help a noob out!

[pup tentacle]

first of all hello to everyone here, I have a few questions that I hope you guys could help me with.  I've been wanting to get into building effects for a while now(as well as electronics in genral) and have chosen the fuzz face as a first try.  I orderd the fuzz face PCB from tonepad and bought the parts specified on the tonepad schematic. 1. The germanium transitors I got from small bear electronics came with a note saying what value resistors to use in the circuit but, these differ from the resistor values specified on the tonepad schematic.  Can I use either of the sets of resistors? can someone please explain the significance of using different resistor values in this circuit?  2. With electrolytic caps, how do you determine which hole in the PCB the positive and negative lead go into?  hope someone can help!

[dano12]

I think the resistors you are talking about are the ones that set the bias for the transistors. I would assume both would work, but the ones from SmallBear were probably tested to work best at the resistance he specifies. Unless the two options are radically different, I don't think you can hurt anything by experimenting.

Also, regarding the transistors--if you haven't already considered socketing them, that's a real good idea. I've fried a few geranium transistors with excessive soldering so using sockets helps there. It is also nice to have them socketed so that you can try different types out. For example, after you get your circuit built and tested, you may want to swap in a pair of BC108 silicon transistors instead of the geranium ones--this will give you a more agressive tone.

For the capacitors, I don't know why the Tonepad layout doesn't show that for you. C2 should be obvious because one side goes to the 9v+ trace on the circuit board (highlighted in red on the tonepad layout). As for C1, the positive side should go to the base of Q1. For a better layout view (although it won't match your tonepad board), check out:

http://generalguitargadgets.com/diagrams/fuzzface_lo_pn_dpdt.gif

Hopefully that will make it a bit clearer. Also as you go along, always try to have the schematic available--it is the only way to really know how to orient components and test the thing.

I spent over a month building, breaking, fixing and moding my first Fuzz Face, so don't feel bad it seems challenging!

[smallbearelec]

The resistors set the operating point of the the transistors. If properly chosen, they ensure that the right amount of current is applied to the Base of each device so that the Collectors can swing as widely as possible in response to an input signal. Germanium transistors, even of the same type, vary so widely in their characteristics that it is necessary (for Fuzz Face purposes, anyway) to select the resistor values individually for each pair rather than depending on the ones in a published schem.

DO use transistor sockets. This way, if you happen to make a mistake, it need not be fatal. Good luck, and let us know how you fare.

Regards
SD