Mosrite FuzzRite Ventures 1590A 2000 Pound Bee

[tubelectron]

Hello All,

Here is the complete description of my Mosrite FuzzRite Ventures in a 1590A Hammond box. (as already pictured in the 1590A section).

As you can see, it is a standalone unit, because it has the battery, the ext PSU jack, the led indicator, etc... Exactly like a standard-sized pedal.

External views :





Internal view, with and without wiring, Vero PCB :





Schematics, wiring, layout :





About the sound :

Listen to http://www.deezer.com/fr/?incr=1#music/result/all/the%20ventures%20the%202000%20pound%20bee : it's exactly that.

A+!

[Steben]

stunning .... absolutely stunning.
Wire acrobat 

Like your graphics too



I never dared to build as small as that, since kicking them in always moves them a feet

[tubelectron]

Thanks so far, Steven...

I don't understand very well what you mean by :

I never dared to build as small as that, since kicking them in always moves them a feet

But yes, the challenge is to enter all the stuff of a standard stompbox in a 1590A : you need to study the size and relative position of the elements; that's the main task, in fact.

On this forum, there is many talented 1590A specialists (with graphic artwork way more sophisticated than my "plexi" method), but usually the units are not standalone and require external supply, compulsory to save space for more complex circuits, like phasers, flangers... Most of them being designed for a pedalboard use.

I like very much this pedalboard-friendly box format, but as I do not use pedalboard, a standalone unit was unavoidable for me, an the idea to power it by the A23 battery is a very good idea, moreover coming from one of you from this forum (sorry, I do not remember the name !). And it works well !

I am planning to build in this "1590A-standalone-compact-complete" style an IC-based overdrive, and a non-photocell tremolo. Wait and see...

A+!

[deadastronaut]

thats tiny..... i cant hear the clips though?...

the link doesnt play anything...or am i being a dumbass again..

[tubelectron]

Hi deadastronaut,

I just clicked again the link displayed here a few minutes ago to be sure : it works... You should hear too... Otherwise go to deezer.com and make a search...

Nonetheless The Ventures "The 2000 Pound Bee" can be found somewhere else, as it is a well-known recording using the Mosrite FuzzRite, reputedly being the 1st commercial fuzz built (1962), according to the legend...

My FuzzRite sounds exactly like that. Sorry I have no simple and efficient mean to record and post samples, and it's a pity. If you know how to do it (like for your tiny tremolooooooooooetc), please let me know. Thanks !

A+!

[deadastronaut]

hi bruno,

i joined dropbox, you have a folder with all your 'public' files in.. nice and simple to use..and free too...

just drop your file/wav/pic etc into the dropbox folder, then it will have a green tick on it ... right click on the file and copy ' public link'

then paste anywhere....really cool...hope that helps...

[Steben]

Thanks so far, Steven...
I don't understand very well what you mean

Tiny boxes are light. You need to attach them with velcro, or click them in something or they will move around when stomping them.
That's why I prefer bigger and heavier.
Circuits like boosters and things like fuzzrites / fuzz faces usually are ideal to be put together in one big stompbox.

[Electron Tornado]

The pedal looks great, and your documentation is excellent! (I wish mine was that neat.)

The original Fuzzrite had a 22k resistor to ground between the capacitor from the collector of Q2 and the fuzz potentiometer. The resistor creates a high pass filter, giving the pedal even more buzz. It sounds good either way, just a different tone.

[tubelectron]

The original Fuzzrite had a 22k resistor to ground between the capacitor from the collector of Q2 and the fuzz potentiometer. The resistor creates a high pass filter, giving the pedal even more buzz. It sounds good either way, just a different tone.

Yes, Electron Tornado.

I saw the 22K resistor on a Ge version of the FuzzRite, but not on the Si version - looking at the schematics and pictures I have collected - I never had in hands an original FuzzRite in hands to check. On the Ge, the Fuzz pot is labelled "tone", and it certainly acts as an HPF.

On the Si, the pot is labelled "Fuzz" and acts as a real fuzz control. Or may be it's rather a mix between fuzz and tone on the Ge... I didn't paid attention to this detail, in fact, so your info is worth to note and try, then.

A+!

[tubelectron]

hi bruno,

i joined dropbox, you have a folder with all your 'public' files in.. nice and simple to use..and free too...

just drop your file/wav/pic etc into the dropbox folder, then it will have a green tick on it ... right click on the file and copy ' public link'

then paste anywhere....really cool...hope that helps...

Thanks Rob for the info. Do you use your PC for recording or an external device ?

[deadastronaut]

hi bruno, yep..

i use a usb soundcard ( emu 0202) with a mixer...soundforge for a quick clip..

cubase sx3 for full on stuff...

[Electron Tornado]

I saw the 22K resistor on a Ge version of the FuzzRite, but not on the Si version - looking at the schematics and pictures I have collected - I never had in hands an original FuzzRite in hands to check. On the Ge, the Fuzz pot is labelled "tone", and it certainly acts as an HPF.

On the Si, the pot is labelled "Fuzz" and acts as a real fuzz control. Or may be it's rather a mix between fuzz and tone on the Ge... I didn't paid attention to this detail, in fact, so your info is worth to note and try, then.

