General Guitar Gadgets Fuzz Face(Germanium)

[glguitarman]

Sounds great, what kind of pickups and amp are you using?

[massdoll]

@glguitarman hello !! a hand made amp jtm45 style and guitar is a strat with duncans ssl1 neck and middle and Lollar imperial humbucker on bridge

[glguitarman]

@massdoll Cool, have you ever compared it to a fulltone '69

[davidbund2]

This is the best sounding DIY FF I have ever heard. Which Small Bear 3AX31C transistors did you use? They have a matched pair for $10 (marked 'Sino') and another for $14 (marked 'Sino-US').

[massdoll]

@davidbund2 hello!! use matched sino US and follow the late 60 schematic from GGG...good luck!!! THANK YOU!!!

[brw0044]

I love it man

[massdoll]

@brw0044 oh yeah!

[axeslinger013]

Do you take any orders for a pedal like that?

David...Halifax, Canada.

[1971SuperLead]

I made one to copy this one, same transistors even, and it sounds like ass. $100 out the window.

[caste0]

Man, you got the funky feeling that's for sure

[massdoll]

@caste0 hey thank you!!!!

[arioz1]

What amp ? Sounds awesome bypassed !

[massdoll]

@arioz1 HR Tube Amp hand made with NOS components and similar to JTM45 project

[massdoll]

@arioz1 ALL HAND MADE HR TUBE AMP JTM CIRCUIT STYLE...THANK YOU!!

[Kyrran]

Belíssimo timbre! Encomendei para mim um kit Late 60's, estou ansioso para montar ele. Se não for muito incomodo, tenho umas dúvidas:

1. Esse é um PNP ou NPN?

2. Existe alguma vantagem em utilizar PNP, já que não pode ser alimentado por uma fonte utilizada junto a outros pedais?

3. Será que o kit "all american NPN" da SmallBear soaria semelhante a esse seu Fuzz?

4. E, por último, o que de fato muda no som o trimpot interno?

Muito obrigado!

Abs

[massdoll]

@Kyrran legal q tu gostou dos timbres desse pedal apezar de eu não estar usando ele atualmente....

1- esse é um PNP sim,

2- esse kit vem com um componente(um diodo se não me engano) q permite tu usar uma fonte normal com centro negativo para esse pedal e previne se ligar uma fonte errada mas mesmo assim tem q separar ele dos demais,

3- não conheço esse kit all american mas a smallbear é um exelente site para componentes

4- o trim interno é a chave para as tuas necessidades de timbre

[massdoll]

@Kyrran o trim interno vai dar uma definição pra tua pegada e palhetada, ele enfatiza isso. Se fosse eu hoje pegaria o kit 70 q acho + conveniente para trabalhar com os demais pedais e tb por não sofrer mudanças de timbre conforme a temperatura ambiente...eu já li em foruns gringos q teve neguinho q botava um fuzz de germanium na geladeira antes de sair pras gigs. Atualmente eu prefiro os de silicio! grande abraço e boa sorte

[lennonemayara]

@massdoll Oi,da Uma ajudinha aí...nao to conseguindo montar meu Fuzz...afinal NAO encontrei os benditos AC128...entao to usando os AC188...

e nao sai som NENHUM

e além disso,meu projeto pede um capacitor de 0.1uF...mas o cara me vendeu um de 1uF...pode ser isso??

[massdoll]

@lennonemayara olá!!! siga sempre os layouts, veja bem as tuas soldas se não há algo errado, faça com calma, revise tudo novamente....veja se o projeto está correto para o tipo de transistor(pnp ou npn)...e tente sempre buscar os componentes corretos...abraço!!

[maerchkque]

Where'd you get those wicked knobs? ;-)

[massdoll]

@maerchkque smallbear electronics 

[darkangel294]

can somebody send me what transistors can i use,

i can't find the ac128 and in the scheme that i got says that a 2n3906 will work but i dont know :S

[massdoll]

@darkangel294 use bc 109 and 108 and get the fuzz face late 70s or silicon fuzz face from ggg site....good luky

[darkangel294]

@massdoll thanks i'll look for them does ggg sends outside eua?

[massdoll]

@darkangel294 yeah man i live here in BRASIL :-D

[darrenw5094]

Dude....i don't see this kit on the website with the 4 knobs. Which one is it exactly?

Great demo btw. Rock on.

