I just recieved a monsterpiece fuzz pedal and it has two sockets for two transistors.  The transistors that are in there give a muff-like tone.  It doesn't sound bad.  The problem is, I allready own a USA muff reissue.  I want to get something different from this pedal.  

What values or types of transistors can I try and what kinds of tones will they yeild?  I want something unique and different.  

Also, can I wire up a pot to adjust the battery power?  I am thinking that a dying battery may get some unique tones, too.  Can I just throw a 100 k pot along the positive line of the battery clip?  

thanks!

What the name of it? what transistors are in it? Try reading on the body of the Q, there should be some #'s and or letters and #'s.
 This will tell you alot.
 Next [if that doesn't work for you] stick the Q's in the DMM's PNP and NPN Hfe  sockets to determine whether they're NPN or PNP and what the gains are of the Q's.
 pot for power sag...better yet, use an LM317 voltage regulator...real cheep and easy, that way it should hold a more exact voltage supply # with a fresh or less than fresh battery, with the pot you'll have to tune to the battery's varying output to hit the magic' voltage.
 not sure about a 100k V/R to the power supply though...I think 10k?

Ok, I checked the trannies and one of them (the smaller one) says "PM" and "BC108" on the top of it.  The other one (the larger one) says "7" and "D30" on the side of it.  

The name of the pedal is Monsterpiece Fuzz and it is prototype #2.  The guy who originally made it used to frequent the HCEF forums.  He sold a few and then kind of disapeared.  

Anyhow, I know that this is the NPN type silicon fuzz.  

I guess I would like to know what transistors can I use that will give me an over the top fuzz-tone?  It doesn't need to clean up with the volume of my guitar.  Maybe I should just buy a bungh of different value transistors (germ and silicon) and just try them all out?

what do you think?

well, I'm not sure what happened exactly, but...
switch the transistors for 2n5089s, and solder a 2n7000 facing the opposite way to the leads of the 2n5089.  I think that should do it, i did that with my BMP russia reissue.  i should check what i did on that again, but yea, crazy crazy stuff.

Remember where those were, the order they came out may be important...especially if it's a Fuzz Face circuit...is it?
 Parts count may reveal a FF in the circuitry, it could have more components than the FF and still have the  FF circuit there.
 To determine if it's a fuzz face circuit, look for a feedback resistor connected at one end to one of Q2's outside lead [the emitter] , and Q1's middle lead, [it's base]/
 I like BCxxx sound. You might find something you like better, dude probaly put those in cuz of the sound of them tho.
 Add a transistor to it. Pick your poison. A buffer Will make a very noticable difference. I like a buffer on FF sometimes alot.
 Assuming it IS a Neg ground circuit, addint a booster to the front end Will kick the Fuzz up, output level etc.
 You can whip up booster PDQ, more than likely. Fetzer Valve at Runoff Groove...search for Booster Schematics.
 If you must mess with Ge, then so be it.
 The VOX Treble Booster [with slightly larger than stated incap], is a good bit more trouble/luck getting bias to hold on it...thats alot of fun!
 Start with a 2N3906 to test it [or possibly fry your precious Q, trimpot the collector resistor, if not socket a resistor or two...you got a breadboard?
 Just try Goosing the front end of it first is my recommendation.

Quote from: petemoore

 pot for power sag...better yet, use an LM317 voltage regulator...real cheep and easy, that way it should hold a more exact voltage supply # with a fresh or less than fresh battery, with the pot you'll have to tune to the battery's varying output to hit the magic' voltage.
 not sure about a 100k V/R to the power supply though...I think 10k?

Ok, I am not exactly sure what you meant.  I stupidly threw a 100 k pot in the red line of the battery clip.  Anyhow, it seemed to be working at first, in some way, but then it kind of stopped.  I unsoldered the pot from there and reconnected the red line and I seem to have lost a great deal of gain and boost.  How could this have happened?  Could a 100k pot thrown in onto the red power line mess with another part of the circuit?  Weird...

any thoughts would be appreciated.  I may make a V/r box to use with different pedals.  I don't know where I could find the proper in and out adapters, though.  I use a One-Spot power supply.

There are two words I used today, you may like them too.
 HOT Silicon [ouch! ].  I think it's Very excellent, Mine is a very high gain / low noise, ...guitar vol becomes gain knob Fuzz/OD.  Ok one more word...WOW!!!!!!!!!!

These rare, vintage transistors could put the special mojo in your floorbox.
 Big Tin Top Hat Tranny's. They are low leakage, suitable for audio and video...
 Tested in a Fuzz Face circuit, as a buffer, and a regularly biased transistor in an amplifying position, these transistors provided excellent consistancy of output level, and were easy to bias, the emitters were even marked with a tab.
 Unlike many transistors of this type, these units only require three legs. There is no fourth one.
 Aquiring units from this exact run of transistors from other sources is virtually impossible, as these have been stored in a computer monitor for well over ten years...    :shock:  ....  :lol: