as good with the other fuzzes I own (Prescription Electronics Yardbox, Homebrew Electronics UFO Fuzz, MXR Distortion +). I also run the UFO Fuzz, with the fuzz control turned down, into the London Fuzz, to take advantage of the London Fuzz's sweeter fuzz but still retaining the octave effect from the UFO Fuzz.

I use the volume control on the Stratocaster to increase or decrease the amount of fuzz, which I leave on at all times. With the volume knob up full, the tone is very similar to Jimi Hendrix's "Foxey Lady". Reducing the volume yields tones ranging from "Spanish Castle Magic" to "Hey Joe". I turn up the volume knob for solos. It's really easy to use and get a good sound. It cleans up with the volume knob and a softer picking technique and wails when you turn up and dig in. It really enhances the octave fuzz as well.

It's brand new but seems solidly rugged. I'd gig without a back-up.

I e-mailed the manufacturer once and he was friendly and helpful.

I play a lot of bluesy British 60s rock and I wanted a Fuzz Face style pedal for some time. I have been playing for 29 years. I own a Gibson Les Paul Standard, a Gibson SG Junior, a Fender Esquire reissue and the '57 reissue Stratocaster. I really like the pedal's authentic reproduction of the Jimi Hendrix sound circa 1967-69. I appreciate it's simplicity and sweet, musical fuzz. As I mentioned, I was having a hard time finding a fuzz compatible to my Strat and this pedal solved that problem.

Just two chicken head knobs makes adjustments fairly easy. I'd say after about five minutes I had it close to where I wanted it. Another ten minutes of fining tuning and I was very happy. But then there came two hours of play...the best part.

I'm using this with a '52 Reissue Tele into a Pro Jr tweed amp. To hear the pedal in all it's fuzzed out purity, I ran it straight, no chaser, into the amp. It's not a noisy pedal at all, except for when you crank the gain, in which case, there comes the standard noise associated with a guitar ready to rock. Of course, I find that little touch of hiss a lovely harbinger of things to come...

The sound of the London Fuzz itself is fairly a thing of beauty. I've auditioned alot of fuzz pedals (and pedals in general) and where this effect excels is letting your guitar's tone come through. Unlike so many other masking mechanical/electro/compresso pedals, you actually get to hear your guitar! Think of the London Fuzz as your outboard pick-up with balls, not a party mask. This isn't a Big Muff chainsaw (which I also love for what it does, when I'm feeling funky), but a wonderful organic fuzz. I'm really very impressed with this pedal's abilities and musicality. I hate to do it, but I'm going to give it a ten. No, I'm not normally a Russian Olympic judge, but what else can you do when the competition is second best?

So far so good. Nice build quality. Not afraid to stomp this box. But cometics are just fair. I'm not really keen on the tape labels. I would have preferred a little paint on my nice red sports car. Hopefully the name labels will last.

Wrote MJM prior to purchase and got a prompt reply. I don't think getting great service will be a problem.

A fantasic organic-sounding fuzz box made with love and care. Pure vintage at a great price. The London Fuzz lets your guitar's sound and your playing shine through. I'd really like more pedals by MJM!

Could not be easier to use. True bypass. I was on a hunt for a Fuzz pedal that would bring me close to Hendrix and Cream and that would let me adjust the amount of Fuzz with my guitar's volume pot. This pedal does that perfectly. You can go from smooth overdrive to good amounts of fat/focused fuzz just by playing with your guit's volume. Thank you vintage germanium transistors !