[massdoll]

generalguitargadgets >>fuzz faces>>boutique late 60's and see pdfs... thx!

[kk5fe]

@darrenw5094 I bought and built this kit just as he has it here. (late 60's version) I love it! I also built the 808 clone... also great! anyway when you get this kit you must order the wider case if you want the four knobs across the top as this one is. Its an option. The case has changed to where the inputs are on the top instead of the sides.

[darrenw5094]

@kk5fe Sweet. Glad you liked it. I will buy one of these soon i hope. :) Is it an easy build for a beginner? Rock on!

[tupefuzz]

does anybody know how does this work with npn transistors so i could use negative ground

[massdoll]

@tupefuzz go ggg site and see late 70's fuzz or fuzz face npn..i have here one with bc109 and 108 transistors and sonds great

[tupefuzz]

@massdoll ok.. i think that i'm gonna build the original pnp fuzz face...i first tought i would make this...but i would be always running out of batteries...=)

[jighead81]

What exactly was this kit from GGG? Fuzz face with germanium transistors? Did you do the easy face option or 60's, 70's options? Sounds awesome

[massdoll]

@jighead81 60's

[jighead81]

what guitar and amp are you using?

[massdoll]

@jighead81 strat ssh and the amp is hande made jtm45 style

[bamorris]

Your pedal inspired me to build one myself. Sounds killer! Did it a little bit different than you... Picked up some excellent sounding OC44 PNP transistors. I like your knob layout better I think than the GGG instructions. If I did it again, and I just might, I'll go with the smaller enclosure and do a two and two knob config. Your playing is awesome as is your tone!

[massdoll]

@bamorris Hey ma!!! very very thx!!! yeah is very to make this pedal...run make and post a vid :-D thanks again good luck!

[diminishedlogic]

one of the best players ive heard.

[massdoll]

@diminishedlogic NO NO ....BUT VERY THX MAN :-D

[TheRidiculousSublime]

well done!

[massdoll]

@TheRidiculousSublime THX MAN!!

[juandiegoangeleshern]

ohh man! that´s a great sound, congratulations

[massdoll]

@juandiegoangeleshern thank you!!!

[plexisound]

Great sound Man...i made the same Fuzz Face from GGG sometimes ago, superb tone but little delay when powering it on.

Don't know why.

Is your 9V battery only? Without external power supply? And is it positive on centre ground?

Thanks about posting this vid!

[massdoll]

@plexisound hellooo!!!! i use power supply and just make this vid with 9v battery... i make with negative center to use standard power supply but this is not good using other pedals in chain...thank you!!

[plexisound]

@massdoll Infact i built mine with negative center too, but the real deal is positive center without power supply. Did you keep FuzzFace as first pedal in chain?

Thanks, regards

[massdoll]

@plexisound hello man!! yeah you can try and feel the better position to you i use after wah normally :-)

[plpicher]

that sounds sweet!

what's your gear?

[massdoll]

hi!!! strat, rmc wizzard, maxon sd9, mojo vibe, fuzz replicas, arion sch1 chorus, octafuzz, dd2 delay...buy sell buy sell some others...fender hot rod deluxe with custom speaker, HR amp with warehouse veteran 30 speaker

[1654inE]

great sounding pedal. when you put in the NOS tranny's did you have to change any resistors from the original kit?

[massdoll]

no just use this transistors and follow all steps from ggg schematics,,, very thanks!

[rousejeremy]

Is this essentially the same circuit as the Fulltone '69?

[massdoll]

well i dont know....maybe yeah....just to fun is very cool to do and use it because the sound is good independent if same fulltone or not

[kleydj13]

Sounds really great. Nice playing too. I just finished building a 60's fuzz face from GGG myself. I love it and it was a lot of fun to build.

[massdoll]

yeah man!!!

[guns1rose]

stick the pedal in the freezer for a few minutes, it will sound much better. these sound of germaniums change because of heat, and humidity.

[massdoll]

yeah the germanium trasistors change the sound in weather condition

[kinkmachine2000]

It sounds like you got a great pair of transistors.I guess the germanium transistors vary in gain.I might have to order some more transistors.Great vids, I'm a big Hendrix fan as well.

[massdoll]

very thx man!!!

[kinkmachine2000]

How did you get so much gain from those transistors?Did you use the recomended resistors from Small Bear?I bought the same kit and transistors and I can't get that much gain.

