Honey Special Fuzz.

[digi2t]

I came across this fuzz box recently, the Honey Special Fuzz;







It's got me MAJORLY intrigued   . I did a search, and someone who has (had?) one did post here about it a while back. I PM'd them, but got no reply.

I would love to breadboard/clone this sucker, but I need to find someone out there whos got one.

Anybody out there got one?

Thanks,
Dino

[Keppy]

That's a ton of components for a one-knob fuzz! Have you located any sound clips?

[Mark Hammer]

I want to say it's one of the many Superfuzz variants, like the assorted Shin-Ei octave fuzzes, the Ace-Tone, the Kay, the Royal, and countless others.  Some youtube videos would suggest that, as would the controls and the component assortment on the board.

But what the dickens are those two big inductors doing there? 

[digi2t]

OK, here's what there is on Youtube;

It seems to be misleading though, because I believe that he's stacking the Honey on top of the Super-Fuzz, so, what does it sound like on it's own? Who knows. Then again, when I took on the WEM Project V fuzz, it was blind journey into the wilderness as well. Fortunately, I ended up with a great sounding fuzz.

What are those two inductors doing there? Beckoning me.... calling out to me. What the hell else would they be doing there?

This thing has captured my imagination.

[Mark Hammer]

Yeah, I saw that one before I posted and had the same reaction as you.

Discofreq's database has it in with all the other Superfuzz derivatives: http://www.effectsdatabase.com/model/honey/specialfuzz

Given the way that these things were being cranked out like sausages at the time, maybe the inductors were in preparation for being combined into a fuzz-wah but weren't actually used?  I mean, that seems like a ridiculous waste of parts, even IF the board was a sort of "universal".  But then, I don't know if all the contemporary manufacturing strategies we're all familiar with, and expect, had occurred to those pedal-makers at that time.  Who knows, it may have been easier and cheaper for them to get the boards stuffed with everything and then just wire up what they wanted, rather than have this lot partially stuffed one way, and that lot partially stuffed a different way.

I count 12 transistors in the board close-up (a better shot is found here: http://files.effectsdatabase.com/gear/pics/honey_specialfuzz_003.jpg ).  That seems like an awful lot for something as bonehead as a fuzz.  Six ought to be sufficient for a Superfuzz-like octave fuzz, so what are the others there for?  Unused tornado/surf/siren sounds?  heck, even the uits that provided wah, fuzz, and numerous sound effects only used 8 transistors.  I can see why this thing intrigues you.  The board pictures, especially the copper side, would suggest that the two inductors are simply paralleled to yield some designated value.

[digi2t]

I count 12 transistors in the board close-up

I count 13, possibly 14, but 13 for sure.

I had someone tell me yesterday that it's "some sort of phase fuzz". Maybe those aren't all transistors, maybe some are fet's? Considering all the caps there as well, could it be plausible.

Noob question: Can inductors be used in a phase circuit?

I think this pedal has become my latest "mission in life". My enquiring mind needs to know. I've left a message for a guy on Youtube who has one, maybe two. Wish me luck.

[pinkjimiphoton]

i believe mark is right, it looks like the fuzz wah surf hurricane schematic...

i'll try and find it when i get back, i just downloaded it a couple days ago...

sorry in such a rush...but this is a honey fuzz wah



could this be the beast? i found it on the web archive

[Keppy]

This schem looks cool, but only has eight transistors and one inductor. Might be a related circuit though, who knows?

[Keppy]

I mean, with functions like "Siren" and "Surf Hurricane" it HAS to be awesome, right?

[Mark Hammer]

I count 12 transistors in the board close-up

I count 13, possibly 14, but 13 for sure.

You're right.  I missed that one just below the diode pair because it was reflecting too much light.

There were a bunch of things that some of those 5-function wonders came with back then: "Surf" (slow amplitude modulation of a noise source), "Tornado/Hurricane" (slow amplitude modulation and swept filtering of a nose source), "Siren" (just like it sounds - an oscillator that goes up and down in pitch), and some had "tuners" built in (an oscillator that gave a low E to tune to).  I have no idea how many transistors any of those various functions required.  But throw all of them, plus an octave fuzz and a wah, into the same pedal, and 13 transistors is not unreasonable.

[CynicalMan]

You can see on the PCB that the inductors are in series with something tapped between them, so they probably make one filter together. Some kind of active resonant T-filter probably.

I also have to compliment the PCB for its density and trace curviness. That kind of PCB design is a lost art.

[pinkjimiphoton]

yah, sorry, i was on my way out the door and wanted to get the schem up before i spaced it.

i'm pretty sure that they're indeed related tho...both say honey company. my bad tho. 

i have to wonder if the schem for the fuzz exists somewhere tho...the one i posted came from some archaic polish site on the web archive.

[pinkjimiphoton]

according to the other forum, honey pedals were RARE re-branded shin ei's...so maybe looking at some of the shin-ei pedals we can find a match

[pinkjimiphoton]

errr...more research, honey was the name used by univox in japan.

so...maybe there's a univox fuzz wah out there...so much cross pollination it's gonna be hard to find.

i DID find the schem for a "honey fuzz" on the web archive... but it's only 6 transistors...the search continues.

but wondering...maybe it's two of these cascaded?

maybe the inductors were used to "tune" or notch the tone of the circuit?

i remember playing with inductors i salvaged from some old tube organs back in my tube amp days.

[Mark Hammer]

Discofreq's database has this whole family of Shin-Ei/Univox derivatives organized as 6-transistor and 8-transistor units.  No sign of more than 8 transistors.

[Keppy]

So are you going to build this schem as a diversion while we're looking for the other? I mean, it's all there. You just need a 4P4T switch and an inductor of unknown value...

[digi2t]

12 transistors, and 2 inductors would give some sense to the cascade theory. But, the 13th transistor is sorta puttin' a crimp in that. The thing that really blows my mind... only one knob  .

I just really want to know what the hell is going on in there. This is ranking right up there on my Quest-o-meter, along side the Keio Singing Wah, the Phase II, and the WEM P.V.. I'm going to get to the bottom of this, even if it kills me  .

Actually, the junk food will probably kill me first, but you guys know what I mean  .

[pinkjimiphoton]

according to this page (unfortunately none of the graphics are good) it's a shin-ei

http://wayback.archive.org/web/*/http://tix.gozaru.jp/shin-ei/*

it has a listing there for the h 1 fuzz....

honey was what univox was called in japan....shin ei, univox, etc....all pretty much the same.

i'm still searching, but indeed, my curiosity is peaked...why only one knob with that much stuff?
there's mention of it on the DAM forum, too...but there it says 12 transistors, not 13.

i couldn't get in; don't remember my password, or it was the OLD dam forum...so many sites...so little time..

[LucifersTrip]

errr...more research, honey was the name used by univox in japan.

but wondering...maybe it's two of these cascaded?

maybe the inductors were used to "tune" or notch the tone of the circuit?

yeah, the Univox connection.... same transistors 2SC828 as Superfuzz

There's that schematic you posted with 8 transistors w/ volume, surf, tornado wah...then, there's the Superfuzz.

I wouldn't be surprised if the "Special Fuzz" was the 2 combined...

[pinkjimiphoton]

the thing is , there were so many freekin' variations made....who knows what the hell it is!!

too bad we couldn't find one to get better shots from.