Roger Mayer - Axis Fuzz  [traced]

General documentation, gut shot, schematic links, ongoing circuit tracing, deep thoughts ... all about boutique stompboxes.
User avatar
mrhenry
Breadboard Brother
Information
Posts: 71
Joined: 06 Feb 2008, 15:42
my favorite amplifier: soniccord toad, tweed bandmaster, JTM45
Location: Ft. Worth, Texas

Post by mrhenry »

I searched for gut shots of this one and didn't find any. So, I am just letting you know that I've got a hold of this one and hope to put up the gut shots this weekend. That is, if anyone is interested... :D

User avatar
JimiB
Solder Soldier
Information
Posts: 204
Joined: 31 Dec 2007, 02:57
my favorite amplifier: AC30
Been thanked: 5 times

Post by JimiB »

Sweet!

User avatar
GuitarManiac32
Information
Posts: 33
Joined: 19 Nov 2007, 19:37
Completed builds: BSIAB2, Zen Drive, Geoffrey Teese Picture wah, Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret, Octavia, A LOT OF FUZZ PEDALS, Neovibe, Barber Tone Press-alike, few guitar amps (Soldano SLO 100, Dumble ODS, Fender Super Reverb, Marshall JTM-45, Fender Champ)
Location: Lahti, Finland
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 1 time

Post by GuitarManiac32 »

I´m interested to see if it´s just like any other Fuzz Face clone... or if Roger Mayer has really changed anything...

User avatar
Jimmy-H
Information
Posts: 26
Joined: 20 Sep 2007, 09:13
Been thanked: 2 times

Post by Jimmy-H »

The schematic is allready available at Fuzzcentral.
But I'm curious if it's the same!
Let's see the pictures!

And here is the link: http://fuzzcentral.ssguitar.com/schematics.php

User avatar
PurplePeopleEater
Resistor Ronker
Information
Posts: 335
Joined: 28 Nov 2007, 01:58
Been thanked: 5 times

Post by PurplePeopleEater »


User avatar
mrhenry
Breadboard Brother
Information
Posts: 71
Joined: 06 Feb 2008, 15:42
my favorite amplifier: soniccord toad, tweed bandmaster, JTM45
Location: Ft. Worth, Texas

Post by mrhenry »

Well, the pics are going to have to be postponed for two reasons: 1) i can't find my digital camera usb connector cord 2) i forgot to pick up the axis fuzz from my parents place when i visited last weekend (idiot move! :slap: :slap: :slap: )

so, the pics will be here, but for all intents and purposes, they are just eye-candy since Analogguru already has the schematic posted on the other thread. from what i remember about the pedal, its pretty much exactly what that schematic says.

-mrhenry

User avatar
ChrisFFTA
Breadboard Brother
Information
Posts: 99
Joined: 30 Dec 2007, 07:43
Been thanked: 3 times

Post by ChrisFFTA »

i have one and i do need to post gut shots of another pedal so will fire off some of both ASAP...

User avatar
JimiB
Solder Soldier
Information
Posts: 204
Joined: 31 Dec 2007, 02:57
my favorite amplifier: AC30
Been thanked: 5 times

Post by JimiB »

great!

User avatar
ChrisFFTA
Breadboard Brother
Information
Posts: 99
Joined: 30 Dec 2007, 07:43
Been thanked: 3 times

Post by ChrisFFTA »

alrighty here we go... fuzz face a-rama...

Image
Image

User avatar
mrhenry
Breadboard Brother
Information
Posts: 71
Joined: 06 Feb 2008, 15:42
my favorite amplifier: soniccord toad, tweed bandmaster, JTM45
Location: Ft. Worth, Texas

Post by mrhenry »

Just got it today... so, i've been beat to it. The guts in mine are exactly the same as in the guts posted above. Not much mystery here. So, i'll contribute a shot of the ultra kool flash gordon enclosure... just for shites-and-giggles.
Attachments
Photo 13.jpg
Photo 13.jpg (84.16 KiB) Viewed 4782 times

User avatar
drushton2002
Information
Posts: 17
Joined: 11 Oct 2008, 13:42

Post by drushton2002 »

I am new to this forum and I have made a few posts but I never get a response. I must have made some error in protocol and I apologize if I did. I think this forum is great and want to be an active part. I hope someone will read this and be willing and able to help me out.

