Which transistors would you recommend for a Silicon Fuzzface?

[Burstbucker]

Which transistors would you recommend for a Silicon Fuzzface?

I've ordered some BC108, BC108B, BC108C work-alikes from Small Bear Electronics, I'm thinking of maybe putting in a BC108 in Q1 and a BC108B or BC108C in Q2.  I'll try them all out and see what woks best. 

I know that Hendrix used a Roger Mayer Axis Fuzz during the Band Of Gypsies era but didn't he also use a Silicon FuzzFace too?  What would be the closest transistors to get that particular tone, BC108C perhaps or maybe even BC109s?

I've read that Fulltone uses some BC108C transistors in his '70 pedal but I'm not 100% sure if that's factual or not, please chime in everybody.

[Dragonfly]

depends on how you like your silicon ff's to sound....

smooth....
q1: 2n2369a (hfe 70-90)
q2: 2n3903, 2n3904 (hfe around 100-120)

slightly aggressive....
q1: 2n3903 (hfe 100-120)
q2: 2n3904, 2n2222a, 2n4401, bc108 (hfe 140-200)

gnarly....
q1: bc108 (hfe160-200)
q2: bc108, bc109, 2n5088 (hfe 200-350)

over the top....
q1: bc108 (hfe 180-220)
q2: bc109c, 2n5089, mpsa18 (hfe 400-500)

stoopid....

q1: 2n5088, 2n5089, bc109, mpsa18
q2: 2n5089, mpsa18


also...for a nice "all-arounder", 2n3903's work well in both q1 AND q2 ....

hope this helps,
  andy

[petemoore]

   Yupp...

[Melanhead]

Which transistors would you recommend for a Silicon Fuzzface?

I've ordered some BC108, BC108B, BC108C work-alikes from Small Bear Electronics, I'm thinking of maybe putting in a BC108 in Q1 and a BC108B or BC108C in Q2.  I'll try them all out and see what woks best. 

I know that Hendrix used a Roger Mayer Axis Fuzz during the Band Of Gypsies era but didn't he also use a Silicon FuzzFace too?  What would be the closest transistors to get that particular tone, BC108C perhaps or maybe even BC109s?

I've read that Fulltone uses some BC108C transistors in his '70 pedal but I'm not 100% sure if that's factual or not, please chime in everybody.

well of course you know what I'm using, but I'd be interested to see what you come up with as all I have are the BC108 metal cans ...

When I opened a 70's pedal a while back this is what I found from one of my other posts:

"Well Q1 is a BC108B ( metal can ) and Q2 is, well, not sure ... The code has been covered by what looks like a black marker but it seems to say SXR 199 ... doesn't ring any bells with me ..."

Seems weird to be quoting myself

Socket 'em and try a bunch ... that's the only way to know for sure what you're gonna like.

[mojotron]

depends on how you like your silicon ff's to sound....

smooth....
q1: 2n2369a (hfe 70-90)
q2: 2n3903, 2n3904 (hfe around 100-120)

This is my favorite combo, smooth little noise, bass-heavyness controlled by output cap - I like it on the heavy side (.1uF)

slightly aggressive....
q1: 2n3903 (hfe 100-120)
q2: 2n3904, 2n2222a, 2n4401, bc108 (hfe 140-200)

Right, without the 2n2369a/pn2369 you loose a little of the mids and get a little more bite with a 2n3903 in Q1

gnarly....
q1: bc108 (hfe160-200)
q2: bc108, bc109, 2n5088 (hfe 200-350)

You'll get a bit of noise with this combo - but going with bc108 on Q1 and Q2 will knock your socks off if you are going for late Jimi or an early Eric Johnson sound.

over the top....
q1: bc108 (hfe 180-220)
q2: bc109c, 2n5089, mpsa18 (hfe 400-500)

This will get your neighbors saying mean things about you... the  2n5089 will take away some of the noise with this combo

stoopid....

q1: 2n5088, 2n5089, bc109, mpsa18
q2: 2n5089, mpsa18
...

The beauty of the FF is that you have so few components - each one has a big affect on the sound

[petemoore]

  You can build a FF.
  Or you can build a thousand...on one board...
  See ROG or homewrecker, Tim Escebedo's 1000 faces of fuzz...
  You may find 'improved' results in your opinion by trying lots of FF variations.
  Trimpot Q2, socket input/output caps and transistors, temporarily pot whatever you want on there...see Joe Davissons Fuzz Face Calculator...
  If using a 1k pot, a small resistor between gainpot and ground 'bumps up' the gain range.
  Rebias, regainset, play with volume controls, maybe even cap values after every Q swap...play with it a while, mess with guitar volume rolloffs...
  I have two boxed FF's with Trim 'n socket method instituted in them, I road/race test them against one another, I used to have more FF troubles with drifting bias, perhaps that's part of how I got started with the carrying of the spare FF. Never had a bias drift on an Si FF though.
  Axis Face, find the rolloff capacitor on the resistor between Q2 collector resistor and Q1 collector resistor [470 ohm or 1k?], I like to 'tune that resistor so my volume output knob is set about 5-7 [out of 10] at what makes the amp sound...'right' [pushed in my case about 10-20% above unity]. This resistor and cap there in the Axis Face set output volume and also act as a LP filter IIUC on the clipping or sound of the circuit...that's a good place to put a cap if you want to tame the Fizz out of your Fuzz.

[Pedal love]

BC183L, the woodstock fuzz transistors.

[Burstbucker]

Thanks for all that good info guys!

Melanhead, I know I like the sound of your "Full Beard" Fuzz, so much so that I'm going to build one for myself.
8^)  And thanks for demoing all your cool DIY pedals when I was down there visiting.  I still get a charge from the fact that a guy can build a pedal in his workshop and have it be as good or better than what's available in the music stores.  This is a VERY rewarding hobby!

So. Fulltone used a BC108B for Q1 and a mistery transistor for Q2, I've read conflicting things about what Fuller actually uses in there.  Somebody said that he used a pair of BC108C transistors.  So, thanks for clearing that up.

[Melanhead]

Thanks for all that good info guys!

Melanhead, I know I like the sound of your "Full Beard" Fuzz, so much so that I'm going to build one for myself.
8^)  And thanks for demoing all your cool DIY pedals when I was down there visiting.  I still get a charge from the fact that a guy can build a pedal in his workshop and have it be as good or better than what's available in the music stores.  This is a VERY rewarding hobby!

So. Fulltone used a BC108B for Q1 and a mistery transistor for Q2, I've read conflicting things about what Fuller actually uses in there.  Somebody said that he used a pair of BC108C transistors.  So, thanks for clearing that up.

Yup, I think Mike Fuller tends to mix things up a bit ... He may have used a bunch of different types, so you could be right. I can only tell you about the one I saw the guts to.

and yes it's great to be able to make pedals at home! ... I just have to finish my home mods ( renovations ) before I get back at the pedals.