Fresh_Start
New member
This was my first pedal build. Great instructions, well made board with good layout, and quality components with one exception. I can't understand why anyone would want carbon composition resistor noise right at the start of their signal chain - fortunately there were metal film replacements on my bench. The BYOC forum is full of useful info too, including build tips that really helped.
I understand tube circuits reasonably well but don't know much about solid state devices. During this build, I forgot a couple of fundamental rules I learned long ago while building and fixing amps:
1) Plan to be wrong about something! Apparently this rule applies to pedals just as well as it does to amps.
2) If something can move while you're soldering it, it will move and you'll get a bad solder joint
3) While debugging, only try to fix one thing at a time. Otherwise you won't know what fixed the problem and/or created a new one.
4) Just because it's a "simple" circuit inside a little box doesn't mean that you can rush through it
When I got the pedal squared away, I started experimenting with my Strat. Cool & very familiar sound
Then I switched over to my Heritage 535 equipped with Antiquity humbuckers. Yee hah! THAT'S a whole lot of fun.
I've looked for Fuzz Face mods all over, but there are sooo many! This looks like a pretty cool collection, but I don't know which ones are worth trying:
http://www.beavisaudio.com/Projects/FuzzLab/FuzzCloneMods_V2.gif
You can find the schematic for this circuit on page 16 HERE
I've noticed another odd difference between the Strat and the 535. When I turn the volume down just a touch off 10 on the 535, there's a abrupt drop in volume with the Fuzz engaged. Effect is smooth with the Strat.
Also, I'm confused about the Fuzz and how it interacts with my Strat. I've got a series/parallel switch. Normally, parallel is lower volume and sweeter - typical Strat tone (don't know why they call it "quack" but whatever) - and heavier, more humbucker-like when 2 or 3 coils are in series. With the Fuzz engaged, the parallel setting is louder and more raw. Series seems a bit muffled and definitely lower output. What the heck is up with that?
Here's the Boutique Fuzz Face (late '60s version) from General Guitar Gadgets:
http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/pdf/ggg_ff5_sc_b69.pdf?phpMyAdmin=78482479fd7e7fc3768044a841b3e85a
Apparently the "Contour" control and the 50K "R7" (mis-labelled "Bias") are kind of yin & yang - Contour affects output level and R7 reduces input level.
I can't stop fooling around with this little box! Guitar tone, volume setting, and of course the volume and fuzz controls on the box are all more interactive than the dirt boxes I've messed around with before. Big fun! :cool2:
Cheers,
Chip
I understand tube circuits reasonably well but don't know much about solid state devices. During this build, I forgot a couple of fundamental rules I learned long ago while building and fixing amps:
1) Plan to be wrong about something! Apparently this rule applies to pedals just as well as it does to amps.
2) If something can move while you're soldering it, it will move and you'll get a bad solder joint
3) While debugging, only try to fix one thing at a time. Otherwise you won't know what fixed the problem and/or created a new one.
4) Just because it's a "simple" circuit inside a little box doesn't mean that you can rush through it
When I got the pedal squared away, I started experimenting with my Strat. Cool & very familiar sound
Then I switched over to my Heritage 535 equipped with Antiquity humbuckers. Yee hah! THAT'S a whole lot of fun. I've looked for Fuzz Face mods all over, but there are sooo many! This looks like a pretty cool collection, but I don't know which ones are worth trying:
http://www.beavisaudio.com/Projects/FuzzLab/FuzzCloneMods_V2.gif
You can find the schematic for this circuit on page 16 HERE
I've noticed another odd difference between the Strat and the 535. When I turn the volume down just a touch off 10 on the 535, there's a abrupt drop in volume with the Fuzz engaged. Effect is smooth with the Strat.
Also, I'm confused about the Fuzz and how it interacts with my Strat. I've got a series/parallel switch. Normally, parallel is lower volume and sweeter - typical Strat tone (don't know why they call it "quack" but whatever) - and heavier, more humbucker-like when 2 or 3 coils are in series. With the Fuzz engaged, the parallel setting is louder and more raw. Series seems a bit muffled and definitely lower output. What the heck is up with that?
Here's the Boutique Fuzz Face (late '60s version) from General Guitar Gadgets:
http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/pdf/ggg_ff5_sc_b69.pdf?phpMyAdmin=78482479fd7e7fc3768044a841b3e85a
Apparently the "Contour" control and the 50K "R7" (mis-labelled "Bias") are kind of yin & yang - Contour affects output level and R7 reduces input level.
I can't stop fooling around with this little box! Guitar tone, volume setting, and of course the volume and fuzz controls on the box are all more interactive than the dirt boxes I've messed around with before. Big fun! :cool2:
Cheers,
Chip
