Bastard son of Skyripper.

[digi2t]

Well, I decided to cut loose, and screw around with the Skyripper circuit. I came up with this;



which turned into this;



Klon buffer, Omega boost, and Axis Face fuzz. And, lots of Skyripper fun in between. 10 knobs of twiddling delight. I'm regreting the Axis Face though. Not enough fur on that fuzz for me. I think I'll do it with the Hot Silicon in this slot instead. The more I listen to the clip in Aron's gallery, the more I like. Even with a 2N3904 / 2N5088 combo, the Axis is not blowin' up my skirt. I haven't tried a BC10x yet, might sound better. I'm on the fence right now.

Any opinions on the Hot Silicon? I think I need to Frankenripperize this thing some more 

Cheers,
Dino

[John Lyons]

Nice!

[Steben]

Axis FF is an attempt on a smooth silicon fuzz ...

I guess that's not what you wanted then. Try tone bender MkII etc...

Looking forward to seeing the finished stuff

[digi2t]

Yeah, I took a chance with the Axis. Not that it's bad or anything, I can use it, but I guess I wanted something with a little bit more "balls" to it. On my original Skyripper, I swapped out the Ge PNP trannies for silicon ones, and it really kicks my ass every time I play it. I guess I'm just looking to recreate it, in a completely silicon NPN version. Also, swapping out the other circuits was a "classroom" project for me. I wanted to see if I could get close to the Skyripper without using Ge trannies. Only the diode is Ge. I haven't found a Si diode that works here yet. I guess it's easy to swap out a heart, lung, liver, etc. A soul is a bit tougher, and the soul of the Skyripper is the Ge diode/Ripper circuit.

I'm not too keen on the Tonebender Mk*anything* since it uses Ge trannies. My exercise here is to stay away from Ge. Besides, I've listened to some clips, but it's not what I'm looking for. So far, the Si version of the Hot Fuzz is really tugging at me.

[joegagan]

this is so cool. can't wait to hear it.

i also built an axis fuzz once, wasn't too impressed either. i should have messed with it more, but i didn't.

[digi2t]

Hi Joe!

OK, here's a clip of this sucker in action. Only some reverb added. Guitar is an Ibanez RG with Motherbuckers, bridge pup in action. It's being pumped through a Digitech RP2000 for reverb and wah, then through a Rane MPE14 EQ, and a BBE 422. Amp is a QSC 1450, split stereo into 2 2x12 cabs.

http://www.soundclick.com/player/single_player.cfm?q=hi&songID=10427001

First is the clean guitar, then I switch to fuzz. Until about 1:00 it's fuzz dialing up, then I kick in the Omega. First on full treble, then full boost. I actually had more drive on tap, but I was trying to keep the clip short, and the feedback to a minimum. With a bit more drive, I can get just about any note on the fretboard to feedback sustain. At 1:50 until the end, it's all Ripper. Twiddling knobs, and finishing on a wah. Every single knob on this sucker is interactive. I could have recorded for hours, but I'll figured this is a good taster. The more I play with the fuzz though, the more it grows on me. I mean, the Omega does a fine job of kicking the fuzz in the nuts. Maybe I'll keep it, and try some BC10x trannies. So far, the 2N3904/2N5088 combo is the one I like best.

Enjoy,
Dino

[bluesman1218]

Damn, that's sweet! Too bad I'm electric Blues and acoustic. Still, I might be interested.... Are the files available, Dino?

