Deluxe Bazz Fuss Layout Questions

[TalkingBook]

Hey there folks, short-time lurker, first-time poster.  

I'm just starting out; I've built one pedal from a kit (Tremulus Lune clone) and have done a bit of circuit bending, so I have some basic skills. However, this is my first attempt to build something directly from a schematic, and I'd appreciate it if somebody could do a once-over of my stripboard layout (created with DIY Layout Creator, awesome software!) and see if everything looks up to snuff. I'm making the Deluxe Bazz Fuss from http://www.home-wrecker.com/bazz.html, and I've also included the switch wiring on the layout to save myself the trouble of having to make a debugging thread later.  

Here's the schematic:



And here's my layout so far:



Sorry about any sloppiness; I'm still getting used to the software. I'd really appreciate it if someone could look over it for any mistakes. There are almost certainly a few - I already found and corrected (hopefully!) more than a couple just since starting this post. I've omitted the transformer, and I'll probably socket everything so I can mess around with the sound before boxing it up.

Also, I read somewhere that this circuit doesn't lend itself to using DC power, does anyone know if this is true, and if so, why?

Thanks!

[nocentelli]

The only difference between your layout and the schematic I can spot is that you've got lug two and three on the level pot reversed. Swop those, and you should be good to go! Just watch the pinout on the transistor.

I'm a massive fan of vero, and everything I build is vero. I've got a number of weird "ground rules" I apply when doing a vero layout, some are practical, some are more aesthetic - Often they combine the two. e.g. slanted components are to be avoided in my book. As well as looking off to my eye, they can lead to spacing issues, as most components span a fixed number of holes exactly when vertical or horizontal, and slanted means they won't fit properly: Not a massive issue, but if they sit right it's much easier to solder them in quickly. Typical spans:

1/4w resistors = four holes lying flat
box caps = three holes
ceramic caps = two/three holes (depending on size)
radial electro caps = two holes

[TalkingBook]

Thanks very much for your reply!

Good catch on the level pot - I felt like something was off there, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

Thanks also for the general vero tips. You're completely right, the way this is laid out now it will be very cramped. My first layout was way too big, and I think I responded by going to the other extreme with this one. I had this on my breadboard earlier, and it sounds most excellent. I'm going to add a germanium diode after the 1N914 on a switch - it adds some definition that sounds better on bass. So I'll need to do another layout anyway.

Thanks again - now all that's left to do is most of the actual work. 

[nobodysweasel]

I'm just getting started too, but this is one of maybe four circuits I've breadboarded so far.  I really really liked the sound of it.  It sounds like you're already doing this or planning on it, but I would recommend experimenting with it until you get exactly what you want.  I much preferred the sound of the Bazz Fuss with a single BJT over a darlington, but I did like the thickness control from the "deluxe" version.  This is just such a simple circuit, it really makes experimenting easy and worthwhile.

[jolly1423]

Would anyone be willing to explain how that transformer in the schematic would be wired and maybe explain what it's doing? I've held back on playing with this version because that just confuses me. 

[TalkingBook]

I'm just getting started too, but this is one of maybe four circuits I've breadboarded so far.  I really really liked the sound of it.  It sounds like you're already doing this or planning on it, but I would recommend experimenting with it until you get exactly what you want.  I much preferred the sound of the Bazz Fuss with a single BJT over a darlington, but I did like the thickness control from the "deluxe" version.  This is just such a simple circuit, it really makes experimenting easy and worthwhile.

Yeah, I've got a bunch of single pin sockets and I'm probably going to socket all the caps, the diode(s) and the transistors for experimenting. Although, I was already very impressed with the 'standard setup'. Since I want to use the same pedal for guitar and bass, I might end up making a few different configurations possible using switches.

Would anyone be willing to explain how that transformer in the schematic would be wired and maybe explain what it's doing? I've held back on playing with this version because that just confuses me.  

