Purpose of an IC or Discrete Buffer?

[gnugear]

What's the purpose of a buffer? Is it something I could insert between a fuzz and a wah to make it more useable? Am I even thinking of the right thing? :?

[aron]

Check this article out and search for buffer:

http://geofex.com/Article_Folders/wahpedl/wahped.htm

But yes, basically a buffer can be used so that you can run longer cable runs without as much tone sucking. (A simplistic answer).

[zachary vex]

i wouldn't put a buffer before a fuzz.  traditional fuzzes work best when connected directly to a passive guitar pickup.

buffers help maintain a clear-sounding signal over long or complex cable runs, such as through multiple effects.  without buffering, long cable runs eat up high-frequency material, rendering your signal rather dull-sounding.

[davebungo]

traditional fuzzes work best when connected directly to a passive guitar pickup.

Why's that then, is it because they prefer a lower level input or is there something else going on?

[zachary vex]

there's a lot going on.  traditional fuzzes have terrible input impedance.  it's very low, so when you plug in a high-impedance guitar signal all sorts of wonderfully awful things happen.  the only time to make a traditional fuzz sound clean is when you turn down your guitar volume so its output impedance is very low, as well as signal, resulting in a clean bright output from the fuzz.  if you interfere with the relationship between a guitar pickup (and subsequent volume control) and its fuzz, you'll find that the interfering device destroys all fun in the fuzz signal.

try it some time.

put a ts-808 in front of a fuzz face.  see how crappy the fuzz face sounds.  now plug your guitar directly in.  enjoy.

[MartyMart]

Z, can't we just increase the "Fuzz" pedal input impedance a little ?
Obviously there has to be some "adjustment" to the following circuit/gain
stage, but this is possible..... right ?
Or would a 1M input impedance for example, cause "awful" problems ....

Marty.

[gnugear]

So if I'm running a couple of fuzz pedals, a wah, a mojovibe, and a rangemaster, would I want a buffer at the end of the chain?

Could I use a simple eq pedal (which I have) to accomplish the same thing?

[Dai H.]

you could try a series resistance at the input of the fuzz face(germanium?) which was supposedly used by Hendrix (you also see a series resistance control on the Fulltone '69 pedal), or try an FET buffer like the FoxRox (a couple of DIY circuits are on the web).  Pick whatever works best for you. You're talking about the problems when you hook up a wah to a Fuzz Face, right?

[gnugear]

Hey Dai! That's pretty much the problem I want to address. I've heard of the Fox buffer thing ... do you know of any DIY schems?

[zachary vex]

Z, can't we just increase the "Fuzz" pedal input impedance a little ?
Obviously there has to be some "adjustment" to the following circuit/gain
stage, but this is possible..... right ?
Or would a 1M input impedance for example, cause "awful" problems ....

Marty.

you can put a series resistance in at the beginning of a fuzz but it will drop the gain level.  if you put any kind of buffer in front of a fuzz you can't turn down the guitar volume and get that sparkly clean sound you get from the lowered source impedance.

[aron]

>i wouldn't put a buffer before a fuzz. traditional fuzzes work best when connected directly to a passive guitar pickup.

Yes, of course Zachary is right.

I of course use a Shaka  :lol:

I prefer my guitar -> Shaka

[Dai H.]

Hey Dai! That's pretty much the problem I want to address. I've heard of the Fox buffer thing ... do you know of any DIY schems?

hi gnu! Here are a couple of links to check out for wah output section buffers:

http://fuzzcentral.tripod.com/mccoy.html

http://home-wrecker.com/wahmods.html

[Satch12879]

I heard a nasty rumour that Steen Skrydstrup actually solved the fuzz problem... don't ask me how, I just heard some where.

Z's right though, the volume knob of your guitar is an integral part of the fuzz circuit's operation, as R.G.'s "Technology of..." essay has shown.

[TheBigMan]

So if I'm running a couple of fuzz pedals, a wah, a mojovibe, and a rangemaster, would I want a buffer at the end of the chain?

Could I use a simple eq pedal (which I have) to accomplish the same thing?

I don't use fuzz personally, but I find that my wah (Colorsound RI) responds better first in the chain with nothing in front of it (well, there's a passive AB box as a tuner mute) so I've got my buffering pedal second in the chain.  I use a Boss CS-2 Compressor there which has a 1Mohm input impedance.  If you are using good quality cables another couple of short patch leads in addition to your guitar to board lead won't make any significant difference to your bypassed sound before the signal hits the buffer.  Using an EQ at unity gain will work as well.