andare
Well-known member
- Build Rating
Since I'm too cool for school I thought I'd build a Tone bender Mk 1.5 instead of a Fuzz Face. Too bad I didn't use the right transistors and I biased it like a Fuzz Face (thanks @Big Monk for pointing that out) so that's what it is, but worse, because the input cap is 4u7 and the emitter cap is 25u so it has too much bass and it overpowers my 30W tube amp.
And since I'm really too cool for school I thought I'd bump up the 470R resistor to 2k2 for more output, so now this thing reaches unity at 12 o'clock on the knob. Monster output when dimed.
And just to make it even more insufferably hipsterish I decided to build it on an expensive turret board with expensive components for the looks, only to ruin the aesthetics with poor wiring.
However it sounds fantastic. With the Fuzz knob maxed out it does ALL THE TOANZ from fuzz to glassy clean just by rolling back the volume knob on my Strat, just like a good Germanium Fuzz Face should, complete with decent bacon sizzle in the background.
I thought my Dunlop JHF1 was the cat's pajamas but its trap door butt fly droops open in comparison with this pedal. Ooh mama.
The transistors: Q1: ASY34 hFE 79 leakage 26uA; Q2: ASY34 hFE 122 leakage 57uA.
Generic footswitch, Switchcraft jacks, Hammond 1590BBS enclosure, MXR knobs, solid and stranded wire (not very smart), battery only because I failed to build a voltage regulator on stripboard.
I think the whole bunch of components cost me about 40 Euros, most of which was the hardware. Each transistors cost less than a single carbon comp resistor.
A few take homes:
And since I'm really too cool for school I thought I'd bump up the 470R resistor to 2k2 for more output, so now this thing reaches unity at 12 o'clock on the knob. Monster output when dimed.
And just to make it even more insufferably hipsterish I decided to build it on an expensive turret board with expensive components for the looks, only to ruin the aesthetics with poor wiring.
However it sounds fantastic. With the Fuzz knob maxed out it does ALL THE TOANZ from fuzz to glassy clean just by rolling back the volume knob on my Strat, just like a good Germanium Fuzz Face should, complete with decent bacon sizzle in the background.
I thought my Dunlop JHF1 was the cat's pajamas but its trap door butt fly droops open in comparison with this pedal. Ooh mama.
The transistors: Q1: ASY34 hFE 79 leakage 26uA; Q2: ASY34 hFE 122 leakage 57uA.
Generic footswitch, Switchcraft jacks, Hammond 1590BBS enclosure, MXR knobs, solid and stranded wire (not very smart), battery only because I failed to build a voltage regulator on stripboard.
I think the whole bunch of components cost me about 40 Euros, most of which was the hardware. Each transistors cost less than a single carbon comp resistor.
A few take homes:
- You can still build a great sounding Germanium Fuzz Face with the whole dynamic shebang without having to sell a kidney and grandma's wig to purchase the mythical NKT275s.
- Germanium transistors are special. They're fat, chewy, spongy and organic. The noise is worth it.
- Turret boards are groovy but you have to tin them beforehand or blast them with 400 degrees of Celsius heat.
- I suck major dong at wiring.
- Stripboard sucks even more.
- This hobby is expensive and now I can't afford fresh vegetables anymore. (Kidding, I haven't been able to for years).
