The Protoboard Chronicles - 2001: A Fuzz Odyssey/The Fuzz

[Big Monk]

So, it has all led to this.

All the tweaking and breadboarding.

All the frustration.

We want a single fuzz to deliver the classic tone of the Tonebender MK II, the Tonebender MK 1.5, and the Fuzz Face. At least I think we do. I do. I know that.

What do we need?

First, a main control set. Level, fuzz, pre-gain and a blend control seems reasonable.

Second, a secondary control set. These should be the 9 mm pots with the external shaft that acts like a mini knob and has the marker. My thought would be bias for Q1 and Q3, a mid/output knob and emitter resistance on Q2 and Q3.

Lastly, switching. My thoughts go immediately to 3 mini toggles for Si to Ge. Also, a MK II/Fuzz Face topology stomp for getting rid of Q1. Also, mini toggles for input, treble bleed, emitter and output caps.

Sounds insane, right?

It would allow you to switch between all these circuits or Frankenstein your own.

Also, I think a pickup simulator is a must.

Let’s discuss. I’ll design the board and all the build docs and share it completely with the forum.

I've decided to change the OP to reflect the change in course I've taken on this project. This is now essentially a super modified Skreddy Lunar Module. I've also researched and factored in a few things from the Screwdriver and Hybrid Fuzz Driver. I'm still rsearching and assembling a bunch of tweakable things on the breadboard. Stay tuned...

EDIT (11/29/2021) - Changed the title of the thread so I can document the breadboarding without starting a new thread.

This is going onto the Protoboard this week after I get my Aion Ares redo finished.

The base circuit will have a similar topology to the Skreddy LM/SD/HFD but will be more of a Silicon Tonebender MK II in spirit while retaining some of the circuit tweaks of the Skreddy pedals.

I’ll be documenting the building and sound testing of the base circuit and also after I add some of the other circuit mods.

 

[finebyfine]

How close does your Swiss Army Fuzz project get to this? I never followed your thread that long after the inception

 

[Big Monk]

The Swiss Army Fuzz is more of a board that allows multiple configurations.

The Vintage Fuzz Machine adds more features and external controls.

 

[Coda]

https://www.pedalpcb.com/product/gnat/

 

[peccary]

https://www.pedalpcb.com/product/gnat/

I've built four of these now (modified for an NPN Dizzy Tone) and they all sound pretty damn gruesome and I've not heard a fuzz that reproduces bass frequency so well with just a couple of component changes. I should build a stock one to see how it sounds, but I need to get some higher gain PNPs. This board is the business, though, and that's all I really wanted to say.

 

[andare]

So, it has all led to this.

All the tweaking and breadboarding.

All the frustration.

We want a single fuzz to deliver the classic tone of the Tonebender MK II, the Tonebender MK 1.5, and the Fuzz Face. At least I think we do. I do. I know that.

What do we need?

First, a main control set. Level, fuzz, pre-gain and a blend control seems reasonable.

Second, a secondary control set. These should be the 9 mm pots with the external shaft that acts like a mini knob and has the marker. My thought would be bias for Q1 and Q3, a mid/output knob and emitter resistance on Q2 and Q3.

Lastly, switching. My thoughts go immediately to 3 mini toggles for Si to Ge. Also, a MK II/Fuzz Face topology stomp for getting rid of Q1. Also, mini toggles for input, treble bleed, emitter and output caps.

Sounds insane, right?

It would allow you to switch between all these circuits or Frankenstein your own.

Also, I think a pickup simulator is a must.

Let’s discuss. I’ll design the board and all the build docs and share it completely with the forum.

This is something Joe Gore would build. A studio workhorse for sure.

 

[Big Monk]

Minus the blend control, it sounds pretty much like a skreddy screwdriver. No impedance issues, pregain, a presence control, a preamp bass control and silicon/germanium hybrid. Unlike a lot of fuzz the gain doesn't have to be cranked and can do everything from low gain boost to full on fuzz. It's not as responsive as a germanium fuzz face on the volume knob, but it does clean up and it's not as drastic as a ff. There is a larger range of lower gain tones on the volume control. I have one built up that I haven't boxed yet, maybe I should get on that.

It doesn't take too much digging to see that modern fuzzes without placement/impedances have either:

a.) Some sort of pickup simulator (less common)

b.) Unity Gain transistor buffer or JFET/MOSFET buffer stage on the input.

Looks like the Skreddy Screwdriver has a MOSFET stage on the input.

 

[Big Monk]

Don't do the pick up simulator stuff, I've had them in various fuzz and they suck. Suck the tone, the vibe and all the dynamics out of the fuzz.

I’m going to pull down some schematics this weekend and start researching.

I’d really love to have just one tweakable fuzz on my board.

I’ve really bonded with my Silicon Fuzz Face and I think with some modern features and some switching and additional controls, I can make it very MK II ish as well.

That way I can move my Ge devices and free up some room for stuff that will get played.

Sometimes I feel I like the idea of Germanium fuzzes more than I like playing them.

I just seem to bond more with Si units. Stay tuned. I can’t do anything without researching it to within an inch of its life. I’ll be looking at the classic Silicon fuzz face, Skreddy Screwdricer, Skreddy Lunar Module, Basic Audio Scarab for inspiration and emerging with a fuzz that does FF, MK II and MK 1.5 very well but in a single unit.

I just need to see what’s what and put a schematic together. I know what I want will be silicon based. Maybe a switchable Q3 for Ge but I’m not sure yet.

