Maestro - MFZ-1 ( Fuzz )( Norlin )

JVanDe7 · Post by **JVanDe7** » 19 May 2008, 02:39

I used the TL022CP by Texas Instruments for my IC. Everything I read about the TL072 made me not want to use it. Everything said it was smoother and mellow and everything, but I want my fuzz to be sputtery fizzy buzzy madness type fuzz. That being said, I finished it! It took longer than expected because I was waiting for the stripboard to get here from Thailand. Anyhow, here are a couple of pics. Not the sexiest pedal in the world but it sure sounds great. It sounds about 90% close to the original IMO, just missing roughly 10% due to the vintage mojo of well-worn parts and all that probably. Anyhow, don't laugh cuz this is the first pedal I've ever built from scratch so it probably looks like hell compared to the pros, but I'm happy with the results.

A HUUUUGE thanks to Torchy and everyone else who helped out here. Job well done. You guys are the greatest. I am building an original-style Professional MKII next. But this time, I bought a PCB from GGG so it won't be such a hassle.

Oh, FYI, this pedal worked like a charm the first time. I honestly thought I would have to do some troubleshooting but nope, it just worked right from the start. The only issue was that I wired the pots in reverse so turning the knobs clockwise was actually turning things down, but that was quickly and easily fixed. I also like to use dollar-store 9volt batteries for vintage pedals instead of lithium or alkaline or whatever because I figure these older designs were not exactly meant for that kind of power.

65bandmaster · Post by **65bandmaster** » 22 May 2008, 21:44

I have an old MFZ Fuzz That I bought in 1976 when I was 12.) A few years ago the volume pot gave out and I went looking for a replacement. No one seemed to have long-shafted version like the original so I settled on a crappy little version that allows the wheel to wobble when in use. Any idea where I could find a replacement identical to the original?

JVanDe7 · Post by **JVanDe7** » 24 May 2008, 12:00

Sorry I can't tell you for sure who would have it, but you may have better luck starting a new post so people can see that you are looking for help.

Good luck.

MoreCowbell · Post by **MoreCowbell** » 24 May 2008, 12:04

65bandmaster wrote:I have an old MFZ Fuzz That I bought in 1976 when I was 12.) A few years ago the volume pot gave out and I went looking for a replacement. No one seemed to have long-shafted version like the original so I settled on a crappy little version that allows the wheel to wobble when in use. Any idea where I could find a replacement identical to the original?

Couldn't you use a standard Gibson Les Paul style pot (500k) with a resistor paralleled to it in order to get the correct value ?

JVanDe7 · Post by **JVanDe7** » 29 May 2008, 02:12

selectortone wrote:I built mine with an IC socket so I thought I'd try a few different opamps in it today - JRC4558D, LM1458N and a Burr-Brown OPA2134PA. I wouldn't call myself a cork-sniffer by any means and I'm generally a bit skeptical about all this tone mojo stuff but wow, you can really hear the difference with the Burr Brown chip - it sounds more harmonically complex, tails off into harmonics, a more complex and pleasing sound altogether (at least to my knackered old ears anyway!). Probably not what you'd want for the authentic MFZ-1 sound but for me, that one's the keeper.

Didn't hear that great difference with the other two chips, just a bit more drive or fizz than the TL072 - if that's the right word. I can't wait to try this thing at a gig!

I tried the Burr-Brown OPA2134PA and it does sound pretty good, but the TL022CP sounds better IMO. The Burr-Brown OPA2134PA gives it a slightly more modern sound. It also sounds slightly more distortion-ish. The TL022CP sounds a bit more organic and vintage-fuzz-ish. Again, IMO.

analogguru · Post by **analogguru** » 04 Jun 2008, 06:05

Isn`t that funny ? Now you can buy an MFZ-1 clone on evilbay for $ 115,-- BIN only:
https://cgi.ebay.com/TBK-Fuzz-by-HandRo ... dZViewItem

anlogguru

nicktwisp · Post by **nicktwisp** » 04 Jun 2008, 21:18

And now accepting orders ...

http://acapella.harmony-central.com/for ... ?t=1992559

oscarv77 · Post by **oscarv77** » 05 Jun 2008, 02:07

nicktwisp wrote:And now accepting orders ...

http://acapella.harmony-central.com/for ... ?t=1992559

WTF?!!

JVanDe7 · Post by **JVanDe7** » 05 Jun 2008, 03:05

What is the problem here? Since you like to share my posts from other forums here, I'm surprised you didn't link to my post where I encourage others to build their own. I even gave them the link to this page and offered to help them with any questions. Then some of the folks on the board actually came to me and said "hey, i'm not interested in building one but if you made me one i would pay you." and "hey i'm not good at building things but if you made me one I would pay you" So it wasn't even my idea in the first place. And I can document all of this if it's such a big deal to you. Let me know.

