Red Witch Fuzzotron - Limited edition 5 made

[optimus_prime_1985]

I have one of the Red Witch Fuzzotron. I am cloning it so I can play out with one and not have to mess this one up. I would like to share it with the forum but wanted to see how ethical this is. I have no problem cloning it for myself since I bought the pedal but is it ok to clone since this was a limited edition and he is no longer making this pedal to sell. Let me know what you guys think. I do have 2 questions hanging me up on drawing up the layout.

What value capacitor is a square wima looking cap with 104k100 printed on it?

What value is a ceramic disc cap with 15 and a line under the 15 on it?


Thanks for your help and thoughts on cloning.

[spudulike]

104 = 100nF (100000pF)
K = Tolerance 10%
100 = 100V


15 = 15pF

http://xtronics.com/kits/ccode.htm

[nelson]

I dont think there are any ethical problems with this seeing as only 5 were made and 99.9% of us have no other chance of owning one apart from cloning it.

Plus a "new" fuzz is always interesting.


I think Red Witch effects are supposed to be original designs?


hopefully we will soon see


How does it sound?

[Dragonfly]

...why don't you just contact the manufacturer and get his/her thoughts on it....

whether its "ethical" or not, if the original designer doesn't want it cloned, its probably a good idea to not clone it....

karma, respect, and all....

andy


ps...for example, several of us here know how to make zvex pedals...but per his wishes, we dont publish the schematics and layouts, and we dont build 'em to sell for profit....

[optimus_prime_1985]

Dragonfly,


 Great idea! I didn't even think of that. I will do just that. Thanks!

[Dragonfly]

Dragonfly,


 Great idea! I didn't even think of that. I will do just that. Thanks!

sometimes the simplest/best solutions are so easy we dont even think about 'em !



andy

[hairyandy]

As far as the Red Witch Fuzzotron is concerned, I don't believe that Ben (Fulton, the man behind Red Witch) would want to see it cloned and available on this forum.  I'm not speaking for Ben, only for myself and what I think he would want, but I am good friends with him and I have had discussions with him regarding the Fuzzotron and its future.  I believe that there will be a Red Witch Fuzz available fairly soon that bears some similarity to the Fuzzotron.  On my recent working holiday in New Zealand, Ben played me a breadboarded version of a fuzz that he's working on that shares some elements with the Fuzzotron, mainly the "Zeus mode".  Needless to say, it was pretty kickass!  He talked also about wanting to respect the investment made by the people who bought the original Fuzzotrons for the Tsunami benefit, most of whom spent an inordinate sum of money for these things.  I don't think Ben wants to dis them by making the same pedal available for much less a year later, in fact he told me as much.  For that reason alone I think he would not want to have the Fuzzotron schem posted here, as well as the fact that he will probably be offering a derivative of it for sale in the future.

Just my $.02

[hairyandy]

Hey Dragonfly,

How's life in Indy?

[rocket]

if you have bought the pedal and are now cloning it to have another one - I don't see any ethical issues.  A different story would be publishing the schematic or selling clones.

[Dragonfly]

Hey Dragonfly,

How's life in Indy?

not too bad, bro...not too bad. i had to pass up a gig stage managing/guitar teching the opening band on the Backstreet Boys tour though...it interfered with the dates i was scheduled to move ! (who knew there'd be guitars on the BB tour !!!)

anyway, now that im moved in, i think im gonna pursue some tech work....as well as take advantage of my publishing deal...gotta give myself some direction !

how are things going for you ? pete like the pedal ? any new designs coming up ?

i check my email/PM's about once a week, and i'd love to here what youve been up to ! (i recently dug out all my old stage crew shirts...i kinda miss those days!

andy

[Dragonfly]

if you have bought the pedal and are now cloning it to have another one - I don't see any ethical issues.  A different story would be publishing the schematic or selling clones.

yeah...he mentioned that he diodnt have a problem cloning it for himself, since he bought the pedal, but seemed to be asking about making the schematic available and building clones for other people....

thats my take on his question

andy

[optimus_prime_1985]

I defenitely will not post anything, especially since it sound like he will be using some aspects of this pedal in a new fuzz offering. I appreciate all the advice. Peace

[ninoman123]

How bout some sound clips though? Always love to hear a new fuzz.

[hairyandy]

That would probably be best and I know he'd appreciate it.  Good luck cloning it for yourself though.  As I remember it didn't look too awfully involved and shouldn't be too hard.  The hardest part will probably be finding the right trannys for it...

[Mark Hammer]

I defenitely will not post anything, especially since it sound like he will be using some aspects of this pedal in a new fuzz offering. I appreciate all the advice. Peace

Well, that's the thing, isn't it?  Just because some aspect of a design is only available on a very limited basis NOW, does not mean the designer has no intentions of perhaps using it in a future commercial product, or even selling/leasing the idea to someone else who is better positioned to leverage that idea into a marketable product.

That being said, 1) I appreciate your desire to initially offer to put in the work to make this available to the rest of us, and 2) I appreciate your conscientious change of attitude and self-restraint once some key information was brought to your attention.  Both look good on you, buddy. :wink:

[Ben Fulton]

I defenitely will not post anything, especially since it sound like he will be using some aspects of this pedal in a new fuzz offering. I appreciate all the advice. Peace

Hi there folks,

I thought I'd drop in and let you know my thoughts.
Thank you optimus for deciding not to post the schematic.
Whilst we will not be releasing the FUZZOTRON as a production pedal we will be releasing a device which (as Andy mentioned) is inspired by 2 aspects of it .
5 people (including optimus) paid over $4000 for the unique Fuzzotron units - all in aid of a great cause. I think that if the schematic was published then their units would cease to be as unique - also opening up the other possibility of some clone based pedal maker 'aquiring' it and profiting from a design which I created for charity - I would not be a happy little monkey!
So - thanks again for deciding not to publish my schematic - I appreciate it. Also - stay tuned - there is something on the horizon.....................but I can't.............quite make......it........out...........cause it's.......sooooo.........fuzzy!!!!!!!   :!:

[hairyandy]

That being said, 1) I appreciate your desire to initially offer to put in the work to make this available to the rest of us, and 2) I appreciate your conscientious change of attitude and self-restraint once some key information was brought to your attention.  Both look good on you, buddy. :wink:

I completely agree.  Both are things that are rare on most web forums and I think we're lucky that there are so many great people here.  As they say down there in New Zealand, good on 'ya!

[optimus_prime_1985]

Thanks guys. Ben I love my Fuzzotron! I also love my Medusa! Too bad you no longer make it. Peace

[petemoore]

I just like to know what 'basically' it is. Sounds like it's Fuzz from the title...that could be anything though.
 purely out of curiousity...
 Sometimes it's the curious nature that brings the 'condiments' to the 'Fuzz Table'....tweeks 'n such's that.

[optimus_prime_1985]

Its got 5 knobs and 2 switches. pretty straight forward germanium fuzz sound but very tweakable with gate control and so forth until you hit the Zeus switch which sounds like it adds a feedback loop and some more top end to it. It will self oscillate on its own with the zeus switch and knob. A very unique sounding fuzz indeed!