Set-up: American Telecaster > MJM London Fuzz > ZVex Fuzz Factory > Boostier booster > Delay/Verb/Moog MF-102 > A/B/Y Outputs > A Output to Traynor YCV40WR > B Output to Fender Blues Junior. <p> I bought the London Fuzz twice. 2 Years ago i was using a completly different set-up, i thought the LF just sounded to fat and nosy for my ex-Yamaha AX-125 and Marshall AVT50 (not all tubes, hybrid amp. Maybe that was the problem). But you have to know that i didn't really know what i was doing two years ago. I was still looking for "my sound", i wasn't sure what i really wanted. Now that i know, all i can say is the MJM London Fuzz is the most incredibly fat, focused, full and dynamic Fuzz pedal i have ever own. I tried a few Fuzz before: Big Muff reissue, Zoom UF-01, ZVex Fuzz Factory,...The LF is in a category on it's own. It's almost to fat for my Tele's Neck pick-up ! I now use 2 Fuzz pedals, the LF and the Fuzz Factory. Two very different beasts. While the FF can give you a wide range of crazy and often out-of-control fuzz, it can't sound full, creamy, fat and focused like the London Fuzz. The FF is often pretty noisy, the LF is a bit noisy when Fuzz is at max only. The LF also offers a wide range of Fuzz/Distortion that remain focused and full all the way from 1 to 9 on the Fuzz knob (or on the Guit's volume knob). There is a bit of noise when Fuzz is at 10 (well i hope there is, it's a Fuzz), but it sounds great for certain application. At that level of Fuzz, you get near the Big Fuzz sound with less shrills and treble gain (Try the MJM Foxey Fuzz for one of the best Big Muff sound available). The ZVex FF complement the LF perfectly, opposites attracts i guess.
The FF is more suited for Stooges, Velvet Underground and Sonic Youth type of sounds. While the LF thru my Tele can me bring me back with Cream in 67-68. For Hendrix, theTELE can bring me close sometimes but you need a Stratocaster for cutting thru better. Final word: the LF can growl like there a 500 pounds Lion is about to come out of your amp and jump on the audience. All other Fuzz i've tried don't have the bass presence the LF can give. Sometimes, i get the feeling the signal goes from mono to stereo when i turn it on. I almost never write reviews, but for this one i had to do it.

Hand-wired, looks and feel like it's built to last. Deducted 1 point because the paint comes off very easily. However, it gives an ever more vintage look and to tell you the truth, it does not bother me at all. Pedal looks great no matter what. I love the vintage knobs.

Micheal is a great guy and is taking the after sale service seriously. I'm lucky to live in the same city, Montreal. So we've met a couple of times. I'm still jealous of the Fender Bassman i saw two years ago at his home.

I'm into experimental music that leans toward old Blues. The London Fuzz definitively helps me make music and is very inspiring to me. I try to buy gear almost exclusively from specialised Boutiques now (DaveSmith, ZVex, NI, Loooper, Moog, Burris Engineering...) and MJMGUITARFX is one of the place i'd recommended to visit for Fuzz and classic pro quality pedals. I have learned my lesson with the big companies: bad customer service, almost never true bypass, often sounds thin, cheap parts, bad support. Pay more now for quality products, it will pay later and you will stop wasting time on mass produce products of average quality, probably built by robots or modern slaves. Garbage in, garbage out. Quality over quantity. Less is more.

This is an update to my post from 2 years ago

"Submitted by Anonymous at 11/07/2002 02:43"

Since that time, I've been using darker pickups (Les Pauls, Strats with Fralin Steel Pole 43s), and the London Fuzz does kick out some serious thump. Perhaps too much for said guitars without some knob tweaking. I read about a mod you can make to the London Fuzz that uses a different value Volume pot that cuts out some of the mud. Hmmm... I emailed Mr MJM and asked him if he could do it. He offered to do it at no extra charge. I sent him the dough and a coupla weeks later, there it was.

I like it even better than before. One of the best things about these pedals is the way they clean up from the guitar's volume pot. Now it's better than ever. Just leave it on and go from crunchy to singing instantly. Nice!!

Japanese 62 RI alder/rosewood Strat. Fralin VH/VH/SP43 pups. --> London Fuzz --> Germino Rockgrinder (amazing amp!!! KT66s are my favorite power tube. Greg's hybrid JTM45/Bassman/50w SuperLead is the best!!) with both volumes on 10.

