Single knob Fuzz pedal from radio parts... HELP!

[Jpbrissenden]

Hey so here's the story: a friend told me about simple way to build a fuzz pedal from an old radio, he couldn't remember the details so said to just google it. I did and found this http://www.ehow.com/i/#article_5050429
Going on that basic model I went out, bought some jacks, an enclosure, a thrift aiwa clock/radio and dug around at home to fetch my old strat pots. Upon opening the clock radio the PCB was far far more complex than I had anticipated. Bearing in mind this is only my second ever attempt at an electronic build, my first being a strat upgrade kit I installed a month ago! So, after a week of staring at the circuit an figuring out which parts are which, I've desoldered a lot of it to separate the capacitors, resistors and transistors and figure out a circuit for my pedal. I don't really know what I'm doing but I'd like to throw some kinda of monster together with the parts at my disposal. Like I said, I've got 3 transistors, and several capacitors and resistors along with the three pots I took out of my strat, two jacks (one mono one stereo to have a circuit breaker)

So could anyone either point me towards a fuzz circuit which involves preferably just a single fuzz knob that I can attempt?

Please help!

[Govmnt_Lacky]

Any Fuzz Face (probably Silicon for your application) will do.

Just substitute the Fuzz pot for a resistor... selected to taste.... and that leaves you with just a Volume pot/knob.

Viola!! 

[Jpbrissenden]

Oh ok thank you very much! That's just what I needed to know. Another quick question though, none of the caps I have match up with any in the schematics for example it asks for 2.2uf and 4.7uf caps but the ones I have are 220uf, 1uf, 100uf, 10uf, and 470uf all of which are kinda gobbledeegook to me!
Also, what would the effect be of putting in caps and resistors which are different to the schematic?

[Govmnt_Lacky]

Oh ok thank you very much! That's just what I needed to know. Another quick question though, none of the caps I have match up with any in the schematics for example it asks for 2.2uf and 4.7uf caps but the ones I have are 220uf, 1uf, 100uf, 10uf, and 470uf all of which are kinda gobbledeegook to me!

Unfortunately, you really do not want to stray too far from the +/- 10% rule. If the schematic calls for a .05uF cap... you want to stay within .045 to .055uF so you could get away with using a .047uF cap. Usually if you go outside this, it will effect the tone/sound of the circuit however, sometimes that is not necessarily a BAD thing 

Also, what would the effect be of putting in caps and resistors which are different to the schematic?

This is where a breadboard becomes invaluable! You should breadboard the circuit you want to build FIRST. This way, you can tweak and experiment with it BEFORE it becomes a final product.

If you intend to build a Fuzz Face circuit, I recommend you read over this:

http://www.geofex.com/article_folders/fuzzface/fftech.htm

Good Luck 

[Scruffie]

Oh ok thank you very much! That's just what I needed to know. Another quick question though, none of the caps I have match up with any in the schematics for example it asks for 2.2uf and 4.7uf caps but the ones I have are 220uf, 1uf, 100uf, 10uf, and 470uf all of which are kinda gobbledeegook to me!

Unfortunately, you really do not want to stray too far from the +/- 10% rule. If the schematic calls for a .05uF cap... you want to stay within .045 to .055uF so you could get away with using a .047uF cap. Usually if you go outside this, it will effect the tone/sound of the circuit however, sometimes that is not necessarily a BAD thing  

In this case the 1uF Cap for the 2.2 and 10uF for the 4.7uF would probably be fine, it's only a Fuzz Face made out of a scrap radio after all.

Or... Two 10uF In Series = 5uF and Two 1uF in Parallel = 2uF, near enough.

However, being old Electrolytics, it's not a great idea to use them anyway... i'd buy new ones, it'll probably lead to more trouble than it's worth with a first build using the old parts.

A Germanium Fuzz Face is NOT as easy as it may seem for a first build (Assuming it's Germanium).

If this is Silicon, i'd reccomend the Colorsound One Knob Fuzz (Basically a Fuzz face anyway) and if you have a Diode in there, a Bazz Fuss Fun would be the easiest build.

[LucifersTrip]

Hey so here's the story: a friend told me about simple way to build a fuzz pedal from an old radio, he couldn't remember the details so said to just google it. I did and found this http://www.ehow.com/i/#article_5050429

I am slightly confused...Did I read this wrong?  Aren't they actually telling you to keep the amplifier section of the radio intact and use that as your distortion? I didn't think they were telling you to break it down and use the parts for another fuzz...did I miss something?

[deadastronaut]

Hey so here's the story: a friend told me about simple way to build a fuzz pedal from an old radio, he couldn't remember the details so said to just google it. I did and found this http://www.ehow.com/i/#article_5050429

I am slightly confused...Did I read this wrong?  Aren't they actually telling you to keep the amplifier section of the radio intact and use that as your distortion? I didn't think they were telling you to break it down and use the parts for another fuzz...did I miss something?

yeah thats how i read it....using the radio's amp as a pedal...not ripping it apart...