acetone fuzz master fm-1

[jsp]

anyone familar with this model and how it compares to other pedals sound and circuit wise?

[Mark Hammer]

I have not seen any schematic for the Fuzz Master 1, but the FM-2 is posted here: http://members.fortunecity.com/uzzfay/fuzzmaster/fm2.html

The circuit is remarkably similar to the Univox Superfuzz, and ought to sound very much like it.

[Sir H C]

I think the 1 is like the http://members.fortunecity.com/uzzfay/fy2/fy2.html pedal at the site.  This is a 2 transistor fuzz that is really splattery and fun.  No octave effect but it sounds like it has one.

[Mark Hammer]

The Shin-Ei FY-2 is a wonderful fuzz, and is every bit a fun and splatty as you describe.  And yes, it is not meant to have any deliberate octave generation.  It is a very close relative of the Mos-Rite Fuzz-Rite.  take a look at their schems and tell me otherwise.  The principal difference between them would be the inclusion of a notch/scoop filter in the Fy-2, which is absent from the Fuzz-Rite.

Though the pictures at the linked site show plastic caps in some positions, mine is 100% ceramic caps.  That is not a *requisite*, merely an indication that being finicky about plastic caps here and ceramic there is a waste of one's time.

[Sir H C]

I love everything Shin-ei.  Have the Acetone also which led to the BeeBaa.

The best of the lot to me is the Ibanez/Bruno Standard Fuzz (and wah) which is a Super Fuzz with a FET input.

[jmusser]

These transistors look awfully familiar. I just pulled a fist full of them out of a Marantz 8 Track Player. Their part numbers starts with a "C". Most of them I've looked up, come out to the NTE equivalents of 5088s, 3904s, 3906s, 5089s, etc. This player was a great find for 5 bucks, because it was all hand soldered, and all the component leads werte left full length and their legs sleeved with some sort of orange braid. I had never seen anything like that on any equipment, and I can't even imagine what it cost to manufacture something like that today in the states! It was very impressive, but there was also so very piss poor soldering on some of the cards. It and the ancient RCA VHS player/recorder, have been a treasure trove!

[jmusser]

Mark, from looking at the physical board, and what's supposed to be the schematic for it, they look like two totally different animals! I'm seeing at least 5 transistors in there to start with, and they're only showing a two transistor schematic. The two transistor schematic looks interesting, but it sure doesn't look like it's representative of the actual Acetone circuit.

[Mark Hammer]

The Shin-Ei FY-2 is a two-transistor animal.  Sir HC suggested that the Acetone FM-1 and FM-2 were different, with the FM-1 being like the FY-2.  I don't know whether that is actually true at this point, but yes you are correct in noting that the FM-2 is a more complex circuit on the order of a Superfuzz.

[jmusser]

:oops: The schematic opens up doesn't it. :roll:

[Sir H C]

The Shin-Ei FY-2 is a two-transistor animal.  Sir HC suggested that the Acetone FM-1 and FM-2 were different, with the FM-1 being like the FY-2.  I don't know whether that is actually true at this point, but yes you are correct in noting that the FM-2 is a more complex circuit on the order of a Superfuzz.

I think I saw an FM-1 on e-bay and it had the cheese wedge shape of the FY-2, I could be wrong here though.  There was also an FM-3 that looks like hte FM-2.

[mongo]

what kind of diodes are used on the Fuzzmaster II???

 it's not marked on the schem!

Andy

[Sir H C]

Here is the later FM-3

http://tix.gozaru.jp/otherstompbox/fm-3.html

It is different than the FM-2.  I have a catalog picture of one of these somewhere, I forget if it says 1,2 or 3 after the FM.

[Dan N]

Mongo, the diodes were unmarked. Look like generic silicon 914's or 4141's.

Sir HC, that FM-3 looks awsome! Wonder what the fuzz part is?

From crappy pictures of the FM-1 guts, it looks like it may be a wedge version of the round "Funny Face"'s of the era. Acetone did make a round Fuzzmaster.

I remember when I first got my FM-2 I did a web search and found a Japanese site where a guy listed his equipment and told little stories about his stuff. About his FM-2, he mentioned using it in the music room at his school during band practise. The translation was far from precise, but I'm pretty sure his teacher disapproved and beat him with a bamboo cane.

Good times, good times.

[jsp]

I had a funny face which i traded. It's mini fuzz face that's black (i've seen green ones).  I think some are called crazy face or crazy tone.  the sound is thin octave fuzz with low volume output.  I'd assumed it's the same circuit as the shinei fy-2 cuz of the sound, the low output, and the circuit board looked similar (though i don't recall specifics).  Is this correct? is the funny face the same as the fy-2?

[brian wenz]

Hello Hello--
     I just threw together an Acetone as per the Uzzfay schematic.   I think I'm going to like it......seems to sound different then I thought it would.  I expected it to have some of the qualities of the Kay Fuzz but it's different......doesn't have the "high harmonic-almost octave overtones".
 How much difference is there in the Super Fuzz circuit??  [By the way, I used BC 182 [hfe approx. 250] trannys.
Brian.