One of the more innovative fuzz designs out there. This is a quite a crazy octave up fuzz in the vein of Octavia and Scrambler with the Offset control dialed up. Roll it back for less octave and a pronounced swell effect.
Lots of schematics in a thread at DIYSB This schematic appears to be correct one is the one the layout is based on. https://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=108341.msg1043041#msg1043041
Hi Anders.Thanks for all you do for us DIYers. I'm attempting to get my head around this layout, as the DeadendFX Moonstone sounds great. I've built the Tagboard FX vero version but have been unable to get anything beyond a passable fuzz out of it. Certainly no swell or octave no matter what transistors I try.In fact the sound is unchanged whether Q2 is attached or not. Anyway, back to this layout. D1 and D2 appear to be not connected to anything on row 13. Should the connection of the left-most 1M on row 10 be moved to row 13?
Hi Reg, no swell mate but I'm not sure if that's just the newer version. You were right about Q3, whether its in or out it makes no difference and there are no errors on Fuzzheads vero (compared to schematic) so don't know what's going on there.
For Q1 & Q2 I used matched 5088's at 320hfe - could have used anything tho. It sounds just like an Octavia but with more volume. The octave is way more pronounced on a single coil guitar but still sounds ok on humbuckers. In my opinion, if I compare with other octave pedals I have built I think Death by Audio White Card Fuzz is the best.
I tell a lie, just chucked a fuzz in front on this and there is a noticeable swell in the offset middle position - around the 11 to 12 o clock mark. Nothing amazing but its there.
Am reading Q3 is the swell transistor, I will try messing with some different hfe's. I will also try lower gain transistors for Q1 and Q2. Need to mess about with this one I think
Hi Ian. My comment regarding Q2 referred to the TagboardFX layout (Travis). I've since fixed that issue and everything works as expected.It's amazing the difference a forgotten track cut makes! Now that the 1M and 47R resistors have been relocated on this layout (Anders), both layouts appear to be electronically identical, so comments on one should apply to the other as well. The only difference is the orientation of D7 & D8. They are symmetrical in Travis' layout, and asymmetrical in Anders'. Russ (cozybuilder) who worked on reverse engineering the original pedal in the lengthy DIY Stompboxes thread,says that this doesn't make a huge difference and he has them both ways in his various schematics in that thread. I'm currently using 3904s (220Hfe)for Q1 & Q3, and BC547B (330) in Q2. Have tried many different transistors/combinations from 110 to over 550. In all cases there is good octave/fuzz output, some more than others. I guess it's just a matter of finding the combination which maximises the effect that you favour. As far as swell goes,incorporating the Swell Switch which is detailed in some of Russ' different schematics seems to maximise swell for me when the OFS pot is fully CCW. This switch merely shorts 1 & 3 of the OFS pot,in one case with a 10K resistor in series, and a 15K resistor in series with the transformer and OFS1. Lots of different mods/additions in that DIY Stomboxes thread. A "fiddler's dream".
This looks cool, I only have a 42TL019 but the specs are pretty close to the 42TM019
ReplyDeleteIs there a schematic for this one?
ReplyDeleteLots of schematics in a thread at DIYSB
DeleteThis schematic appears to be correct one is the one the layout is based on.
https://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=108341.msg1043041#msg1043041
Thanks man.... :-)
DeleteHi Anders.Thanks for all you do for us DIYers.
ReplyDeleteI'm attempting to get my head around this layout, as the DeadendFX Moonstone sounds great. I've built the Tagboard FX vero version but have been unable to get anything beyond a passable fuzz out of it. Certainly no swell or octave no matter what transistors I try.In fact the sound is unchanged whether Q2 is attached or not.
Anyway, back to this layout. D1 and D2 appear to be not connected to anything on row 13. Should the connection of the left-most 1M on row 10 be moved to row 13?
Sorry, my old eyes couldn't see the letters denoting the rows on the vero. For clarity, I meant moving the 1M leg from row J to row M.
ReplyDeleteNice catch! The layout is updated.
DeleteHi Anders, this one is verified. Just need to move the 46ohm resistor - should be N21 to H21 (instead of N19 to J19).
ReplyDeleteHi Ian. Which transistors did you use in each position, and do you get any appreciable swell? Thanks
ReplyDeleteHi Reg, no swell mate but I'm not sure if that's just the newer version. You were right about Q3, whether its in or out it makes no difference and there are no errors on Fuzzheads vero (compared to schematic) so don't know what's going on there.
ReplyDeleteFor Q1 & Q2 I used matched 5088's at 320hfe - could have used anything tho. It sounds just like an Octavia but with more volume. The octave is way more pronounced on a single coil guitar but still sounds ok on humbuckers. In my opinion, if I compare with other octave pedals I have built I think Death by Audio White Card Fuzz is the best.
I tell a lie, just chucked a fuzz in front on this and there is a noticeable swell in the offset middle position - around the 11 to 12 o clock mark. Nothing amazing but its there.
ReplyDeleteAm reading Q3 is the swell transistor, I will try messing with some different hfe's. I will also try lower gain transistors for Q1 and Q2. Need to mess about with this one I think
ReplyDeleteHi Ian. My comment regarding Q2 referred to the TagboardFX layout (Travis). I've since fixed that issue and everything works as expected.It's amazing the difference a forgotten track cut makes!
ReplyDeleteNow that the 1M and 47R resistors have been relocated on this layout (Anders), both layouts appear to be electronically identical, so comments on one should apply to the other as well.
The only difference is the orientation of D7 & D8. They are symmetrical in Travis' layout, and asymmetrical in Anders'. Russ (cozybuilder) who worked on reverse engineering the original pedal in the lengthy DIY Stompboxes thread,says that this doesn't make a huge difference and he has them both ways in his various schematics in that thread.
I'm currently using 3904s (220Hfe)for Q1 & Q3, and BC547B (330) in Q2. Have tried many different transistors/combinations from 110 to over 550. In all cases there is good octave/fuzz output, some more than others. I guess it's just a matter of finding the combination which maximises the effect that you favour.
As far as swell goes,incorporating the Swell Switch which is detailed in some of Russ' different schematics seems to maximise swell for me when the OFS pot is fully CCW. This switch merely shorts 1 & 3 of the OFS pot,in one case with a 10K resistor in series, and a 15K resistor in series with the transformer and OFS1.
Lots of different mods/additions in that DIY Stomboxes thread. A "fiddler's dream".
Thanks Reg, I also reverted back to 3904s as the 5088s where just a bit too much. Great circuit to tinker with
ReplyDeleteThanks Ian. Fixed and tagged.:-)
ReplyDeleteReally like this one. It'd be great to have the Dead End Moonstone too at some point. The mods look really cool.
ReplyDelete