Smooth, versatile fuzz

[DaveTV]

Of all the pedals I've built (which really aren't that many...who am I kidding), I've realized I've never actually built a fuzz. It would be nice to have a smooth sounding fuzz for playing leads, preferably for use with a strat with single coil pickups (but occasionally with humbuckers too). I figure a Ge-based fuzz face would probably do the trick, or perhaps a Tone Bender. Just wondering if anyone had any suggestions.

Dave

[GibsonGM]

Any one of the Ge or even Si based fuzzes should work fine, Dave (except Bazz Fuss, which is really driving)...IMHO. Ge will be warmer, of course.  The "smoothness" has more to do with cap selection, in my experience.  Using a little larger output cap, and smaller input cap, could be what you're looking for, but you'll have to play around with them. It's the customizing that is so great about this hobby   

If you're ambitious, a Big Muff still counts as a fuzz, and with its tone control, and by dialing back a little of the extreme drive, you can also get that one pretty smooth.  I perfed mine...tough build that way, but not bad if you get a board...

Let us know what choose, and what's 'smoooooth' to you!   

[MartyMart]

I can highly recommend Dragonfly's "Smooth Silicon Fuzz" which is in his
schematics gallery above, very close to Ge without any of the "fussy" stuff, just
the "Fuzzy" stuff 
As a true Ge, I love the Roger Mayer FF

MM.

[brett]

Hi
The RM Axis fuzz is a little more complex than some simple fuzzes, but is really excellent.
It was good enough for Jimi H.
For a vintage tone, it would ideally be built with older transistors with low hFE or power devices with low hFE (e.g. BD139 and BD140 or TIP31 and TIP32).

Mental note to self: dig mine out of the shed and put it back in the line-up.
cheers

[DaveTV]

Awesome, guys. Thanks for the info. I'm thinking I may get a couple project-specific sets of Ge transistors from Small Bear and test them out to see which ones I like.

[rove]

I recently built a RM Axis Fuzz using Torchy's vero layout and its sounds great, never used a germanium fuzz, but i think that this fuzz is well worth your time and the parts are easier to come by...
Pretty smooth.

[tcobretti]

I guess I should point out my Mondo Fuzz, which is very, very Ge-like, but uses Si trannies.  You can find the schem in my Layout Gallery (page 10).  I spent a long time on it, and it almost perfectly replicates the sound of my Mayer Classic Fuzz.

[marlin]

I guess I should point out my Mondo Fuzz, which is very, very Ge-like, but uses Si trannies.  You can find the schem in my Layout Gallery (page 10).  I spent a long time on it, and it almost perfectly replicates the sound of my Mayer Classic Fuzz.

Mondo fuzz looks interesting! What gain on the transistors did you have?
I built the axis face yesterday and i liked it a lot, i used BD137 G=66 and AC107A G=130 in that one. Smooth and not splatty, farty etc I think i am hooked on fuzzes, i wanna build them all ! 

[tcobretti]

I haven't measured the hfe on these transistors, but I would imagine they are in the 700-800 hfe range.  i tried it with 5089s not too long ago and it sounded about the same.  The main thing is to use high hfe transistors to get the sag you get from Ge transistors.

There are sound clips in the MP3 Layout Gallery, and if you want I can post some thru a cleaner amp.

[mac]

I recently posted a very simple 2 Ge mid-gain circuit, temp stable, that sounds nice with single coils, the FAIM fuzz.

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=51210.0

Or dig in Marty's gallery, but Marty has modded it a little.

It can be used both with Si or Ge since the bias are almost independent of transistor's gain, and if you have PNP Ge it can be wired as neg gnd. Use any gain under 150.

mac