[massdoll]

@kinkmachine2000 mmm strange i use schematic and all recomended from GGG....i have now other but silicon is very good too =)) see it on my other vid voodoo child demo...thx!!

[raindogred]

Yeah a panel mount pot (like the ones under the funky white knobs) would be the go, if it had the same resistance value as the trimmer. my trick for soldering those wires involves stripping some extra wire so that I can wrap a full turn around the eyelet (whatchmacallits) that way the wires dont move. The wire they supply with the GGG kits is awsome for doing this-wish I could find similar quality at my local. I've got one of these on order-can't wait..

[massdoll]

cool!! thx

[raindogred]

I wonder how you could get that trim pot up on the lid?? is it possible to just drill a hole and run some wires from the pcb and solder the trimpot away from the board - or can you get one with an extra long handle??? I would be annoyed to not be able to adjust without the back cover off. Your playing is awsome by the way - sick sick ending

[phector2004]

can't you just put a regular pot as another knob?

would be annoying to wire (for me, at least... damn wires to the pot keep moving around as im soldering them and my iron touches the solder)

you COULD also mount the trimpots onto the back of the case i.e. drill holes in the case and have a small perfboard mounted with the pots exposed

[massdoll]

yeah all mods are possible...only need drill the enclosure

[massdoll]

thx man!!! yeah you can make it, drill to other type of pot or just expose the trim pot...very thx!!

[Putaspellonyou]

sick ending. i've tried to build germanium fuzzez before but can never seem to get the biasing right. i just stick ge diodes at the end of mhy sillicon circuits and fool myself

[massdoll]

=))

[phector2004]

nice!!! love it

just got the parts for my own fuzz face project off small bear, but i didn't know if the 3AX31Cs were good for fuzz pedals

thanks for letting me know!

[massdoll]

yeah!! you can try this transistors or pay more in others germanium...can try to good fuzz face with bc108 silicon....good luck!!

[sexpistolio]

wow!!! this is THE fuzz!! gotta love it! cool design! ;)

[massdoll]

thx!!! =)

[peacemusic17]

ohk cool. yeah it sounds really vintage

[peacemusic17]

this is the best sounding fuzz i have ever heard!!!!! did u make it yourself?

[massdoll]

:-O very thx man..yeah you can get this on ggg site... i make my with ggg and smallbear parts

[benjaminshinobi]

is the case old or you put a petina on it?

[massdoll]

not...case is new aged..i work to do it...thx!!

[massdoll]

well man, blues is free spirit music...is soul, is cool, im from brasil and love and play various styles of music but blues and rock riffs are the school to cool electric guitar...thx to coment!!

[MajorThreat138]

Is that the enclosure that came the GGG kit? Or did you get it elsewhere (ex. Small Bear)?

[massdoll]

it is from GGG but out of the kit

[MisterKuss]

hi,

the surface of that enclosure looks really cool. how did you do that?

sound is really great. i used 2n1307 for my version, they sound warmer, less aggressive. nice, but sometimes they´re too muddy, maybe i should try 3AX31C´s...

[massdoll]

well i love old things and.......yeah the 3ax31c is good transistor for ge fuzz....but today i prefer silicon fuzzes...thx man!

[massdoll]

small bear

[1dockthorwho23]

sound fantastic man go wild with it love the vid ;)

[massdoll]

very thanks!!

[westernrebel89]

what pedal is good for a hard driven 60's distortion?

[massdoll]

maxon sd9 is exelent, an good fuzz face type like Fulltone 70 or London fuzz, the new Amp 50 from lovepedal have classic sound...many others...very thanxx

[radagast9]

thanks, sounds great

[radagast9]

I made a four knob fuzz face with germanium transistors from small bear and it doesnt have nearly this much gain,i wish it did, but is that much gain typical for the fuzz face with germanium?

[massdoll]

well, germanium have - gain compare with silicons...silicons have more gain and bright.....the tone depends with you amp and guitar too

[totalimmortal08]

awesome pedal. how do you think this would sound on bass?

[massdoll]

yeah on bass it is good man!! try!!

[ihateguitarvideos]

did u just use the 11$ Ge transistors from small bear ?

[massdoll]

YEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAHHH!!!!!!!!!!

[ihateguitarvideos]

sounds good man. did you use sockets or not. im usin sockets

[massdoll]

no sockets

[mharris802000]

You are a brave individual, then. Great demo, BTW. Sounds excellent.

