Pearly Gator
01-07-2006, 04:09 PM
Here's a DIY fuzz box. The circuit is simple and the parts are easy to obtain.
The classic Fuzz Face circuit is popular to build but is not easy to balance for a decent sound. Many people have come up with mods for the FF but these make it more complex. The beginner builder can get Mr. Good Fuzz up and running in short order.
The circuit consists of 2 transistors, 6 resistors, 2 pots and 3 capacitors. I built it on a piece of perf board and mounted it in a rectangular steel box. The only thing to note about the circuit is that as the Fuzz Control is lowered, the .001uF cap loads the output, rolling off highs like a tone control. As the Fuzz is turned up, it brightens up. You can dial in a lot of sounds with that setup.
Mr. Good Fuzz is not like an overdrive or a distortion box but it does have some sustain. The guitar's natural tone does come through enough so as to not be totally lost. The sound reminds me of Robby Krieger's tone on the first Doors album. Think "Break On Through." Have fun and give me some feedback if you build one.
Gary
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/pearlygator/Schematics/mrgoodfuzzschem.gif
The classic Fuzz Face circuit is popular to build but is not easy to balance for a decent sound. Many people have come up with mods for the FF but these make it more complex. The beginner builder can get Mr. Good Fuzz up and running in short order.
The circuit consists of 2 transistors, 6 resistors, 2 pots and 3 capacitors. I built it on a piece of perf board and mounted it in a rectangular steel box. The only thing to note about the circuit is that as the Fuzz Control is lowered, the .001uF cap loads the output, rolling off highs like a tone control. As the Fuzz is turned up, it brightens up. You can dial in a lot of sounds with that setup.
Mr. Good Fuzz is not like an overdrive or a distortion box but it does have some sustain. The guitar's natural tone does come through enough so as to not be totally lost. The sound reminds me of Robby Krieger's tone on the first Doors album. Think "Break On Through." Have fun and give me some feedback if you build one.
Gary
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/pearlygator/Schematics/mrgoodfuzzschem.gif