I've got several versions of pre-arisen-
from-the-ashes Electro-Harmonix Big
Muffs and Little Muffs. This pedal can
absolutely nail the sound of the later
version, IC-based, Big Muff Pi. Plus, it has
a little bit of extra gain/fuzz when you
go into the black part of the Fuzz setting.
I can put the Muff and the FX52 in series
and switch back and forth and people
can't tell the difference. I've done this A/
B/Y test a few times. I use a switching
system too since the Big Muff pops when
switched on/off.
Anyhow, this is one of the best values in
Fuzz pedals available. No longer made,
unfortunately. But you can take it on the
road and not worry too much since they
are still cheap.

Good Points: Contrary to prior poster, they are built well.
No hassle. Has tons of bass and sounds
thicker than Dolemite's leg.

Bad Points: Discontinued.

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I was able to borrow one of these from an acquaintance on a music forum ... and I'm glad I did. :)

Good Points: Thick transistorized crackle that can easily erupt into a wall of fuzz with multiple amplifiers and the gain dimed. Much more midrange response than other fuzzes I have tried in the past. A wide tone sweep that can get pretty woofy or moderately piercing if necessary. Cascades extremely well with other dirtboxes, especially octave (up) fuzzes. Different types of batteries yield varied results. Can still be scored cheaply online or in your local music store (read: abundant).

Bad Points: Classic DOD construction. Not very high gain for a fuzz with its type of voicing. Probably better suited for stoner rock, classic rock, and generic alternative music than noise-oriented guitarwork (without the aid of a feedback loop or other peripherals). No longer made.

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This pedal offers a pretty good range of fuzz for the price, but I wouldn't use it as my main distortion device. It has worked pretty well with a variety of instruments/vocals, and has been kind to the batteries. Worth Picking up if you see it cheap.

Good Points: Good sound quality, decent fuzz, a bargain for the price.

Bad Points: crappy DOD construction, not as versatile as other distortion units.

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It's got a very buzzy lofi sound that will appeal to a lot of noise makers. Not that loud or noisy but still pretty cool.

Good Points: Buzzy sound that's good for noise.

Bad Points: Not very loud. Sounds a little bit thin.

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A rather thin, buzzy type of fuzzbox. Not quite loud enough on its own, but fine when used with other high gain devices. It can add some nice textures to mid range and high frequency sound, but it will compress the hell out of low frequencies. Mine seems to have a noticeable volume drop when used on low frequency sounds, which can be damn annoying. It's not a bad pedal, it just has a limited use. Considering that some of the Danelectro mini fuzzboxes cost the same as this (or are usually cheaper) I can't imagine paying too much for one. I found mine in my rehearsal space one day. Someone left it behind and never came back for it, so at least I got a deal on it. Maybe I'll circuit bend it...

Good Points: Good to add a mild buzziness to high frequency sounds. Usually cheap. Cheap and common enough to circuit bend.

Bad Points: Sucks low end. Too quiet.

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Not the best fuzz I've used, but I've been surprised at how handy this has been at times. It definitely doesn't produce very harsh sounds, but gets a fairly bright buzzy distortion that can work in certain situations. I've had success combining this with other distortions, and have mainly used it to add some more control over tone when I needed to add some high-end and midrange buzzing.

Good Points: A decent fuzz pedal that mimicks cheap '60's fuzz pedals.

Bad Points: You get what you pay for -- some of the more expensive fuzz pedals sound much better.

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