[digi2t]

Funny that you bumped this thread up, I just finished put the finishing touches on it today. I decided to go with a pair of BC109C's in Q1/Q2 at 550 and 600 hfe respectively. Since I'm running through a power amp, I don't have any tubes to push, so I need gain mister. Lots of gain. I'm actually waiting for some MPSA18's to come, but I'm smiling with the 109's. If your running a tube amp, then go with the 2N2369A/BD139 combo, or something similarly tame. Hell, your ears will guide the corners of your mouth. I also added a resistor on the emitter to ground on Q1, which helps cut any oscillation when the fuzz is cranked. I also added a 4 position rotary switch, which allows selection of different output caps. You've got the standard .01uF, and .022, .033, and .047uF as well. They are all mounted on an 1 Wafer, 3 Pole, 4 Position SRRN143 Alps switch. The switch is wired in place of C14 on the layout. But, the real bonus here is the buffer section. With the Ripper OFF, it quiets the whole pedal down to nothing, even with the boost on. When you turn on the Ripper, you can crossfade the fuzz with the Ripper. The external loop is cool too, I plug a tremolo in, but you can really freak out to your hearts content here; wah, overdrive, anything.
Here is the layout (WARNING - TONS OF OFF BOARD WIRING!!!!);

And the parts list;
Capacitors C1, C13, C6, C16, C20 10uF   5
Capacitors C10 100uF(OPTIONAL)   1
Capacitors C11 15uF OR 22uF   1
Capacitors C12 220nF   1
Capacitors C14 10nF   1
Capacitors C15 100uF   1
Capacitors C17 1uF 1uF 1
Capacitors C19 100nF 100nF 1
Capacitors C2, C18 47uF   2
Capacitors C21 330pF   1
Capacitors C3 3n3   1
Capacitors C4 220pF   1
Capacitors C5, C7 4.7uF   2
Capacitors C8 100pF Silver Mica 1
Capacitors C9 33nF   1
Circuit boards S2, S1, S3 3PDT FUZZ BYPASS 3
Circuit boards S4, S5 SPDT RIP BIAS 2
Circuit boards S6 RIPPER POT SWITCH RIPPER 1
Circuit boards Veroboard   30 X 17 1
Diodes D1 1N60 or 1N34A   1
Diodes D2 1N4002   1
Integrated circuits IC1 TL072 TL072 1
Jacks J1  LOOP RET. / SWITCHING 1/4" 1
Jacks J2 LOOP SEND 1/4" 1
Jacks J3 INPUT 1/4" 1
Jacks J4 OUTPUT 1/4" 1
Potentiometers VR1S 100K w/SWITCH RIPPER 1
Potentiometers VR2 B10K RANGE MASTER 1
Potentiometers VR3, VR9 B100K TONE 2
Potentiometers VR4 B250K PREGAIN 1
Potentiometers VR5 B2K BIAS 1
Potentiometers VR5, VR7 B500K RANGE 2
Potentiometers VR6 B1M DUAL GANG BUFFER 1
Potentiometers VR8 B1K ATTACK 1
Resistors R1, R13 100K VARIABLE TRIMMER 2
Resistors R10 560R 560R 1
Resistors R11 10K   1
Resistors R12 25K VARIABLE TRIMMER (BIAS MAX) 1
Resistors R14 1K2   1
Resistors R15, R4, R19, R20 100K   4
Resistors R2, R3 10K VARIABLE TRIMMER 2
Resistors R22 120R OPTIONAL 1
Resistors R5, R5, R17, R18, R21 1M   5
Resistors R6 22K   1
Resistors R7, R8, R16 33K   3
Resistors R9 68K   1
Transistors Q1 2N5457   1
Transistors Q2 BS170 OR 2N7000   1
Transistors Q3 PN2369A   1
Transistors Q4 BD139   1

If you prefer the DIY Creator file, PM me your an email address where I can send it to. I also have the layout for the original Skyripper (PNP Germanium). Tell me which you prefer. These are two completely different beasts, but both are very flexible, and fun to boot. 

