The Fur Face

[smallbearelec]

http://www.smallbearelec.com/Projects/FurFace/FurFace.htm

I had a good time doing this follow-up to my breadboarding tutorial, because I got to think about the whole process of going from a raw concept to a finished design. The result is fairly easy to build, very inexpensive, and far better-sounding than boxes that just use super-high gain devices so that they can be cranked out without human attention.

SD

[Bad Chizzle]

Wow, great job on this! I just built a Fuzz Face from scratch and learned some of the in and outs as I went. I also got some very useful help from some people on this forum. I have ordered stuff from you in the past and have always been very happy with your parts and service. Thanks for being there for everybody and keep up the good work. Oh yeah, I've been thinking about building some of your simple one transistor circuits for the fun of it, and to see how good I can get them to sound. At this point in my life I'm capable of complex builds and have a very good success rate, but I still find the simple stuff to be fun and rewarding. If you were going to recommend one of the your one transistor circuits, which would you tell me to go with?

Thanks again for everything,

Chuk

[soggybag]

I like the battery box.

[jkokura]

Steve's awesome.

Jacob

[lazerphea]

A great article I'll carefully read for sure! Thanks a lot Steve!!

[Gus]

I think there is a schematic drawing mistake the top of D2 and R12 does not go to +9VDC as drawn(8-2-20101) but to C5 and the tone control network.  Why do you have D2?

Also it looks like the output would be on the low side from the loading of the tone and volume network.

Any reason C5 does not go to Q2s collector or the use of a different set of resistors in Q2s collector leg >330 for R2 and and adjusting R6 value?

[smallbearelec]

I think there is a schematic drawing mistake the top of D2 and R12 does not go to +9VDC as drawn(8-2-20101) but to C5 and the tone control network.

Thanks for picking this up. I have fixed it. Layout is correct AFAIK.

Why do you have D2?

I picked up a wiring error with this, have corrected. The zener maintains brightness of the LED as the battery ages.

Also it looks like the output would be on the low side from the loading of the tone and volume network.

My amp is LOUD. Others might want to take your suggestion and adjust the resistor values in the voltage divider.

[stringsthings]

http://www.smallbearelec.com/Projects/FurFace/FurFace.htm

I had a good time doing this follow-up to my breadboarding tutorial, because I got to think about the whole process of going from a raw concept to a finished design. The result is fairly easy to build, very inexpensive, and far better-sounding than boxes that just use super-high gain devices so that they can be cranked out without human attention.

SD

thanks for posting this.  IMO, tutorials like this are worth their weight in gold.

... and personally, i especially like the "bear" references  

[Top Top]

I like the battery box.

I think I now have appropriate motivation to buy a dremel.

[Brymus]

I think this is some of your best work Steve 
I also think this is one of the best tuts for building a pedal I have ever seen,again excellent 
I have yet to see anywhere a complete -beginning to end- walk through of building a complete pedal, detailed with such care.
I also like the fact that this follows the breadboard tutorial.
You have outlined the correct way to approach DIY pedal building,from learning and breadboarding to finishing the enclosure.
In fact the end result from your walk through is beyond what I or most others have accomplished in a first build.
I wish you had this a couple of years ago when I started my DIY addiction.
I think the two should be stickied for beginners and newcomers to the forum.
I agree also that RG's book is a great resource for readying oneself for more complex PCBs.
This could save countless repeat posts. (we all do it,or have done it)

PS >The battery compartment is sweet,what a nice finishing touch !!

PSS I hope you eventually link them all together the breadboarding,etching,enclosure building ,decal applying tuts into one contigous tut seperated into sections.
A great resource.

[smallbearelec]

This year, as the business has become more stable and I have been able to delegate more day-to-day, I've had more time to do the fun stuff.

--The kit for the Fur Face will be out in a couple of weeks
--I have an IC-based distortion breadboarding piece almost ready
--The Small Wart design that I showed a few weeks ago will be available
--I will do a "Tools and Techniques" article to encourage purchases of tools and accessories.

I hope to get most of this done this year and then think about some more complex designs...maybe breadboarding some of the elements of a chorus or delay.

Regards
SD

[Mike Burgundy]

Nice, Steve!
And great to hear business is doing well, even better to hear you have room for the fun stuff!

[guitarify]

I just went through the Fur Face breadboard tutorial and had a blast! I really learned a lot. Thanks for making this.
A few questions.

Could someone more clearly explain how to do what Gus is suggesting:

Also it looks like the output would be on the low side from the loading of the tone and volume network.
Any reason C5 does not go to Q2s collector or the use of a different set of resistors in Q2s collector leg >330 for R2 and and adjusting R6 value?

Also, I tried adding the diode clipping loop, and liked the sound, but there is a huge loss of volume when engaged no matter where I insert it.