I'M-A-GOTTA-DA-FUZZ RITE

[brian wenz]

Hello Hello--
   Okay, I just finished building a quick perfboard Fuzz Rite .  I used 2N3906 [PNP] trannys 'cuz they were the lowest gain silicons I had laying around.  Changes to the circuit are:  47K off of each collector  instead of 470K  and a 250K fuzz control and 100K volume control.  Everything else is stock value.
Wotta fire-breather!  Real nasty fuzz.  I'm sure the originals are lower-gain and a little smoother, but this thing cuts through real well.  I also put some 22K in place of the 47Ks to see what  the differences in collector voltage would be [raised both up to 2.5v from around 1.6v].  Not sure which I like better just yet [maybe I'll try going down to 10K like Gus's Rite Fuzz........]
Brian.

[B Tremblay]

Did you use the cap values as found on this schematic:
http://www.montagar.com/~patj/mfuzrite.gif

[donald stringer]

The 3906, are those the radio shack type pnp and if you would please tell me the no.  off the trans. ...

[brian wenz]

hello Hello--
    B.-- Yeah, all the same values except for the changes I noted.  Have you built one using the 470K on the collectors??
     Donald-- No, I didn't use the Radio Shack trannys but they would work o.k.   I think it would just sound a little different.....
The number on the trannys is 2N3906  [no other numbers or letters.]
If you have any 2N3904 [NPN] trannys they would work just as well.
Actually, try whatever you have laying around and let me know how it works!   I'd be interested to know how higher-gain trannys sound.
B.

[petemoore]

I tried that thing a couple times sometime ago, and never got aything out of it.
 The ckt setup just looked so unique. I was intrigued, then baffled and couldn't do anything 'rite'.

[brian wenz]

Hello Pete--
  Try lowering those 470K on the collectors of both trannys to 47K [or lower} and   see what happens!
B.

[aron]

Cool! Thanks for the info.

[B Tremblay]

I perfboarded the Fuzzrite a long time ago, along with Gus' Ritefuzz, but scrapped both.  At that time, I had yet to develop the appreciation for the nastier one-trick ponies.  I can't remember if I used the 470k collector resistors.  I'm guessing that I did, since that schematic seems familar.

Well, I just breadboarded the Fuzzrite (with the Brian Wenz values), and it is not subtle by any means.  I used a couple 2N3053 that I had acquired for the AMZ YAFF; they're around 150 hFE.

There is a distinct octave that appears as the notes decay.  As usual, the octave really comes out with the standard "neck pickup on, tone at minimum, play above 12th fret" setup.  Lower Fuzz settings are much quieter, requiring a Volume adjustment.  The 100k Fuzz pot as used in Gus' Ritefuzz may be a better choice.  I plan to try out the Ritefuzz (again!) to see what those values will do.

In the meantime, I'll keep playing the riff from "Psychotic Reaction" and stomping my foot...

[brian wenz]

Hello Hello--
  Yeah, the 3053!!  That's a pretty "dark" sounding tranny with some grainey mids.  I wonder how much it added to the octave effect??
Was your circuit pretty quiet or noisey? [I've had those trannys be a little noisey before.......]
I think the Fuzz Rite with the .002 caps works better for playing loud with a band then using  Gus's  .1's.   [A little more clarity and less "bass heavy".]
So far I've been too lazy to put those 470K in there and see how everything works........I have a feeling  [and so do a few others I know] that those 470K 's are NOT the correct values for the circuit [maybe 47K or even 4.7K.]
 Absolutely a one-trick pedal......one nasty, gritty FUZZ  [on-off switch is a must!]
B.

[B Tremblay]

Yeah, the 3053 didn't sound as good to my ears as the low gain 2N2222A metal cans I tried first.  I do think that the 47k collector resistors and .002 output caps sound the best.

Overall, the circuit was pretty quiet.

[doug deeper]

hey b....
does that setup sound like a "2000 pound bumble bee"?
cause i think we can all use a little of that...
:]
doug deeper
mid-fi electronics

[idlefaction]

okay, now you guys have made me realise that there's room for one more pedal on the board...  

[brian wenz]

Hello
hello--
  B.T.-- I have to get some of those metal-can 2222's.   Anybody around here have any for sale??
I keep wanting to REALLY LIKE the 3053's......there's gotta be a circuit that sounds great with 'em!
  Doug-- I don't know which "B" you are referring to, but for my two cents worth the Fuzz Rite circuit can sound like a 6000 lb wasp.........depending on the guitar and amp being used.
 Idlefaction-- Yeah, always room for a Fuzz Rite!  [It's such a small circuit that you can fit it into a really compact pedal, too.]
Brian.

[brian wenz]

HEY B.T.---
Do you thinks this warrants some experimentation and write-ups over at Runoff??
Brian.

[B Tremblay]

Not to be a wet blanket, but I've already pulled the Fuzz-Rite off the breadboard.  I just wanted to refresh my memory of the sound.  I doubt I could discover much more among the original, your mods to it, and Gus' Ritefuzz.

For those of you looking for that buzzy sound, but with more versatility attached to it, check out the three-knob Tonebender.  When its Fuzz and Tone are at their respective maximums, the sound is in the same neighborhood as the Fuzzrite.

[drew]

I've just assembled a mutant fuzz-rite. Here are the details:

1. Switchable Ge/Si transistors for each gain stage (B/E switched via DPDT, C tied together)
2. 470k on collector
3. TIS93 silicon, AC151 germanium transistors (both PNP)
4. 100k trim pot between B & E of AC151, to fix bias

It sounds good to me... much higher gain in silicon land... and the tone control is interesting since it fades between a lower and higher gain stage.

I'm going to try this with a "good" amp and guitar later tonight to see what I really think of it.


drew
toothpastefordinner.com

[nightingale]

thanks brian~
i'm gonna breadboard it tonight! i'll let you know how it goes...
best,
ryanS