Additional build notes - As mentioned, I added a 4 position selector switch for the output caps. Seen here to the left of the board;

Insofar as Si NPN fuzz trannies go, this is the guide I follow;
smooth....
q1: 2n2369a (hfe 70-90)
q2: 2n3903, 2n3904 (hfe around 100-120)

slightly aggressive....
q1: 2n3903 (hfe 100-120)
q2: 2n3904, 2n2222a, 2n4401, bc108 (hfe 140-200)

gnarly....
q1: bc108 (hfe160-200)
q2: bc108, bc109, 2n5088 (hfe 200-350)

over the top....
q1: bc108 (hfe 180-220)
q2: bc109c, 2n5089, mpsa18 (hfe 400-500)

stoopid....

q1: 2n5088, 2n5089, bc109, mpsa18
q2: 2n5089, mpsa18

also...for a nice "all-arounder", 2n3903's work well in both q1 AND q2

Any of these combinations will work well in this circuit. If you do decide to go into "stoopid" territory (like I did ), do yourself a favor and use a 100-180 ohm resistor between the emitter of Q1 and ground. This will help tame any oscillation from the fuzz or tone controll when your fuzz is maxed. A 100-470pF cap between the B and C legs of Q1 won't hurt either.

I used a 2N7000 in Q2 of the Omega Boost section, and I have mine adjusted to 7vdc (R1 trimmer). I know 4.75 is recommended, but it's a bit quieter at 7 volts, and still sounds great. The Q2 voltages are as per Skyripper specs; 4.5 volts with Rip Bias ON (R3 trimmer), and 1 vdc with Rip Bias OFF (R2 trimmer). R12 trimmer sets your max system voltage, incase you're stuck with a power supply that gives you more that 9.5 vdc. R13 trimmer is mounted directly to lugs 2 and 3 of the Bias pot. This will set your low end voltage level when you start starving power for Ripper effects. This trimmer value will vary with the types of trannies you decide to use in the fuzz section. If you go low gain (80-150), then a 10K trimmer will do. Mid gain (150-250) use a 25K, higher gain (350-450) use a 100K, and anything higher a 500K.  The reason for this being that the higher the gain, the more resistance you'll need to get down to a point where you can almost snuff the oscillation in Ripper mode. I have a 500K listed, but I forgot to update the fuzz trannies to BC109C's, so be aware of this.
Let's see... what else... oh yeah, I used a 1590DD enclosure. Hey! 11 pots, 5 switches, and 5 LED's, this sucker gives Escobedo's T.M.K. a run for the money .

That's all I can think of for now. It's late, and my brain is getting pretty mushy. If you need more info... I'll be more than happy to help. Tomorrow.

Cheers,
Dino

[bluesman1218]

Oh man! Lotsa knobs AND a DD? I'm all over it and I have the box sittin' on the bench. I'll read the post thoroughly and get back to you, Dino. I know I'll be the smooth guy.

Later,
Steve

[digi2t]

No prob Steve. I've A/B'ed the trannies, and insofar as high gain is concerned, the BC109C's sound much better (to me) than the 2N5089's. A little less... sterile, for lack of a better term. If you stick with the original Axis Face layout and trannies, you'll get a nice smooth, low gain fuzz, that will warm up your tubes nicely... before you crush their kohonas with the boost and/or ripper.
I'm curious to see what the MPSA18 will do. I'll keep you posted.

A word of warning! You'll find that in fuzz mode alone, the tone and smooth knobs don't really "get along" as it were. You either need to max one, or the other, to adjust it's counterpart. One of the pitfalls of combining DNA. I kept both because in Ripper mode, used together, they are both useful in achieving certain sounds (motorboating, jumping octaves, etc.).

Cheers,
Dino

[azrael]

oh wow, i just had a very similar idea, Omega into Fuzz Face, was hoping to get more normal results than yours, though, haha. I was doing it in the spirit of the Analogman Sun Lion, which is a Rangemaster and a Fuzz Face.

[digi2t]

Well, just board up the fuzz and Omega portions, and leave out the buffer, diode/ripper section. IN -- Omega -- Fuzz -- OUT. Package it in a BB, and you're set to go. Personally, I have a Rangemaster, and I most definately prefer the Omega. As a matter of fact, I ended up installing a 4 pole rotary switch on the Rangemaster circuit so I could select different input caps. Made it a bit more useful (to me), but the Omega really kicks the Rangemaster's kohonas any day of the week.

