Blackhawk Amplifiers Valhalla Fuzz V1

Here we have a layout for the first (I think!) handwired version of  Blackhawks take on a Fuzz Face. But it has a few interesting and useful extra things going on. 

First, a passive pickup simulator so you can have a buffer upfront or anywhere in the signal chain. Next comes the fuzz circuit itself which are closely related to a Meathead but with larger input and electrolytic "gain" caps. Next there is two quite large value output caps that are connected to the Bass Boost switch. At the end of the circuit there is a simple but very effective notch filter that gives a wide array of tones, from rumbling bass, scooped mids and sizzly high mids.. The notch filter Tone control can be bypassed with the tone bypass switch and will give a big volume boost with a thick grinding middy fuzz. 

Note that the Bass Boost switch only works when the notch filter is engaged. Also note that I couldn't read the marking on C9 but I'm pretty confident that the value is 220nF.

C9 is now confirmed, 220nF it is

 

Maestro Fuzz Phazzer FP2-3 - modified

 

This one belongs to the category " old, weird and forgotten". Maestro Fuzz Phazzer was an odd piece of gear, a gnarly fuzz based on Maestro FZ-1S Super fuzz followed by an optical discrete phaser circuit....without a LFO. The sweep was controlled by a foot treadle which also acted as a volume control in "bypass" mode.

I had to do some modernizations for this. First, true bypass. Second, get rid of that  dual gang 30k phase/volume potentiometer. I replaced it with a single 50k pot so you can use either a normal wah pot or a normal potentiometer. The volume function is lost but I added a master volume control at the end of the circuit.

There are some things that need to be tested as well; the LDRs and the mini lamp. I can't find any info on the stock parts but a good start might be socket some Univibe LDRs and a random mini lamp with solder leads.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blackhawk Amplifiers Azoth Baxandall Boost

 A great sounding and flexible 2-band baxandall eq booster that can get quite gritty depending how you set the internal gain trimpot. The Mid control is not actually an active mid band control, it is a passive variable resistor that changes the overall mid slope.

Note that this seem to be an earlier version, the current version got a small revision with an external gain control and fixed mids. More info on that at Blackhawk Amplifiers.

Nobels ODR-B - Bass Overdrive

 Schematic avaiable HERE.

Blackhawk Amplifiers Morgul Boost

 Here is a heavy dirty booster that will melt your Orange, Green or Sunn amp head. And your one knob fuzz will love it.😈. The gain range goes from a fairly clean boost to a hairy and fuzzy overdrive. "Transparent" it is not...

It is a fairly simple circuit that boost the whole sound spectrum and relies on op amp clipping. The most common chip used seens to be the olde LM741 which works great for this application. LM308 and CA3130EZ is used as well, the former sounding pretty close to LM741 while the latter is more high gain and has more high end distortion qualities. Note that LM308 and CA3130EZ requires an external compensation cap (read the notes below the layout).

It has two internal trimpots, one for Gain and one for Tone. The Tone trimpot is quite subtle while the Gain trimpot is worth having as an external potentiometer IMHO.

This one is traced by evilarsen, thank you!

More info on the circuit at Blackhawk Amplifiers.

Nobels ODR-S - Special Overdrive

 Another overdrive from Nobels which shares a similar topology as ODR-1. But this one appears to a have a bit more gain on tap and a more flexible eq section. The mid control is powered by a transistor gyrator while the Lo and Hi controls are Bandaxall. And the hard clipping diodes are germaniums so you can choose your "magic fairytale" diodes in that spot.;-)

Schematic is avaiable HERE.

Univox CO-105 Uni-Comp

 A quite simple old japanese compressor by Univox. For part substitutions (since stock parts is long gone obsolete...) the transistor were a low gain NPN silicon so PN2222 or 2N3903 should work. MD234 were silicon signal diodes so 1N4148s is a near enough sub. The spec of the original vactrol remains unknown so socketing a LED/LDR combo seems to be a wise decision.

Schematic, gutshots and info at FSB.

VFE Red Wolf

A Rat variant with some added features; a Fat control and a variable diode control called Comp.

Sobbat DB-1 Drive Breaker

 Schematic avaiable at PedalPCB.

Note that this layout is sligtly modified. The buffer bypass switching is subbed for normal true bypass.

BJF Analog Reverb

 Schematic avaiable at Moody Sounds.

Nobels ODR-1

 An old german overdrive that has become almost a cult item. It has a very well designed circuit with lots of sensible filtering and a higly tweaked gyrator powered tone control called "Spectrum". Some "bouteek" pedal companies has started making their own variants of this circuit, the most noticable ones are Wampler Belle and Rockett The Dude.

I've included the Bass control found in the Aion Fx Andromeda project.

Factory schematic is avaiable HERE and Aion Andromeda project files is avaiable HERE.

 

 

 

 

ENGL Powerball Distortion

 Chug, chug, chug!

Based on schematic from PedalPCB.

Telefunken Echomixer "Kanal A" Pre Amp

 A cool little pre amp circuit from an old german reverb unit. It is fairly clean on its own, it adds some volume, lows and sparkles to your sound. When being puched hard, it clips in a very pleasant way. It also works great for pushing a tube amp. And of course it can be used as a studio tool for drums and keys.

The stock transistors were TFK OC603s. After some experimitation I found out that low leakage transistors wih Hfe between 70 and 120 sounded best (....at least to my damaged eardrums) so transistors spec'd for Rangemasters or USSR germaniums works really good.

 

 

 

Layout with onboard voltage inverter. (Still unverified)

 

 

 

 

Mellowtone Singing Tree OD

 

Electro Harmonix Little Big Muff Op Amp version

 Per request.

Fuzzhead Fx AN-602 O.D.

Just is a variation of a russian big muff. The base eq of the circuit is preserved i. e. dark, bassy and heavy but there is much more gain and volume on tap. There is also an old school inductor based Mid Boost circuit at the recovery stage that boost and saturate frequencies at 800Hz.

 

 

 

Spaceman Effects Orion Reverb

 Per request. 

Note that he relay bypass switch circuit is omitted.  Based on schematic from Dead End Fx.

El Musico Loco Wee Beaver Fuzz

 Uh oh. Post number 1000. I think I have a problem. :-p.

Here is a great sounding simple fuzz from a most excellent builder. It is loosely based on Os Mutantes Fuzz, an aggressive, buzzy and squelchy 60s style fuzz. The most noticable addons are the tone control which are big muff based but it seem to have much wider range. There is also an added recovery stage. The original had 2SC1815 (BCE pinout) transistors which easily can be replaced with 2N2222, MPSA06 or 2N3904.

The schematic is avaiable at FSB.

Electro Harmonix Little Big Muff - transistor version

 Per request. The switch can be replaced with a tone control. Just omit 100k resistor at column 17 and replace the switch connections with the lugs of the 100k tone control.

Shin-ei ME-7 Wah-Hurricane-Siren-Surf-Volume

 This was a request. It is an old multieffect that includes wah, two noise generator settings, a volume pedal setting and a "Siren" switch which is an oscillator.