Tools, Tones and Toys for Guitarists
This is the Shin-Ei Companion Fuzz’s lesser-known, but earlier incarnation – which is confusingly also called a FY-2. It’s closer to a fuzz face than a fuzzrite, and there’s no notch filter on the output.More info on DIY Stomboxes via this thread. It is said to be quite a monster fuzz… SHIN-EI FY-2 GERMANIUM FUZZ – … Read more
Given I listed the RG Keen method, I thought I should add the Small Bear method as well. It’s a simpler test that some people prefer, and it’s generally considered not as accurate as the RG Keen method but close enough for most purposes. NOTE: Be prepared to see the voltage fluctuate a lot while the transistor stabilises. … Read more
If you haven’t heard of this before (which seems unlikely), here’s the original RG Keen article, which explains how it works. I use a spreadsheet set up with the calculations ready to go for testing; there’s also an online calculator here. NOTE: Be prepared to see the voltage fluctuate a lot while the transistor stabilises. Don’t wait too long though, … Read more
A very close relative of the Conrad Buzz Box, the UMI Buzz Tone. Same same but with a contour control on the output. UMI BUZZ TONE – VERO LAYOUT
Another simple one – the Conrad Buzz Box and Volume Expander – there is no volume expansion happening; this is just fuzz. This is an easy one to convert to NPN, and there’s quite a bit of discussion on the usual forums re transistors. Good results have been seen with low-gain silicon in Q1, and germanium … Read more
As far as I know, only a handful of D*A*M FZ-678 were ever made, maybe 5 in total – it’s a variation on a Zonk Machine. It’s the same structure as a Zonk / MKI, but with a filter attached to the input. I haven’t made a layout for it, as it’s all there to … Read more
This is my slightly more spacious take on the original tagboard layout for the Baldwin-Burns Buzzaround. Same size board and the same layout; it’s just spread out a bit more to take advantage of all the lugs available. BALDWIN-BURNS BUZZAROUND – TAGBOARD LAYOUT
The Hornby Skewes Zonk Machine is pretty much a MKI Tone Bender with some value changes – most notably the 1n capacitor on the input and resistors to collectors. A classic guitar effect from back in the day. ZONK MACHINE – ORIGINAL TAG BOARD LAYOUT TAG BOARD LAYOUT There’s enough room on a 12-lug tag board … Read more
This is the layout that D*A*M used for the Fuzzrong FZ-69, which is essentially a germanium Fuzzrite. I couldn’t make out the pot values or the 2n2 cap values on the photos I could find, so will have to take this at face value. D*A*M FUZZRONG FR-69 – VERO LAYOUT
