Oddball German fuzz pedal "Thibault"

flood · Post by **flood** » 20 Sep 2008, 06:09

saw this on evilbay - looks like it could be a fuzz face derivative. Never heard of "thibault" during the 8 years that I was in Germany.

at €120, definitely too expensive for a couple of transistors, but not even tangibly as shameless as some of the other stuff out there.

any ideas?

http://cgi.ebay.de/Vintage-deutscher-Fu ... 286.c0.m14

analogguru · Post by **analogguru** » 20 Sep 2008, 09:05

Appars to me that it could be a clone of the Schaller fuzz (1st version) which is itself a derivate of the Fuzz Face.

analogguru

DiscoFreq · Post by **DiscoFreq** » 20 Sep 2008, 11:37

I have one of those Schallers, but it's one of those pedals that I need to (get) fix(ed)

It must be about the 3rd time that seller lists this pedal. It could be a one-off copy of something and it's a bit too expensive for that...

Speaking about rare German pedals, I also have one of these:
http://filters.muziq.be/model/blackfield/rotoreffekt (a switch is missing and some wires are broken/missing)

I contacted Blackfield Orchester Elektronik last year (http://blackfield.de/ was alive then, not anymore now), but never heard from them... I don't know how many different models they made or how many of these exist...

DiscoFreq · Post by **DiscoFreq** » 24 Oct 2008, 08:37

I bought it...

(and the other strange fuzz he was selling: http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie ... 0292456204 )

DiscoFreq · Post by **DiscoFreq** » 04 Nov 2008, 10:04

They arrived!

(ow and I bought the Thibault for €68, not €120, it was relisted as it didn't sell first)

RnFR · Post by **RnFR** » 06 Nov 2008, 01:38

whoa- that HIGH-KIT fuzz is one wierd bird! how's it sound?

DiscoFreq · Post by **DiscoFreq** » 06 Nov 2008, 07:13

RnFR wrote:whoa- that HIGH-KIT fuzz is one wierd bird! how's it sound?

I still didn't try them... probably something for the weekend

analogguru · Post by **analogguru** » 06 Nov 2008, 08:20

Cool news....

I am pretty sure, that the High-kit Fuzz consists (only) of a 741 in inverted configuration 10k at the input 10M in the feedback loop and surrounding parts.

analogguru

DiscoFreq · Post by **DiscoFreq** » 06 Nov 2008, 21:13

Gut shots here:

http://filters.muziq.be/model/highkit/fuzzbox (surprise for analogguru?

)

http://filters.muziq.be/model/thibault/fuzz

RnFR · Post by **RnFR** » 06 Nov 2008, 21:23

i think it's good news that it DOESN'T have a 741 in there. looking forward to see more.

what an odd way to construct a pedal!

DiscoFreq · Post by **DiscoFreq** » 06 Nov 2008, 21:39

RnFR wrote:i think it's good news that it DOESN'T have a 741 in there. looking forward to see more.

Do you mean of this pedal or other pedals? If this one, about which parts do you need more info?

RnFR wrote:what an odd way to construct a pedal!

It was probably a DIY kit, the name says it and the Amtron pedals with the UK-8xx numbers were also kits I think...

RnFR · Post by **RnFR** » 06 Nov 2008, 21:57

i just meant that i tend to enjoy designs that use transistors for clipping rather than the op amp, or op amp/ diode arrangements. and by "see more" i meant a schematic.

sorry to be so cryptic. too much cold medicine makes me a bit strange in the head.

DiscoFreq · Post by **DiscoFreq** » 06 Nov 2008, 22:07

Ah, ok

analogguru · Post by **analogguru** » 06 Nov 2008, 22:18

Gut shots here:

http://filters.muziq.be/model/highkit/fuzzbox (surprise for analogguru? )

maybe it is more a surprise that the used sliders for a two-transistor circuit ?

RnFR wrote:what an odd way to construct a pedal!

they were not intended as a "pedal". You should have a look at the constuctional details of the UK857 posted in the link below, this is more odd.

RnFR wrote:.....and by "see more" i meant a schematic.

the pictures are not very sharp..... and some component values can´t be identified.... normally I woudn´t star drawing a schematic.... but maybe with the help of discofreq something is possible.....

Amtron were kits. Amtron and High-Kit were sold by the same italian company: GBC
more info here:
https://www.freestompboxes.org/viewtopic ... 857#p24201

Edit:
So, ok ...... after tracing the High-Kit Fuzz (face clone) I have the following questions:
1.) values of C1 - C5
2.) Transistor markings
3.) which value is printed beside P1 ?
4.) Is the value of R3 really only 4k7 ?
5.) Is it possible to put a 9V battery into the battery holder - or only a 1,5V AA-cell ?
6.) The switch appears to be relative new - replaced ?
7.) Funny thing, it doesnt have any bypass.....

And for the Thibault Fuzz I am referring to this picture:

1.) R1 appears to be 47k; R2,R5 470 Ohm; R 4 100k;
2.) Is R3 really only 470 Ohm ?
3.) Transistor markings ?
4.) Capacitor values ?
5.) Pot values ?

analogguru

RnFR · Post by **RnFR** » 07 Nov 2008, 02:45

i guess i should've prefaced that with - "if it sounds any good" -before you went through any of your hard work. if this thing sounds like ass, or is something that we have seen many a time before, please don't bother.
if you've got the free time- go nuts. and thank you!

cheers.

edit- the 741 version looks a lot like the "triggered square wave fuzz" that was an old magazine project. it used the 741 as a comparator. i quite like the sound of that one actually.

DiscoFreq · Post by **DiscoFreq** » 07 Nov 2008, 06:53

RnFR wrote:i guess i should've prefaced that with - "if it sounds any good" -before you went through any of your hard work. if this thing sounds like ass, or is something that we have seen many a time before, please don't bother.
if you've got the free time- go nuts. and thank you!

cheers.

edit- the 741 version looks a lot like the "triggered square wave fuzz" that was an old magazine project. it used the 741 as a comparator. i quite like the sound of that one actually.

I tried them (half a minute each) on my bass (without taking it from the stand) and I think they both sounded quite good , but the High-kit is quite noisy when no signal goes through.

I'll check the parts this evening or weekend...

Oh and the "mechanical details" image on that other post look a lot like the High-Kit: only the direction of the sliders and those 2 switches are different.

DiscoFreq · Post by **DiscoFreq** » 07 Nov 2008, 22:28

R1 4.7 kOhms (5%)
R2 470 Ohms (5%)
R3 470 Ohms (5%)
R4 100 kOhms (10%)
R5 470 Ohms (5%)

C1 5µF
C2 .01
C3 10µF

Q1 TF 65 R2 (?)
Q2 TF 65 R2 (?)

P1 470R LIN C8
P2 ??? (the back part is a rotary switch for the battery, so I can't see the pot value)

RnFR · Post by **RnFR** » 08 Nov 2008, 02:01

very cool. i love these strange ancient machines.

DiscoFreq · Post by **DiscoFreq** » 14 Nov 2008, 11:30

I can't edit my posts here(?), so a new one:

I moved the Thibaut page, the pedal actually says Thibaut, not Thibault as the auction said.

http://filters.muziq.be/model/thibaut/fuzz