And since the one that I made ended up costing me about $70 after shipping costs and materials, I figured I would help myself and others by offering pre-made pedals for $115 with free shipping. So, $15 for shipping and a box and packing materials, and it would cost someone approx $60-70 to build their own, especially if they need to buy the tools (drill, drill bits, soldering iron, etc), so they pay a whopping $30 for 3 hours of my time.

I don't have a problem with this, and I don't feel bad. I made a batch of 10 pedals. Get off your high horses. What do you want a percentage of the $$$?

Torchy · Post by **Torchy** » 05 Jun 2008, 09:05

This is a DIY forum for people to make their own stompboxes and share knowledge/experience. It is a forum dedicated to breaking the "closed-shop" of the boutique builder crowd, and to help people design, build, modify and understand audio electronics.

When you started this thread, your initial post (and posts in the other threads concerning the same effect) was that of a newcomer to stompbox building and electronics. Please reread your opening post ...

FIRST OFF, I am willing to pay you for your time so please read on...

Ok, I used to own a Maestro MFZ-1 fuzz. The big silver wedge with one wheel on each side (one for drive and one for volume). I got rid of it because it was delicate/old and while I dig vintage fuzz, I don't dig broken pedals.

ANYHOW, I have attached 2 very useful documents/pics, a schematic and a diagram of the manufacturers layout design.

I want to recreate this EXACT circuit (however imperfect it may be) because I want the exact tone I got from the original.

Can someone skilled (notice I said SKILLED, no disrespect meant) PLEASE produce a layout/diagram thingy so that I can etch it into some perfboard and make this dream come true?

I am handy with a soldering iron, but have very little experience with building/modding. FYI, I have modified a Crybaby for true bypass and removed its input buffer and swapped a few resistors to get the gain and volume where I wanted them. I have also built a Ge FuzzFace clone pedal kit from BYOC. This will be my first time starting from scratch.

The parts list is already included in the 2 attached documents so that part won't be hard. I would also appreciate any advice on how to maintain the original lo-fi vibe of this pedal (ie- use ceramic caps or what-have-you).

I am willing to PayPal some money for a job well done. Nothing too crazy, maybe 5 or 10 US dollars? You tell me what it's worth, as I don't know how much time is involved (never done this before).

PLEASE and THANK YOU.

In the spirit of the forum I was more than happy to help you with both a veroboard and a pcb layout. I did this in my own time, putting on hold other work I was doing. I felt I was helping someone up the ladder so to speak. At no time did you offer payment (even though that post offered $5 - 10), and in line with that same spirit I never asked - I still don't want your money.

You then asked for help on how to wire the offboard components, asking questions that only a newcomer would, and you received a generous amount of help free of charge from both me and the other good people on this forum, all believing we were helping a guy get his "dream" of an old fuzz box back on his board.

We are now faced with another startup boutiquer, HandRolledFX, selling at HC and on ebay. Using the information and help given free of charge in a spirit of friendship and community, you are starting a business on the back of it. That is the biggest slap in the face I have ever had in my online experience. I knew of these "offerings" before they were made public here, which is why I have been absent from the board, and why I pulled my other layouts. I notice that on this forum you use the word "I" and "me", yet on your ad copy you use the word "we" an awful lot. You have coined a catchy name for your "business", and are now advertising on multiple websites. This is not the activity I would expect from an fx novice who only wanted to recreate a much loved pedal. It also casts doubt on the statement

I just want to do a batch of 10 for now since I am a one-man-gang and have a regular 9-5 job.

What next - a batch of 200 ? 1000 ?

You, sir, are a shit. You have used this forum as an R&D department for a fledgling business. I really do hope you lose the farm on this venture, and that you learn from the experience. You have saddened, dismayed and disappointed me in a way I didn't think was possible on this forum.

I wish you luck in your requests for a layout and help for the Ibanez Standard Fuzz
https://www.freestompboxes.org/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=2548

And I hope you figure out how to wire a bloody switch
https://www.freestompboxes.org/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=2557

If you need this much help building effects I have no faith you would be able to repair any you do sell.

JVanDe7, Posted: 30 Apr 2008, 13:15 wrote:THANK YOU SOOOOOOO MUCH YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!!!!!!

Yeah, right. Now Fuck Right Off.

selectortone · Post by **selectortone** » 05 Jun 2008, 09:40

Nice one JVanDe7

I like to build on vero so I'm a big fan of Torchy's layouts. Now he's pulled them off the net. Way to go.

