I want to build my first pedal, and it needs to be fuzzy

[Batmanthepedaldestroyer]

Hi there, I've been searching for a fuzz that I hear in my head, but haven't found it yet. I'm not really rich enough to keep buying expensive pedals, so I think it's time to build one.

The current fuzzes I have are a Big Muff tone wicker (which I actually really like), and a Blackout Effectors twosome (which I don't like as much as I thought I would). The muff was my first fuzz, and I love/loved it. I like the hollow type tones I can get, whereas the twosome/musket is just a bit too thick/rich/saturated? However, I started to feel that the muff was a bit weedy, so I was stacking ti with a RAT, and loving that tone, hence stepping up to a higher gain fuzz. But stepping up, I think I've gone further towards distortion than I wanted.

Basically, I'm looking for somthing that is pretty fuzzy still, with some bite, but also the ability to be warmish for chords.

I'm in the UK, and would much prefer to buy a full fit (including the enclosure etc) as I've not built any pedals before, or worked with electronics at all. I am a chemical engineer though, so in theory, I can fix problems, but more importantly, I work with some electrical/electronic engineers, so should be able to get help when needed.

Any suggestions for a good fuzz that might suit my needs, and that I can source in the UK.

Thanks all

[gcme93]

It's not easy getting the parts for us brits 

My first suggestion would be to try a vero layout, I like the ones by this guy Harald: http://www.sabrotone.com/?cat=12 (I think he's UK based so the parts tend to be easier to get). That website has a very good guide to the "step by step" making of a pedal too.

Definitely start with a simple smaller circuit, check out the two individual fuzzes in a "Devi Ever" pedal, then nerd out on youtube videos listening to samples of the circuits you like the look of.


Whilst not always actually the best value, and not the best stocked for special parts, Maplin does pedal enclosures ("enclosures" under the components section) and is always pretty good for the bulk online orders of basic resistors and caps. I also got an okay soldering iron from there.


For the good special parts, try Dr Tweek: http://www.doctortweek.co.uk/ (all the nice transistors, PT2399s for delay/chorus etc)


If you don't think you're up to all of this, http://shop.pedalparts.co.uk/Filth_Factory_extreme_fiveknobbed_germanium_fuzz_kit/p847124_5439185.aspx  looks like a pretty fun project? You'll tend to find not many people on this forum have tried the british kits, quite an international community!

Good luck!

[deadastronaut]

as a brit i use

http://www.bitsbox.co.uk/

quite a bit...nice n quick too....

[Kipper4]

Thanks for the tip off Sabrotone is a great resource.
I want to build the Rothwell love squeeze as my next big build. When i get all the bits.

[Kesh]

OP, these guys are great

http://pedalparts.co.uk/category/fullkits/

[gcme93]

Bits box is great! Thanks Rob!

We really should have a UK thread of resources going...

[bluebunny]

as a brit i use

http://www.bitsbox.co.uk/

quite a bit...nice n quick too....

And now stocking kits for |v|ark's projects: http://www.bitsbox.co.uk/pa/FXKitIndex.html  (I think you'd still need to buy and drill the enclosure.)

[deadastronaut]

^ ooh thats new for bits box...

@george:  your welcome...handy little site.

[bluebunny]

Bits box is great! Thanks Rob!

We really should have a UK thread of resources going...

Kipper4 (Rich) was asking something similar, not so long ago...

[midwayfair]

Hi there, I've been searching for a fuzz that I hear in my head, but haven't found it yet.

This is your first investment:
http://www.amazon.com/BB830-Solderless-Plug--BreadBoard-tie-points/dp/B0040Z4QN8/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1358264120&sr=1-1

I highly recommend against just soldering up a beginner-appropriate fuzz if you're chasing a specific sound in your head. Learn to read schematics (Beavis Audio has a great tutorial), learn to breadboard (Smallbear Electronics has a great tutorial), and buy a handful of parts. Buy several values of potentiometers so you can change things. Experiment and you may achieve the sound you're after -- or you may realize that it's impossible for a single fuzz pedal to get there. Because sometimes that's true. Many classic records were made with a fuzz going into a distorted amp and pushing the amp, so it's not just a fuzz making the sound people hear. Microphones distort, preamps distort, records are compressed, all sorts of stuff is going on. Recorded sounds are ridiculously complicated and without some experience and experimentation, you may spend years chasing fuzzes.

These are the schematics you should start with, because they are easy to breadboard and quite variable:
Fuzz Face. Read RG Keen's article the Technology of the Fuzz Face.
Tonebender. The basic three-transistor fuzz.
Big Mugg Pi. Tons of resources. Here's one: http://www.pisotones.com/BigMuffPi/psst/BMP_versions.htm. There used to be a circuit breakdown that told you exactly how to tweak it (and was one of the most helpful things I've ever seen) on Kitrae, but it's gone unfortunately.

These are your basic two, three, and four transistor fuzzes.

The best part about breadboarding is how quickly it will teach you to debug something. It's so much less frustrating to fix something when all you have to do is lift it out of a hole rather than desolder it!

[deadastronaut]

^ great advice...breadboard, breadboard, breadboard..... +1000

[gcme93]

Bits box is great! Thanks Rob!

We really should have a UK thread of resources going...

Kipper4 (Rich) was asking something similar, not so long ago...

You absolute hero! This stuff is awesome! Just as I was getting low on those 10K resistors too...

[Jdansti]

Welcome to the forum!