Cheers,
Dino

[azrael]

Yup, that was the plan. it was just funny that i was thinking about it, and when i went to see if anyone had done it...there you are.

I really liked my rangemaster. I had a rotary switch too, but i eventually switched over to use a pot to mix in how much of a cap was in parallel.

[digi2t]

Trust me, nothing I`ve done here is that original. Big part of this has come from Joe Gagan`s stuff. The rest is a lot of reading, with a healthy dose of questions, and a pinch of imagination. All that`s left after that is trial and error.

Cheers,
Dino

[joegagan]

[digi2t]

HAHA, more like "Red-headed step child of Skyripper, that you love to beat!". I'm honored Joe. Thanks a bunch!!!

[ddpawel]

Funny that you bumped this thread up, I just finished put the finishing touches on it today. I decided to go with a pair of BC109C's in Q1/Q2 at 550 and 600 hfe respectively. Since I'm running through a power amp, I don't have any tubes to push, so I need gain mister. Lots of gain. I'm actually waiting for some MPSA18's to come, but I'm smiling with the 109's. If your running a tube amp, then go with the 2N2369A/BD139 combo, or something similarly tame. Hell, your ears will guide the corners of your mouth. I also added a resistor on the emitter to ground on Q1, which helps cut any oscillation when the fuzz is cranked. I also added a 4 position rotary switch, which allows selection of different output caps. You've got the standard .01uF, and .022, .033, and .047uF as well. They are all mounted on an 1 Wafer, 3 Pole, 4 Position SRRN143 Alps switch. The switch is wired in place of C14 on the layout. But, the real bonus here is the buffer section. With the Ripper OFF, it quiets the whole pedal down to nothing, even with the boost on. When you turn on the Ripper, you can crossfade the fuzz with the Ripper. The external loop is cool too, I plug a tremolo in, but you can really freak out to your hearts content here; wah, overdrive, anything.
Here is the layout (WARNING - TONS OF OFF BOARD WIRING!!!!);

And the parts list;
Capacitors C1, C13, C6, C16, C20 10uF   5
Capacitors C10 100uF(OPTIONAL)   1
Capacitors C11 15uF OR 22uF   1
Capacitors C12 220nF   1
Capacitors C14 10nF   1
Capacitors C15 100uF   1
Capacitors C17 1uF 1uF 1
Capacitors C19 100nF 100nF 1
Capacitors C2, C18 47uF   2
Capacitors C21 330pF   1
Capacitors C3 3n3   1
Capacitors C4 220pF   1
Capacitors C5, C7 4.7uF   2
Capacitors C8 100pF Silver Mica 1
Capacitors C9 33nF   1
Circuit boards S2, S1, S3 3PDT FUZZ BYPASS 3
Circuit boards S4, S5 SPDT RIP BIAS 2
Circuit boards S6 RIPPER POT SWITCH RIPPER 1
Circuit boards Veroboard   30 X 17 1
Diodes D1 1N60 or 1N34A   1
Diodes D2 1N4002   1
Integrated circuits IC1 TL072 TL072 1
Jacks J1  LOOP RET. / SWITCHING 1/4" 1
Jacks J2 LOOP SEND 1/4" 1
Jacks J3 INPUT 1/4" 1
Jacks J4 OUTPUT 1/4" 1
Potentiometers VR1S 100K w/SWITCH RIPPER 1
Potentiometers VR2 B10K RANGE MASTER 1
Potentiometers VR3, VR9 B100K TONE 2
Potentiometers VR4 B250K PREGAIN 1
Potentiometers VR5 B2K BIAS 1
Potentiometers VR5, VR7 B500K RANGE 2
Potentiometers VR6 B1M DUAL GANG BUFFER 1
Potentiometers VR8 B1K ATTACK 1
Resistors R1, R13 100K VARIABLE TRIMMER 2
Resistors R10 560R 560R 1
Resistors R11 10K   1
Resistors R12 25K VARIABLE TRIMMER (BIAS MAX) 1
Resistors R14 1K2   1
Resistors R15, R4, R19, R20 100K   4
Resistors R2, R3 10K VARIABLE TRIMMER 2
Resistors R22 120R OPTIONAL 1
Resistors R5, R5, R17, R18, R21 1M   5
Resistors R6 22K   1
Resistors R7, R8, R16 33K   3
Resistors R9 68K   1
Transistors Q1 2N5457   1
Transistors Q2 BS170 OR 2N7000   1
Transistors Q3 PN2369A   1
Transistors Q4 BD139   1

