Germanium/ Silicone fuzz.

[msurdin]

Hey,

I was wondering about making a Germanium/ Silicone fuzz pedal. It would be buffered. I know alot of fuzz pedals are gritty and over the top, I was tinking maybe I can make a Germanium and silicone fuzz that is smoother and filled out a bit(maybe a tone control?) then a classic fuzz face. Maybe we can say more of a "Distortion" but still Fuzz.
The important part is trying to make it work well with effects before it.


Thanks!

Matt

[jlullo]

check out Dragonfly's gallery.  I'm pretty sure he has a hybrid in there, IIRC

[msurdin]

I really couldnt find anything there..

Is there any boards from GGG I could use to do a project like this on?

i was thinking a mids tone control when turnd up would fill it out and mke it a bit smoother and fuller?

Thanks

Matt

[jlullo]

ah sorry, i could have sworn i just saw something in there today...

here's something AC posted a while ago:
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=27321.msg183135#msg183135

also, a quick search for "hybrid fuzz" shows a TON of options

you could always just use sockets, build a FF with trimmers for Ge's and just pop in some Si transistors as well.  that sound work well enough

you could try a bunch of things as well to smooth out the sound if you wanted to do so.  a bunch of different tone contols, adding caps to the volume pot, etc.... check out "pedal mods" under the FAQ for a ton of ideas

[col]

Joe Gagans Easy face. I did a thread last week after re-building mine. It is a simple but great sounding build and I really was impressed. For my NPN version I used an AC141 for the Ge.

[msurdin]

Would an AC141 and a bc108c sound good together?
I want it to be able to get high fuzz, but i still want it smooth and full.
What part would I put in the Q1, and Q2 position?

Are there any certain parts that someone could reccomend using to keep hum, his, noice to a minimum? I want to try making that a quiet unit as well.
And is there any thing you can tell me about keeping interfearence away froma  fuzz unit?

Thanks

[jlullo]

you'll have to give them a shot to see how they sound...it's all going to depend on a million factors.  also, make sure that you tested your Ge for leakage and gain..

as for positioning, what are their gains?  that's going to be what matters

i don't think you're going to have too much of a problem with noise in this circuit... it doesn't seam to be to notorious for this.  as far as interference goes, if you are getting radio signals, there are a few tricks you can pull with a large cap.

i'd suggest reading "the technology of a fuzz face" by RG at geofex, as well as the fuzz face and axis face information over at fuzzcentral.

[Jaicen_solo]

I make all my Ge fuzzes with a Si for Q1. My preference is for lowish gain (though I have a BC109c that sounds great). Usually something like a 2N3904, although apparently there are good <200hfe silicons around, I just haven't found any.

[msurdin]

Are these tricks to stop radio interfearence listed in the tech of a ff at geo? Or can someone tell me them?

Thanks

Matt

[jlullo]

if you do a search, there are a ton of threads that come up....

here's one of them:
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=23946.0

i'd worry about the interference after you did the build though

[slacker]

although apparently there are good <200hfe silicons around, I just haven't found any.

Try some 2N3053s if you can find some, they have gains that are spot on for fuzzfaces, and sound really good.

[msurdin]

From what I have seen in that thread is to use shielded wire ( Any recommendations for a great one?). solder a 100pf cap to the collector legs of the transistors...
And just to double check would the be E,B, or C? I would have to get one of the heat sinks to stop the heat from going up that leg i'm asumming..

I'm not really trying to make the classic fuzz face, but a Fuzz.. more of a distortion but still a dedicated fuzz. (fuller, more mids..)

Thanks

[Dragonfly]

Usually something like a 2N3904, although apparently there are good <200hfe silicons around, I just haven't found any.

2N3903 and 2N2369's are nice lower gain Si's.

Also, OLDER 2N3904's tend to be in the 150-200 range.

[col]

If you search for the Easy face schematic it shows the silicon transistor as Q1 and the Ge one as Q2 and that's how I built mine. I think the transistor I used in Q1 probably has too much gain as it's so loud but it sounds so good I don't care. In a live situation I have to turn the pregain down or it feeds back too easily. There are a lot of lower gain transistors than a BC108, and you can even use one of the power transistors such as a BD139 but the pin out is BCE rather than the more usual CBE. If you have a broken low energy lightbulb there are usually two of this type of transistor inside the base for free, along with lots of diodes and caps!
I have got some NKT10339 which are very old NPN Si and have a gain of only 45-50, maybe I should have used one of them instead. 
If I hadn't had an AC141 for Q2 I would have used an AC187 as I have some and they are generally more easily available, but they have a higher gain and might have sounded different. Socket the transistors and try it.
With these transistors this pedal can be 'chugged' away on well, unlike my 'matched pair' fuzzface.

[msurdin]

So after talking to a few of my buddies about what I am wanting to make they pretty much said the following:

"Blistering loud Marshall head, Very amp like" The signal is warm and thick with a moderate fuzz coat. It is fuzzy, but not in a characteristic thin or high raspy way. Its a bit loose in the low end (it isn't ideal for low power chord work), but wonderful for heavy full chords and singing solos with a bit of bite. It would work nicely stacked with other overdrive and EQ units. In short, it has the bite of a fuzz and the thick, smooth sustain of a distortion box. Aslo compaired to a distorted class A amp. And has a hint of a Germanium Fuzzface sound, but much more amp-like and smoother. The unit would also have to be quiet and work well with effects before it, unlike the Fuzz Face.

After this was said I was thinking of a Distortion +, but can I still have a germanium, silicone combo?

Thanks for the help guys!

Matt