Solid State Guitar Amp Forum | DIY Guitar Amplifiers

Solid State Amplifiers => Preamps and Effects => Topic started by: mattyl13 on September 27, 2006, 09:28:12 AM

Title: fuzz face
Post by: mattyl13 on September 27, 2006, 09:28:12 AM
Hey all,
I recently tried to build a 60's ish fuzz and I have no idea why it isnt working.  It worked for like a second and thn did nothing.  Now when i flip it on the LED will blink and then nothning happens.  Anyone got any ideas.
Matt
Title: Re: fuzz face
Post by: joecool85 on September 27, 2006, 12:10:59 PM
Have you double checked your battery is good?  Also, does your battery get hot?  It might be a short.  If you can take pics of your board, we can look at it and give you some more ideas.

Also, one of the biggest mistakes with a fuzzface is putting your transistors in wrong.  Or using NPN trannies instead of PNP. 
Title: Re: fuzz face
Post by: mattyl13 on September 29, 2006, 10:10:06 PM
I cant get a picture to attach for some reason, but I will keep trying.  As far as the battery, it does not get hot.
Title: Re: fuzz face
Post by: joecool85 on September 30, 2006, 07:55:14 AM
Try hosting your pic at photobucket.com or somewhere similar.
Title: Re: fuzz face
Post by: joecool85 on October 17, 2006, 09:02:16 AM
(http://cordova.asap.um.maine.edu/~raymondj/imagehost/m_lafond1.jpg)
Title: Re: fuzz face
Post by: joecool85 on October 17, 2006, 09:06:48 AM
Just noticed that looks like a lot of pots to me.  I would try substituting some of them for different value resistors, or even better, go off a proven schematic like this one:

(http://www.montagar.com/~patj/fuzzface.gif)

That's the one I used, it has two knobs and works well.
Title: Re: fuzz face
Post by: mattyl13 on October 17, 2006, 12:27:22 PM
There are a bunch of pots on there, but I was following a schematic from guitar gadgets.  I belive it was the "late 60s fuzz".  Im pretty sure it is similar to the fulltone 69 fuzz.  So i think the schematic is fairly well established and works properly.  Im just not sure is wrong with mine specifically.
Title: Re: fuzz face
Post by: joecool85 on October 17, 2006, 01:06:36 PM
Well, with that many pots, there is a good chance of one or more of them not being in the "right" position so it wouldn't work.  I would play with those first.  Also, make sure you are plugging your guitar into the right jack, when you have it backwards sometimes pedals will do what you are describing.
Title: Re: fuzz face
Post by: mattyl13 on October 17, 2006, 01:50:04 PM
im pretty sure all the pots are in the right position.  i just tried plugging in the guitar in both jacks, and it actuallt does the same hting on both sides.  im not sure what that means but maybe you guys would have a better idea.  also, when i said that when I turn on the pedal and the light blinks, i meant that it only blinks once.  im not sure if that changes anything.
Title: Re: fuzz face
Post by: joecool85 on October 17, 2006, 03:05:06 PM
What LED is this?  I see you have a 3PDT switch, is this the "effect on" LED?  If so, it seems maybe you have your switch wiring improperly.
Title: Re: fuzz face
Post by: mattyl13 on October 17, 2006, 04:02:02 PM
im not quite sure what you mean
Title: Re: fuzz face
Post by: joecool85 on October 17, 2006, 10:12:26 PM
What I mean is, as far as I can tell there is no LED in the schematic.  So where is it located?  Is it just connected to the stomp switch so that it lights when the effect is "on" and is off when the effect is bypassed?  Wiring the switch can be confusing.  If you can't get it right the first time, take out the switch and see if you can get the circuit working properly, then worry about adding in the stomp switch.