DGWVI
Well-known member
- Build Rating
DEMOs be here
So, I've built at least a dozen Ugly Faces throughout the years, but they never really gelled with me until I whipped up the Nutty Fuzz. Seems the thing I was missing was the 9203 LDR, which makes a huge difference in the response, and I find it superior to every other vactrol combo I've tried. So, I applied the 9203 and Superbright Red to a Face Disaster I'd had sitting on my bench, and it opened it right up.
They're both Ugly Faces, but they each have their own thing going on, so I figured I'd put em in parallel using a modified GuitarPCB Paramix, and add a few more bells and whistles to each side.
The Nutty is basically a dead on clone of the Escobedo Ugly Face, with just one capacitor changed from 100n to 220n, a 386 fuzz blend, and a JFet buffer at the input. It's also got an exp input for the frequency control
The Face Disaster is essentially the Mick Bailey modified Ugly Face with added controls to starve the 386 and 555 independently. It also has the option to drive the 386 directly into the 555 by bypassing both the LDR and LFO
That said, I LOVE this thing. It's nasty and brings that gnarly PLL fuzz tone, but tracks much better than most 4046-based circuits. And, it's got that awesome envelope control.
As far as mods go, I didn't really mess with too much-
For the Nutty side
The Paramix has been modified to have a single Balance pot in place of the two Volume controls the build docs calls for. To do this, I have the outside lugs each leading to the output of one of the Face circuits, with lug 2 to ground. Pads 2 and 3 of each of the Volume slots are jumpered to accommodate this. I used 2.2Ms everywhere a 1M was called for because I didn't have any 1Ms on hand, and didn't wanna wait.
Anyway, here's some pics. I'm working on a demo, and will update the OP after I get it uploaded
After building the Nutty, I'm happy I've finally found the tweaks I needed to make me love the Ugly Face. It's always been a circuit I felt should be on my board but until this, I was never happy with the range and response. The added fuzz blend is nice to rein it in a bit. I definitely recommend it for people who are into fucko Fuzzes and PLLs. Super quick and simple build that does things not many other pedals can
So, I've built at least a dozen Ugly Faces throughout the years, but they never really gelled with me until I whipped up the Nutty Fuzz. Seems the thing I was missing was the 9203 LDR, which makes a huge difference in the response, and I find it superior to every other vactrol combo I've tried. So, I applied the 9203 and Superbright Red to a Face Disaster I'd had sitting on my bench, and it opened it right up.
They're both Ugly Faces, but they each have their own thing going on, so I figured I'd put em in parallel using a modified GuitarPCB Paramix, and add a few more bells and whistles to each side.
The Nutty is basically a dead on clone of the Escobedo Ugly Face, with just one capacitor changed from 100n to 220n, a 386 fuzz blend, and a JFet buffer at the input. It's also got an exp input for the frequency control
The Face Disaster is essentially the Mick Bailey modified Ugly Face with added controls to starve the 386 and 555 independently. It also has the option to drive the 386 directly into the 555 by bypassing both the LDR and LFO
That said, I LOVE this thing. It's nasty and brings that gnarly PLL fuzz tone, but tracks much better than most 4046-based circuits. And, it's got that awesome envelope control.
As far as mods go, I didn't really mess with too much-
For the Nutty side
- I replaced the 220n tied to the LDR with 1p8t to select a variety of filter caps, similar to what Dead End has done on their Fugly Face.
- Increased the input and output caps to 470n
- I hardwired the Volume pot to max so I could utilize a Master volume coming off the Paramix
- The Pre control is the gain control of the Clean/ Insert portion of the Paramix. It's been modified to go both lower and higher than the build docs calls for
- All caps in the signal path of the Paramix related to this side have been increased to 1u
- I increased the rate pot from 100k to 1MC for increased speed range, from slow and kinda phasery to exorbitantly fast
- Swapped c6 (100u) out for a toggle to select between a 4.7u and a 47u capacitor. This acts as a range switch for the LFO
- Increased Shape pot from 50k to 500
- Hardwired the Volume pot to max so I could utilize a Master volume coming off the Paramix
- All caps in the signal path related to this side on the Paramix have been kept at the stock 220n
- The Phase toggle knocks this out of phase with the Nutty, though it's not as dramatic as I was hoping
- Currently using a TL022 for the LFO, but any dual opamp will work here, with varying depth and smoothness. The 022 is rather choppy, but not as extreme as a 358. Still experimenting with this slot
- Considering adding an EXP input for the Rate control
The Paramix has been modified to have a single Balance pot in place of the two Volume controls the build docs calls for. To do this, I have the outside lugs each leading to the output of one of the Face circuits, with lug 2 to ground. Pads 2 and 3 of each of the Volume slots are jumpered to accommodate this. I used 2.2Ms everywhere a 1M was called for because I didn't have any 1Ms on hand, and didn't wanna wait.
Anyway, here's some pics. I'm working on a demo, and will update the OP after I get it uploaded
After building the Nutty, I'm happy I've finally found the tweaks I needed to make me love the Ugly Face. It's always been a circuit I felt should be on my board but until this, I was never happy with the range and response. The added fuzz blend is nice to rein it in a bit. I definitely recommend it for people who are into fucko Fuzzes and PLLs. Super quick and simple build that does things not many other pedals can
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