Want to build a fuzz face - Done it! Kinda... (Solder based disappointment inside)
So, from PoodlePedals, I can get a fuzz face kit and a case for 30-35 of my hard earned pounds. Seeing as I cannot afford to order from Warmoth just yet, I thought I'd keep my soldering iron hot and this instead...
Problem is, they have several. They do the Axis fuzz, which sounds great - but in reality, I don't know what the 'real' differences are! I've heard germanium ones are a bit softer and fatter sounding, but can be low output and are fussy with temperature.
Key things I want - very good volume roll off to clean it up a la Hendrix, good attack for lead tones, yet able to voice relatively complex chords without getting too glitchy (until the chord starts to die out. I love it when things start sputtering as they go from fuzzy to clean...).
Is the axis fuzz the best bet for me? Germanium? Silicon? Alternative germanium one they offer that has higher output?
http://shop.pedalparts.co.uk/Kits/cat847125_752589.aspx
They also do a fuzz gun clone. Does anyone have any experience with a fuzz gun, and in particular, how it cleans up? I expect, being gated, it probably doesn't, and sputters out. Which would work very well, too, but perhaps I'd be better off with the simpler and, most probably, more usable, fuzz face...
Many thanks!
Last edited by paultheoneyoulove; 16th February 2013 at 07:19 PM.
I took a gamble on the axis fuzz, and built it today. At the testing stage, it worked PERFECTLY first time! Never even seen a resistor before in my life. And it sounded the balls. Where has a fuzz pedal been all my life?!
So, cut all the necessary wires and started to wire in the LED and switch, and disaster struck - I ran out of solder just 3 points away from being finished! The kit was also missing a couple of washers and nuts, but really not a big deal frankly. Also realised I've wired the 9V power supply before putting it into the box, so I'll need to cut that off and pop it in the box before reconnecting it all. Oops!
Still, a nice way to spend an afternoon. The instructions are available on the website and made sense to me, so they're pretty good. There are also 2 resistors left over, maybe for the modders out there. A third left over resistor (a lower tolerance one) I've used for the voltage limiting resistor to the LED, which I hope is correct. I'll have more solder after work tomorrow, so will update!
All in all, a wonderfully simple build, and assuming it works the same as the testing stage with the switch and LED wired (by far the hardest bit of the build) it is an excellent sounding pedal.
Just twisted the last wire into place and spent twenty minutes playing it. Awesome! LED wasn't lighting though... Hmm... Not that you'd forget this noise box is on! Then the dog walked in and stepped on it, pulling the board in wire out. A bit of extra soldering required post work tomorrow. Gah... I shall be pleased when it's boxed and nothing can go wrong anymore!
Oohh, the filth factory looks fun
I know. Based on this kit, I'll be getting more. I'm used to soldering bigger things, but I think my next build will be much tidier. Pcb construction is easy anyway, just the switch that caused me trouble
Nice one and thanks for the report on the axis, may have to give one a go.
Just did my first build yesterday too, a sho clone also from pedalparts and now that works I have a tubes creamer waiting for me
Winners are not people who never fail.
Winners are people who never quit.
Yeah, it's a class act for sure. I left the LED out, couldn't work out how to wire it (I'm an idiot) and my wiring resembles a birds nest. The pots are VERY interactive with each other - and have a few dead spots (I have a feeling I cooked the transistors a bit, so this may cause problems?). However, it works PROPERLY nice. Does super creamy Hendrix fuzz, and a really stunningly responsive low gain drive just by reducing the volume. With humbuckers, it gets a super compressed tone, like a starved tubescreamer.Originally Posted by relic245
Nice one and thanks for the report on the axis, may have to give one a go.
Just did my first build yesterday too, a sho clone also from pedalparts and now that works I have a tubes creamer waiting for me
Already wondering which one to do next. I'll be much better at wiring for the next one, so I won't have the same issues.
The other thing is when plugged into the wall, I get some weird overtones. It's a bad power supply, so might be supplying a bit too much - it sounds an extra harmony tone above, which gives it a ring modulator sound. Which I've already used in a recording, so not a bad thing, really!
Needless to say, I'm 100% convinced the kit was perfect, and any issues are 100% due to my own bad soldering skillz.
Well done, sir, any idea what transistors are used in the build?
Silicon ones. Erm... 2N3906 and 2N3904. If that means anything to you... Sorry if that's useless!
I'm going to order and build another one later in the year (same pedal) so that I can have a fully operational, tidy, more reliable one. Having said that, now I've tidied up the insides a bit (still a birds nest, but it works!) it works much better, though there is still a little dead spot in the pot. I also want to try the deep blue delay, and a fuzz factory, but I really need to save my money for the guitar build.
I've had the fuzz gun clone and didnt think it was very good at all compared to demos of the original tbh.
Also have a one knob fuzz which is really great.
I find the fact that the resistors arent labelled very annoying though.
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