Breadboarded a Fuzz Face

Markk

Markk

New member
So it's semi-close. Did the schematic off of GeoFex. Sounds decent if you roll everything off a bit (guitar tone+volume and pedal tone+Volume). Has a nice singing quality to the notes but double stops in the low registers lack definition. Used BC558 transistors instead of germanium because the electronics shops in my area don't carry 'old equipment'. They literally laughed at me when I started asking for AC128's and other components. 'Museum pieces' is what they told me.

Any suggestions where I should go with this? Transistors I could try out or other mods that are fairly easy for the newbie DIY'er?

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Re: Breadboarded a Fuzz Face

You're probably going to have to search out a specialist online, or use eBay. They're out there, but need a little tracking down.
 
Re: Breadboarded a Fuzz Face

Before you go for modding it try some killer trannys...

FWIW, I have yet to hear a Fuzz Face with AC128's that sounded worth a damn and no matter what you readon the internet no vintage Arbiter Fuzz Faces used AC128's, or AC125's or AC anything stock...

NKT275's were the stock Ge tranny and they are pretty much unobtanium as are NKT274's, NKT213' etc...

If you want to go Germanium there seem to be a fair bit of old US made fat can 2Nxxx trannys out there, most of them seem to be made by General electric...2N404's are pretty common and 2N527's are out there too and bother of those (assuming the gains are correct) tend to have good sound.

If you want to stick with Si trannys hunt down some good BC108's or BC182's or BC183's...BC109's are also out there in good supply but they are pretty bright sounding to me.

Once you get some killer trannys in there then tweak it but make sure it's "right" first.
 
Re: Breadboarded a Fuzz Face

^ That was an awesome post, if only for the fact that I didn't understand a single word! :)
 
Re: Breadboarded a Fuzz Face

go to small bear electronics, get a set of tested pairs of germs that come with readings for hfe along with recommended resistor values. Otherwise go for bc108's or something like that. I like silicon. There is no "better" or "worse". There is just different fuzz sounds for different players.
 
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Re: Breadboarded a Fuzz Face

the guy who invented fire said:
Ha...thanks, I think!

You're not a Fuzz Face guy but I'd be glad to talk fuzz with ya anytime brother!

In fact if ya ever want to borrow a good Fuzz Face let me know, I'd loan ya one!!!
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Thanks for the generous offer!

Now, fair warning: I am talking completely out of my butt here, but in my mind Fuzz Faces and humbuckers do not sound good together. True? False?
 
Re: Breadboarded a Fuzz Face

TwilightOdyssey said:
Thanks for the generous offer!

Now, fair warning: I am talking completely out of my butt here, but in my mind Fuzz Faces and humbuckers do not sound good together. True? False?
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I say false but that's me, I use a Fuzz Face and humbuckers all the time.

I wouldn't mention this if I was not positive I knew what was being used here so...

This is a 70's Les Paul standard (maple neck, T-Tops, etc) on the neck pickup into a Fuzz Face and into a cranked 50 watt plexi Marshall head and 4x12 cab.

I don't have any details on the Fuzz Face except that it is a vintage one.

Solo starts at 2:42

 
Re: Breadboarded a Fuzz Face

That tone is not too far removed from one I can get using my Ultimate Octave. How does a FF compare, in terms of pure fuzz (not the octave feature, of course).
 
Re: Breadboarded a Fuzz Face

TwilightOdyssey said:
That tone is not too far removed from one I can get using my Ultimate Octave. How does a FF compare, in terms of pure fuzz (not the octave feature, of course).
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Ooh...Lots of differences.

Neither of the 2 tone setting on the Ultimate Octave have anything like the same EQ curve of a Fuzz Face plus a Fuzz Face has no tone control. A Fuzz Face is scooped a little but not nearly as much as the BRIGHT setting on the UO, also the low end in a Fuzz Face is bigger but it's not a tight and clean low end...it's rather big and sort of floppy.

The Fuzz Face is FAR more reactive and interactive with your playing...it's much more expressive and the tone can be changed with volume knob and tone knob adjustments not to mention pick attack.

I could go on for hours about it but in short a Fuzz Face is a less fuzzy, fatter more juicy sound vs the thinner, colder, more buzzy sound of the UO and thats not a knock on the UO...I have one and love it!

Ya know...one day I need to just find a studio and make some demo videos of all these fuzz boxes!
 
Re: Breadboarded a Fuzz Face

I agree!

Okay, so to bend your ear a little more on the subject: I know you don't have the Hartman Bolin fuzz, but you do have an Astrotone, yes? How does a FF compare to the stock Astro? It sounds like you are describing the Astro but with more low freqs.
 
Re: Breadboarded a Fuzz Face

Do you like Hendrix (silicon(bc108)) or Eric Johnson (silicon(bc138)) or Pete Townshend (Germanium(i think NKT275)) etc.'s tone better?
 
Re: Breadboarded a Fuzz Face

TwilightOdyssey said:
I agree!

Okay, so to bend your ear a little more on the subject: I know you don't have the Hartman Bolin fuzz, but you do have an Astrotone, yes? How does a FF compare to the stock Astro? It sounds like you are describing the Astro but with more low freqs.
Click to expand...

Hmm...well, this is where things can get even more complex. I own 6 different Fuzz Faces and while they all sound liek Fuzz Faces they all do have their own personalities so keep in mind some of this is stated in a very general sense.

The Astro Tone vs a Fuzz Face...Fuzz Face does have more lows and less highs plus more fuzz and the fuzz is more aggressive and toothy sounding most of the time.

It also cleans up better and is more pliable if that makes sense...almost like the difference between a fresh can of Play-Doh and a can thats been being played with for 15-20 minutes thats already warmed up and easier to bend...
 
Re: Breadboarded a Fuzz Face

o.p-i.v said:
Do you like Hendrix (silicon(bc108)) or Eric Johnson (silicon(bc138)) or Pete Townshend (Germanium(i think NKT275)) etc.'s tone better?
Click to expand...

I have found that somethings make a big difference and others do not...

I have noticed little difference in tone between a BC-108 and a BC-183 IF and that's a BIG IF the gains are in the same range, if the gains are different all bets are off.

As for what I like best it depends...I tend to keep a red dot NKT-275 on my big board and I use a 2N404 most often on my jam board and at gigs since it has a little more gain/sustain and cut plus it seems to be slightly less picky about temp changes than the NKT's do.
 
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Re: Breadboarded a Fuzz Face

I should also add that this is not always the case...for example I do hear a difference between 2N404 and NKT275's even if they are in the same gain range...there is even a difference between the red and white dot NKT275's that are in the same range...

Transistors are funny things and the Germanium ones are even more funny from one to another!
 
Re: Breadboarded a Fuzz Face

o.p-i.v said:
Do you like Hendrix (silicon(bc108)) or Eric Johnson (silicon(bc138)) or Pete Townshend (Germanium(i think NKT275)) etc.'s tone better?
Click to expand...

Great, more options that I can't find locally ;)

So far I'm enjoying the stock version I built. I've noticed the tone gets more aggressive (brighter?) as I roll the tone knobs back. Did I reverse something? And the 'gain' knob, turned up 100% gives way more hiss than when at 95% (at which almost all of it is eliminated). Any possible reasons?
 
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