If I told you how to build this fuzz....

[danielzink]

Anyone have a suggestion for a basic tone control for this (and how to impliment it).

The build went well. This was my first "from scratch" build in many years as well as my first attempt at etching (took 2 trys w/photresist board - but that's another story). It's just a little "bassy" for me - I'd like a little more -adjustable- treble - not just replacing a resistor.

I've looked at thw SWTC - but not sure if this would be the best application.

Thanks for any help, Dan

[Dragonfly]

The build went well. This was my first "from scratch" build in many years as well as my first attempt at etching (took 2 trys w/photresist board - but that's another story). It's just a little "bassy" for me - I'd like a little more -adjustable- treble - not just replacing a resistor.

changing the output cap and the cap that parallels the collector resistor of q2 will brighten it up.

then you could tack on a swtc if necessary

[gutsofgold]

Just got done breadboarding this with all recycled and left over free parts. Sounds exactly like the recording when I play it thought my 18 watt clone. Really excited on this one! Thanks Andrew.

Since this has only a few vital parts to it, an explanation of the circuit would be immensely helpful. Well for me atleast  . Such as what each parts function is.

[deaconque]

I'd like to build this, but could someone tell me how the layout earlier in the thread worked.

[trotskyismyniece]

I got so excited about this, I wrote down all the parts and got out to radioshack.....only to find that the two RS's around me don't stock DPDT footswitches of any kind .  I looked on the website and couldn't even find DPDT footswitches there, so I can't get a DPDT at all.  I was hoping to try this and the beginner boost project to get into this, and then buy a bunch of parts in bulk, including 3PDT footswitches, if I enjoyed myself so that I could build away.  Looks like I have to take the plunge and get at least the switches online.

[deaconque]

I had the same problem with RS.  all they had were DPDT toggles.

[Dragonfly]

I had the same problem with RS.  all they had were DPDT toggles.

...from Radio Shack parts, would you be interested ?

Its a easy to build fuzz that sounds, IMO, really freakin' good.

(Everything except the footswitch comes from Radio Shack !)

Just one of those things where if I'm going to take the time to write up the tutorial, complete with schematic, parts list, layout, pictures, etc...I want some people to build it, you know ?

SOUND SAMPLE OF RADIO SHACK FUZZ

[deaconque]

Oh....

[trotskyismyniece]

Is there any place I could go, other than online, to get switches?  I dunno why, but I don't like going online for stuff.  I like picking it up and starting to make everything the same day.  I'm going to go to my local small town guitar stores, and see if any of the owners will let me have any broken pedals that they have laying around in boxes that I can use for parts.

[MasaRGR]

Built this the other night. It seems to be working fine, but with this being my first fuzz - I can't be entirely sure  I built it mostly from the layout that Andy first posted with a few slight turns to fit the perfboard that I had. It was also the first layout that I used Bancika's Java version DIY Creator software and it worked great. I printed out the layout on my inkjet printer, sprayed a light adhesive on the back and stuck it to the perfboard. Poked all the components through the holes and soldered all the traces.

I used a socket on the perfboard, so I could try different combinations of transistors to see what I liked. I didn't have any 2N2222 transistors on hand, so I pooled together all the NPN transistors I had, pulled up all the data sheets and twisted and tweaked them to match the layout.

I had a pair of 2N5088 in there at first and it was kinda fuzzy, but more like a distortion effect. C945's went in next... really light fuzziness, but not nowhere near the grind that Andy's sample had. I only had one 2N3904, so I tried pairing it with other transistors and it actually worked kinda well with the 2N5088, but still no dice. The last ones I tried were some 2SC1815... and wow... fuzziness... lots of it 

I'm still going to order some 2N2222's and try them before I box it up, but just wanted to say to those that were asking - that the layout seems to works just fine. Sorry for being a fuzz noob... but am I supposed to be getting this much of a volume boost?

A big thanks to Andy for another great design!

Here's some pics of my build (the back is pretty unsightly... so do not attempt to view immediately after eating). 

[jayp5150]

Just got done breadboarding this with all recycled and left over free parts. Sounds exactly like the recording when I play it thought my 18 watt clone. Really excited on this one! Thanks Andrew.

Since this has only a few vital parts to it, an explanation of the circuit would be immensely helpful. Well for me atleast  . Such as what each parts function is.

This is basically an off-shoot of the fuzz face, so reading up on the technology of the fuzz face at geofex will give you more insight. It really is a super-tweakable design. I

've been so busy lately, I haven't had a chance to mess with fuzzin'... hopefully in the next week or so, I'll bang this one out and tweak like a madman lol.

[cheeb]

Here's some pics of my build (the back is pretty unsightly... so do not attempt to view immediately after eating). 

Jeez, that's unsightly? I wish my perf builds looked like that. 

[Used666]

Just got back from radioshack. They had all the parts aside from the 120k resistors. Im using obviously my own switch as well as my own jacks. The total came to $17 with a 4x2x1 enclosure. Pix of the completed pedal in a bit 

[Used666]

It all fits in the radioshack plastic enclosure. Im powering it with a jack though not an onboard battery.... Top of the pot will be dremeled down

[sixstringphil]

Is there any place I could go, other than online, to get switches?  I dunno why, but I don't like going online for stuff.  I like picking it up and starting to make everything the same day.  I'm going to go to my local small town guitar stores, and see if any of the owners will let me have any broken pedals that they have laying around in boxes that I can use for parts.

I'm pretty impatient when it comes to waiting on orders to come in, but I get switches and parts from Aron quicker than any other supplier I've used. Plus, as much time as I spend reading this site, I'm glad to support it!

[ECRfx]

+1, order from aron!

[deaconque]

Okay, so I built this one up today but for some reason when I plugged it in, it was very shrill and treblely and EXTREMELY loud.  I tried changing the pot size to 100K and 10K but that didn't seem to make a difference.  I'm using 2N5088's in it since they're the only NPN's I have right now.  I know they're pretty high gain but would that cause it to sound so much different?

[Dragonfly]

.... but would that cause it to sound so much different?

The fact that there's an error in your build.

Refer to the "debugging" thread at the top of this forum, post the voltages, and we'll see if we can help you sort it out. 

[deaconque]

I just got finished reading the debugging article as well as the one on GEOFEX.  After reading it I decided to rebuild the entire thing to make sure it was done right.  I redid everything double checking as I went and I still have the same problem, very loud and very shrill.  I'm pretty sure either my trannies are no good or they're not biased properly.  my voltage readings are:
Q1 E- .05 B- .56 C- 1.34
Q2 E- .84 B- 1.34 C- 1.38
somebody please help.  this simple project has taken entirely too long.

[gutsofgold]

I can't be of much technical help deaconque, but I can affirm that the transistors combination really needs to have some 'magic'. Try a bunch!

Dragonfly, was the fuzz in the recording built entirely with the radio shack parts? Or did it just happen to be that the same values could be had from there?