The "fuzz" pot in really a mix control regardless of whether it's a a Ge or Si version. Using a smaller value than 500k will help make it more useable in intermediate positions.

The 22k resistor gets left off of some schematics because it's not on the circuit board, but wired directly from the pot lug to ground. I found that in some photos of gut shots that are on the web. I'm not sure if the photos were the Ge or Si version, but I'll bet it's there in both. In the clone I built I wired it with a switch. Sounds good either way.

[tubelectron]

The "fuzz" pot in really a mix control regardless of whether it's a a Ge or Si version. Using a smaller value than 500k will help make it more useable in intermediate positions.

The 22k resistor gets left off of some schematics because it's not on the circuit board, but wired directly from the pot lug to ground. I found that in some photos of gut shots that are on the web. I'm not sure if the photos were the Ge or Si version, but I'll bet it's there in both. In the clone I built I wired it with a switch. Sounds good either way.

Ah - OK, Electron Tornado. If I knew that in time, I would have experimented it before building my FuzzRite. Incidentally, I did not noticed an obvious lack of level or smoothness in transistion on the 500K LIN pot rotation (I will check more accurately, then)... Is that what you mean by useable ? finally, what pot value did you choose (I know that it may have been 350K or originals, but...) ?

In addition, you may see that I used BC109C (Hfe = 560 @ Ib=1µA) after several trials (from 2N1613 to MPSA18). What are the types you have retained ? what Hfe values ?

A+!

[tubelectron]

hi bruno, yep..

i use a usb soundcard ( emu 0202) with a mixer...soundforge for a quick clip..

cubase sx3 for full on stuff...

OK, Rob - I see that there is some stuff between the PC and the guitar - thanks for the references. Do you plug it directly in the mixer console or do you use an amp miked ?
I will have to dig the process seriously...

[deadastronaut]

straight into mixer... then thats into usb card...then hi-fi..usually...

or i can mic into mixer from amp...

you can get great little usb cards nowdays really cheap...another good cheapy is this one...

http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?q=behringer+uca202&hl=en&prmd=ivns&resnum=3&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=9018756936878490849&sa=X&ei=uw2JTaA5xoWFB-G18boO&ved=0CFYQ8wIwAA#

[tubelectron]

straight into mixer... then thats into usb card...then hi-fi..usually...

or i can mic into mixer from amp...

you can get great little usb cards nowdays really cheap...another good cheapy is this one...

http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?q=behringer+uca202&hl=en&prmd=ivns&resnum=3&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=9018756936878490849&sa=X&ei=uw2JTaA5xoWFB-G18boO&ved=0CFYQ8wIwAA#

Ah ! Yes, Rob - thanks a lot for the tips !

Now I remember : a friend of mine has the same small Behringer USB devices. He uses it with a software called Mixcraft (that I loaded at one time or another). I remember a demo he made in front of me... Convincing.

Good reminder +++ ! I will order one on the spot, and that's it... I will trash my backtrack plus mic, a pure junk device, load Soundforge, clean my mixing console, etc... And find the time to do it all !

[sinner]

Hi, nice build Does this layout was posted somewhere before? I'm sure I've built one exactly the same in the past

[Electron Tornado]

Incidentally, I did not noticed an obvious lack of level or smoothness in transistion on the 500K LIN pot rotation (I will check more accurately, then)... Is that what you mean by useable ? finally, what pot value did you choose (I know that it may have been 350K or originals, but...) ?

In addition, you may see that I used BC109C (Hfe = 560 @ Ib=1µA) after several trials (from 2N1613 to MPSA18). What are the types you have retained ? what Hfe values ?

I used a 320k pot I made with a 1M pot and a resistor. I first tried a 500k pot, but it really cut the sound in between the extremes. The 320k does as well, but to a much lesser extent, and I use a single transistor booster at the end so I can get good levels with intermediate settings. With the fuzz control at either extreme it is very loud, however.


I used BC108s for the fuzz circuit. I have no idea what the actual Hfes are. Pictures and schematic are here:  http://www.buildyourownclone.com/board/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=28505&p=227079&hilit=fuzzrite#p227079

[LucifersTrip]

That's funny...this thread reminded me of the first pedal I built years ago..a silicon FuzzRite, since Davie Allan was my favorite guitarist.


The funny thing is that I built it completely opposite of tubelectron. I used a cigar box and built the circuit on a wooden board with pins...old style.

I didn't hold back on the mods. I can confirm Electron Tornado's 22K suggestion. In addition to the normal controls I put a 20K pot there. As you lower the resistance, the pedal gets nastier and nastier...Well worth it !

I also added two types of gating controls, one with a pot and another with caps on a rotary switch.... and I added another rotary to switch between a few input caps.

If you combine the gating with the 20K "nasty" pot you get a killer stinging bee fuzz !   I used 2 x 2SC1815 with hfe's ~ 150.

Btw, here's The Ventures' "2000 Pound Bee" from a 45 I owned and sold a while ago. Each side is actually a different version of "2000 Pound Bee". This is the better side:

2000 Pound Bee

[Steben]

holy canoli, that is awesome music.
fuzz + lead trough i guess recording tubes driven.