 

[Coda]

I built the GuitarPCB DSOTM Fuzz, which is based on the Lunar Fuzz (not sure how close it is, to be honest), and I was very underwhelmed. It is hardly a fuzz, not much sustain, and kinda flat. Could by the set of 109s I used, I suppose. My Si Sunface blows it out of the water…

 

[Big Monk]

I built the GuitarPCB DSOTM Fuzz, which is based on the Lunar Fuzz (not sure how close it is, to be honest), and I was very underwhelmed. It is hardly a fuzz, not much sustain, and kinda flat. Could by the set of 109s I used, I suppose. My Si Sunface blows it out of the water…

I have a feeling I’ll land on a tweaked Si Fuzz Face. Basically I’ll run a unity gain transistor stage at the front (to solve the placement issue), have an external bias control capable of 2.5v-8v (to get some punchier Tonebender type tones) and a few other controls.

I definitely think the Si Fuzz Face will be the framework. I only threw the Lunar Module out there because the demos I’ve seen were ridiculously good and I’ve got a gang of sweet old Silicons ready for action.

 

[Coda]

I have a feeling I’ll land on a tweaked Si Fuzz Face. Basically I’ll run a unity gain transistor stage at the front (to solve the placement issue), have an external bias control capable of 2.5v-8v (to get some punchier Tonebender type tones) and a few other controls.

I definitely think the Si Fuzz Face will be the framework. I only threw the Lunar Module out there because the demos I’ve seen were ridiculously good and I’ve got a gang of sweet old Silicons ready for action.

Maybe I’ll dig mine out tomorrow and see if I can get a better tone from it. It should be good, but I wasn’t impressed…though, I did build it the week after the Sunface.

 

[Big Monk]

Maybe I’ll dig mine out tomorrow and see if I can get a better tone from it. It should be good, but I wasn’t impressed…though, I did build it the week after the Sunface.

The biggest thing I’ve been working through, and one thing I’ve grabbed a hold of, is how much I love my Silicon FF.

Especially for lead tones. The trick, I think, to replacing my numerous fuzz units with a single vintage style fuzz, will be to give it some of the kerrang that the MK II has while eliminating placement, oscillation and RF issues.

I already have a rough draft circuit and I think the next step is to research a bunch of similar ones and pilfer what I need for this.

I think I may need up with the modded FF and Carcosa as my two fuzz units.

 

[Coda]

The biggest thing I’ve been working through, and one thing I’ve grabbed a hold of, is how much I love my Silicon FF.

Especially for lead tones. The trick, I think, to replacing my numerous fuzz units with a single vintage style fuzz, will be to give it some of the kerrang that the MK II has while eliminating placement, oscillation and RF issues.

I already have a rough draft circuit and I think the next step is to research a bunch of similar ones and pilfer what I need for this.

I think I may need up with the modded FF and Carcosa as my two fuzz units.

And the Big Muff makes 3…

 

[Big Monk]

And the Big Muff makes 3…

You sonofabitch! Get off my lawn!

Seriously though, this revised “Gilmour” Muffin is the shiz:

 

[Big Monk]

While my wife slept and I half paid attention to our Stranger Things rewatch, I formulated a plan.

1.) RF is a stank bitch. We all know that building a Fuzz Face is like dating a girl whose parents are a flippin’ nightmare. And by nightmare I mean they blast country music through your distortion devices. I don’t want RF. My MO is to always have a Pre-Gain control on my fuzzes. RF is typically squelched by turning that down a little. But maybe I don’t want to.

2.) I love the lead tones of the Fuzz Face. Frankly, as much as I love the effortless feedback and note bloom, plus bright and punchy Kerrang of the Tonebender MK II, my Silicon Fuzz Face has become my #1. Yet I want to be able to easily approximate the MK II.

3.) I don’t want to have to worry about where I put my fuzz. I want to put it after my Electrovibe and Phase 90 and I want it to work well with my Wah.

Part of handling 1.) and 2.) is a third gain stage. One of the reasons the MK II deals with RF so well is Q1 and it’s arrangement. Also, the extra gain is what brings in the kerrang and feedback. I’m thinking that a unity gain Q1 stage with a variable resistance on the emitter to boost the gain would kill RF, maintain the Fuzz Face sound, but also allow an approximation of the traditional MK II Q1.

Also, this should help with 3.)

From there it would be creature comforts I have not fully fleshed out. External bias. A dual ganged emitter resistor pot for lower gain Fuzz Face Tone (Ge approximation). To be determined...

 

[Coda]

What about an Si Vox ToneBender? I built the Box 66, which is germanium, but have been playing with the idea of building an Si version. Kinda of the best of both worlds, maybe…

 

[Big Monk]

What about an Si Vox ToneBender? I built the Box 66, which is germanium, but have been playing with the idea of building an Si version. Kinda of the best of both worlds, maybe…

What I’m going for will have those tones as well but also Fuzz Face and MK II tones.

If I have time this weekend I’ll draw up a schematic.

 

[Big Monk]

Research:

 

[Big Monk]

I’m going to breadboard the Fuzz Aldrin and see where it goes.

My Si Fuzz Face will be a likely springboard as well.

I’ve already gone away from the “do it all” idea. I’d rather strengthen, with small tweaks, the Si Fuzz Face.

 

[fig]

I should build a stock one to see how it sounds, but I need to get some higher gain PNPs.

Whatcha need?