I breadboarded an Axis fuzz yesterday and up to about 50% fuzz settings it is beautiful, however after that it sounds as if there is a biasing issues because the fuzz gets super super thick and "splatty" sounding, almost ring modish. I do have the volume wide open on the thing so is that my issue or should I change some of the resisters on either or both transistor? I would greatly appreciate any help. I have loved the sound these make for so long and now it is almost there without paying a few hundred dollars thanks to this site!!! Thank you ahead of time!

:horsey:

User avatar
mrhenry
Breadboard Brother
Information
Posts: 71
Joined: 06 Feb 2008, 15:42
my favorite amplifier: soniccord toad, tweed bandmaster, JTM45
Location: Ft. Worth, Texas

Post by mrhenry »

drushton,

quite of few of the folks here have extensive backgrounds in electronics. in order for them to answer your question they will want you to take readings of the voltages at different points in the circuit. so, describing the sound it makes is sort of tough to figure out--especially since what counts as "splatty" encompasses a wide range of subjective opinions.

that said (and since my electronics experience is limited :) ) I would guess that it could be any of the following. Though you've probably already tried a few of these, I will list them anyway from easiest to test to hardest to test:

1) check the battery. a "splatty" sound when cranked could simply mean that the battery is 'dying' (around 6.5 volts will usually produce that kind of sound in my fuzz).

2) possibly one of the transistors isn't matched to the other. you can simply just change them until you get a good sound. Im not a fan of B.S. mojo when it comes to "selecting" transistors. However, if one of them has an Hfe rating that doesn't jive with the other, you'll get wild sounds. Personally, I feel this is the fun and exasperation of building a fuzz.

OR...

3) possibly its working just fine--- when my buddy cranks the gain on his Axis (the one i posted a photo of) it gets a grainy splatty Neville Brothers or Isacc Hayes sound. That's just the way it interacts with his pickups and amp. It sounds very different when put in front of my amp with my guitars. For that matter, it sounds different at high volumes even if I play through his rig! That's because its all about pick attack and the pressure of ones hands and fingers. This is what I really like about these simple fuzzes; they do different things based on how you play them.

Good Luck!

-mrhenry

User avatar
drushton2002
Information
Posts: 17
Joined: 11 Oct 2008, 13:42

Post by drushton2002 »

thanks for the reply man. i think i may be having some issues with the second hand parts i was using. i got some off the wall readings at the transistors. maybe if my wife lets me place another order i can get the right ones and not have to mix resistors in series and parallel to get them close to the correct value! :D . again thanks alot for the suggestions, have a great one!!!

User avatar
hafizimran
Information
Posts: 5
Joined: 02 Dec 2008, 03:27

Post by hafizimran »

Hi guys and girls,

I had an original RM Axis (late 90s one, when all his models were made in silver, I think) and although it sounded great, I have this noise issue that's unbearable once I go above 3 o'clock on the 'Drive'. I thought I had a lemon, so I cloned the circuit using schems on the net, and counter-checked with a newer RM Axis (the orange ones) that my friend had. My clone had the same beautiful tone, along with the same noise characteristics if I go above 3'oclock on the 'Drive'. The only difference I made was construct it 'point-to-point' on perfboard. Everything else were the same i.e. component types, values etc.

Additional info:- the electrical grounding in my house isn't perfect. with single coils, while not playing or touching the guitar, there is a loud hum/buzz. This hum/buzz will reduce a bit if I touch metal objects like the bridge, tuners or the strings on the guitar.

I have a few questions:-
1. Do you guys observe the same phenomena?
2. Is there a way for me add a 'drop-in' circuit that'll reduce the noise? Maybe some mods?

Any help would be much appreciated, man. And I've always been just reading the posts here, so be kind as this is my first post. Thanks!