If you prefer the DIY Creator file, PM me your an email address where I can send it to. I also have the layout for the original Skyripper (PNP Germanium). Tell me which you prefer. These are two completely different beasts, but both are very flexible, and fun to boot. 

Additional build notes - As mentioned, I added a 4 position selector switch for the output caps. Seen here to the left of the board;

Insofar as Si NPN fuzz trannies go, this is the guide I follow;
smooth....
q1: 2n2369a (hfe 70-90)
q2: 2n3903, 2n3904 (hfe around 100-120)

slightly aggressive....
q1: 2n3903 (hfe 100-120)
q2: 2n3904, 2n2222a, 2n4401, bc108 (hfe 140-200)

gnarly....
q1: bc108 (hfe160-200)
q2: bc108, bc109, 2n5088 (hfe 200-350)

over the top....
q1: bc108 (hfe 180-220)
q2: bc109c, 2n5089, mpsa18 (hfe 400-500)

stoopid....

q1: 2n5088, 2n5089, bc109, mpsa18
q2: 2n5089, mpsa18

also...for a nice "all-arounder", 2n3903's work well in both q1 AND q2

Any of these combinations will work well in this circuit. If you do decide to go into "stoopid" territory (like I did ), do yourself a favor and use a 100-180 ohm resistor between the emitter of Q1 and ground. This will help tame any oscillation from the fuzz or tone controll when your fuzz is maxed. A 100-470pF cap between the B and C legs of Q1 won't hurt either.

I used a 2N7000 in Q2 of the Omega Boost section, and I have mine adjusted to 7vdc (R1 trimmer). I know 4.75 is recommended, but it's a bit quieter at 7 volts, and still sounds great. The Q2 voltages are as per Skyripper specs; 4.5 volts with Rip Bias ON (R3 trimmer), and 1 vdc with Rip Bias OFF (R2 trimmer). R12 trimmer sets your max system voltage, incase you're stuck with a power supply that gives you more that 9.5 vdc. R13 trimmer is mounted directly to lugs 2 and 3 of the Bias pot. This will set your low end voltage level when you start starving power for Ripper effects. This trimmer value will vary with the types of trannies you decide to use in the fuzz section. If you go low gain (80-150), then a 10K trimmer will do. Mid gain (150-250) use a 25K, higher gain (350-450) use a 100K, and anything higher a 500K.  The reason for this being that the higher the gain, the more resistance you'll need to get down to a point where you can almost snuff the oscillation in Ripper mode. I have a 500K listed, but I forgot to update the fuzz trannies to BC109C's, so be aware of this.
Let's see... what else... oh yeah, I used a 1590DD enclosure. Hey! 11 pots, 5 switches, and 5 LED's, this sucker gives Escobedo's T.M.K. a run for the money .

That's all I can think of for now. It's late, and my brain is getting pretty mushy. If you need more info... I'll be more than happy to help. Tomorrow.

Cheers,
Dino

Is it original Hammond enclosure or some copy? In my country a copy of Hammond enclosure is about 50% of the original. I wondered how this copy looks, but if copies of the Hammond look like this in the picture, they are a great alternative.

[digi2t]

Hammond copy, I get them from Effects Connection. Half the price of a Hammond, and I never had a problem with their enclosures, or their service. Top notch. They prep and paint nice as well.