Tools, Tones and Toys for Guitarists
Here’s Analogman’s original version of the King of Tone, a highly regarded overdrive with a few “unobtanium” diodes. It’s probably best to socket said diodes to play around with your favorite combinations. Switch A controls the 4-diode array in the feedback loop (much like a Tube Screamer), while Switch B controls shunted diodes (much like … Read more
For #fuzzfriday, here’s the Red Fuzz, designed by Robin Tomtlund. It’s made up of 2 stages: the first is based around a single op amp with LEDs is the feedback loop creating clipping. The second is a simple FET-based boost/buffer. Much like a RAT, but with different clipping. The schematic and some sound samples can … Read more
New from CE Distribution ApexTM Tube MatchingTM CE Distribution is pleased to announce Apex Tube Matching – a new proprietary state-of-the-art power tube matching system. ApexTM Tube Matching is performed entirely in-house on our brand new custom-built tube matching system using our custom-designed software testing and matching methodology. What this means is we are … Read more
Here is a layout for the Catalinbread Galileo MKII, the new, updated version of the well known Galileo. Info about the original: The Galileo is a custom-tuned Rangemaster booster combined with the pre-amp section of a Vox AC30 delivering the distinctive throaty mid-range and jangly crunch of Brian May. The Galileo has three controls tuned … Read more
Originally produced in the early 80s, the SD9 was the distortion brother of the classic TS9 Tube Screamer. It ranges from mild overdrive to fuzz territory without losing articulation. The easiest way to describe the SD9 circuit is to say it’s half of a Tube Screamer, with a Big Muff tone stack. Original units only … Read more
Here’s another design by Martin from Soul Sonic FX. Here’s what he had to say about it over on FreeStompboxes: It’s a cool little hybrid combo of an opamp driving a MOSFET. It has a great range of drive, from light and crunchy to thick and heavy. At it’s highest settings, some people might consider … Read more
12/12/2015 Layout updated! Swapped 2n2 and 56p caps in the Treble Switch as suggested by Nocentelli. Info from the original: Fuzz God II – the insane silicon brother of Germanium Fuzz God. It’s wilder, it’s crazier, it’s the loose cannon sonic brother that you wouldn’t introduce to your girlfriend, cause you know he’d try his … Read more
Info about the original: We set out to take a classic design with lots of history and make it obviously something new. We took the op-amp version of old PI and inverted one of the stages, brought out the midrange, tightened the bass, and most importantly, added a Germanium transistor output! Yes, this is a opamp-transistor … Read more
Around the same time that the EHX Big Muff was first released in 1969, Mike Matthews also released the Muff Fuzz. It was unrelated to the BMP other than the name, and came in the same small enclosure as the LPB-1 that plugged straight into the guitar. Later it was re-released in a floor pedal … Read more
Here’s another BJF designed circuit: the Sky Blue Overdrive. There are 4 controls: Z adjusts input impedance, Distort. controls gain, Texture adjusts the hard clipping, and finally the Volume. It uses 3mm LEDs in the feedback loop of the opamp, and then JFETs for hard clipping.