Zvex - Fuzz Factory

Scruffie · Post by **Scruffie** » 06 Apr 2009, 23:08

Correct, they all are, not just the stab.

Scruffie

trad3mark · Post by **trad3mark** » 06 Apr 2009, 23:19

brilliant. I might wire it up tomorrow, except for the switch, which i still don't have...

thanks scruffie

Scruffie · Post by **Scruffie** » 07 Apr 2009, 05:13

Awesome, hope the build goes well, just for reference heres a photo from when i first built this so it is a tad messier than my newer builds but should be clear enough.

Thanks and Good luck,
Scruffie

trad3mark · Post by **trad3mark** » 07 Apr 2009, 14:12

right... as if things couldn't have a worse start. I went into maplin today, and the closest they had to a 5k pot was a 4.7k. So i got 2 of those, and a bunch of 100ohm resistors. I could just put 3 100ohm resistors before each of the two pots to make up the 5k, right? I know the volume will always be a bit quieter, and stab will never be QUITE as insane.......... but is that a bad thing?

Fuzzed · Post by **Fuzzed** » 07 Apr 2009, 15:12

trad3mark wrote:right... as if things couldn't have a worse start. I went into maplin today, and the closest they had to a 5k pot was a 4.7k. So i got 2 of those, and a bunch of 100ohm resistors. I could just put 3 100ohm resistors before each of the two pots to make up the 5k, right? I know the volume will always be a bit quieter, and stab will never be QUITE as insane.......... but is that a bad thing?

Mine uses 4,7k too, it's insane, it's not a fuzz factory alright, but its insane.
Oscillation etc.
Just tell me one thing, when you wire it up, check if you get oscillation when the drive is at tops.

Cheers

trad3mark · Post by **trad3mark** » 07 Apr 2009, 15:17

i'm gonna build the rest of the circuit first, then decide on the 4.7k or add in the extra resistors after scruffie gets back

Scruffie · Post by **Scruffie** » 07 Apr 2009, 15:28

Scruffie is back, I say just stick the 4.7k lin, i reallyyy dont think it'll make much difference i rarely measure a resistor or pot where it actually comes out as the resistance it says it is, should be fine, i built mine with 4.7k and im very pleased with it compared to my actual fuzz factory. Even if it the volume wasn't quite as loud, its too loud already lol and the stab works fine, it's only to introduce voltage into the circuit thats the point of it, it may have slightly less turn on it i.e. you don't get quite as much travel inbetween the start and end, but you wont notice it, i think if you start sticking in resistors it could get a bit cramped and you've got more parts to accidently ground on the case which will lead to more trouble shooting and so on, So my final answer is go with the 4.7k lin they'll be fine

Many thanks and hope it's going okay so far,
Scruffie

trad3mark · Post by **trad3mark** » 07 Apr 2009, 22:49

thanks scruffie.

made good headway on it today. Unfortunately..... it wasn't till i was more than 1/2 way through the circuit that i realised i had soldered two of the three transistors backwards... bad times. so that set me back the best part of an hour. And then i realised i ALSO had no 5.1k resistors... so when i put up photos tomorrow, the small cluster of resistors in the corner is a 4.7k and 4 x 100's...

bad times

however, the main circuit part is done. so that's serious progression imo.

Scruffie · Post by **Scruffie** » 08 Apr 2009, 00:08

Argh no, I'd say socket the transistors but a bit late now ! And also annoying about the missing 5.1k that had to be metal film to get it from Bitsbox so understandable you missed it but good you managed to sort it.

Well good you've managed to get some headways and lets hope the rest is good times.

Thanks
Scruffie

trad3mark · Post by **trad3mark** » 10 Apr 2009, 10:21

well i finished wiring it up last night. Putting in the true bypass with the dc option and a LED really makes the wiring get quite messy... also, i've no 9v batteries to test it just yet, but i've doublechecked all my wiring and it all looks good.

I also noticed that i did something a bit silly right from the start, although i'll put it down to a beginners mistake.

Basically, i was looking at the stripboard lay out. I had my piece of stripboard cut, with a few extra lines and columns, just in case. Anyway, when i was looking at the layout, i figured it'd be best to cut the tracks first. So i flipped the stripboard onto the track side, and started cutting. However, i then copped on that if i cut the tracks on one side, as per the layout, when i flip it back over, the whole layout is then backwards and upside down.....

It made basically no difference to things like resistors and capacitors, but i just had to be careful with transistors and electrolytes. that's where i made my earlier mistake with the transistor. Got there in the end though. So i'm heading up to the shops shortly to pick up a 9v battery. I think i've only 1 guitar lead home with me though..... bad times.

trad3mark · Post by **trad3mark** » 10 Apr 2009, 11:41

bad times.

just did a test run, with mixed results.

It started out really well. LED comes on when there's a cable in the input and you press the fun switch, and when that's turned off, and you've a cable through output to amp, you even get sexy true bypass!!

however, when you press the fun switch, no output.

so i know i've to check all my wiring, but where's the best place to start? pots? switches? transistors?

btw, i'm using THIS (MATSUMIN'S LAYOUT) for the final wiring of jacks, switches, and pots.

trad3mark · Post by **trad3mark** » 10 Apr 2009, 12:42

that doesn't help at all...

trad3mark · Post by **trad3mark** » 10 Apr 2009, 13:05

......

So anyway, i found out that i had actually missed a ground wire. The one going from the 2N3904 to ground. And now, i have a working pile of utter insanity.

I'm off to buy some drill bits, cos i'm 99.9% sure that normal drill bits won't drill through one of the diecast aluminium...

