Fuzz Face output cap value

[B9 Robot]

What is the stock value for the output capacitor for a Fuzz Face. I have looked at several schematics on the web and I have seen both .1mf and .01mf. Which one is correct?

Thank you.

[Triffid]

I have been told that the original is 0.01.... That is also what is in my '69, so I assume Mike Fuller feels this way as well

[Ammscray]

What is the stock value for the output capacitor for a Fuzz Face. I have looked at several schematics on the web and I have seen both .1mf and .01mf. Which one is correct?

Thank you.

Original grey Arbiters (germanium version) came with .1
Dallas Arbiters (silicon versions) came with several, .01, .033, .047
It doesn't matter you won't hear much difference...the important thing is to use good trannys and bias them right

[Jason D]

From what I hear it does matter. I may be wrong. But, I put a spdt switch wired with the .01 on one side and a .1 on the other. The .1 seems to allow more bass freq through, while the .01 has less low end freq.

[Ammscray]

From what I hear it does matter. I may be wrong. But, I put a spdt switch wired with the .01 on one side and a .1 on the other. The .1 seems to allow more bass freq through, while the .01 has less low end freq.

Very negligible at best, and that's close listening in bedroom tests (with the .01 and the .1, the others definitely no difference between them)

 onstage or on a recording, you wouldn't hear it...and that's where it counts...and of course it also depends on the tolerance of the caps you've got...how far off or close they are...some are WAY off...

 In my experience the output cap makes far less difference in a FF than it does in some other pedals...try shorting that cap out all together and give it a listen, you might be surprised

But you know the old saying: if you hear a difference, then there is one

[Skreddy]

I used to use a 10uf tantalum output cap on my FF clone.  It allowed a TON of bass through, obviously; but more importantly, it imparted a cleaner tone to the overall circuit.

I was at the electronics store a few weeks ago and saw some really cool looking .047 caps and picked up a few just to try out.  BAM!  The fuzz tone on my FF clone is now through the roof, and it has this marvelous MID-boost sound to it.  Very Marshally now, where before it was rather Fendery.  Of course, there's no more of that subsonic thump, but that's an easy trade for the aggressiveness it gained.

So... COMPROMISE!!  Use a .047!    :!:

[B9 Robot]

Thank you all for the information. Which version of the Fuzz Face is your favorite? I have always heard good things about the germanium versions, but I have listened to a few sound clips of various versions on the internet and I almost think that I prefer the sound of the silicon versions. However, I once owned one of those Dunlop Jimi Hendrix versions which was silicon and it sounded terrible compared to my friends Germanium Charged Vox Tone Bender. His Tone Bender was not a vintage one but one that was made in the middle '90's and came in a rather plain looking black box with white lettering. I don't know what kind of reputation these have but the one he has sounds particularly sweet and it does have germanium transistors in it. Maybe he just got one of the sweet ones. I have offered to buy it off of him on several occasions but he wont budge  :cry:

Thanks again!

Todd

[Ammscray]

Thank you all for the information. Which version of the Fuzz Face is your favorite? I have always heard good things about the germanium versions, but I have listened to a few sound clips of various versions on the internet and I almost think that I prefer the sound of the silicon versions. However, I once owned one of those Dunlop Jimi Hendrix versions which was silicon and it sounded terrible compared to my friends Germanium Charged Vox Tone Bender. His Tone Bender was not a vintage one but one that was made in the middle '90's and came in a rather plain looking black box with white lettering. I don't know what kind of reputation these have but the one he has sounds particularly sweet and it does have germanium transistors in it. Maybe he just got one of the sweet ones. I have offered to buy it off of him on several occasions but he wont budge  :cry:

Thanks again!


Todd

The dunlop re-issue TB's aren't really that good...if you liked it, you're in luck: get yourself some good germaniums and follow the stock circuit, you can easily make a clone that will sound better than the dunlop, by far...

My fav FF is the red silicon version from 1969 that used the TeleFunKen BC108C's in it...I have a red one and blue one and I've made many, many clones of them over the years...the early germanium versions were always too muddy and bassy for my tastes...I prefer germaniums in the Color/Solasound TB's though...

Another GREAT silicon circuit is the RM axis fuzz...his only good-sounding pedal IMO (sorry)

[brett]

I agree that the BC108/109 FFs can be very sweet.  The mudiness of the Ge FFs can be attributed to the low bandwidth product of those transistors.  Especially the ones with high gain don't get much past a few kHz.  I used the NPN AC127s for a while, but their benefits in terms of high gain and low leakage were more than lost in terms of poor top-end frequency response.

Another GREAT silicon circuit is the RM axis fuzz

Funny, but I've fiddled with that circuit and never been very happy with it.  In my experience a good Si FF or a Miss Piggy always comes out best.

cheers

[Ammscray]

I agree that the BC108/109 FFs can be very sweet.  The mudiness of the Ge FFs can be attributed to the low bandwidth product of those transistors.  Especially the ones with high gain don't get much past a few kHz.  I used the NPN AC127s for a while, but their benefits in terms of high gain and low leakage were more than lost in terms of poor top-end frequency response.

Another GREAT silicon circuit is the RM axis fuzz

Funny, but I've fiddled with that circuit and never been very happy with it.  In my experience a good Si FF or a Miss Piggy always comes out best.

cheers

As has been discussed here previously, the axis is a pedal you need to really crank loud with a Marshall...it won't do so well with anything else and doesn't sound good at low bedroom volumes...when I plug my flying V with the axis into my 1971 marshall halfstack, it nails Isle of Wight perfectly...makes me pretty happy

[Boofhead]

Across the board I'd say 10n is the most common.

[Manolo Dudes]

Tried both values.  I like .1uF the most.