Circuit "A" review

[jmusser]

Circuit "A" comes from the "Many Faces of Fuzz" article over at GEO. http://www.geocities.com/tpe123/folkurban/fuzz/fuzzyfaces.html It uses a Si NPN for Q1 and a Mosfet for Q2. This is a very simple circuit as most Fuzz Faces are, but it lacks all the problems with germaniums. I used a 2N3904, and an MPF102. This is a very nice fuzz. It has gobs of sustain, and lot's of volume. The gain control pretty much acts like a second volume control. The 10K bias pot makes for a couple nice changes in tone of this beast. On the one end, you can get as gatey as you want, and as it's adjusted of course it smooths out and is closer to an boost/OD thing. On the other end, you get more of a thick fuzz face type sound, and as you're almost turning it off, you get some real nice snarl going on. I like that tone and the Fuzz Face tones myself. For a couple transistors, resistor, and 3 caps, this thing is a great fuzz. Of course, you can also color it with your pick ups as well, and the neck pick up with the tone controls rolled off gives the richest fuzz as per usual. It still fuzzes very well at the bridge pickup (humbucker on my fat strat), as long as the tone controls are rolled off. With them rolled up, you have a pretty decent OD. For the few comonents it uses, it's a very nice sounding fuzz.

[Ge_Whiz]

You've actually built a Circuit "E", because the MPF102 is a JFET, not a MOSFET. Interesting report, though.

[jmusser]

You are correct Sir! I swapped so may different things in there, I forgot what the end result was supposed to be. It's a real toss up between the MPF201, and the 2N7000 as far as tone goes. I feel the JFET goes better with a tube amp, and the MOSFET goes better with the SS amp, since it sounds more "tubey", and that subtlety is lost on the tube amp. Both versions sound really good though.