coltonius
Well-known member
- Build Rating
Howdy, all. It’s been way too long since I’ve done one of these, and I have many to share. I’ll start with the PPCB ones though, because I am forever grateful for the projects and community that @Robert has created!
Hylian Fuzz (Devi Ever BIT: Legend of Fuzz)
I had an original many years ago and built a clone when the project was first released. Well, old cravings die hard- and me, I’m a sucker for wacky fuzz!
The Build:
This one was an absolute hit, as I knew it would be. I breadboarded the circuit first to make sure my parts worked before populating the PCB- that’s more attention than Devi ever put into parts selection, but I’ve had a few booboo 2907 transistors lately (some with out-of-spec HFE, others with situs inversus..) and didn’t want to take any chances!
The rest of the build went off without a hitch! I made a few changes for usability: namely, I used a C100k for Control to widen the range of usability and A100k for Volume. Still, it’s louder than god! Someone here recommended installing a 100k resistor between lug 3 of the Volume pad on the PCB and lug 3 of the Volume pot… Do that, every time with this fuzz!
The Sound:
It’s the square wave goodness I remember! The Control is indeed more usable, and the output is way more manageable. It’s a one trick pony that does its trick really well- from 1/3 - 2/3 sweep, the Control is gated and sputtery with my Strat; from 2/3 - full it’s a full throated 8-bit fuzz. Until Robert releases a Pixel Fuzz project, this will do the job nicely!
The Finish:
I used one of Tayda’s metallic champagne enclosures. Compared to previous orders, this order had less metallic and more orange peel. Oh well! Slap a Triforce decal on the top, and voila! That’s a wrap. As you can see, it fits nicely inside a 1590B with plenty of room for a battery. (I used trimmed resistor leads to connect pots to the board on this one, as it needed to be more on top of the pots than usual.)
Vanquisher Fuzz (Way Huge Conquistador):
I’ve been reading about this one for quite awhile and finally decided to build one. The gated description and sound appealed to my desire for fuzzy nonsense, so how could I not?
The Build:
It was straightforward and simple as can be. The only “special” part is the MJE210, which most of the usual pedal-specific parts suppliers don’t carry (SBP and Tayda anyway..). It’s just a silicon PNP though, and the HFE on mine were in the low-200s. I’m sure I could’ve used a sub without issues! No mods on this one.
The Sound:
It’s gated alright! I tested it with my 57/62 loaded Strat and needed the Fuzz knob turned up fairly high to get consistent attack due to the weak pickups. The Tone knob is a typical BMP network with plenty of low end for those who prefer it, and I will probably go back and modify the taper to a C100k or adjust the parts values. I like my fuzz to be on the brighter, more cutting side of things without going full AM radio; the sweet spot for me is currently around 1-2 o’clock.
The Finish:
In keeping with the original aesthetic, I used a matte grey sand textured finish and red aluminum knobs. It feels classy and durable! This one is also in a 1590B with creative pot wiring. I meant to install a battery snap but ran out of TRS jacks, so I’ll rectify that on the next parts order.
Boom!
Hylian Fuzz (Devi Ever BIT: Legend of Fuzz)
I had an original many years ago and built a clone when the project was first released. Well, old cravings die hard- and me, I’m a sucker for wacky fuzz!
The Build:
This one was an absolute hit, as I knew it would be. I breadboarded the circuit first to make sure my parts worked before populating the PCB- that’s more attention than Devi ever put into parts selection, but I’ve had a few booboo 2907 transistors lately (some with out-of-spec HFE, others with situs inversus..) and didn’t want to take any chances!
The rest of the build went off without a hitch! I made a few changes for usability: namely, I used a C100k for Control to widen the range of usability and A100k for Volume. Still, it’s louder than god! Someone here recommended installing a 100k resistor between lug 3 of the Volume pad on the PCB and lug 3 of the Volume pot… Do that, every time with this fuzz!
The Sound:
It’s the square wave goodness I remember! The Control is indeed more usable, and the output is way more manageable. It’s a one trick pony that does its trick really well- from 1/3 - 2/3 sweep, the Control is gated and sputtery with my Strat; from 2/3 - full it’s a full throated 8-bit fuzz. Until Robert releases a Pixel Fuzz project, this will do the job nicely!
The Finish:
I used one of Tayda’s metallic champagne enclosures. Compared to previous orders, this order had less metallic and more orange peel. Oh well! Slap a Triforce decal on the top, and voila! That’s a wrap. As you can see, it fits nicely inside a 1590B with plenty of room for a battery. (I used trimmed resistor leads to connect pots to the board on this one, as it needed to be more on top of the pots than usual.)
Vanquisher Fuzz (Way Huge Conquistador):
I’ve been reading about this one for quite awhile and finally decided to build one. The gated description and sound appealed to my desire for fuzzy nonsense, so how could I not?
The Build:
It was straightforward and simple as can be. The only “special” part is the MJE210, which most of the usual pedal-specific parts suppliers don’t carry (SBP and Tayda anyway..). It’s just a silicon PNP though, and the HFE on mine were in the low-200s. I’m sure I could’ve used a sub without issues! No mods on this one.
The Sound:
It’s gated alright! I tested it with my 57/62 loaded Strat and needed the Fuzz knob turned up fairly high to get consistent attack due to the weak pickups. The Tone knob is a typical BMP network with plenty of low end for those who prefer it, and I will probably go back and modify the taper to a C100k or adjust the parts values. I like my fuzz to be on the brighter, more cutting side of things without going full AM radio; the sweet spot for me is currently around 1-2 o’clock.
The Finish:
In keeping with the original aesthetic, I used a matte grey sand textured finish and red aluminum knobs. It feels classy and durable! This one is also in a 1590B with creative pot wiring. I meant to install a battery snap but ran out of TRS jacks, so I’ll rectify that on the next parts order.
Boom!
