Making a Fuzzface

[masonator]

Hello,

I am a complete rookie at guitar effects. I can wire a plug and thats about it. Do i stand ANY chance of making a Fuzzface? And if so, can someone recommend a decent design? Im looking to make a Germanium one along the lines of an MJM London Fuzz.


TA IN ADVANCE- NICK

[Oliver]

Hi,

to eazy build a FuzzFace with Germanium Transistors:

http://smallbox.zeonhost.com/projects/fface/

look this Site

I think its a good StartUp

bye
Oliver

[masonator]

Wow. Thats a great site. Even a monkey like me can follow that diagram. I reckon ill have that made in the next few days.

One thing:
I keep hearing on the net things about "matching the transistors". What does that mean, and how do i go about it? Does it really matter if i do it or not?

Ta -Nick

[petemoore]

I've seen Ge matched sets here and there around Small Bear sells matched sets, and gives bias resistor values.
 on  that schem I'd replace the 8k2 with a 20k or so trimpot, that way you can set the bias more easily.
 And...socket transistors and the input cap at least.
 If you start with a 2k gainpot, you can put a 2k2 across the outside lugs and make it close to 1k pots function, or just turn it down some...that way max gain goes 'over' where you'd want it...
 For Ge' transistors Use pos Gnd PNP setup...or figure out something that you know works...
 For NPN Si's use negative ground scheme, and get some 2n2369 transistors for Q1, ...Q2 can be about any Si, but something around 150hfe works good for me...YMMV.

[masonator]

Remarkably, i actually managed to understand 99% of that last post. Maybe I learnt more from GCSE Physics than I thought.

Question

"And...socket transistors and the input cap at least. " What do you mean by that exactly?

Thanks for all the help -Nick

[j0shua]

www.runoffgroove.com looking for Bigdaddy easy to build and just change the 4M7 Resistor to 2M2 or 1M to change the tone, distortion tu fuzz sound

[petemoore]

GEO "Technology of the Fuzz Face" ... basically and completely tells all.
 8 Pin IC Sockets will work, cut them into two rows,
 Small Bear sells the breakaway as many as you need in a row type...
 There's two basic types otherwise...the kind with the 'barrel' insert lugs, and the kind with the 'wiper' lugs...either one works, But I use at least 3-4 lugs in a row with the wiper types cause I think they need that to be physically strong enough to withstand the component swaps, and have a row of four is sturdy and makes for a wider stance of the component legs....they aren't so likely to fall out that way.
 There are pictures of sockets in use around here...

[MattAnonymous]

Hi,

to eazy build a FuzzFace with Germanium Transistors:

http://smallbox.zeonhost.com/projects/fface/

look this Site

I think its a good StartUp

bye
Oliver

Damn, I wish I had that site when I first started!  Anyone know what software is being used to do the layouts?

[Karmasound]

If you don't have any sockets, just solder in a couple of wires and use some gator clips.




I was socketing different trannies last night. And i found some great tones with some that had Hfe's all over the place, even putting lower values in Q2.



It must have been the precious rangemaster.



Don't for get to build yur self a RM with that FF, you'll be in luubb.

[mrsage]

If you're willing to lay out a few extra bucks for the ease of having a nice PCB and all the proper parts, I'd check out www.buildyourownclone.com

They're a bit pricey, but they include full instructions and high quality parts. The enclosures are even pre-drilled, which saves you from having to buy a drill and/or a Unibit.

Actually, that site is worth checking out just for the step-by-step instructions that are available!

[masonator]

Id never even heard of a Rangemaster.
Sounds handy though, especially as i have a HSS strat.

I hadnt realised how much tweaking was possible with this stuff. Cant wait to get started. Its just a shame that i live in England and so have to send off for stuff from the U.S. I dont suppose anyone knows of a decent UK supplier?

mrsage: That site looks good, even if i just follow the steps with my own kit like you say!

Would I completely stupid to make this stuff on perf-board rather than sort myself out with PCBs?

[Dragonfly]

 If you start with a 2k gainpot, you can put a 2k2 across the outside lugs and make it close to 1k pots function, or just turn it down some...that way max gain goes 'over' where you'd want it...
 

Hey Pete....
 heres a neat little mod that pretty much allows the "best of both worlds" ...use a DPDT footswitch and wire it up as shown, and you should be able to go from the higher gain sound that a 2k pot will allow, to a lower gain sound....i showed it with a 2k2 resistor, but you could use any value resistor desired in order to get the "lower" gain sound (or even wire another pot instead of the resistor, so you can have a fully variable lower gain stage)...this mod should "theoretically" work with MOST fuzzes
...just a thought...

    Andy

[masonator]

Ive narrowed it down now to one of three designs. Easyface, original Fuzzface and the one at http://smallbox.zeonhost.com/projects/fface/

I still have some questions though:

1) On the easyface schematic at:
http://www.tonepad.com/getFileInfo.asp?id=36
the transistors are not both germanium, so its a hybrid fuzz? Would it matter if i used two germaniums?

2) And on the original Fuzzface schematic at http://www.geofex.com/Article_Folders/fuzzface/fftech.htm theres a capacitor before the 'output' which reads "0.01" with no units. Should this be 0.1uf? Also, in the jazz to the right of the diagram, it claims theres only 4 resistors in the design when i count 6. Is this a mistake, or am i just being stupid?

3) on the smallbear site, it lists capcitor ratings in mF. I presume that stands for micro-Farads and not milli-Farads, but could someone confirm this?

4) Any suggestions on which of the 3 candidates is best? Im looking for a warm kind of fuzz. Like Jimi at Monterey.

ANY help with any of this would be much appreciated. -Nick