Zvex - Fuzz Factory

trad3mark · Post by **trad3mark** » 10 Jun 2009, 17:04

i'm making a THIRD ff lol.... for experiments/practice.

trad3mark · Post by **trad3mark** » 10 Jun 2009, 17:17

just out of interest, what kind of differences should i be expecting here? obviously it won't be a whole new sound, but is it a case of like brighter/darker, smoother/clippier or what?

Scruffie · Post by **Scruffie** » 10 Jun 2009, 17:22

That's the point of doing it surely, you'll find out... I dunno what those transistors are gunna sound like, some might be quieter, some could be smoother, some could be fuzzier, some could oscilatte more some could be more farty sounding, try and see.

trad3mark · Post by **trad3mark** » 11 Jun 2009, 12:33

ok, so some interesting results there.

You can definitely hear the differences. Some are WAY clippier than the others, and with the NPN's, i noticed differences in clarity and smoothness. So, after trying all the combinations of the above, my personal favourite is the ZTX500's, with the BC107.

Hooray!

sonicolone · Post by **sonicolone** » 12 Jun 2009, 04:04

Hello again. My FF is up and running, but I find the sound to be somewhat dark and bass heavy, lacking in treble. Is there anyway to add a tone control, or if its easier, which components should I change (and to what values) to even out the sound? Thanks in advance.

trad3mark · Post by **trad3mark** » 12 Jun 2009, 11:57

it can be bassy depending on what setting you have on the dialls. I find for example, if you have it like this, it's bassy:
vol: W/E Ga: low, 3ish Co: low enough to stop the oscillation Dr: medium St: 0

If you want more trebble, i find having gate low, and turning comp way up, and drive up a bit more you can get a trebblier sound.

Scruffie · Post by **Scruffie** » 12 Jun 2009, 13:52

Or try lowering the values of the input and output caps a bit, that might get you some more treble and vice versa.

sonicolone · Post by **sonicolone** » 13 Jun 2009, 02:08

Thanks. What I noticed is that when I roll the volume on my guitar back, the sound brightens up and then darkens when I hit 8-9 on the volume. What should I change the input cap to to reduce the guitars input volume? Thanks.

Scruffie · Post by **Scruffie** » 15 Jun 2009, 04:20

The input and output caps work like a low or high pass filter depending on the value, the volume back off is common among fuzzes, I don't think lowering the overall volume of the pedal will help (although a lower gain 2N3904 would lower it) could try raising the value of the volume pot, I'm not too sure really, have a mess about on breadboard.

Scruffie · Post by **Scruffie** » 23 Jun 2009, 15:27

Quick question for someone, I wanna use the fuzz factory with a millenium bypass but of course i'm suffering heavy osscilation in bypass so how do I go about input grounding the millenium bypass and if it requires more components (it can't be done on the already over used switch I assume) a vero layout is always nice although it'd probably take about 2 minutes to do it from schematic...

Cheers guys.

Scruffie · Post by **Scruffie** » 23 Jun 2009, 18:45

Nevermind, found R.G's article on adding the extra NPN now (I find his site confusingly laid out to find articles)

trad3mark · Post by **trad3mark** » 23 Jun 2009, 19:21

hmmm... i heard a vicious rumour that the FF is really just the 1969 boutique Fuzz Face with a booster or something?

trufax?

Scruffie · Post by **Scruffie** » 23 Jun 2009, 19:41

Check the start of this thread, it's there, from the mouth of zach himself if I rememebr the quote correctly that is essentially what it is, a fuzz face with boosters and added controls that somehow make it less controllable...

I've sold mine off and i'm just gunna make a Tone Bender Mk II with OC81's... and a Devi Aenima for crazyness.

trad3mark · Post by **trad3mark** » 23 Jun 2009, 19:47

oh yeah i see it there.

i've ordered parts for that 1969 boutique one, and, as you suggested, it'll have a second bias control instead of that trimmer. I'm hoping it'll be similar to a FF, but a slightly LESS insane version.

i've also ordered parts for the Valvecaster.

Scruffie · Post by **Scruffie** » 23 Jun 2009, 20:04

Lol hopefully less insane but you'll find out soon enough, gunna try it out with germaniums this time?

Ahead of me with tubes there, I still haven't built with one yet, only tube emulation, looking at delay and chorus at the moment instead, tell me how it goes.

trad3mark · Post by **trad3mark** » 23 Jun 2009, 20:42

i'll post vids when it's done, cos as far as i can see, there's only one vid on yt of a valvecaster. I'm using a 12AT7, and i've designed the casing, as per Frequency Central's guide.

As for the Fuzz Face, i've no monies to buy germs, but, i've even more transistors now since i salvaged that radio.

so i might get something nice out of those transistors.

what happens if you use two different transistors btw?

Scruffie · Post by **Scruffie** » 23 Jun 2009, 20:47

Be fine aslong as there the right kinds, you'll get a different sound, and how they match up will be alot to do with it (R.G Keens article on Choosing Fuzz Face transistors will apply in some ways)

You could just use one Germanium (which I might be able to send you) in Q2's position which is where most of the fuzz happens, the EZ Face does this.

trad3mark · Post by **trad3mark** » 23 Jun 2009, 20:49

i think i'll be happy to stick with the silicon ones for this one. It's going in a plastic box, and there's not a lot of effort going into it. It wouldn't merit a ge. lol!

Scruffie · Post by **Scruffie** » 23 Jun 2009, 20:58

Lol ah that's cool, Ge aren't the be end but mojo is always good for mojos sake.

trad3mark · Post by **trad3mark** » 24 Jun 2009, 12:06

just a quick question, i've noticed that i've nearly trebble the number of NPN's then i do PNP's. Can i use NPN's in place of PNP's, provided i match up the pinout the correct way?

Zvex - Fuzz Factory [traced]