classic fuzz/distortion/OD designs, share your experiences!

I've owned a lot of old pedals, I am going to list off a ton of the old fuzzes, distortions and ODs I've owned and list what my objections to them were or if I liked them I'll tell you why. They all have faults, but some are pretty questionable and others are pretty cool. Please share your own experiences. Here goes the beginning of my fuzz list.

Maestro Fuzztone FZ1A - too bright, not enough gain AT ALL with single coils, low output (unity gain at 10) sputters out and sounds broken even with vintage output humbuckers.... still a very cool sound and not just for covering 'satisfaction'. I sold mine because it was way too valuable to keep when I only used it as a gimmick effect once in a while.

Solasound Tonebender, 2 transistors - this is the father of the fuzz face. It sounds pretty great. A little brighter than a germanium fuzz face, a little less output but a little more gain and hairiness to it. Capable of beautiful trashy overdrive sounds when you dial back your guitar's volume control. Real winner. Super rare. Think Yardbirds, 'heart fulla soul'!

Vox Tonebender, 2 transistors - similar to a germanium fuzz face in design, but it is way too bright and lacks output. It does an incredible can of bees fuzz effect that sounds amazing for certain things like playing mid-period beatles covers. I still own this.

Mosrite Fuzzrite - very compressed, tone/gain knob seems to be some kind of bias adjust for the transistors, capable of a wide variety of sounds including Iron Butterfly tones. Packs a goodly wallop of gain. Very hairy sound overall, totally 60s. None of its many tones were my cup of tea. I've owned 2 of these and they are very consistent unlike Maestro fuzzes and Brit varieties. Not for the feint hearted!

Arbiter Fuzz Face, Blue 70s silicon transistors- notes decayed in a weird sputter if fuzz knob was set below 8, but high gains ettigns were WAY over the top for most applications (though the 'exploding pick attack' noises this pedal makes are kinda spectacular in their own right). Low output. Cool 'Dark Side' voice for solos. Cleaned up well with guitar volume pot, but got too bright when used as an OD in this way. Overall not very useful.

Burns Buzzaround - this is reputedly the same circuit as a Tonebender mk3. TONS of gain, plenty of output... capable of buzzy bee tones as well as thick bottom heavy sludge courtesy of the tone control. Does NOT clean up with your guitar's volume control. Top lacks 60s style hairiness but its still a great do-all fuzz. I regret selling this pedal, I miss it sometimes for its early 70s snarl.

Sam Ash Fuzz Boxx - great humbucker fuzz that is capable of monster overdrives in the lower gain reaches. Very versatile. More gritty than hairy but not in a kodern tubescreamer way. Needs more output and bottom end, still awesome. Very cool enclosure. Sold it. Kinda miss it.

Univox Superfuzz - too much gain for its own good, great octave effect in middle gain ranges on neck pickup, scooped mids switch is awful unless you want to play bass in a Beastie Boys tribute band! VERY FINNICKY about guitars, amps and pickups. Clans up well with single coils to reveal more 60s flavored fuzz as well as some nice midrangey drive textures. Best with P90s and fender amps. Sold it.

EHX muff fuzz - enclosure is totally stupid but the sound is superlative. Tis circuit has nothing to do with a big muff. I read its 2 EHX LPB1's ins eries to generate a monster fuzz sound. it does that. No tweakability, but it really brings the mean in a perfectly balanced way. Reminds me of Ronson's guitar sounds on 'Aladdin Sane.'

EHX Big Muff Ram's Head - what a let down! Gets lost in the mix on stage, too much gain and bad taper to 'sustain' control. Lacks dynamics. Capable of Gilmour tones in the right situation. Sounds cool on its own.