$3 Fuzz, Anderton, Popular Electronics 1967

[PRR]

Craig Anderton published an article "$3 Fuzz" in Popular Electronics, January 1967.

($3 was 10 gallons of gasoline in 1967.)

It is novel in that it goes between amplifier and speaker, not in the guitar cord.

Many readers suggested improvements, coming up with something like this:



(I modded the switch to use a SPDT; you may use extra contacts on a DPDT or 3PDT to work an LED.)

For powers over about 5 Watts the diode needs to be beefier than a 1N400x type. A 50 Watt amplifier calls for a >50V 3 Amp diode rarely found in small electronics (and their shops). You could use the Collector-Base junction of a 2N3055 (ignore the Base lead, wire the other two legs either which way).

The 50 Ohms (could be 100 Ohm) pot has to handle big power. PartsExpress (and others) sell an "L-pad" for about $4 which seems to be the cheapest suitable part. (Yeah, now it's not a "$3 Fuzz", but it aint 1967 no more either.)

I have real doubts about the 0.05u cap. It is not enough to tame the tone. It is enough to bother some amplifiers. Any attempt to reduce the zzzing on transistor amps is dangerous. I would leave it out.

[alanp]

Would there be any danger of doing evil, evil things to your output transformer with this scheme?

[PRR]

{Many posts lost in forum crash. Plan above may be bad for your amp.}

Build Fuzz-Box for Electric Guitar
Popular Electronics
February, 1968
BY Anthony Leo
original article published in ELECTRONICS Australia, August, 1967

"PRACTICALLY every electric guitarist -- who plays music in the modern-day idiom -- has some use for fuzz-tone."
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A 2-transistor +9V fuzz with some odd details. In the guitar-cord, not a speaker-wrecker like the older plan I posted. Not tried, not analyzed. Transistor choise is *probably* un-critical.... Silicon NPN, probably higher-gain, 100-up. All resistors sure can be 1/4W or 1/8W (1/2W was cheaper in 1968 so was the default).
__________________________________

Fuzz-PE-1968.pdf
https://pdf.yt/d/TlA0fnrOMBucja54  --with out-of-tune correction page 5

[R.G.]

Puts a net DC level on the speaker, which could hurt some speakers at higher powers.

[PRR]

> Puts a net DC level on the speaker

I believe this is directed at the plan in post #1, which I agree is bad mojo.

Today I have posted a less-strange plan, which goes in the cord before the amplifier (like all modern fuzzes).

The (corrected) plan:


The published waveforms do not even look very asymmetric (DC level shift).

It still seems odd to me. "Normal" seems starved. "Fuzz Control" switch seems to shut the whole thing off, even in "Normal". (Maybe it should be called "Power"?)

[tca]

Have to try that!

Cheers.

[Tony Forestiere]

"Fuzz Control" switch seems to shut the whole thing off, even in "Normal". (Maybe it should be called "Power"?)

Probably a pot-mounted SPST on R6 for turning off the battery.

*edit* Now looking at it again... What? The battery is in the wrong place. Does this look right? Strange switching. Possibly wrong?

It still seems odd to me. "Normal" seems starved.

[tca]

Tried the  "$3 Fuzz' on my 1/2W class A amp... works like a charm.

Used a 100 Ohm pot (10W) and removed the C1 capacitor (could not ear much difference with it or without it).

[Kipper4]

Let me see if I understand you correctly TCA.
You put a 100ohm 10w pot in the place of the "power" switch and omitted the 270nf input cap?

[Mark Hammer]

But does it sound any different or better than a "Black Ice" schottky pair inside the guitar? 

[tca]

This:

[PRR]

> You put a 100ohm 10w pot in the place of the "power"

The $3 Fuzz is in the FIRST post. Totally passive.

Later I noted "The 50 Ohms (could be 100 Ohm) pot has to handle big power."

You must be looking at Post #4, with battery and transistors. Actually very different.

[Ruptor]

If the diode is half wave rectifying the signal is that fuzz? The same thing would happen if you stick the resistor and pot in the guitar output wouldn't it. Perhaps it would be the same if a diode and switch to turn it off were used across a guitar volume pot.

[PRR]

> If the diode is half wave rectifying the signal is that fuzz?

For large signals, the sound is very messed-up. "Fuzz"? Depends what kinda fuzz you want.

> The same thing would happen if you stick the resistor and pot in the guitar output wouldn't it.

For an ideal diode, yes. A real Silicon diode won't conduct to over 0.5V. Guitar rarely beats 0.5V. So it would be "gated". In reply #9, Mark suggests lower-V diodes as used in some brand-name product.

[tca]

> For large signals, the sound is very messed-up. "Fuzz"? Depends what kinda fuzz you want.

The parallel 100Ohm pot helps  to tame that.