Astrotone - Fuzz  [schematic]

Discussion regarding early stompbox technology: 1960-1975 Please keep discussion focused and contribute what info you have...
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Nocentelli
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Post by Nocentelli »

I've had a bit of a play with it through an amp, and I must say I quite like it. The tone control is quite useful, though I set it around the middle and left it there: Also, I wired mine reversed from seiche's vero (i.e. lug 3 from the output cap , with 1+2 linked and connected to ground) so it gets bassy when anticlockwise, and progressively thinner as you turn it up. I think I'll add a small resistor from fuzz pot lug 1 to ground (10k), so it doesn't mute the signal at minimum fuzz. The clean-up with the guitar volume is so good I'm actually tempted to leave out the fuzz pot altogether. However, this circuit is afflicted with the same issue that plagues the fuzzface: i.e. a buffer in front of the fuzz renders the sound extra gain-y, and robs it of the ability to clean up properly.

Overall, nice fuzz, I'll definitely build one,
modman wrote: Let's hope it's not a hit, because soldering up the same pedal everyday, is a sad life. It's that same ole devilish double bind again...

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Post by Seiche »

sounds good! now I'm tempted to build one too!
Nocentelli wrote:Also, I wired mine reversed from seiche's vero (i.e. lug 3 from the output cap , with 1+2 linked and connected to ground) so it gets bassy when anticlockwise, and progressively thinner as you turn it up.
cheers, I tend to get these wrong, I had a look at analogman's site and you're right, that's how it's supposed to work:
Analogman's Site wrote: The problem with the original design was that there was very little low end, the sound was quite thin. (...) But we made sure that we could still get the EXACT sounds of the original pedal if that was desired. By turning the tone knob up higher, you can still get the original sounds which are good into a large, cranked amp.
I also found a little mistake with the second 47nf cap that was going to the wrong row. I corrected the vero layout on the last page.

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Post by Nocentelli »

Great, I'll probably build it this weekend. Incidentaslly, I'd be tempted to put a 100uF electro across +9v and ground, but you've left a perfect spot for that down at the bottom left of the vero.
modman wrote: Let's hope it's not a hit, because soldering up the same pedal everyday, is a sad life. It's that same ole devilish double bind again...

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Post by DougH »

FWIW: http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main. ... /AstroTone

IMO the stock tone circuit was useless, YMMV. It's still kind of a cheez-whiz fuzz IMO but something for the man who has everything I s'pose.

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Post by Seiche »

DougH wrote:IMO the stock tone circuit was useless
original version, or analogman's?

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Post by culturejam »

I did up a layout for etching:
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=18564

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Post by allesz »

This circuit looks interesting and I plan to breadboard it sooner or later.
Looking at the schematic I have one question (maybe a stupid one): will the circuit work if I remove the 47nF cap after the diode clippers?

This circuit looks somewhat similar to the infuzze I posted in the ready to build effect tread: life is hard for the real innovators :D .

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Post by DougH »

Seiche, it's the original tone circuit I was referring to.

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Post by LucifersTrip »

DougH wrote:Seiche, it's the original tone circuit I was referring to.
Isn't the only difference, the 470 instead of 1.8K? It's just a cutoff resistor. You basically have a 10K (with cutoff) across another 10K.

so, original would give you a 5.4K (11.8K //10K) to 1.5K (1.8K //10K) sweep (of the vol pot) and the modded ver would give you a 5.1K (10.47K //10K) to .45K (.47K //10K) sweep...so, I think the only difference, should be that the modded ver let's you get some more treble since the small the vol pot, the thinner the sound.

I forgot what I wound up with in my build...I'll pull out my old notes & check...

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Post by okgb »

I built it and felt it was a little thin but I got more mileage increasing the in / out coupling caps
than the tone control mod , although I did both , Satisfied now , you can use it with the bridge p/u

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Post by LucifersTrip »

for someone's gallery somewhere....

a super rare 1967 version with output cable is currently on eBay...for $3000+


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Post by LucifersTrip »

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Post by LucifersTrip »

ps:

as analogguru pointed out earlier...this does show the 3.3K resistor (not in schematics in this thread?), the 1.2M and ceramic caps...

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Post by LucifersTrip »

damn..can't edit...

I meant 3.3M above

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Post by mat033 »

Hi everyone!

I've done a layout for AM's Astrotone so I thought I'd share it with you. I know Seiche has already done one but as a beginner I wanted to come up with my own.
Mostly, I'd like to know what you think I could improve. :block:

Since the tone control seems to be useless, I replaced it with a fixed resistor (4.7k). I also added a protection diode and a filter cap.
The layout is 12x9 but I will probably need to stretch the lower part a bit since my caps are quite big!
It doesn't have any jumpers or trace cuts but it has 2 stand-up resistors. Is there any reason why I should avoid them -- aside from aesthetics?

Any feedback is very much appreciated! :thumbsup

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Post by mat033 »

Oops, the electrolytic cap was the wrong way around. :oops:
Here is the fixed version.

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Post by LucifersTrip »

forgot to post the slightly altered schematic (early specs, 1967) along with my voltages (with fresh 9.6v supply) after I got it to sound cool. I have no idea what the original dome style transistors or the diodes are...
http://www.luciferstrip.com/fuzz/astrotone-guts.jpg

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Post by Ghandi »

LucifersTrip wrote:Image
...the diodes look like germanium to me!?!

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Post by LucifersTrip »

Ghandi wrote:
...the diodes look like germanium to me!?!
I guess it's possible, but all versions so far, I believe had silicon....and I have tons of glass silicon diodes that look like those.
If someone can make out a color code, that'd solve it.

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Post by jrod »

Hey LT
The original transistors were 2N3565.

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