Uberfuzz / Super-fuzz - bright harsh tone

[churchmans]

Hello,

Been messing with this Uberfuzz (super-fuzz) transistors.

I know its not a 1-1 comparison but playing it next to a behringer sf-300 it is very close except that the Uberfuzz has a lot more harsh high end information. The sf300 is actually tamer. The uber just a lot brighter tone.

I tried 2222a and now i've got 2n5551 all with ~150 hfe in there.
trim pot for octave bias is dialed in and it doesn't have any affect on the high end tone i'm talking about.

Any insights?
Transistors too high gain still? (lots of conflicting info online about this)
Just part of the beast? deal with it and kick out the jams?

Thanks!

 

[Bricksnbeatles]

I think that’s just how it is. I have an Idiotbox “Ron Fucking Swanson” pedaj which is a pretty straight up super fuzz with the tone switch replaced with a pot. It’s also a lot harsher than my sf300.

 

[jessenator]

Are those 1N914s for the clipping diodes?

I will get pushback on this, but I can genuinely hear a difference between silicon and germanium diodes, and the germs round off a lot of the unpleasant harshness. Not sure if the Uli pedal uses that, but on the super-fuzzes I've built, Ge helps a lot. D9Ds are my favorite in this circuit.

 

[churchmans]

Are those 1N914s for the clipping diodes?

I will get pushback on this, but I can genuinely hear a difference between silicon and germanium diodes, and the germs round off a lot of the unpleasant harshness. Not sure if the Uli pedal uses that, but on the super-fuzzes I've built, Ge helps a lot. D9Ds are my favorite in this circuit.

Thats a consideration. They look like si but they are 1n34a's from guitarpedalparts so I think they're real

 

[jessenator]

Thats a consideration. They look like si but they are 1n34a's from guitarpedalparts so I think they're real

Not to put them down, but those are too small of glass packages to be Ge. Fwiw, I (and other members) have been sold "1N34A" and "1N270" diodes in that same type of package before. Unmarked, orange & black glass.


D9D, 1N914, 1/4W resistor , higher voltage schottky for reference.

The D9D is typical of glass case germanium diodes.

 

[churchmans]

Not to put them down, but those are too small of glass packages to be Ge. Fwiw, I (and other members) have been sold "1N34A" and "1N270" diodes in that same type of package before. Unmarked, orange & black glass.

View attachment 106681
D9D, 1N914, 1/4W resistor , higher voltage schottky for reference.

The D9D is typical of glass case germanium diodes.

Alright. My whole life is a lie. Damn it. Been working from a batch of them for a few years.

I'll have to get some real ge diodes then. Is D9D a decent all around replacement when something calls for 1n34a?
A lot of posts talk about how there is nothing special about 1n34a or that its a catch all and their measurements are all over the place anyway.

 

[jessenator]

Been working from a batch of them for a few years.

Oh, I feel you. I was building klones for my friends with those same "1N270s" up until a couple years ago

I'll have to get some real ge diodes then. Is D9D a decent all around replacement when something calls for 1n34a?

Depends, and this is where arguments break out. D9D is a great all round Ge in my book. I have them, some D9Es, D9Ls (which are milspec D9Es?) that I got for free. But in general, great replacement. Might be worth it to test some out on the breadboard and see what you fancy.

BAT41 or other BAT4x silicon guys are good swaps in some instances. I think for the superfuzz, the D just is a nice balance.

 

[gonzo]

I just swapped out the tone switch to a potentiometer. The best sounding super fuzz I have. You can get in-between tones and less harsh tones.