First builds in over 6 months-8updiet fuzz(mac) & Percolater

[idiot savant]

Well it's been a really crazy couple months. I moved halfway across the country, bought my first home. changed jobs etc... Soooooooo I haven't had much time for DIYstomp lately.

Even though I don't have most of my supplies out here in portland yet, I decided I needed a couple new fuzzes to play with. Luckily there is a (really expensive) electronic store near me called Norvac Electronics. I happened upon them not too long ago, picked up some resistors, caps and to my surprise they had a couple germanium PNP transistors sitting in thier junk bin. I picked em up, and they turned out to be old Motorola 2n651's which I had never heard of. I figured I might as well put them to use, so first up I made myself a neat little circuit by Mac here on the forums called the 8-up diet fuzz. It is essentally a bazz fuss type disto/fuzz, I ended up trying a couple 2n3904's, and 2n2222's, but the MPSA13 really did it for me in the Q1 spot. Q2 uses a PNP transistor. I tried a few 2n3906's.....hmmmmmm, 2n2907....blahhhhh, but I popped in a 2n651 germ, and pow! Really nice thick bazz fuss type sound, but more defined, less mess. Really like this one alot. lotsa sounds just swapping out trannys.

Next up, the infamous Harmonic Percolater....

Now, there are at least 4 or 5 different schematics on the web for this one. After reading all the threads, watching the neato Steve Albini comparison videos on youtube, I decided to go with George Giblets(sp?) version which is very close to Alf Hermidas ver.2 schematic. I added the diode on the input end as well and liked the sound of it. I gotta say that This version is the closest to the original sound as far as I could tell from watching the afforementioned Albini vids. I used the other 2n651 germ I had for the PNP and used a 2n3565 for the NPN. This thing WAILS!!!!! It has the cool controllable feedback thing going on with the controls maxed. It really adds a neat grindy snarl to the sound whilst still remaining somewhat articulate string to string.

I did have to sub two 25k pots instead of the 50k and 100k, so after a swap it might add a bit more to the sound. My build seemed alot gainy-er than most of the clips of other people's builds, and there's plenty of volume and gain on tap as is.

Cant wait to try them out with the band on Saturday.

anywho....I wont bother posting the schematics I used, as the "Search" function should bring them up for anyone who wants to see 'em.

BIG BIG thanks to Mac for his wonderful fuzz, and all of the percolater "speculators" who have managed to make the Perc available to Diy'ers, especially MR. Giblet, who took the time to draw out a very nice schemo with notes for it.


a couple pics:




the enclosures are just RACO junction boxes. I punched out a few ot the perforated holes for the switches and jacks, and then used big ol fat washers to hold them in. the only holes i even had to drill were for the pots.

Thanks for lettin' me ramble on.....

-Morgan

[rockgardenlove]

Lookin' good!

We've got a Norvac here in Portland...crazy prices indeed.
Where are you?  Portland (well, Beaverton), Eugene, Salem?

[petemoore]

  Big 'ol fat washers look cool on there, should keep the pedal clean.
  I don't like when punchouts punchout, especially after epoxying them, slick fix.
  It looks like you're getting them the size of the jacks then drilling a little to 1/2''  make the switch fit, that'll hold, they're really 'punch-ins'.

[Dan N]

Welcome to California's Canada! Or, are we Washington's Mexico?

[idiot savant]

thanks everyone. I've been here in Aloha(between beaverton and hillsboro) for about 6 months, love the left coast so far.

[mac]

BIG BIG thanks to Mac for his wonderful fuzz

Glad to hear you like it! Thanks.

mac

[rnfr]

did a search- nowhere do i see this 8-up diet fuzz.  a little help?

[mac]

did a search- nowhere do i see this 8-up diet fuzz.  a little help?

mac