Tone stacks?

[rosscocean]

I want a tone control for a bass fuzz pedal I'm tring to build. it's my first proper build.

I've tried the big muff tone stack but it loses too much signal. Does anyone know a fairly simple alternative, or a site that explains active tone stacks?

Thanks in advance
Ross   

[GibsonGM]

You could try AMZ in the links up top there...Jack's site is great, as is R.G.'s GEOFEX. But in all honesty, you are either gonna go for the 'stupidly wonderful tone control' (search SWTC on here), a Tubescreamer type control, or a modified B.Muff blending control. 

If you went with a modified Muff tone stack, you could follow it with a basic transistor booster to bring back the signal that was attenuated...pretty easy to do.
Increasing resistor values in the BMP tone stack will also make it attenuate less, but could add additional 'hiss' to the signal.  Duncan's Tone Stack Calculator (free at www.duncanamps.com) lets you model the frequency response.

Hope that helps! 
~Mike

[rosscocean]

Cheers for your suggestions Mike I'll have a look.

[petemoore]

  Perhaps a current booster [buffer], source or emitter follower would help drive the tonestack.
  I didn't do any math-impedance calculations, many duties are expected to be handled by the BF transistor: boost, distort and drive current.
  It'll all depend on how you like the sound, as far as circuit fragment selection or sequence order goes, things that can be tried or done may make:
  Good sound
  enough output
  enough output after passive frequency control.
 

[GibsonGM]

Good call Pete, a driver would be even better, followed by a recovery stage....
Buffer to avoid loading the preceding stage, and a recovery booster to bring back the level as needed.
Let us know what you come up with, Ross!  Don't let potential signal losses deter you from a really cool design (as long as it sounds really cool!).