When i started to draw layouts, i did draw something like 10 of vintage fuzzes that weren't published on this blog earlier. I build most of them and that's when i realized why they weren't posted. Most of them are pure crap. For those who are after "that 60's sound" - the ear piercing super thin fuzz (or just plain ugly IMO) could be satisfied with Shin-Ei and Maestro fuzzes covered here. There are many, but i find only a fraction of those circuits to be any use. For example, the stock version of VOX distortion booster is really not worth your while. I can only speak out my opinions, but the same applies to most Maestro and Höfner schematics out there. But in search for good little fuzz circuits to practise my layout drawing on, i found Tim Escobedo's circuit snippets. These are generally just proof of concept circuits and thus, not necessarily finished products.
This particular one just sounded good to me. It offers plain Elektra distortion-like, boring, but usable distortion with gain at zero. Fuzz rises with a turn of that knob, finally resulting in something really sick with massive made up overtones. It is basically a frequency tripler :) So i though i'd share this one too.
As a few mods, you could increase the 100n cap value at the input, as the base circuit kills a lot of low end when gain is maxed - or - when the circuit is at its best :)
A word about the circuit from Mr. Escobedo:
"This is a fuzz using a "nonselective frequency tripler", originally designed by R. Lockhart Jr. At low gains the sound can be very sweet. As the gain rises, you get a odd splatty fizz going on. And at max gain it's completely nasty. A nice, easy build."
it would be great if you post all vintage fuzz layouts you made! good to have you posting too.
ReplyDeleteNah. I don't want any unusable layouts here. I think Mark didn't do Astrotone fuzz for the same reason - until it was selling for 3K at ebay.. :)
DeleteYou can check them at:
http://mirosol.kapsi.fi/varasto/layouts/
But be forwarned. They are mostly pretty bad. :)
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Great to see you are posting too! I am addicted to this site.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I know what that's like :) Next thing you know, all your "spare" pennies are spent on components :)
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I so desperately want to hear this demonstrated.
ReplyDeleteEscobedo's MP3: http://www.jiggawoo.eclipse.co.uk/guitarhq/Circuitsnippets/tripple.mp3
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I will try this one!
ReplyDeleteHow about this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=nxK7BD79WJA#!
Is there anyway to scheme this up?
That's just a Green Russian Big Muff Pi with a knob to add mids. They have the Green Russian here http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.com/2012/06/ehx-green-russian-big-muff.html and near the end of the page, you can find the mids control mod here http://rkerkhof.ruhosting.nl/Taas/Mods/Big%20Muff.htm
DeleteBuilt one last night, i agree with Miro that this sounds at its best when the fuzz is cranked right up, as hints of zvex machine about it but is more mild mannered.
ReplyDeleteThanks
Dave
what about a vero for this one?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.jiggawoo.eclipse.co.uk/guitarhq/Circuitsnippets/pushmepullyou.gif
(Escobedo is really a genius)
Just put the Triple Fuzz on breadboard, and I have to say, it sounds amazing! I used a 2n5088 for the first tranny and a 470k instead of the 500k. Since it boost all the frequency's it works really well with an overdrive that has good EQ. I guess it won't be too had to add a tonestack to this circuit, might give that a shot.
ReplyDeleteI've just built it on vero after being away for 2 weeks. I can't remember if it sounds exactly the same though. The first 50% of the gain knob don't really do much and make the effect sound pretty quiet, is that supposed to happen? I put a SWTC behind it, could that be it?
DeleteI put a BMP tone stack in mine. Sounded good but it sure cuts the level down. So I added a switch for lifting the ground from the tone stack and it brings it back for the cleaner settings. But it sounds great with the ground restored at higher settings.
DeleteI built this version first, then swapped out the first stage with a simple MOSFET BS170 boost,capacitor coupled into the freq trip stage,,, wow! Still need to tame the high end-,,capacitor swapping. Try adjusting the gain from the 500K between the collective collectors and the bases, swap it for a pot and smallish resistor 3K3'ish and ditch the other "volume" pot. Or adding a switch, turning "off" the NPN PNP pair by lifting their ground to let the BS170 speak clear.
ReplyDeleteJust built this with the standard trannies but using a BAT 85 and a 4148 and it sounds awesome. The gain pot only works in the last 1/4 though. Any suggestions as to what i could change it to would be helpful.
ReplyDeleteTry reverse logarithmic pot.
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Thanks mirosol. I tried that and its still the same. Is it worth trying a 50k to see if it helps?
ReplyDeleteI'm looking to build this and can't tell from the diagram what the capacitor values are...the schematic shows a 220pf, a 1uf, and (2) 100nfs. This layout shows a 220pf and (3) 100nfs? Is this correct? (I'm new to this)
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