fuzz pedal

[reaper]

ok so i looked through a ton of schematics and decided i want to build a fuzz. i know how to solder and read schematics but i have no idea why things work the way the do, and i don't know how to decide on a circuit except the on that looks the most uncomplicated.  So can someone point me to a schematic that is fairly easy to build, easy to find parts, and has tone along the lines of hendrix (didn't he use a dallas arbirter or something?). also i hear alot about germanium and silicon transistors but have no idea what it means except people seem to like germanium and that it's harder to get. can someone explain this as non technical as possible? thanks

[petemoore]

  DIST+...not exactly JH in a box, but I like 'em, and they're fire up and go.
  The other fire up 'n go that is more JH-ey, is the FF...Si FF's are like this, try Axis Face from Fuzzcentral using specified transistors [I'd socket those anyway] and you'll have a very dependable, excellent Fuzz.
  The Ge thang...is much less of a 'wire it up 'n go' type affair [for me at least], you'll need the 'right' transistors, a couple batches will allow you to try different ones and A/B test Q swaps...for a choice of different sounds, and will most probably be a 'work with it' affair...it took me a while to get a dependable great sounding Ge FF...the transistors you 'want' will tend to be more expensive [if you're not getting 'em 'free'...which means very hard to find/LOTS of scavenging..for the rare GE transistor finds..]....
  All that said...Aron and Phillip and Small Bear and Banzia all offer tested Germanium devices suitable for Rangemaster, FF and Tonebender applications, starting with a 'handful'...then you can probably find the FF you like that proves itself to be reasonably dependable...the Ge's Hfe Gain CAN Drift...
  So...I'd say perf up a Fuzz Face with sockets for the Q's, in and output caps, replace the fixed resistor with a bias trimpot [Q2's collector resistor], and you have a flexible FF testboard, after I arrive at chosen values for the socketted parts, I just tape or otherwise fasten socketted heavy parts in so they don't fall out, and box it.
  Re-bias after each Q swap.

[donald stringer]

 This would be a good place to start http://www.muzique.com/schem/projects.htm as far as knowing its going to work the first time. There is a nice diversity of sounds to choose from, easy to get parts and plenty of support for questions that will occur during the building process.

[puretube]

Welcome to the forum, reaper!

[Peter Snowberg]

Welcome to the forum. 

First, read this: http://www.geofex.com/Article_Folders/fuzzface/fffram.htm

Be sure to check out http://www.runoffgroove.com/ and http://www.home-wrecker.com/ for lots of circuits too.


On the Germanium vs. Silicon thing.... Ge transistors were made first and they distort a little differently from Si. Si transistors can be made to sound somewhat like Ge but the reverse is not true. Ge transistors are inconsistent and problematic. Their performance changes drastically with temperature.

If you want a Hendrix-like tone (ignoring the guitar, amps, other effects, and Jimi's hands), try any (or all) of the fuzz-face variant circuits. Check out Brett's Miss Piggy here: http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/~jethro.dog/gallery.html

http://www.runoffgroove.com/sili-face2.html

If you want germanium transistors, buy them from a trusted source or else you may get something less than optimal. Here are two trusted sources:

http://www.muzique.com/
http://www.smallbearelec.com/

Another site you should not miss is: http://fuzzcentral.tripod.com/

Best of luck with all your builds!