Despite massive gain, I can stop playing and not get feedback. Hum yes, feedback no. With the guitar volume on 1, I've got great Small Faces, early Who, Prisoners jangle/crunch. With the volume on 3-6 various shades of crunch. 7-8 are great for rifftastic zep/top cops. 9 is a solid lead tone. 10 is liquid fuzz. Sounds absolutely fantastic at every stop along the way. The Germino is a very hot amp, and really doesn't need extra help -- and it cleans up really, really well by itself, so your results may vary -- but with the London Fuzz on top I'm totally set for any situation.

I never thought I'd use a fuzz as my only pedal. They always seemed like a novelty or like the Crazy Special Occasion Nuke. This pedal somehow makes my already versatile amp more versatile.

And it's totally luscious and gooey and wonderful. From crushed ice to maple syrup.

No problem. Germanium's supposed to be fussy. Whatever. I haven't had a problem.

Obviously the man stands behind his pedals or he wouldn't be doing free custom work. Fast, courteous, and talented.

I play classic rock, blues rock, rock rock, rock and roll, rock, soul, and funk. I own a lot of stuff. This pedal, with a hot tube amp, is terrific for anything 60s-70s. The thing about fuzzes is that they sound utterly bizzare (and in my opinion totally unuseable) with solid-state or clean tube amps. The sound we like is the synergy that occurs between hot tubes and germanium diodes.

The London Fuzz is great because it's so organic, but so much gnarlier than an overdrive pedal. Plus most overdrive pedals sound silly when you back off your guitar volume. Not so with a great fuzz. If anything, playing through the London Fuzz with my guitar on 7 sounds a lot like playing through a Nobels ODR1 with my guitar on 10.

Oh right, the bass mod, which was why I set down to write this in the first place. I prefer this pedal with the 100k pot (the version that's modded for less low-end). The original version sounded great on a strat bridge pickup, but there was so much bass that it squeezed the guitar out of the mix. This new version sounds great with all pickups, including the bridge, and cuts through the band much better.

I've tried Fulltone Fulldrive2, Fulltone Distortion Pro, Fulltone 69, Fulltone 70, Nobels ODR1, Klon Centaur, Rat, AnalogMan BiCompRossor, OG Marshall Guv'nor, OG Marshall Blues Breaker, Original Arbiter Fuzz, Boss SD1, TS9 with the right chip. Call me crazy, but this is my favorite. I think in 20 years these things will command the big $$. Get one while they're still cheap!!

Simple.

Superb. When I first got hold and plugged it in at room volume, I was expecting some crazy, sustained fuzz ala Big Muff. It sounded smooth and organic, but I was initially disappointed until I played with the band, and turned it up. Awesome. It is the most amazing and versatile distortion/overdrive/break-up/whatever; not just a buzzy fuzz. It doesn't really excel at the palm mute 'chugga chug' thing, but your going to have to go amp distortion or Rat for that. True with the guitar volume modulation, too. Turn the guitar volume halfway down, and you get an awesome, Fender Champ-like, slight tube break up.

This pedal really sounds best through a tube amp. And it LOVES a Strat. And I found out that a Big Muff (my favorite fuzz box) in front of it gives me that super wicked sustain, but cleans up the Muff's grittiness and smooths it out. Great combination.

One tiny quirk: If I turn the gain knob all the way up and let go, it seems to not hold on to the maxed position. Like if there were 10 increments in the gain setting, it only goes to 9.5. There's just a little bit of juice I could get that I'm not getting, unless I tape the gain knob on '10'. I'm sure the pots are top notch, and perhaps that's the way it's designed. No big deal really.

Other than that, I haven't run across the even the slightest problem. I would absolutely rely on this pedal.

Never dealt.

If this were stolen...Honestly there is a world of fuzzes I would love to try, and I'm not sure I could spend the nearly $150 for another London. I'm not saying it's not worth it, but I'm also not saying it's a bang for your buck kind of deal, either.

I wouldn't recommend this for that Mesa type 'chunk', but for classic rock or blues, or nearly any other type of distortion, this is a fantastic fuzz box to try out.

It actually doesn't sound like a sixties buzz fuzz or a doom rock box; both would be more Big Muff, in my opinion. It is pretty amazing though.