FUZZ REVIVAL !!! (Fuzzrite build report)

[brett]

Hi
Veerryy nniiiccee.
I built my Fuzzrite with BD139 transistors (hfe around 150) and was very happy.  Crazy tones.  Looking back, I wonder whether hFE=100 wouldn't be even better.  I'm a fan of the way low hFE loads the pickups and thus filters out the ear-bleeding highs.
cheers

[Dragonfly]

Where do you find those old caps Andy? You have inspired me to build one as close to vintage as possible, I'm thinking about using eyelet board as well.

pm me...i'll send you a set of caps for your fuzzrite

[Dragonfly]

Hi
Veerryy nniiiccee.
I built my Fuzzrite with BD139 transistors (hfe around 150) and was very happy.  Crazy tones.  Looking back, I wonder whether hFE=100 wouldn't be even better.  I'm a fan of the way low hFE loads the pickups and thus filters out the ear-bleeding highs.
cheers

im planning on experimenting with some super low gainers too

[DougH]

That clip sounds pretty cool, Andy. I haven't paid much attention to the Fuzzrite. Most of the clips I've heard sounded pretty bad so I assumed that was the way it was supposed to sound. Now I wonder if they just weren't set up right or biased correctly, etc. In any case, your clip sounds like what I think of as being a "60's fuzz". You pretty much nailed the Erik Brann sound and came pretty close with the Norman Greenbaum sound.

[8mileshigh]

Doug,

I've built 3 or four Fuzzrites and I'm convinced that the Iron Butterfly sound or the Inagaddadevida sound is the Ge version of the  Fuzzrite.  I strongly suggest everybody builds this version as well, it's a must have for those how enjoy the old psychedellic stuff. I used Andy's vero layout, it's compact.

Chris

[superferrite]

Chris,
What is the hfe of the transistors you used in the Ge version?  I really love mine (used the same layout), but it is way tamer than the Iron Butterfly sound.

[sengo]

Chris,
What is the hfe of the transistors you used in the Ge version?  I really love mine (used the same layout), but it is way tamer than the Iron Butterfly sound.

When you say you used the same layout, do you mean you used the layout for the silicon transistor version of the Fuzzrite? The GE Fuzzrite is actually a slightly different schematic from the silicon version. 

http://eu11.stripper.jp/pulcino/blog/images/fuzzrite.gif

I used one of smallbears Hot Germanium transistors for Q1 and a low gain (between 30-40 hfe) for Q2.

Nick

[8mileshigh]

Yes, you need a high gain transistor for Q1, I think I used a Rayethon that I bought off of Ebay with an Hfe of 160 to 200 (Great transistors BTW)  For Q2, a low gain Russian flying saucer did the trick that I forget the name of right now.  Still, I believe mine is still a little to high gain to be considered historically correct but it sounds amazing and sustains for ever.  I covers all of my Iron Butterfly needs.

I'll get back you you with the exact transistors I used.

Chris

[superferrite]

Just checked mine:  Q1 is a Hitachi 2SB443 (hfe reads 540) Q2 is a Toshiba 2SB54 (hfe reads, um 5 ?!?).  Not tested for leakage, just swapped until decent sounding. 
The layout is the Ge Fuzzrite vero on Dragonfly's index, and the trannies are both salvaged from Japanese radios or reel-to-reels.

[Gus]

That is a fun circuit

If you look at it the two stages are inverting so when you adjust the mix pot you are mixing in the inverted  to the first stage.  If you set your signal level to the effect( guitar volume) and mix on the fuzz correctly you can get octave up sounds. 

From what I have read in this thread maybe this is a circuit that a Si in the first stage and a Ge in the 2nd might work well.

[Dragonfly]

From what I have read in this thread maybe this is a circuit that a Si in the first stage and a Ge in the 2nd might work well.

It does.

[Solidhex]

I breadboarded this today for the second time. I knew sonically it was right up my alley but my first try didn't turn out well. I basically swapped transistors until I heard something I liked.  2N3635's did the trick. I got fuzz, nastiness, gain. i was really surprised that a certain transistor had that much impact but its not all about the gain my friends.

--Brad

[lucaneo]

Dragonfly your mp3 is greattttttttttttt! What ampli and guitar are u using?

So what is the better layout for the fuzzrite? I've built an orpheum fuzz, but is uncontrollable and it has a lot of noise....

[Derringer]

I just put this one together with sockets on the collector resistors and sockets for the trannies ... worked fine for me!
Used this layout ...
http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/DRAGONFLY-LAYOUTS_0/album18/album144/MOSRITE_FUZZRITE_001.jpg.html


and this is one of the reasons why I'm slow to get back to my Fetzer experimentation, but it was worth it ... my first vero board has been successful

[PurpleStrat]

What transistors did you use? Would 5088's be to highgain?

[sengo]

What transistors did you use? Would 5088's be to highgain?

I believe they are usually in the 500 hfe range right? Thats much higher than what Andy recommended (150 hfe), but you should give them a try. I put high gain transistors in an Orange Sunshine Fuzz I breadboarded a while ago and it became a rather odd octave effect. Experimentation can't hurt.

Nick

[superferrite]

My Silicon version has a 2n5088 and a 2n5089. The ends of the travel of both pots is too noisy by in between these are TONS of freaky octave and "3-D" sounding fuzztones!  Lots of fun.

[Dragonfly]

What transistors did you use? Would 5088's be to highgain?

You could use them...with varying results.

If you use them I would recommend this....

instead of connecting the emitters of Q1 and Q2 directly to ground, try putting a 100 - 220 ohm resistor in between emitter and ground. That will lower the gain and make the pedal more usable.

[albertozioli]

Guys I'm trying for ages build my fuzzrite clone and I have some problems, could you guys give me a hand, I'm talking to other guy on the mosrite forum, he is tring to help me as well, this is the link has some pictures of the project there...

http://www.mosriteforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=3807

Cheers!
Albert