Fuzzes... how do they?

[Branimir]

Hi...

I'm in a "build all fuzzes you can think of" phase, and i'm interested in knowing how do these circuits distort the signal in such a "fuzzy" way?

For instance the BMP, both transistor and ic version use diodes for clipping, just like the pedals that we don't call fuzzes (ds-1, shredmaster, etc.), so i guess the clipping method is not the key factor in the tone. By "tone" I'm refering to no palm muting sound and a feeeling or highly compressed signal... I usually have more dynamic playing capatibilites with distortion devices, unlike with the fuzz...

I guess the filtering is a bit different in fuzz circuits?

Any suggestions for next fuzz build? I've done opamp BMP and the Rat... Something similiar, higain?

[petemoore]

Hi...

I'm in a "build all fuzzes you can think of" phase, and i'm interested in knowing how do these circuits distort the signal in such a "fuzzy" way?

For instance the BMP, both transistor and ic version use diodes for clipping, just like the pedals that we don't call fuzzes (ds-1, shredmaster, etc.), so i guess the clipping method is not the key factor in the tone.
  >>Transistor BMP's sound different.
  By "tone" I'm refering to no palm muting sound and a feeeling or highly compressed signal... I usually have more dynamic playing capatibilites with distortion devices, unlike with the fuzz...
  I guess the filtering is a bit different in fuzz circuits?
  >>..Voicing...as MMV, why not.
  Any suggestions for next fuzz build? I've done opamp BMP and the Rat... Something similiar, higain?
  DIST+ easily recommended by your stated preferences
  FUZZ FACE...is more hit or miss in many ways, and depending on...[see GEO]
  Messing about with the extra transistor...may boost performance and consume more power.

[oldrocker]

For your next build I would suggest the Mockman from the Runoffgroove website.  It's a mod from the old Tom Scholtz Rockman from the 80's.  For a distortion box it's my favorite.  Nice overdrive fuzz tone with some heavy amplification for strong volume.  I think you'll like it.  I didn't use the LED's I built it standard using the 470k resistors.  I used a TL082 duel opamp (Radio Shack) for the IC and it works great.  It's a simple but very effective stomp box fuzz.

http://www.runoffgroove.com/mockman.html

[syndromet]

I think everyone should try the Bazz Fuss at home-wrecker. It's too simple, and sound absoloutly great. My favorite fuzz

[R.G.]

i'm interested in knowing how do these circuits distort the signal in such a "fuzzy" way?

One of the problems with having a lively forum like this one is that it distracts people from doing research.

For starters, go read the "Guitar Effects FAQ" at GEO (http://www.geofex.com) for an introduction to how distortion gives tone.

The bottom line is that distortion happens any time a signal is passed through a nonlinear process - that is, a process that does not ONLY make it smaller or larger. If a signal is "bent" by anything, that is heard as distortion. How hard and sharply it's bent is a key to what the distortion sounds like. Soft curved bends of signals make for soft sounding distortion. Sharp edges make for buzzy, hard sounding distortion.

I've just condensed twenty years of looking at distortion into four sentences, so it's necessarily oversimplified. To reallly understand the answer, you need to know about
- frequency spectrums of signals - fundamentals and harmonics
- limiting and clipping
- harmonic distortion, intermodulation distortion, and how they're different
- filtering effects before and after distortion - they have different effects.

A good read about the basis of filtering before and after distortion is "The Technology of the Tube Screamer" at GEO (naturally).

[oldrocker]

aghh