[massdoll]

thx!!!!!!!

[rousejeremy]

Great playing, and great sounding pedal. HUGE tone.

I'll have to check out those transistors.

[massdoll]

thanksss!!!

[JacoPastor]

hey man! great tone & playin'! very nice indeed :)

[massdoll]

very thanks!!!

[tjk3052]

Did you try the silicon transistors that came with the kit first? If so, did you notice a big difference with the germaniums?

[massdoll]

Hi!!!! Now i prefer sound of silicons and a non change tone with temperature of silicons....sound silicon little more brigth but for me now i prefer silicons...see swaptronics fuzz with bc108 here in youtube...find this guy on ebay

[ledzepacbasslyn423]

where did u get the switch to turn it on and whats it called?

[KCHammer]

It's a 3PDT footswitch =]

[massdoll]

hi a get it on ebay..thanks!!all the best..good end year!!

[joesl8]

Nice vid. Your Fuzz has more knobs, did you mod the GGG version or is that how it came? I like that rustic look.

[eminem266]

hey man im building my first pedal and i was gonna do it from scratch because i was a little sceptical about using a kit, but man this thing sounds fuckin great. Are these kits set up with a buffered or true bypass signal?

[massdoll]

Hi this is true bypass with EH 3-dt switche....thanks

[ricreich]

hi man!!! i search all over the link but is not there!!! im in mexico, so is dificult buy it!! thats why i ask for the link!! maibe the link is not anymore there!!! i hope you can help me!! meybe you can send me the schematics and the list of material, and the wiring Diagram!! thanx and congratulation again!!!

[ricreich]

great!!! awsome!!! share the link for build this!!! dont be mad!! thanyou

[markcarline2]

I am building a fuzz face cloan and it used to have just two knobs. What are the four knobs called on this and do you have a circuit diagram showing how you connected them ?

[wjombat]

I am building one of these as we speak. I like the red led. The bright blue LED everybody is putting on these things is starting to get silly. Great sounding. Will I play as well as you when I finish mine>

[rixills]

wow man, your playing is excellent.

i came here to listen to the pedal, but the playing is why i stayed. great job!

[massdoll]

Thanks man!!!

[drgonzoguitar]

Your playing is always great! The pedal sounds fantastic! Great build!!!

[massdoll]

Hey!! Hellow drgonzo!! Very thanks, without his pedal, I would not have initiative of do a. Thanks my friend

[mecca421]

lol at how did he get that rust finsh, the pedal is pretty cool

[metalcore929]

What amp are you playing into?

[massdoll]

HR tube amp

[elcotestarfire]

Hi, great Job man, can you give me the schematic of your pedal and bill of materials, i really love your job AMAZING

[skibum1999]

damn that sounds good! Looks awesome too; howd u get that rust finish on it? nice

[massdoll]

cool!! take the enclosure and expose to the sun with water and salt, have not haste(1 or 2 weeks) and afterwards paint with shellac....good luck!

[NgielBlack]

Awesome playing! How does it sound with a boost in front of it? Do you find it keeps the bass frequencies well?

[massdoll]

Thanks!!No boost...i roll down and up guitar volume in all EQ sets for control tonal variations and demonstrate...i think the bass is the add of all elements in that moment...pedal eq, pickups, speaker, cam mic...sorry my bad english

[chumeiperlebys]

It´s an Strat?

[massdoll]

yeah

[chumeiperlebys]

Pure Hendrix

[pandaman0529]

heyy, whats the difference between buying a 3PDT on ebay and buying a switch from radioshack? does the radioshack switch that looks the same not have "true bypass?"

[kithkinavrien]

Any 3PDT switch can be used for true bypass. And if you're willing to use unconventional switching (search for "Millennium Bypass"), you can even get REAL true bypass with a DPDT switch... it's just a bit of work.

[massdoll]

be sure of that be 3PDT or DPDT and make your choice...Fulltone, Carling, EH or others. I pay $4,00 on Ebay

[pandaman0529]

Yeah...I did more reading and I think I might just use a DPDT, do you guys know where I can find a 3PDT besides ebay or online? seems easier.

[Gorfickle]

Nice build. I love that site. Do you get your footswitches from?

[massdoll]

Is the blue 3PDT EH true by pass switch...from Ebay. Thanks brother