(Torchy, I have every sympathy. Once again - from an amateur builder and gigging guitarist, building for his own pleasure - thank you for sharing, it was much appreciated. )

analogguru · Post by **analogguru** » 05 Jun 2008, 10:37

Torchy is speaking from my heart.....

analogguru

soulsonic · Post by **soulsonic** » 05 Jun 2008, 10:48

I thought something was fishy about this from the beginning.

JVanDe7 · Post by **JVanDe7** » 05 Jun 2008, 11:38

Everything I said to you from the beginning was absolutely true. I did own an MFZ a few years ago and that is why I wanted to build one. I then tried to share my enjoyment on another forum and said that they should build their own. I never intended to sell anything. As I just posted last night, other forumites CAME TO ME, asking/suggesting I should build a few because THEY were interested but did not have the skills and/or the time to build their own.

I am not trying to get rich here and I posted my figures for you in my previous post. It comes down to me getting paid $10 an hour to build these things, and as I said earlier I am making 10 of them and that is all. The whole "we" and HandRolledFX thing is to help folks feel more comfortable about the whole thing. Sounds more professional.

To rebut your comments about my lack of skills- have you listened to the soundclips on my myspace page? It sounds incredible. This circuit is so simple, there is nothing that can go wrong if the capacitors and diodes are oriented properly and the soldering and wiring is neat and tight. I am not building digital delays here, it is a simple FUZZ PEDAL. And as I said, I am building 10 of them and that is it. I make much more money than $10 an hour at my regular 9-5 job, trust me. Oh, and it involves brokerage commissions, before anyone starts shouting that I work at burger king or something clever.

Yes I am making a little bit of money, but at the cost of my free time every night after working 8 to 10 hours in a cubicle. You guys are hilarious. You have completely ignored the fact that I originally was posting on a forum telling people how great you all are and how helpful and that the forumites there should all come here and they can build their effects for free. Some of them did, I'm sure, but some of them also asked me to build for them (approx 10 people, hence the 10 pedals). So here they are asking me to build for them, and what, you suggest that I PAY FOR THEIR PEDALS AND BUILD THEM FOR THEM OUT OF MY POCKET!!?? I'm a nice guy but not that nice. Nor could I afford it. I am done justifying myself and my actions to you pompous assholes. Grow up. There are two sides to every story, and you just thought it would be more exciting to band together against my "BIG MEAN CORPORATION" because "we" are raking in so much cash ($10 an hour to breath solder fumes)... get a life. Seriously, listen to yourselves.

Oh and if Torchy is taking things away from you, that is HIS and YOUR problem.

soulsonic · Post by **soulsonic** » 05 Jun 2008, 12:20

Dude, you just don't get it.

analogguru · Post by **analogguru** » 05 Jun 2008, 12:41

Dude, you just don't get it.

Reallly.... you won´t get it.....

....I make much more money than $10 an hour at my regular 9-5 job, trust me.

And then you don´t feel like an asshole to offer only $5,-- for five hours skilled work of somebody else ?

Everything I said to you from the beginning was absolutely true....
....To rebut your comments about my lack of skills-

And why do you have than a problem that somebody talks the truth about that you are only a littler solder-sucker ?

The whole "we" and HandRolledFX thing is to help folks feel more comfortable about the whole thing. Sounds more professional.

And this is not a lie ? BTW, not to tell everything is also lying.... and even if somebody asks you to build one for him does not enforce you to start "HandRolledFX" and offer them in forums and ebay.

Guy, please do me a favour: Build and sell how many clones you want, but never ask for help here on this forum again..... and until you can´t change your mind concerning your misbehaviour: F*ck off....

analogguru

oscarv77 · Post by **oscarv77** » 05 Jun 2008, 15:40

Torchy, I 100% agree...

Today, I lost a little more faith in humanity.

jrc4558 · Post by **jrc4558** » 05 Jun 2008, 17:18

Back i nthe day there's been a couple of similar cases on diystompboxes.com
Always a dissapointment.

Fuzzer · Post by **Fuzzer** » 05 Jun 2008, 18:39

On the 3rd page of the harmony central forum thread, you should all read some guy 'letsgocoyote' post, the guy seems a little pissed at freestompboxes; but just check his Hi5 Boost.

analogguru · Post by **analogguru** » 05 Jun 2008, 20:51

Fuzzer wrote:On the 3rd page of the harmony central forum thread, you should all read some guy 'letsgocoyote' post, the guy seems a little pissed at freestompboxes; but just check his Hi5 Boost.

Do you mean this "neutral tone booster with singular scratchy gain control" ?
"...scratchy gain control..." hmmmm ....that remembers me .... hmmm ....yes, to a Zvex SHO....
Maybe his "company" should be better renamed to: Mellow-Shoe-Clone ?

analogguru