According to the comments at http://gaussmarkov.net/wordpress/circuits/the-deluxe-bazz-fuss-from-home-wreckercom/, the transformer is being used as a kind of pickup simulator in this build. It can be omitted entirely if you are using passive PUs and don't use a buffered effect before this one. I'm not sure about how it would be wired up, but I think I saw some forum posts about it while deciding on a build.

[nocentelli]

Not sure about the transformer: I've done two/three different Bazz-related pedals recently sans transformer, but haven't noticed much/any difference with or without a buffer in front of them. BTW, I found a old layout of mine for the deluxe, so I stuck a DPDT diode switch on it -

[jolly1423]

Very cool. I just did my first project on vero (the orpheum fuzz), I think I'll have to make this my next 

[PRR]

> explain how that transformer in the schematic would be wired and maybe explain what it's doing?

Wind a thousand turns of fine wire around a nail. That's a "coil" or "inductor" or "choke".

Fine wire is annoying to wind, and the number of turns and amount of iron affect each other. Not a simple thing to DIY well. It would be easier to find one pre-made. Coils the right value are rare, but _transformers_ with suitable inductance are $3. You get a second coil, you just ignore it.

What it's doing is a little hard to say. It reduces high frequencies. The Fuzz Face depends on a guitar's pickup coil to do the same thing, and a FF often sounds harsh if connected to anything other than the guitar. This plan uses a coil so it can work nice with other sources in front (buffers, other effects).

Use the two outer pins on the side marked "P". Ignore (tape-off) all other pins.

[jolly1423]

Use the two outer pins on the side marked "P". Ignore (tape-off) all other pins.

This is what I meant by 'wired'. I was confused by the extra pins. I hadn't seen a transformer on a schematic before.

Wind a thousand turns of fine wire around a nail. That's a "coil" or "inductor" or "choke".

Fine wire is annoying to wind, and the number of turns and amount of iron affect each other. Not a simple thing to DIY well. It would be easier to find one pre-made. Coils the right value are rare, but _transformers_ with suitable inductance are $3. You get a second coil, you just ignore it.

What it's doing is a little hard to say. It reduces high frequencies. The Fuzz Face depends on a guitar's pickup coil to do the same thing, and a FF often sounds harsh if connected to anything other than the guitar. This plan uses a coil so it can work nice with other sources in front (buffers, other effects).

Extremely interesting as well though! Thank you!

[TalkingBook]

Just for some closure:

It's my guitarist's birthday, and my wife had this empty Nivea tin sitting around, so the obvious conclusion to draw was that I should throw together a Nivea Creme Deluxe Bazz Fuss for him.





I ended up copying a fair bit from nocentelli's far more economic layout (thanks!), but made a few changes - decided to just socket the diode instead of putting it on a switch, and used a trim pot for level to save some space. The guts aren't incredibly clean, I had a precut wire set and ended up leaving most of them a bit long to save on time and make opening the thing up a bit easier. Also, the battery is just kind of sitting there, I guess I should secure it somehow.

Anyway, just wanted to give an update and say thanks to those that helped!

[Widows]

Noncentelli: I like the idea of a diode switch in your design. Is that switch a 3 position on-on-on switch? i.e. does it engage both diodes at once when in the central position? like a guitar pickup selector switch.
I've got one of those 3 pos/ on-on-on switches and would like to use it as a diode switch allowing me to select one, the other, or both diodes. Cheers

[leigh]

Would anyone be willing to explain how that transformer in the schematic would be wired and maybe explain what it's doing? I've held back on playing with this version because that just confuses me.  

I know this thread is a bit old, but I finally got around to adding a "pickup simulator" transformer to my Bazz Fuss, and documenting the results, so I wanted to share the info somewhere helpful.

Here's a link to a couple blog posts showing how I wired a SPDT toggle (on-off-on style) to switch the pickup simulator to use the full primary coil, the center tap, or bypass it. You can also see my very packed point-to-point wiring in a rather snug stompbox!

http://fishboytech.tumblr.com/tagged/bazz-fuss

And so you don't have to click through, for quick reference here's the pickup simulator wiring sketch:



cheers,
Leigh