Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face

[harkkam]

Hello everybody, Im new to the forum but I've been reading around and the thought of knowing I can make an effect and not pay 100's of dollars or even 70 dollars more is awsome.

For my very first project I want to build a dallas arbiter fuzz face. But I have a few questions. I've tried doing searches but most of the articles seem to be way above my level of understanding.

Question 1: "I want to use germanium transistors,  what kind do I need and where can I get them from?" - I usually notice a number like NXZ34A, or NKT275 what do those numbers mean?

Question 2: "I have the basic schematics but where can I learn how to wire the dpdt switch in properly to get a bypass switch"

Question 3: "Are the schematics at fuzz central for the dallas arbiter fuzz face good and working?"

Question 4: "What do I connect all the ground leads too?" Do I just connect them to the case?

[Dragonfly]

Hello everybody, Im new to the forum but I've been reading around and the thought of knowing I can make an effect and not pay 100's of dollars or even 70 dollars more is awsome.

It is definitely fun...BUT... I dont know that you'd necessarily call this hobby a "money saving experience !"

For my very first project I want to build a dallas arbiter fuzz face. But I have a few questions. I've tried doing searches but most of the articles seem to be way above my level of understanding.

Definitely take the time to read "The Technology of the Fuzz Face" at www.geofex.com

Question 1: "I want to use germanium transistors,  what kind do I need and where can I get them from?" - I usually notice a number like NXZ34A, or NKT275 what do those numbers mean?

Dont worry so much about those numbers...thats a common "trap". Worry about getting good transistors for your purpose.  I would give a VERY high recommendation to going with a pre-matched set of transistors from www.smallbearelec.com . It will save you a LOT of frustration.

Question 2: "I have the basic schematics but where can I learn how to wire the dpdt switch in properly to get a bypass switch"

go to www.generalguitargadgets.com and see the "switch wiring" articles / diagrams in the tech section.

Question 3: "Are the schematics at fuzz central for the dallas arbiter fuzz face good and working?"

Yes.

Question 4: "What do I connect all the ground leads too?" Do I just connect them to the case?

Thats all covered in the www.generalguitargadgets.com tech section. Also check out the WIKI here at this site.

Oh...and learn to use the function here...almost ay question you could ever have about stompboxes has already been answered at one time or another on this forum..there is TONS of great info if you search around a bit !


Best of luck..and WELCOME !

[harkkam]

Thank you those links were very helpful. I've taken a look at the schematics and I tried searching for the topic but I couldnt find an article that shows me where on the 1/4 Stereo Input does the positive lead and ground lead go to. I have a 1/4 jack and it has three prongs and I dont know which one is the sleeve and ring etc. Are there some pictures with diagrams showing this clearly.

[rikkards]

Looking at the typical plug on a guitar cable, the signal goes through the the tip (ergo called the tip) which corresponds to the longest contact on a stereo 1/4" jack, you want to solder the ground (black lead) of the power source so the shorter contact and then the ring lug which is what the plug goes through, would go to the common ground of the circuit. When you stick the  male through the female, you create a connection between the ground of the circuit to the ground of the power source, thus electricity flows.

Now the thing to keep in mind with the Fuzz Face is which version are you going to do Positive Ground or Negative Ground. Positive Ground is the easiest to do as you don't get the motorboating and theremin effect in your guitar volume control (which is cool to experience not very helpful).

I second going to geofex.com and reading up on the Fuzz Face there. It will explain a lot!.

BTW on a side note, I am building two pedals right now (Supreaux and JCM-800 Emulator), and had about 80% of the parts needed. My order to Small Bear and Pedal Parts Plus worked out to about $90 total. Buy in Bulk! Especially if you get the addiction that this place enables

Thank you those links were very helpful. I've taken a look at the schematics and I tried searching for the topic but I couldnt find an article that shows me where on the 1/4 Stereo Input does the positive lead and ground lead go to. I have a 1/4 jack and it has three prongs and I dont know which one is the sleeve and ring etc. Are there some pictures with diagrams showing this clearly.

[Dragonfly]

Thank you those links were very helpful. I've taken a look at the schematics and I tried searching for the topic but I couldnt find an article that shows me where on the 1/4 Stereo Input does the positive lead and ground lead go to. I have a 1/4 jack and it has three prongs and I dont know which one is the sleeve and ring etc. Are there some pictures with diagrams showing this clearly.