I've also decided i'm going to leave the diecast unfinished, and just write "Volume" "Gate" "Compression" "Drive" "Stability" above the pots. "Fun" above the Switch. "Direct Current" above the DC and "Nine Volts" below it. And of course "Input" and "Output" above the jacks

My handwriting was described as "cool" in a presentation in architecture before, so we'll see how it looks on a pedal.

If you're wondering where the idea to put Fun above the switch came from, Matt Bellamy has a fun switch on his pedal board. No one knows what it does.....

trad3mark · Post by **trad3mark** » 10 Apr 2009, 13:38

i'm not being rude, but you're replys were so vague and complicated that i didn't have a clue what you were talking about. I had no output, which was clearly a wiring problem. Where most people would say something like "oh, check you've everything grounded correctly" or "maybe a transistor is backwards" you threw out something random about ranges of resistors....

trad3mark · Post by **trad3mark** » 10 Apr 2009, 13:52

well you probably should have quoted.....

look there's no need to argue about this anyway. i used 4.7k and they turned out well so at least we can confirm they work.

and just for something a bit special. here's some build pics:
http://i41.tinypic.com/2cqfm0z.jpg
http://i43.tinypic.com/ehneax.jpg
http://i39.tinypic.com/ne9n61.jpg <--- This pic's my favourite

Scruffie · Post by **Scruffie** » 10 Apr 2009, 16:30

No need to argue indeed, just a simple misunderstanding. I can't quite tell but have you made the same horrible mistake i did with my first few builds and used single core wire (It's not really a mistake it's just soo damn hard to make it fit in a box without a bit snapping off or something lol too rigid) Other than that lookin gooood, glad its all working nicely, what do you think of those BC558's ? And yea, your gunna need some nice sharp drill bits and a centre punch is nice aswell, don't forget a mask that metal dust isn't tasty and hopefully soon you'll be engaging your fun switch regularly.

Thanks & hope the build finishes up nicely,
Scruffie.

Scruffie · Post by **Scruffie** » 10 Apr 2009, 17:51

Oh btw trad3mark, just for future reference with the trace cuts, just put the image into Paint or some other are program and just select horizontal flip and then you've got your cuts layout done for you!

Yea i still haven't got wiring down nicely so its not a mess and i've started my 6th build... a Dr. Boogey, this is gunna be an interesting one, i hate biasing transistors...

Anywho, just thought that might be useful for when you do your next build as a lil tip.

Scruffie.

trad3mark · Post by **trad3mark** » 10 Apr 2009, 23:13

Scruffie wrote:Oh btw trad3mark, just for future reference with the trace cuts, just put the image into Paint or some other are program and just select horizontal flip and then you've got your cuts layout done for you!

Yea i still haven't got wiring down nicely so its not a mess and i've started my 6th build... a Dr. Boogey, this is gunna be an interesting one, i hate biasing transistors...

Anywho, just thought that might be useful for when you do your next build as a lil tip.

Scruffie.

what is this "Paint" you speak of? hahaha! I'm in architecture, so i spend my days drawing by hand on sketch roll and sketchbooks, OR, using either photoshop, autocad, sketchup, 3d studio max, or cinema 4d.

lol. paint.

yeah those transistory you recommended are really nice. A very silicony sound in comparison to the germanium sound, but i like it. my main amp (vox valvetronix) is down in my student accom along with my main guitar. I started drilling earlier, and got most of the holes drilled. Although in the process of measuring up the pots, i accidentaly broke a wire. not a big problem, but an annoyance never the less. I'll finish it all off tomorrow morning and post up final finished pics. Then i'll do a sound clip if i can. Maybe a bit of supermassive black hole?

anyway, it's the first build of many. I'm going to try a crash sync next, and possibly a 1-knob-fuzz so i can mess about with some transistors. Scheduled for september is this build (guitar build 2, with sustainer, kaoss pad, and 1 high output humbucker), which will include a 1-knob fuzz of some sort. whether it's a crash sync or just a box-standard 1-K-F, remains to be seen.

Anyway, thanks for the help with the first build scruffie. I'm sure i'll give you a shout again for the next build lol!

Scruffie · Post by **Scruffie** » 10 Apr 2009, 23:28

Yea i really liked there silicon sound, i found it gave much more controlability, lol yes microsoft paint... Your art programs seem to outstrip mine lol. Ah you broke a wire, as i said, that damn single core wire, i only just realised that i'd been using it for my first 5 builds and how much it pissed me off it keep breaking when i suddenly though... no actual pedals use this, they use braided so that should hopefully make life alottt easier.

Good you got it all drilled up, and i think a bit of supermassive black hole would be more than appropriate... and look forward to the pictures and sound clips.

Socket those transistors in future btw as you said you got them in the wrong way round, allows for quick changes, i mighttt be able to sort you out with some Germaniums for your single knob fuzz if you ask nicely

And build me one ! i built my own strat, but that looks niceee, if you need any help with that build aswell feel free to ask, have a friend that does a instrument building course and have a fair amount of experience myself.

And feel free to ask me for help, glad that i can, i have layouts for a fair few 1 & 2 knob fuzzes if you ask.

Thanks, and good luck with the next build and the many that will follow ( pedal building is horribly addictive, there should be support groups)

Scruffie.

trad3mark · Post by **trad3mark** » 10 Apr 2009, 23:36

purely so i can get the next build spot on, i'm going to get the body cnc routed. Although finding a place that does it at a reasonable price is easier said than done...

Zvex - Fuzz Factory [traced]