Bazz Fuss

[Reyno]

Hi there I'm wondering if you can help me, I've been trying to put a bazz Fuss together and it doesn't seem to be working as it should. Just getting a less tonal guitar signal and French radio! I don't have a great deal of experience with electronics and couldn't get the exact components listed, however I read that you can use other values, the components I'm using are: a 10k resistor, a 22mf capacitor, a 1.0mf capacitor (red one) a 2n3904 transistor and a 1n914 diode - see image below.

I put it all together on a breadboard but doesn't seem to be working, can anyone give me any ideas?

[EBK]

Hi there I'm wondering if you can help me, I've been trying to put a bazz Fuss together and it doesn't seem to be working as it should. Just getting a less tonal guitar signal and French radio! I don't have a great deal of experience with electronics and couldn't get the exact components listed, however I read that you can use other values, the components I'm using are: a 10k resistor, a 22mf capacitor, a 1.0mf capacitor (red one) a 2n3904 transistor and a 1n914 diode - see image below.

I put it all together on a breadboard but doesn't seem to be working, can anyone give me any ideas?

Welcome to the forum!

first, I'd suggest tacking an 'l' onto your image URL right before '.jpg' (to create a large thumbnail size and save a bit of bandwidth).

I'll take a closer look at your question later, I hope.  In the meantime, try to follow the suggestions in the debug thread so we can better help you: http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=29816.0

[Quackzed]

sometimes its easier to follow a pic ...your  parts should be fine pay attention to the orientation of the electro blue cap and the transistor (any npn should be fine) and diode..
electro white stripe side (-) goes to the 'input' pad

[Reyno]

Hi, thanks for the replies, I've had another go and got it working but it seems slightly temperamental, the main issue now is lack of sustain and also the fact that the fuzz effect only seems to work on the heavier strings, this is the current set up:

I have tried swapping the ref capacitor out fora variety of other and it seems to make no difference at all, in fact I took it out completely and patched the circuit with a jumper lead and that sounded almost the same!!!!

[Quackzed]

any chance the transistor is the wrong way round? also make sure the input / output jacks are grounded...

[EBK]

Do you have that resistor and diode in the same hole on your breadboard?

Any chance you can dig out some graph paper and draw up what you've built?  And, could you link to a schematic?

[Reyno]

Hi there, no I've just checked the breadboard and it's the same configuration as the schematic posted above... :/

[nocentelli]

Ok, from the breadboard picture, it looks like -

guitar->yellow jumper->red input cap->black jumper-> transistor....

If so, is the black jumper going into the base (middle pin) of the transistor like it should? Because it looks like the black jumper is going to the collector instead. Also, if you are using a standard NPN transistor like a 2N3904 (not darlington, e.g. MPSA13) you will probably need a bigger collector resistor (more like 100k rather than 10k). Lastly, is the transistor emitter grounded? (looks like the blue jumper takes the emitter to ground, but pic is not clear).

[EBK]

And have you measured any voltages?

[Reyno]

I hope this helps, I know it's really pretty terrible!!

[Reyno]

I do also have a multimeter which I have never used as I have no idea how to, any advice would be much appreciated! This is a very difficult area to break into, much like learning a new language. Thank you all again for your help.

[smallbearelec]

Hi--

When you are first learning to breadboard, lay things out as cleanly as possible so that connections are readily visible. You'll find that it's much easier for people to help you. Here is a thread from a couple of years ago in which I walked a guy through setting up this circuit:

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=112626.msg1047287#msg1047287

You are correct that there is a learning curve to this. However, you have done one thing Very right by breadboarding first. Have patience and keep going at it.

[Reyno]

Hi--

When you are first learning to breadboard, lay things out as cleanly as possible so that connections are readily visible. You'll find that it's much easier for people to help you. Here is a thread from a couple of years ago in which I walked a guy through setting up this circuit:

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=112626.msg1047287#msg1047287

You are correct that there is a learning curve to this. However, you have done one thing Very right by breadboarding first. Have patience and keep going at it.

Thanks @smallbearelec I think you're right, I may lay it out again with more space between components, also thank you for the looks ink, I will go through it tomorrow.

I was very happy to get a fuzz like effect coming through, with some more sustain I will be extremely happy with the result and move it to a board.

Thanks again

[Reyno]

Hi all, just incase this might help, here is an audio sample of my issue: https://clyp.it/pa3wkhqj

https://clyp.it/pa3wkhqj

[whoisalhedges]

Pros, is it possible that the fact Reyno is using a 2N3904 could be a contributing factor? I mean, I know fuzz isn't all about a transistor's beta, I've used all sorts of "underpowered" trans in schematics calling for 5088s and such... but we're talking a Darlington here. Is it possible that a transistor with 1/10 as much available gain is the beastie here?

Reyno, do you have a 100k resistor? If so, try that instead of 10k. If 10k is all you have, do you have another 3904? Connect both collectors together and the emitter of the first one to the base of the second; then tie the second's emitter to ground and the first's base to the input cap. Either way, I think the amplifier might need more *oomph*.

[smallbearelec]

is it possible that the fact Reyno is using a 2N3904 could be a contributing factor?

Yes. The Bazz Fuzz is popular as a first build because you get recognizable fuzz with an absolute minimum of cheap parts. But there are definitely compromises, and limitations on what performance you can expect.

OP: A higher gain transistor will give you more clipping. See if you can find a 2N5088, 2N5089 or an MPSA13 locally. Once you are satisfied with the layout using 1 x 2N3904, try the other devices. IMO, at the cost of a few more parts, you would be Much happier with the control of distortion and fuzz with the Ursa Minor:

http://diy.smallbearelec.com/HowTos/BreadboardUrsaMinor/BreadboardUrsaMinor.htm

[Reyno]

Hi all, thank you so much for the advice, the 100k resistor did the trick! I also managed to wire a volume pot in without too much of an issue. The problem I'm having now is that I want to wire a foot switch in but I have no idea how - the footswitch I have has 9 points, like this one: http://www.diystompboxes.com/pedals/images/3PDTwiring.jpg

Any ideas how I would go about wiring it into this circuit or if the image is labeled correctly?

Thanks.

[Kipper4]

You should be able to just wire the switch up as in your link.
Just pay special attention to the orientation of the switch lugs. In your image they are horizontal.
Good luck