PNP - http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/pdf/ggg_ff5_lo_pnp.pdf


NPN - http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/pdf/ggg_ff5_lo_npn.pdf

[petemoore]

  Say hi to Steve @ Small Bear while you're there...no affiliation other than I'm happy.
 check out the "Tweek-O" article with pics, diagrams, more pics...explanations with great detail.
 I got lots out of readings on 'Technology of the Austin Treble Blaster' at GEO. Printed out it makes great reads. Most of the "Walls" can be 'dug under' to see the other side, other walls are...solid and deep [may make references that seem unusual], jump around on the texts and get what you can out of it, smash the tougher walls later [as best you can], after re-grouping, gathering reference data can help to attack the 'dense' info...data sheet, schematic that can appear at each page of the text, math attacks, then, just making 1 work and trying at learning from the actual circuit.
 I bought a 15 pack of RS's generic Si transistors to do 'early learns' and work with, I blew a few so far8), used others. Blowing one from multi-pak is p~ffft, but Ge tranny's are more precious.

[petemoore]

It is definitely fun...BUT... I dont know that you'd necessarily call this hobby a "money saving experience !"
  Not that i want any part of bringing another solder sucker into this world of hurt...pain, suffering and success...
  But the other side of the coin to that could be what I found out long after running out to music store on the rare occasions I had enough dollabills to buy another box a very extensive team if experts was selling me [mostly Boss, Danelectro, or another Boss].
  Only after racing 'my boxes against one another did I feel I'd gotten away from attempting to get race results in 'sedans' with 'standard rubber'.
  Date Registered:  September 07, 2003, 03:29:43 PM, Nearly Fiive Loong Yeear Laater [spoken to sound like John Lee [Hooker...what a great sound that guys guitar could make!]...and 2 x two-tier pedalboards later, five or so amps...
  I am  not [/i] addicted          .

[Dragonfly]

It is definitely fun...BUT... I dont know that you'd necessarily call this hobby a "money saving experience !"
  Not that i want any part of bringing another solder sucker into this world of hurt...pain, suffering and success...
  But the other side of the coin to that could be what I found out long after running out to music store on the rare occasions I had enough dollabills to buy another box a very extensive team if experts was selling me [mostly Boss, Danelectro, or another Boss].
  Only after racing 'my boxes against one another did I feel I'd gotten away from attempting to get race results in 'sedans' with 'standard rubber'.
  Date Registered:  September 07, 2003, 03:29:43 PM, Nearly Fiive Loong Yeear Laater [spoken to sound like John Lee [Hooker...what a great sound that guys guitar could make!]...and 2 x two-tier pedalboards later, five or so amps...
  I am  not [/i] addicted          .

yep...finding out that you "can" just make you build and spend "more".

Time flies, doesn't it Pete ?

[petemoore]

yep...finding out that you "can" just make you build and spend "more".

Time flies, doesn't it Pete ?
  Oh my, I shouldn't want anyone to know the huge garbage pit which I could have cleaned more often, it had piles of boards kjhunked on piles of boards...small time, 'personal EPA disaster'. Hell to clean.
  Yupp...Still not done, either, I'm pretty sure I at least need a SWTC in the mix...ok...I also printed out a modded Shin-Ei schematic while finding the SWTC at Mark's Hammer Ampage org.

[harkkam]

Well I was first planning to make a germanium transistor fuzz face and I realized I had little experience and I dont want to blow them out so I decided that I would build a silicon based fuzz face first to gain some experience.

Now I've read how doing a negative ground lead can create problems but all the schematics for a silicon transistor are negative lead grounds like the one at fuzz face central says NPN Silicon.

Can I buy PNP Silicon Transistors?

[bumblebee]

yes you can youl possibly want 2N3906 for the fuzz face. smallbear has them under "bi-polar silicon transistors"
link

[Dragonfly]

Well I was first planning to make a germanium transistor fuzz face and I realized I had little experience and I dont want to blow them out so I decided that I would build a silicon based fuzz face first to gain some experience.

Now I've read how doing a negative ground lead can create problems but all the schematics for a silicon transistor are negative lead grounds like the one at fuzz face central says NPN Silicon.

Can I buy PNP Silicon Transistors?

Youre getting things a bit confused.

A "negative ground" fuzz face is just fine when you use NPN transistors.

a  fuzz face sometimes has problems when you use PNP transistors and try to convert from "positive ground" to "negative ground".

So.....if you're looking at a negative ground fuzz face with NPN transistors, you should be just fine.

