Standard Hemmo Fuzz problem

[lazerphea]

Oh God! , I wish I could make mine sounds like your  !!! also pro playing there, I've visited you site, great stuff there !


Armando

Hey man, thanks a lot for your kind words!! I'm glad you like my stuff, but I'm quite far from being a pro player!
Anyway, here's the exact breadboard layout of my Dist+ with the mods; the schematic is the one on page 3 of the What doest that bit there do thread.



I implemented the mods suggested by Frets Wire (R1, R2 and C1), then switched C6 with a bigger one to make it soud a little less fuzzy.
Finally I lowered R7 to let more current flow to the diodes. The output volume is a little low... maybe I could try to build a the output a booster-like to raise it a bit?

[lazerphea]

+1 on the excellent playing!  Very good!

Thanks a lot!!

The circuit sounds about like I'd expect it to sound based on the gain, the devices involved, and the resulting waveforms.  So I'd say this is a case of a flawless build, but a circuit that just isn't to your liking. 

When I reach this point (and trust me, it happens ALL the time -- especially with my own designs), I always have to weigh the options;  do I set it aside and forget about it, or do I try to mess with it and get it to behave more the way I want?

A lot depends on the physical ease of making modifications.  On the breadboard, stuff is easy to move around and tinker with.  Less so for vero or strip builds, and less still for a PCB (although that hasn't stopped me).  Of course, the underlying design itself will create some inherent limitations.  Sometimes the amount of "tinkering" exceeds the effort of a complete re-design/re-build, and then it is no longer worth it.

Well, even though it's not my kind of distortion, I'd like to keep the fuzz, just for the sake of having it I just want to lower the output signal a little bit; is the only way to do this using a pot? Because I already tried it and it affects a lot the response to the playing...
Fortunately I have the two circuits (Dist+ and fuzz) on my breadboard, so I can play with them easily, but it's almost a trial and error process, because my knowledge in the field is still very poor... but it's quite funny
Do you think I have to move on to something new? Maybe the TS808?

[PerroGrande]

I think a Tube Screamer, or Jack Orman's "Son of Screamer" might be an excellent choice for your next build.  There are a lot (and I mean a *LOT*) of circuits that use the technology of the tube screamer, or various snippits thereof, in some way or another.  Plus, they sound good!

Regarding output ---  yeah -- I'd stick a 100K pot on the output to control the overall volume of the pedal.  That is about the only control available, based on the design.

[lazerphea]

I think a Tube Screamer, or Jack Orman's "Son of Screamer" might be an excellent choice for your next build.  There are a lot (and I mean a *LOT*) of circuits that use the technology of the tube screamer, or various snippits thereof, in some way or another.  Plus, they sound good!

Ok, today I bought all the components for the TS808, tried to build it and obviously it doesn't work...
I'm referring to this schematic: http://www.geofex.com/Article_Folders/TStech/tsxtech.gif; is this ok?
Just a couple of questions:
- I asked for 4558D, but when I was back at home I realized the shopkeeper gave me the 4558C; is it equivalent?
- referring to the schematic of the link above, I don't want to build the switch part of the circuit: can I ignore everything that's outside the dashed lines (except for the 9V to 4.5V transformation bit)? I.e., can I completely ignore the path that goes from the input buffer through the 0.1uF cap to the output buffer and connect the 100K Level pot's wiper to the 0.1uF cap just before the output buffer?
In this case, do I have to add also the 501K resistor outside the output buffer (the one that goes from the 0.1uF cap to ground)?

Regarding output ---  yeah -- I'd stick a 100K pot on the output to control the overall volume of the pedal.  That is about the only control available, based on the design.

Alright, I'll go for it then!

[oskar]

So now your going japaneese. Is there really no italian pedals you can clone?! 

I asked for 4558D, but when I was back at home I realized the shopkeeper gave me the 4558C; is it equivalent?

Yes, the suffix stand for minor differencies. In this case ( I think ) the rated temperature operation range.

referring to the schematic of the link above, I don't want to build the switch part of the circuit: can I ignore everything that's outside the dashed lines (except for the 9V to 4.5V transformation bit)? I.e., can I completely ignore the path that goes from the input buffer through the 0.1uF cap to the output buffer and connect the 100K Level pot's wiper to the 0.1uF cap just before the output buffer?

Yes. You can lift out the bypass switching circuit. Most do actually.
Here is a schemo without the switching.
http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/pdf/ggg_its8_sc.pdf

In this case, do I have to add also the 501K resistor outside the output buffer (the one that goes from the 0.1uF cap to ground)?

You are talking about the one labelled Rc in R.G's schemo can be left out.

Maybe make this a new thread and do a proper post with voltages for transistors and IC's
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=29816.0

...But first, audioprobe it!

[lazerphea]

So now your going japaneese. Is there really no italian pedals you can clone?! 

Ahahah! Well, there are some very interesting boutique pedals but can't find the schematics

I asked for 4558D, but when I was back at home I realized the shopkeeper gave me the 4558C; is it equivalent?

Yes, the suffix stand for minor differencies. In this case ( I think ) the rated temperature operation range.

Ok!

referring to the schematic of the link above, I don't want to build the switch part of the circuit: can I ignore everything that's outside the dashed lines (except for the 9V to 4.5V transformation bit)? I.e., can I completely ignore the path that goes from the input buffer through the 0.1uF cap to the output buffer and connect the 100K Level pot's wiper to the 0.1uF cap just before the output buffer?

Yes. You can lift out the bypass switching circuit. Most do actually.
Here is a schemo without the switching.
http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/pdf/ggg_its8_sc.pdf

Thanks, I'll try to follow this one!

Maybe make this a new thread and do a proper post with voltages for transistors and IC's
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=29816.0

...But first, audioprobe it!

Ok, as soon as I'll finish the implementation I'll make a new thread following the guidelines you listed! Thanks!