The nice thing about DIY is you can tweak circuits to obtain the sound you want. For example, with fuzzes that use diode clipping, it's as simple as taking a handful of various diodes and experimenting with the different types in different arrangements and deciding which combination sounds the best to you.  Something that's difficult to predict is what any given pedal is going to sound like with your guitar, your amp, and your playing technique.  DIY allows you to customize the sound.

Hopefully the UK forum members can steer you in the right direction for parts.  Most of the circuits are simple and the folks here can guide you through it.  It's a hell if a lot easier than conducting a quantitative analysis of mixing and age distribution in a steady continuous flow stirred tank reactor.

[Batmanthepedaldestroyer]

Thanks guys, and thanks midwayfair, that type of approach sounds like it will be the most effective/rewarding.

I best start doing some reading.

[samhay]

Again - whatever you do, also get a breadboard. You will learn a lot more quickly and potentially save yourself quite a lot of money.
I also have good things to say about the UK suppliers others have linked. If you really want a full kit, also take a look das musikding - http://www.musikding.de/Kits/Musikding-Kits:::52_122.html. Based in Germany, but they are cheap, you can get drilled enclosures, and shipping takes about 10 days to the UK.

[Kipper4]

I now regularly order from bitsbox.
It's so easy to use. (not affiliated) I also like Tayda if you can wait a few weeks. Very good prices and good service too.

[Batmanthepedaldestroyer]

Cool, so I'm going to order some bits from the bitsbox.co.uk site.

So far I know I'll get

Breadboard (the double one)
Jumper kits (male-male and male-female)
Single core wire
Some test probes
Soldering iron
Solder
Wire strippers (I have some snips)
Multi-meter


What I don't know yet is what components I should buy.

There's this kit http://www.bitsbox.co.uk/select.html but I think it has more stuff that I don't want, and not enough of what I do.

So I know I need

Two jacks
Some pots
Some Capacitors
Some Resistors
Some Transducers
Some Diodes (just LEDs?)

So, what do you think would be a fair inventory to start with, with values? I'm planning to buils a fuzz face or tone bender to begin with, and will add stuff as I get more competent. I'll also plan to just order what I want for when I get on to making actual pedals as opposed to test boards.

Advice is much appreciated. I'm also really excited 

[gcme93]

Here's my recommendations on what to get when starting out:

- Soldering Iron - Try and get a higher watt one if possible. I had a 30W one until recently and it becomes pretty useless pretty quickly. It takes so long melting the solder that you end up frazzling the components. This one looks good because it also has a stand, solder and solder sucker (to remove excess solder, more useful than you think)
http://www.maplin.co.uk/40w-soldering-kit-399593

EDIT: since having a quick look around bitsbox, you can get all the stuff in that kit for cheaper! I'm also gonna get myself one of those awesome stand things with the magnifying glass and claws.

- Components - Just seen the "Electronics Starter Kit" at bitsbox.co.uk and its so much better than the maplins one i had! The one on that page you just linked to. The 4001 diodes in there are good general usage diodes until you start getting into "good quality clipping" in fuzz boxes etc. For them, and other more specialised components, try bitsbox or Dr Tweek (switches, potentiometers,  knobs, opamps, transistors etc...) Some people around here seem to have buckets of these special components, but for the rest of us its a "buy a few for this project, next week order a few of something else" deal.

- Multimeter - Even basic ones are extremely useful for checking resistor values, checking if things are well grounded, measuring voltages for troubleshooting etc. Basic ones start as low as £6-£10. I'm personally saving up for a £25 that can measure capacitance too. Just have a look around online for these.

- Breadboard & Jumpers kit - All included in that "Electronics starter kit"
Probably avoid Maplin for this one. I think I ended up paying over the odds to buy it all in one place, but I'm sure you can find a breadboard and jumper combined kit online somewhere? I end up using the jumper leads on my vero boards because they're precut and I'm lazy :S

Only thing left is to get a bit of vero board for when you want to make it permenant I (carefully) use a hand drill to cut the tracks on the back of mine. I find cutting the tracks in a perfect mirror image the hardest part!

Anyway, you should be excited, you should be worried about how addicted you're going to get, and you should keep us updated on your builds!

George

[bluebunny]

Interesting how people here always use the word "addiction" to describe what you're getting into.  By "interesting", I mean, "completely accurate".     With that in mind, buy (way) more than you need for the couple of pedals you anticipate building.  I tend not to buy fewer than ten of pretty much anything, and for common caps and resistors, usually many more.  Say hello pedals, bye bye disposable income...   

BTW, a big +1 for Dr Tweek too.  Steve is a top bloke and is very knowledgeable.  And he tests every PT2399 he sends out.  (You'll "need" some of those too...)  And if you've not already read ALL of geofex.com, go do that now.   

[deadastronaut]

if your going to breadboard a lot...which you should, and will...i would recommend making a true bypass breadboard. all in one jobby...

plug your guitar in and off you go....

1x breadboard...obviously..

2x jacks,

1x 3pdt toggle switch ( same as footswitch but better for desktop use )...and cheaper to buy than a stomp too....ebay

1 led.  

1 resistor (2.2-4.7k)..(i used a 1k as i like retina destruction)

1 dc socket.

heres one of mine...and a diagram.  

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/7464107/bread1.jpg
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/7464107/bread2.jpg

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/7464107/mybreadboard.jpg

i was pissed when i put it together xmas day,(much to the annoyance of the missus) but hey it works.. ..