umi buzztone and expander

[LucifersTrip]

Thanks, man. Mine is the opposite it seems, the more compression the lower the volume.
I think it may be that I use a lot of bass on my amp and the circuit cuts a lot of low end so the perception is lower volume compared to bypass.

I checked my notes and I actually flipped the pot on the buzz control....and yes, as you mentioned above, there is a vol drop, so you didn't mess up....

edit:
for my 1000 comp entry I did the following, for variety, since I build the stock version already....with my favorite two settings, 15K and 40K on a switch (or try the 50K pot wired as a variable resistor). there's no vol change between the 2 settings. of course, it's technically a different circuit since the output is always directly off the collector, but the Buzz Tone sound remains...

[LucifersTrip]

I played with it today. As suggested in the above schem I chose a pair of Hitachi 2SB77, both around 80 & 160ua, and a non-leaky new 1N60 diode.
Nice buzz, although some contour settings are too bright for me, even with these high internal capicitance germs.

if you read reviews from owners of originals, you'll get descriptions like "ear shattering" and "it actually shattered glasses in the audience"...so you're right on the money.

The Buzz pot mixes both outputs, in a way that completely overrides the second transistor when the wiper is at the battery side. Cool!
I'll try this way in a Fuzzrite.
The expander is ok, but as I prefer treble boosters, I'd add a double switch to decrease the input cap when the expander is engaged.

mac

for me the only good use of that expander is as an overdrive on top of an amp that's already set to distort/break up...the fuzz, of course, I use with the amp clean. It's great with the neck pickup with the treble rolled off

[pinkjimiphoton]

lol...don't worry about it bill!!!

this is how we learn my friend!!!

yah, i seem to have an impedance issue too...if the batt on my ruby amp gets too low, this thing makes it howl and oscillate!

[mac]

for me the only good use of that expander is as an overdrive on top of an amp that's already set to distort/break up...the fuzz, of course, I use with the amp clean. It's great with the neck pickup with the treble rolled off

I always try to mod a circuit to have a treble booster for the distortion channel, because I prefer the neck HB on my Ibanez & Yamaha. Very easy to do it with this pedal.

mac

[pinkjimiphoton]

you would probably LOVE the harmonic percolator then, mac...check it out. it's a distortion that cleans up like a fuzzface, and gives a nice warm high/upper mid sparkle rich in...you guessed it...harmonics...when you roll your guitar back.

[bluesdevil]

UPDATE:
The low volume I had must've have been due to a cold solder joint. When I boxed it up and wiggled the wires around a bit it started acting really weird, so I reflowed (second time?) some of the solder blobs and bingo, loud and proud!!
I already had the Buzz control ripped out and replaced with collector resistor toggle switch mod, which I like (thanks LucifersTrip!). I may make a completely stock version in the future, since that bad joint threw me off course.
    Also want to share a great mod I discovered by accident while wiring up the pots and things got shorted... a good thing in this case:
Using a SPDT toggle (on/off/on),run a wire from one end of switch to outside lug of Contour pot. Now run another wire from opposite end of  switch to the other outside lug of Contour pot. Lastly, solder in a wire from middle lug of switch to Q2's collector.
What I got was stock "Buzz" in the middle switch position and a BIG fuzz face sound (especially using neck pickup) on one side, plus something a bit in between on the flipside of toggle. The Contour knob is useful in dialing in the sweet spot when doing this.
   Gotta mention this mod works with the LuciferTrips collector resistor mod, not sure if it will work with the original "Buzz" control in place. Hope somebody tries it, turns it into a real versatile fuzz for sure.
         Thanks everybody, just wanted to bow out on a positive note.... a great big damned buzzy note, that is!!!
   

[pinkjimiphoton]

 

[mac]

you would probably LOVE the harmonic percolator then, mac...check it out. it's a distortion that cleans up like a fuzzface, and gives a nice warm high/upper mid sparkle rich in...you guessed it...harmonics...when you roll your guitar back.

Yes, I love this pedal. I made one long ago, all-germ with a pot between emiters to have a kind of octave up 
I also experimented with fets as the original advertisement says it delivers even harmonics. BUt this is for another topic.

mac