Perfing a Superfuzz(with samples) & Mod

[RDV]

I finally started perfing my Superfuzz on a medium size board tonight. It's gonna be one tight fit. I think it'll be the most ambitious perf project(of mine) yet. I'm using 2N2222A trannys that someone sent me in a trade for caps(see ForSale Forum). I finished the part before the drive pot, and I think I'll rest.

RDV

[RDV]

What value pot would you guys use to make a blend pot for the notch filters rather than the switch?

RDV

[SeanCostello]

As far as being a tight fit: I have one of the old grey-box Superfuzzes (which sounds like a thousand demons unleashed upon the earth), and its resistors are all standing up. Instead of lying flat upon the PC board, the resistors are connected with one lead to the board, standing straight up, and the other lead bent down at a 170 degree or so angle to connect back to the board.

Sean Costello

[RDV]

That's how I'm doing this one.

RDV

[Mark Hammer]

What value pot would you guys use to make a blend pot for the notch filters rather than the switch?

RDV

The switch actually selects between a notch filter output, and a resistive divider with values selected to make the *unfiltered* sound seem to be about the same volume.  Bear in mind that cutting out the mids will necessarily make the level seem much quieter.  The divider just compensates for that so that the switch operates like a scoop bypass *without* being a level-drop switch at the same time.  So, nothing to fade between, really.

In reality, you could sub a rotary switch of some kind for the two position switch and have a bunch of tonal options.  For instance, look at the schem for the Roland Bee-Baa, and you'll see that it selects between a Superfuzz-like mid-scoop, and another setting which is *almost* like the "bypass" in the Superfuzz, but not quite.  In the case of the Bee-Baa, the resistive attenuator is bypassed with a cap and resistor to let some upper treble buzz come through, on top of the slight drop in overall level.  I've seen other fuzzes as well where different simple filter networks (like a single cap to roll off lows for "mosquito" fuzz) were selected by a rotary switch of some kind.

[Dan N]

In reality, you could sub a rotary switch of some kind for the two position switch and have a bunch of tonal options.

Check the schematic for the Roland Double Beat fuzz/wah for some very simple  tone shapers on a rotary.

[Mark Hammer]

Thanks, Dan.  That's exactly the one I was thinking of.  Just couldn't remember the name.

http://members.fortunecity.com/uzzfay/ad50/ad50.html

[RDV]

I don't quite get why you can't use a pot(in place of the switch) to pan between the bypassed(leaving the divider network where it is) and the filter sound that would allow different levels of the filter cut, rather than having to select between one or the other.

RDV

[Mark Hammer]

Well I suppose you *could, though I don't find it appealing, personally.  One thing you could do is simply use a pot to isolate the cap to ground FROM ground.  In other words, as the resistance between the .1uf cap and ground gets bigger, there is less bleed of mids through the notch filter so that it sounds more "normal" and has less scoop.  I will put my vote in for the Double-Beat method, though, because there is no end to the possibilities of simple passive filtering the signal and switching between filters.

[RDV]

We have a problem, Houston!

It works and sounds great at about 100th of the volume it should be. All the voltages look right, but I know I messed it up somewhere. Does anyone know how much the last volume recovery stage actually jumps up the signal, cause I don't think that parts working at all, but I get a faint signal from the notch filter or the voltage divider.

Night Night

RDV

[petemoore]

I just had alot of troubles with mine, the last transistor amps like a regular gain stage, base a good bit louder than the collector with my thumbuzz signal injector method.
 RG pointed out to me [after major troubles with that area of the schematic] how there is an error on the schematic I linked from schemtics for Unicord SuperFuzz, at the Koviak Site, the schem titled "Univox Superfuzz.
 The 22k resistors of Q's 4&5 both go to ground, the 100k's to V+...I don't know which schematic you're building off of.
 I thought it would be super loud, but it isn't, I boost or Fuzz the front end and I'm getting all the Octave and Schplatt I need, I like it this way, I can leave the Fuzz on and add this...just right for me.

[RDV]

I was using a corrected schematic. I read your thread. I've just gotta de-bug. I may have an electrolytic turned around or something. I'm getting a great octave sound and plenty of fuzz, but it's about a tenth as loud as it should be. I've just gotta figure out where I'm losing signal. Audio probe time again.

RDV

[Dan N]

Audio probe time again.

Yea. I get above unity from the emitter of Q2 onwards. In fact, wondering if a tap from the expander pot could be a decent clean boost?

Hang in there!

[RDV]

I got it going tonight. I used a bad 2N2222A on the volume recovery stage. I put an MPSA18 in there instead and BLAM. This is the most obnoxious thing I've ever heard!

I recorded a few samples and here they are.

Superfuzz Normal & Octave Solo
Superfuzz Notch

RDV

[RDV]

The volume difference between the Notch & Normal modes shows to me that the voltage divider on the Normal side is a little too much. I'll be changin' them values. Hey, and it doubles as a AM radio!

RDV

[Nasse]

I got it going tonight. I used a bad 2N2222A on the volume recovery stage. I put an MPSA18 in there instead and BLAM. This is the most obnoxious thing I've ever heard!

I recorded a few samples and here they are.
Superfuzz Normal & Octave
Superfuzz Normal & Octave Solo
Superfuzz Notch

RDV

I can feel the force very strong there. Well that is because the dark side of the force is so near with superfuzz

[RDV]

Come to think of it, that was some pretty dark stuff for me to be playing. Perhaps even....eeeevil?

:twisted:

VDR

[Dragonfly]

I got it going tonight. I used a bad 2N2222A on the volume recovery stage. I put an MPSA18 in there instead and BLAM. This is the most obnoxious thing I've ever heard!

I recorded a few samples and here they are.
Superfuzz Normal & Octave
Superfuzz Normal & Octave Solo
Superfuzz Notch

RDV

dang it !!!!

for some reason, your MP3's arent playing on my "less than perfect: computer...i was really wanting to check out the superfuzz....

maybe i'll just have to build one ....  

[RDV]

Try right clicking then 'save target as'. They're large files. I got carried away.

RDV

[Ben N]

Come to think of it, that was some pretty dark stuff for me to be playing. Perhaps even....eeeevil?

:twisted:

VDR

I thought it was funny how you started off trying to play blues licks on the thing, before it took control...   Ben