User avatar
warioblast
Information
Posts: 44
Joined: 12 Sep 2008, 21:35
Has thanked: 10 times
Been thanked: 4 times

Post by warioblast »

hafizimran wrote:Hi guys and girls,

I had an original RM Axis (late 90s one, when all his models were made in silver, I think) and although it sounded great, I have this noise issue that's unbearable once I go above 3 o'clock on the 'Drive'. I thought I had a lemon, so I cloned the circuit using schems on the net, and counter-checked with a newer RM Axis (the orange ones) that my friend had. My clone had the same beautiful tone, along with the same noise characteristics if I go above 3'oclock on the 'Drive'. The only difference I made was construct it 'point-to-point' on perfboard. Everything else were the same i.e. component types, values etc.

Additional info:- the electrical grounding in my house isn't perfect. with single coils, while not playing or touching the guitar, there is a loud hum/buzz. This hum/buzz will reduce a bit if I touch metal objects like the bridge, tuners or the strings on the guitar.

I have a few questions:-
1. Do you guys observe the same phenomena?
2. Is there a way for me add a 'drop-in' circuit that'll reduce the noise? Maybe some mods?

Any help would be much appreciated, man. And I've always been just reading the posts here, so be kind as this is my first post. Thanks!
That sounds familiar.
https://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/ ... ic=49752.0

User avatar
Fanum
Information
Posts: 12
Joined: 29 Dec 2009, 19:37

Post by Fanum »

In the picture of the card missing, 1 resistor and 1 capacitor.
You can also see the tracks without components .... :hmmm:


Nella foto della scheda mancano, 1 resistenza e 1 condensatore.
Si possono vedono anche le piste senza componenti....

User avatar
DougH
Transistor Tuner
Information
Posts: 1087
Joined: 18 Aug 2007, 04:53
Has thanked: 4 times
Been thanked: 23 times

Post by DougH »

Re. RM Axis fuzz:

1) Yes, it's noisy in high gain.
2) Yes, it has a weedy "faux octave" sound in high gain. That's the way it sounds. Check any of the MF clips etc for evidence.
3) Yes, it appears that the internet schematics for it that have been published for years are correct (based on sound and similarity to other RM designs).

Personally I like using it in front of a cranked up amp that is already overdriving. You can get some really cool octave swells from the wound strings.

EDIT: BTW, I suspect this one might belong in the "vintage stompbox corner". I don't really consider RM (esp his older stuff) to be "boutique".
"You have just tubescreamered or fuzzfaced yourself " -polarbearfx

User avatar
swt
Breadboard Brother
Information
Posts: 112
Joined: 07 Sep 2007, 16:52
Has thanked: 7 times
Been thanked: 13 times

Post by swt »

the key is to find the right transistors. Motorolas 2n3906 and 2n 3904 are used in the original. I tried a lot of trannies, and guess what, with motorolas they biased just right from the begining, tried a bunch of them, and all biased extremely closed. Try them, you won't regret, and it will sound just like the original. As dough said...best sound is a marshall type of amp, cranked.

User avatar
IvIark
Tube Twister
Information
Posts: 2235
Joined: 01 Jan 2008, 23:59
Location: Manchester UK
Has thanked: 562 times
Been thanked: 586 times
Contact:

Post by IvIark »

I may as well add this to the thread for anyone interested in turrets or ptp wiring:
Roger Mayer Axis Fuzz
Roger Mayer Axis Fuzz
On Fuzz Central there is a recommendation to omit the 220R + 1nF in column 5 so it may be worth experimenting.
"If anyone is a 'genius' for putting jacks in such a pedal in the only spot where they could physically fit, then I assume I too am a genius for correctly inserting my legs into my pants this morning." - candletears7 - TGP

User avatar
analogguru
Old Solderhand
Information
Posts: 3238
Joined: 26 Jun 2007, 13:58
Been thanked: 124 times
Contact:

Post by analogguru »

The use of this RC-Network is described here on page 3:
http://www.tcaas.btinternet.co.uk/jlh1970.pdf

These components reduce the (inaudible) High-Frequency-response and are used to avoid High-Frequency-oscillation. Therefore not really needed in this application and omitted.

analogguru
There´s a sucker born every minute - and too many of them end up in the bootweak pedal biz.

Post Reply