Trying it out

[AceLuby]

So I stumbled on to this site by accident and really love it.  The knowledge here is crazy.  Anyway I figured I would try some stuff out on my Ibanez FZ-5 60's Fuzz Soundtank that I never use anymore and haven't liked for years.

This was the first pedal I bought (very cheap) and it has always been a little too bassy for me w/ the distortion down and WAY too 'fuzzy' (bad fuzz) with the distortion up.  Now I just purchased the Boss DS-1, but it's too tinny.  I figured the FZ-5 was pretty much junk so I got the schematic, read a bunch here, and opened it up.  I made the simplest of modifications.  I decreased the Input Capacitor value by half.  WOW.  I turn the distortion to about 5-6 and the thing just ATTACKS.  No more ultra fuzz, and no more bassy mud.  I want to try some other things, but really like how this sounds now.  I think I might try to modify the DS-1 now to get rid of that tinny distortion.

Anyway, just wanted to say thanks.

[markm]

Welcome.
A word of warning;
If you start building your own stuff.......you'll never stop! 

[AceLuby]

I know...

I started by upgrading a Squire Strat, sounded INCREDIBLE, so I got a cheap Squire Tele and did the same thing.  Didn't want to keep doing that (WAY too many guitars) so I figure, hey pedals.  Now I've opened up a whole new can of worms...

[aron]

COOL! Congratulations on your mod!

[petemoore]

  Now I've opened up a whole new can of worms...
   ..and now you'll be having 'spaghetti to sort out'..[wirings]!
  A cook isn't a 'chef' until the cook really understands the ingredients.
  It's like cooking eggs..Most of us had to cook a few eggs, and break a few yolks before discovering how we like them done, scrambled or over easy is fine...
  Sounds like you sparked up your Strats !
  Cool !
  Warm Welcome !
   

[jrc4558]

Welcome! And good luck!

[Mark Hammer]

You do realize that the FZ-5, with the exception of the input and output buffers and the use of a FET gain recovery stage after the tone control rather than bipolar, is actually a Big Muff Pi circuit?  Anything and everything that folks have done to mod`hotrod their Big Muff will apply here.

And welcome on board.  Better start making bench space....you'll be needing it.

[Meanderthal]

You do realize that the FZ-5, with the exception of the input and output buffers and the use of a FET gain recovery stage after the tone control rather than bipolar, is actually a Big Muff Pi circuit?

It is? That's pretty cool! I never woulda thought Ibanez made a hotrod BMP!

Now I gotta hear one... dammit.