Creamy Fuzz

[suncrush]

I've got one project specced, and I'm waiting for the parts to box it, and it's time for project #2.

I want to do a fuzz with a wet/dry blend control, and I'd like a really creamy fuzz sound when it's all wet.  Any suggestions for a base circuit?

[nocentelli]

Not sure what "creamy" means to you - To me it means with some treble rolled off, like Clapton's "woman tone". You could add a simple tone control to any fuzz you like the sound of to smooth it out.

I have found that a wet/dry blend for fuzz is rarely satisfactory since introducing a totally clean sound alongside the fuzz inverts the usual fuzz response to playing dynamics: Playing quietly gives you a fuzzy sound (due compression from the fuzz section), yet playing harder makes the clean sound dominate the mix, and I find this counterintuitive to play through.There seem to be very few classic vintage, mainstream commercial, handmade boutique or DIY fuzz circuits with a blend, the only one that comes to mind is the Fuzzrite, and that is more like mixing a dark overdrive with an out-of-phase fuzz, and the "blend" control gives a much more interesting progression from softly overdriven to skronky harsh fuzz sound than a straight dry/wet in-phase fuzz would yield.

I don't mean put you off at the start of your experiments, but I would advise you to first just to try out a "creamy fuzz" circuit (big muff? silicon tonebender with a treble roll off control?) and adapting it so the gain/fuzz control allows a cleaner minimum setting, or maybe try a gentle overdrive blended with a fuzz.

[suncrush]

Good advice, thanks.  I'll look into that.

I currently have the EHX Double Muff, which is a doubled-up 1969 Muff (pre-Big Muff) circuit.  I find it a bit harsh, and I'm looking for something warmer and smoother.  I suspect your suggestion of adding a treble control would be a good place to start messing with the sound.

[nocentelli]

The Rat filter control has worked well for me in dozens of different fuzzes - just snip the output wire that goes to the volume pot lug 3, connect it instead to lug 3 of a 100k pot, connect lug 2 of the new tone pot back to the volume pot where was before, and solder a 3n3 ceramic cap across the volume pot outer lugs. You could try it out for pennies, and if it's not to your taste you can undo it and put it back to stock.

[Fp-www.Tonepad.com]

creamy fuzz sounds like a big muff to me.

though a 'wooly' sound can be had from a fuzz face (with selected transistors properly biased)

include a 2 channel mixer to help with the dry blend.

[StarGeezers]

  The Creamiest ' fuzz we've ever made/heard is an RF Drive (Wattkins.com)  with a common Germanium diode replacing one of the diode chain ( + WIMA caps) .... Smooooth like  a saxophone...   Old "Cream" (Clapton)  sounding type smooth  ...
JMHO ... When the Fuzz is RIGHT, you don't need a "blend" ...  

[suncrush]

creamy fuzz sounds like a big muff to me.

though a 'wooly' sound can be had from a fuzz face (with selected transistors properly biased)

include a 2 channel mixer to help with the dry blend.

Big Muff is all right, but I'd like something without the mid scooping.

[garcho]

Change the tone stack.

[Gus]

Jimi

built and posted a your tube of the ASDF

[Elijah-Baley]

If Big Muff like you you could modify the scoop.

About Wattkins RF Drive, I found this: http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.it/2014/01/wattkins-rf-drive.html, but none demo.
Honestly, I found this link: http://www.wattkins.com/audio/by/album/rf_drive, but I can't listen the sound clip.

[StarGeezers]

Sorry !!!   You have to be a member at Wattkins to hear the videos ... or do anything else ....  they were so beset with Spammers , they had to raise the gate to everyone...   registration is simple and free...

 I've built 7 RFD's so far , two with the PC Board (now available) , latest one has the Germ' ... Smooth !!!     http://www.wattkins.com/node/15621