Fuzzbox

Fuzzbox || Matt Williams

Fuzzbox.org is yet another domain name owned by Matt Williams (current total about 1000). The purpose of this website is to play host to some pictures of my guitars, amps, and basically vent my spleen regarding my gear fetish (or GAS, Gear Acquisition Syndrome). I've improved actually, I've only got one amp, a Rivera M60, and a couple of guitars. And some effects.

Hamer Explorer

Guitars

What I've got:

  • My Hamer Explorer serial number 0253 which Hamer shipped on November 21st 1979. It's got an all black Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates in the lead position because the original DiMarzio PAF expired after I tried to wax pot it. It's also got a Gibson stop tailpiece with fine tuners which I keep experimentally removing, and then discovering that I like the way it sounds. And I like the way it lets me keep the guitar in tune. So it stays. Years ago I had the nut replaced by Chandler Guitars. The whole thing plays like a dream, and sounds incredible. It's like it is alive. Sometimes, playing loud through my Rivera it's like the strings are alive, and I can feel it through my fingertips. I feel very connected to this guitar.
  • My Strat, which is almost entirely unoriginal, with a Floyd Rose trem and a Mighty Mite neck that I've given a serious shave. It may have a prototype Floyd Rose locking nut on it, if the guy who sold it to me was telling the truth. Regardless, the Strat is the guitar I feel most at home playing. It's got an EMG81 lead pickup and a pair of Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro Strat pickups. The EMG makes me feel like a fraud, I plug it in and it sounds (to me) like I'm a good guitar player.
  • Black Gibson Flying V - totally stock apart from a TP-6 tailpiece that I find improves the sound a little, and obviously helps with tuning. This was a somewhat spontaneous purchase in a moment of weakness. I've wanted one for years, the opportunity arose, and I grabbed it. It has very little character but makes up for it in attitude.
  • There might be something else in the loft, I try not to think about it.

On the list to buy are a standard PRS McCarty, and maybe a Tele and a Gibson Explorer. But actually, I don't need any of those, I just want them.

Rivera M60

Amp

I used to be a Marshall man. But living in a flat put paid to that, so I gradually traded down, and then sideways, and ended up with my Rivera. It's the most amazing amp. It sounds awesome. No need for overdrive or distortion pedals, you just dial it in, crank it up, and pure tone comes out. It's got an Electrovoice EV12L speaker. I've tried Celestions, but the EV has the right level of treble for me, it just sounds better. When I crank the Rivera up it sounds like it's on the verge of catching fire.

MXR Phase 90 and Dyna Comp

Effects

I try to keep it simple. For years I just had my Roland SDE1000 delay, with a 376ms delay carrying a touch of modulation but I recently replaced it with a more up to date Boss digital delay. When the MXR Eddie Van Halen Phase 90 came out I had to buy one, it looks so cute. And now I know what a phaser is like. Sometimes I leave it on all the time. It is so heavy metal. I recently bought an MXR Dyna Comp because I felt I should get better at playing clean guitar sounds and this might be a way in. I might get it modded to sound like a Ross compressor though because although the volume pumping effect is characterful, I'm not sure it is my character.

In my wardrobe I've also got a Boss stereo chorus, noise gate and flanger, but they never see the light of day.

Guitar Port and Riff Tracker

I got one of these a while ago but gave it away. It's fun but really, I'd rather play through an amp. It's more real.

 

Finally, some more of Matt's websites and domain names:

Revs.org | UK Website Design| Crown Prosecution Service| Web Design Articles

Ezekiel 25:17. "The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon you."