Ah, the Fuzz Face. We picked a heck of a place to start this series. Not only is the Fuzz Face a polarizing pedal, but the Germanium vs Silicon debate is a whole other layer on this fuzzy cake. Here at the Ground Wire, we love Fuzz Faces of both the Silicon and Germanium variety, and today we want to compare the two, and showcase some of the similarities, differences, as well as strengths and weaknesses of each. 

First, a couple caveats- Fuzz Face style pedals take some work. It’s rare to plug in a Fuzz Face for the first time and get a great sound. They work better with Single Coil pickups and Tube Amps, particularly amps that are breaking up a bit. If you’re not experienced with Fuzz Faces, they can be a bit frustrating, but when dialed in, they become like an extension of your guitar and amp- an instrument in themselves. 

The Germanium and Silicon version sound and react differently, and there are some stereotypes out there about how each one sounds. We are going to test that out today and see what we can learn. We hope you enjoy the ride, and if you have further questions on this topic, send them to us, and maybe there will be a “Part 2” in the future… 

Gear used: 

Germanium Fuzz Face- Jam Pedals Fuzz Phrase Silicon Fuzz Face: Chase Tone ’68 Red Velvet Fuzz
1970 Fender Deluxe Reverb
1973 Marshall Superbass 100 through EVM12L Speaker
K-line Springfield (Strat style)
Gibson SG

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