1st Fuzz

jamieb · Post by **jamieb** » Thu May 14, 2009 3:23 pm

Hello Shortscale,

Anyone played about with one of these?

I'm considering buying one to see if it owns my Fuzz Face. I suspect it may.

Post by **Mike** » Thu May 14, 2009 3:25 pm

hahah.. you want this because the Arctic Monkeys use it, you big FANBOI. It IS a Fuzz Face.

jamieb · Post by **jamieb** » Thu May 14, 2009 3:34 pm

Hmm, I'm not entirely sure that a bit-of-kit-id-not-heard-of-before-coming-to-light qualifies as fan-boyism but hey, such is are the treacherous waters of the boards.

I appreciate it is a Fuzz Face hence "I want to see if it owns my Fuzz Face". I've never been blown away by it and thought this would be as near to the original as could be.

Thank you for so inadequately answering my question though!

Post by **Mike** » Thu May 14, 2009 3:39 pm

It's just quite amusing, seeing as you often post about them and have posted pedalboard shots. Why do you want it, seeing as you already have a Fuzz Face? It seems like spending money for the sake of it.

And a lot of it at Â£117.14.

I haven't got one (I build Fuzzfaces all the time though), but I have heard one. It's just a Fuzz Face.

This is inside it:

I have seen the schematic and it will have more bassy response I imagine than yours and a smidge more gain.

jamieb · Post by **jamieb** » Thu May 14, 2009 3:51 pm

Mike wrote:It's just quite amusing, seeing as you often post about them and have posted pedalboard shots. Why do you want it, seeing as you already have a Fuzz Face? It seems like spending money for the sake of it.

And a lot of it at Â£117.14.

I haven't got one (I build Fuzzfaces all the time though), but I have heard one. It's just a Fuzz Face.

Hmm, I think you're confusing me with someone else or reading too much into a question or um something.

As stated previously, I've always found the Fuzz Face (I own the JHF-1, not the Cornell Fuzz Face) a bit 'meh' which is why i don't use it anymore. If there was a chorus of "OMG THE 1st FUZZ IS LIKE THE FUZZ FACE BUT SOUNDS FATTER/BETTER/MORE AWESOME" I'd consider throwing the Fuzz Face away (not literally) and replacing it with said Cornell. Simple as that, really.

EDIT: Oops just seen the pic you posted of its innards; thanks!

Post by **Mike** » Thu May 14, 2009 3:58 pm

Aha. You have the Jimi Hendrix one? This is a completely different beast.

The JHF-1 is an NPN Silicon Fuzz Face, it's not a "real" PNP Germanium Fuzz Face (I only build this type). The PNP Ge's have drawbacks as they can only be run on batteries and can't be daisychained because they're postive ground, but they do sound better, a lot more full, warm and smooth. NPN Si Fuzzes are more aggressive and biting.

jamieb · Post by **jamieb** » Thu May 14, 2009 4:06 pm

Mike wrote:Aha. You have the Jimi Hendrix one? This is a completely different beast.

The JHF-1 is an NPN Silicon Fuzz Face, it's not a "real" PNP Germanium Fuzz Face (I only build this type). The PNP Ge's have drawbacks as they can only be run on batteries and can't be daisychained because they're postive ground, but they do sound better, a lot more full, warm and smooth. NPN Si Fuzzes are more aggressive and biting.

Yeah I spectacularly failed to make that clear, oops.

Well that's interesting as my Hendrix Fuzz Face only runs on batteries, but maybe that's more an anal 'vintage' design feature than anything else, based upon your explanation. Where does the Fuzz Factory fit in to all this then, in terms of its design, as that's a germ fuzz but can be run off a DC adapter. I have one of these also and it receives much love, but does sap a lot of LF.

Post by **Mike** » Thu May 14, 2009 4:11 pm

jamieb wrote:
Mike wrote:Aha. You have the Jimi Hendrix one? This is a completely different beast.

The JHF-1 is an NPN Silicon Fuzz Face, it's not a "real" PNP Germanium Fuzz Face (I only build this type). The PNP Ge's have drawbacks as they can only be run on batteries and can't be daisychained because they're postive ground, but they do sound better, a lot more full, warm and smooth. NPN Si Fuzzes are more aggressive and biting.
Yeah I spectacularly failed to make that clear, oops.

Well that's interesting as my Hendrix Fuzz Face only runs on batteries, but maybe that's more an anal 'vintage' design feature than anything else, based upon your explanation. Where does the Fuzz Factory fit in to all this then, in terms of its design, as that's a germ fuzz but can be run off a DC adapter. I have one of these also and it receives much love, but does sap a lot of LF.

Your Fuzz Face doesn't have an adaptor because Dunlop are twats. It's negative ground and could totally be daisy chained.

The FuzzFactory is a rejigged FuzzFace with a bass fuzz/booster stage stuck in front, plus with a couple of resistors replaced by pots. It can be daisy chained because the Fuzz Face part (which still uses pnp Germaniums) has been converted to negative ground - you can do this by flipping the power rails and reversing all electrolytic capacitors. Does it sound the same? Purists will tell you nope.

The Fuzz Factory is bass light indeed, it's a trebly fuzz, it's due to a combination of things, and mostly because the design is a bit of a HACK.

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Thu May 14, 2009 4:21 pm

A lot of them Dunlops dont use matched transistors which is why they sound shite.
Dont know much about Cornell, but Fulltone are pretty decent. I think the Roger Mayer stuff is overrated and overpriced. If you want the traditional FF sound you should be looking for 'matched' AC128 germanium transistors in a pedal.

Post by **Mike** » Thu May 14, 2009 4:30 pm

Fran wrote:A lot of them Dunlops dont use matched transistors which is why they sound shite.
Dont know much about Cornell, but Fulltone are pretty decent. I think the Roger Mayer stuff is overrated and overpriced. If you want the traditional FF sound you should be looking for 'matched' AC128 germanium transistors in a pedal.

Indeed. You can buy them from Banzai effects etc.