[Idiot]

Don't be scared by these people. you can make an Arbiter fo $28 total.get a hold of Peter Langer.He'll sell you the AC 128's for $10 & $3 for shipping.I've made maybe seven of them & they sound great. Etch the board from www.fuzzcentral.com.Always remember that most of these sleazoids online are trying to make money on something that should be given away for free.The boutiquers are the reason why we have to hear crap on the radio like the Jonas Bros.Long live Yes & Hendrix tone

[rikkards]

Seems like a bit of a troll. So here is what I bought:

125B Enclosure
2 Alpha Single-Gang Audio Taper 16mm 100K Potentiometer       
2 Alpha Single-Gang Audio Taper 16mm 500K Potentiometer     
2 Alpha Single-Gang Audio Taper 16mm 1M Potentiometer       
1 Alpha Single-Gang Linear Taper 16mm 25K Potentiometer       
1 1590NS Enclosure
2 3PDT True Bypass Switch (Blue Electro-Harmonix)       
2 Ultra Violet LED's (5mm)                       
1 5mm LED Bezel                                 
1 5mm Black LED Bezel         
$58.35 including shipping

1 Pot Alpha Single-Gang Audio Taper 16mm  (250K) @ $1.25 = $1.25
5 Capacitor, Electrolytic, Axial 16 V 1 mf. - 100 mf.  (33 mf.) @ $0.30 = $1.50
200 1.5k Resistors
200 10k Resistors
10 470pf Capacitor
10 47nF Capacitor
10 3.3nf Capacitor
2 SPDT switch
8 various knobs

$35.50 including shipping
That works out  to $93.85 for both orders
Granted about $10 of it was replenishing being low on resistors but it still works out to about $40-50 just in parts that I didn't have for these two pedals. Everything I make is for me. Trust me, my work is shoddy enough that I wouldn't charge someone more than cost if they wanted me to build something.

Don't be scared by these people. you can make an Arbiter fo $28 total.get a hold of Peter Langer.He'll sell you the AC 128's for $10 & $3 for shipping.I've made maybe seven of them & they sound great. Etch the board from www.fuzzcentral.com.Always remember that most of these sleazoids online are trying to make money on something that should be given away for free.The boutiquers are the reason why we have to hear crap on the radio like the Jonas Bros.Long live Yes & Hendrix tone

[Idiot]

Ever heard of www.effectsconnection.com ? Didn't think so....

[Dragonfly]

Don't be scared by these people. you can make an Arbiter fo $28 total.get a hold of Peter Langer.He'll sell you the AC 128's for $10 & $3 for shipping.I've made maybe seven of them & they sound great. Etch the board from www.fuzzcentral.com.Always remember that most of these sleazoids online are trying to make money on something that should be given away for free.The boutiquers are the reason why we have to hear crap on the radio like the Jonas Bros.Long live Yes & Hendrix tone

Painting with an awfully broad stroke, aren't you ?

[joegagan]

idiot, not sure what the chip on your shoulder is, but my  guess is pringle's , since it tastes bad...

[Dragonfly]

Ever heard of www.effectsconnection.com ? Didn't think so....

I've always had better luck with www.pedalpartsplus.com for most of my enclosure and switch needs. www.futurlec.com has great deals on pots. As far s the other stuff, Ive built up a great selection of NOS parts for me "personally", but I know that Steve at www.smallbearelec.com does a great job matching transistors, and uses the same methodology that RG outlines in the "Technology of the Fuzz Face" article.

As for Effects Connection ... I ordered from them a while back and was plenty satisfied. They just tend to not have exactly what I need, and Kirk at PPP always takes VERY good care of his customers, so I feel good about recommending them.

Jack at AMZ ( www.muzique.com ) also has tested AC128's in stock right now...Ive always been happy with his service as well.

Don't forget about the store right here on our forum.

[harkkam]

Other than a dallas arbiter fuzz face, what else can I make that would give me some of hendrix's tone. I know he used the univibe and vox wah. But the univibe is wayy beyond my scope at this point. And the wah pedal case costs 40 bucks as much as a used pedal on ebay.

For my housing can i go to home depot and use the metal boxes used to hold electric sockets in the home. They're cheap.

[petemoore]

For my housing can i go to home depot and use the metal boxes used to hold electric sockets in the home. They're cheap.
  Get some JB Weld and do up a batch for the punchout holes, they easily punchout when drilling, even after JB is applied [if you push hard].
  Axis Face Si at Fuzzcentral..
  Joe Gagans EZ Face.
  Phase 90 may not be authentic or uni-vibe exactly, [you can stagger the phase stage caps like Univibe, I did 1/2 staggered so not quite so wobbly]. See what Mark Hammer says about the Ross Phaser though...I dont have that one, I have a Small stone, 2 Easy Vibes, and a Micro-Vibe.