Crybaby Output Buffer

[Ofek Deitch]

I'm currently working on my firs Fuzz Face and I heard it's recommended to put an output buffer in your wah because the fuzz tends to distort the wah and that it could sound like crap without it.

I found the circuit below at Fuzz Central and my question is if the 1uF cap must be an electrolytic capacitor, mostly because it's written in the part list that you should use a non-polar one.

Capacitors  
1 - 1µF non-polar metallized polyester film, 581-BF074D0105J  
1 - 0.047µF metallized polyester film, 581-BF014D0473J

Is that a mistake in the schematic or in the part list?
I know this is a noobie question but I don't know which cap I should use..

Thanks!
Ofek

[amptramp]

The schematic shows a polar capacitor, so either polar or non-polar will be OK.  If you have room in the build, you could also use a film capacitor which is inherently non-polar.  A non-polar capacitor is only required when the voltage across the capacitor can reverse and in this case, the voltage on the positive end (as shown on the schematic) will always be above the voltage on the other end.

[Ofek Deitch]

Ok thanks !

[CodeMonk]

I added that buffer to my GCB-95.
Worked wonderfully.

Using that wah and fuzz together without the buffer sounded like crap.
Very little wah effect without the buffer.

[Ofek Deitch]

Hi everybody!

Yesterday I finished building the Output Buffer. The problem is that it does not "buff" the signal at all, it just makes the signal less loud, and it is a BUFFER after all, so I think it should buff the signal a bit instead of weakening it.

I don't know if it matters but I didn't use a pot in the end of the circuit, basically because I didn't have one.. but this shouldn't make the volume weaker, it's supposed to sound as if the pot is turned all the way up.

I have no idea what went wrong with this circuit or if the BUFFER is supposed to make the volume lower.. so any help would be highly appreciated.

Thanks a lot!
Ofek

[pinkjimiphoton]

the buffer thing in my opinion is a bunch of hype. i built at least 10 different suggested buffers, and none of them were worth it.

if ya put just a resistance...47k resistor, or a 50 k pot between the output of the wah board and the switch, you can dial in enough resistance to make them work better together.

that said...listen to hendrix, and you'll hear him exploit that "problem"...he plays the oscillations, and part of how he sounded like he was playing rythym and lead simultaneously is by exploiting the fact that the wah dissappears...ya hear the high end content keeping time like a rythym guitar, while playing in the distorted "dead zone" in the middle.

mess around with it, and you'll see what i mean.

but... in MY opinion, and not saying i'm right, a simple resistor will get ya more mileage than the buffer. pots are nice, cuz you can tweak it.

or...

put the fuzz first, then the wah, then distortion/overdrive/boost. the wah sound will be more exagerated after the fuzz, which to my ear sounds better.

wah before overdrive distortion is a great sound...but to me, fuzz before wah is a must.

peace

[StereoKills]

The problem is that it does not "buff" the signal at all, it just makes the signal less loud, and it is a BUFFER after all, so I think it should buff the signal a bit instead of weakening it.

I think you have a Buffer confused with a Booster.

A buffer's intent is not to boost the signal louder, but generally to maintain a unity gain.
What a buffer is mainly concerned with is changing/setting the impedance.

[Paul Marossy]

An input buffer on a wah pedal is to prevent your guitar pickups from being loaded down ("tone sucking"), and the output buffer is to deal with any low impedance devices that might be following the wah pedal (like a Fuzz Face).

[Ofek Deitch]

So it's normal that the volume I get without the buffer is louder than the one I get with it. Right?

[petey twofinger]

in my experience , no . a buffer compensates for long cables , connections , several true bypass pedals or old tone sucking pedals in the chain  .

the jfet buffer i built it doesn't boost the signal louder when used by itself , but when there are multiple pedals , long cables , or tone sucker pedals in the chain , it compensates by "boosting" or buffering the signal back up to "unity" . i had made the mistake of putting in a volume pot on it ... i had thought that it would really boost like 6-9 db's at least . they dont . but they are not supposed to make it quieter .

you may have an issue with the circuit .

[Paul Marossy]

So it's normal that the volume I get without the buffer is louder than the one I get with it. Right?

With a unity gain buffer it should be about the same.