Tools, Tones and Toys for Guitarists
The Aria Super Fuzz Sustainer is a variant on the Big Muff, probably based on the Elk Sustainar as it shares the same values mostly (based on a Triangle BMP). The tone stack is a bit different, and it’s clearly missing a recovery stage at the end, not unlike a Colorsound Supa Tone Bender. Unusual to see the 6n8 … Read more
I’ve posted layouts for a stripped-back version of the Roland BeeBaa, but never for the full BeeBaa. So here it is. The Roland BeeBaa has a couple of extra options, not generally found on fuzzes of the era, mainly the treble boost and tone control. The switching swaps between a treble boost and a fuzz … Read more
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
The Fuzz Machine is clearly an unbranded Ibanez No 59 Standard Fuzz. I occasionally buy a few parts from a retired guy with a shed full of vintage electronics and components, mostly valves and radio gear. A while back, he mentioned that there were a couple of pedals buried somewhere in the shed. I was … Read more
The Ibanez Overdrive OD-850 is an early Japanese Big Muff variation, almost a straight clone if it wasn’t for the usual tone stack. It’s also known as the Maxon D&S OD-801 – either way, both classic guitar effects from Japan. The tone stack fixes the bass response to some degree, providing a more even sweep across the range. … Read more
This is a handy little mod for the Univox Super Fuzz – especially for those who always leave the tone switch on the notch setting. Instead of a tone switch, there’s a pot from the 100n capacitor to ground in the bridged-t notch filter, so the amount of notch can be dialled in. If you really want … Read more
One more for the vintage Japanese Fuzz collection The Ace Tone FM-2 Fuzz Master – a variation on the venerable Super Fuzz. It’s a little different as the “Expander” control is missing (bypassed), which is the same as running it full-tilt all the time. It also uses silicon diodes instead of germanium and has a strange … Read more
One of the early Japanese fuzz pedals to mark it’s mark with the classic notch filter – the Shin-Ei Companion Fuzz FY-2. The fuzz control is more about texture rather than the amount of fuzz present. They’re notorious for being a little low in level, which is why I have included the second option with the … Read more
This one is interesting; it’s a bit MXR Distortion + at the front and a Big Muff tone control at the back. Here we have the Roland BeeGee – I have no idea where the name came from back then. That is an interesting choice from Roland. ROLAND AF-60 BEE GEE – VERO LAYOUT … Read more
Another variation on the Big Muff, the Elk Super Fuzz Sustainar from the early seventies – one of the earliest Japanese copies known. The Elk Super Fuzz Sustainar originally used PNP transistors, which is completely unnecessary now, given the availability of good NPN transistors. The tone section is slightly different from a regular Big Muff, and retains more high-end across … Read more