PPCB Starboard Fuzz to Third Man Hardware Fuzz-A-Tron Mod

[ICTRock]

All part numbers referenced are from the current starboard build document. Obviously there's not a lot of difference but someone who won't compare schematics will eventually ask. I will say that the fuzz-a-tron skips power filtering, LED, and the pulldown resistor and those quality of life items are worth keeping.
R2 - 330K
R3 - 330K
R4 - omit
R5 - 330K
R6 - 330K
Q1,Q2 - 2N3566 (smallbear, amplifiedparts)

 

[Ginsly]

All part numbers referenced are from the current starboard build document. Obviously there's not a lot of difference but someone who won't compare schematics will eventually ask. I will say that the fuzz-a-tron skips power filtering, LED, and the pulldown resistor and those quality of life items are worth keeping.
R2 - 330K
R3 - 330K
R5 - 330K
R6 - 330K
Q1,Q2 - 2N3566 (smallbear, amplifiedparts)

I assume there's nothing terribly special about the 2N3566..? What's a good substitute, in your opinion?

 

[ICTRock]

I assume there's nothing terribly special about the 2N3566..? What's a good substitute, in your opinion?

It's been said (I don't have it in front of me) that the gold pin Motorola 2N3904 is the ideal fuzzrite transistor (for Si) but if you were balking at 2N3566 you're going to be even less thrilled at the price and hunt for gold pin Motorolas. That said, this is a very low parts count build so your choices are easier to discern. You can take that to mean that it is absolutely worth doing some transistor rolling via breadboarding or sockets.

 

[Sturdag Lagernathy]

No power filtering? In a Fuzzrite?
"F-you, use a battery!"
Gold pins are the MOJO

 

[jwin615]

No power filtering? In a Fuzzrite?
"F-you, use a battery!"
Gold pins are the MOJO

And a battery at 4.2 volts

 

[ICTRock]

less than a year later with almost no use and the footswitch needed replaced (it was junk). I updated a detail I omitted in the original mod instructions while I was in there, the missing 22K resistor (starboard R4). in a fuzzrite, it sets a high pass filter that causes more severe changes in tone and volume as you turn the Depth control. worth sticking on a switch in either build.