Fuzz Central fuzz face build report

[axg20202]

Hi all,

not a full report here, but I've just finished my germanium Fuzz face clone (complete with etched enclosure), which I'm really enjoying. I used transistors from Small Bear and the board is based on the Fuzz Central layout which includes an on-board bias trim pot and 2.2M pull-down resistor. I also did the 1k hot-rodding mod and increased the output cap to 0.022uf for better bass response.

The GEO Technology of the Fuzz Face article (which is great reading for anyone building one) talks about increasing the output cap from 0.1uF to 0.47uF to let more bass through. I think this must be a typo and it should read 0.01uF to 0.047uF, since the standard value is 0.01uF I think, as shown in the schematics in the article. Anyway, I decided to just double the cap value to 0.022uF and it makes the effect less ice pick-like without detracting from the distortion amount. Together with increasing the 470R resitor to 1k for a bit more output at the volume control, I'm loving this pedal even more. Biasing the circuit seems to be the key (as well as selecting suitable transistors), but this layout makes it a snap with the included trim pot.

Anyway, I just thought I'd share this in case any other noob at making a Fuzz was scratching their head about the output cap value change as I did.

People talk about Fuzz Face circuits being deceptively simple but finicky - well, not in my experience if you get the right components to be begin with. Temparature instability doesn't seem to be a major problem either (yet!). After trying countless commercial Fuzz Face-type pedals, I've finally hit on something that sounds like it should.

Andy.

[Chawk]

Thanks for the info. I'm starting one now. Can you tell me how to decifer which way the transistors should be facing in the sockets? Being that they are round it seems as though it might be hard to tell which way they should be inserted.