fuzz face mod idea???

[23]

If i use a spst switch to parallel a cap to increase its value from .1uf or so to .47 uf on the input or output of a fuzz face circuit (general guitar gadgets germanium build) will this give a basser sound to the pedal. I read some where that the output value controls bass and the input would most likely have an effect on the fuzz. Any opinions or ideas or am i pissin in the wind with this one?

thanks

[Gus]

Look around the link up top "schematics" then look at the links sites, plate to plate is a good one to read for this question

It has been done many times with ffs and other effects like the RM and BMPs and.....

[joegagan]

you've hit on the first level of exploring the incredible diversity and fun of the FF. i haven't played with output caps in a long time, i found 1 uf to be great in my rigs.
input caps are where i did a lot of experimenting. in my experience, smaller than 1 uf at input on ff is too weak on output, so to retain the balls i put a simple lpb1 style boost after the ff. see dinosaur fuzz etc for this concept.

[petemoore]

I read some where that the output value controls bass and the input would most likely have an effect on the fuzz. Any opinions or ideas or am i pissin in the wind with this one?
  Both the input and output cap are series with the signal path, and have the ability [smaller values roll more bass off] to reduce bass.
  You're right that the input cap has an effect on the Fuzz, it controls how much bass is let in to the gain / clipping portion of the circuit.
  Being part of the signal content, any reduction of frequency [moreso for bass] is also reduction of amplitude..hence reduced gain of the circuit is noticed with small input cap values.

[Mark Hammer]

You are certainly not pissing in the wind.  Do note, however, that the rule of thumb is that a doubling or halving of capacitance yields an octave change (down or up, respectively).  At some point, things stop mattering.  So, if one has dropped the bass rolloff down to, say 150hz with a cap value change, dropping that further won't make much difference with a guitar.  Similarly, raising the bass rolloff frequency above a certain point will start to choke off the fundamental.

So have fun, and try to keep one eye on the value changes that ought to (in theory anyways) produce useful changes.

[earthtonesaudio]

Mod a Fuzz Face?  Who would do such a thing?!















...That was me being sarcastic.

[23]

thanks everyone 

[eman]

  I've played with both the input and output caps of the fuzz face.  Here are my observations:

- .01 uF caps on input and output had too little bass.
- I liked best a 2.2 e cap or .1 on input and a .01 on output.  I think this is actually more authentic.
- 2.2 e caps on input and output had too little treble.
- For my bass player's fuzz face, I had to run the input first in series with a 10K resister before hitting the cap, which is a sort of low pass filter.  Then I found that 3.3 ecaps on the input and output were the best for bass responce.  Sounded good on a bass, fuzzing it without extraneous high pitched noises.  Sounded good with my guitar, as well, although I lost alot of control in the fuzz by going.  By control I mean I couldn't get as much fuzz/feedback as I liked.

In general, a resister in series and a capacitor in parallel is a low pass filter(allowing only low freq through) whereas a capacitor in series with a resister in parallel is a high pass filter.  I'm still a noob, though, so take that statement with caution.

E