MusicRadar Verdict
A fuzz for all seasons, with variety and versatility in spades.
Pros
- +
Extremely versatile fuzz sounds. Flexible control options. Quality build.
Cons
- -
A little expensive.
MusicRadar's got your back
Silicon transistor-based, the Suhr Rufus has more tonal tweaking power than many fuzzes as it features both a three-band EQ, and a three- position treble switch, which can be used to cut or boost the amount of high frequencies.
It also has two modes of operation: normal or fat (with increased low end) that can be switched between by holding down the footswitch - the LED lights up green or red respectively. Alternatively, this can be carried out by an external footswitch, which can be set to latching or momentary action.
Delivering great-sounding fuzz whether you like thick sustain or edgier garage/grunge-type sounds, this pedal has practical options and is not finicky about positioning on your 'board, as it accepts the output of a buffered device.
Fuzz pedals can be very 'niche' but the Rufus transcends that by virtue of its tonal variation, twin voices and signal chain flexibility. It's not cheap but it's a fuzz that's more versatile than most.
Trevor Curwen has played guitar for several decades – he's also mimed it on the UK's Top of the Pops. Much of his working life, though, has been spent behind the mixing desk, during which time he has built up a solid collection of the guitars, amps and pedals needed to cover just about any studio session. He writes pedal reviews for Guitarist and has contributed to Total Guitar, MusicRadar and Future Music among others.
“Each toy is designed in house and rigorously tested by our dogs on staff”: Schecter has a treat for the player who doesn’t mind a squeak or two and some bark in the mix
“They haven’t agreed on anything for 20 years”: How Ice-T got Roger Waters and David Gilmour’s go ahead for Body Count’s Comfortably Numb cover
“Beyoncé does not make mistakes. She does, however, make some counterintuitive choices - and this song includes a few of them”: The flawed genius of pop's biggest anthems, from Hey Jude to Hey Ya!