Fuzz Face favorite Tranny Pair?

[k.rock!]

So I'm super excited about building my first fuzz pedal which is going to be the Mangler project. I was looking at some wah demos randomly in Youtube when I stumbled into this video

Wah sounds fantastic, but when he clicked his fuzz around 2:11:

And here is another vid of the fuzz alone:

My reaction:  I want this in my pedalboard!

So...I went to SmallBear to get a pair of trannies. Below are the PNP options they have. The guy on the video used option A below and I'm really leaning towards them...unless any of you have used any other pair from these that u can recommend ?

What do you wise gents think?



A. Transistor Pair, The Fuzz Face PNP, SINO
Two matched, old-stock 3AX31C, tested in the Fuzz Face circuit. Supplied with list of resistor values used. Will also work in Bear Face, "Two-knob" Tone Benders, "69", Fuller Mods, etc.
PRICE: $11.00     Shipping Wt. 0.1 oz

B. Transistor Pair - The Fuzz Face PNP, U.S.
Two matched PNP devices, U.S.-made, unbranded old-stock, tested in the Fuzz Face circuit. Supplied with list of resistor values used. Will also work in Bear Face, "Two-knob" Tone Benders, "69", Fuller Mods, etc.
PRICE: $13.00     Shipping Wt. 0.12 oz

C. Transistor Pair, The Fuzz Face PNP, SINO-U.S.
A 3AX31C and a U.S.-made device, tested in the Fuzz Face circuit. Supplied with list of resistor values used. Will also work in Bear Face, "Two-knob" Tone Benders, "69", Fuller Mods, etc.
PRICE: $14.00     Shipping Wt. 0.1 oz

D. Transistor Pair - The Fuzz Face PNP, "All-American"
Two matched PNP devices, U.S.-made, branded and JEDEC-numbered (2Nxxx) old-stock, tested in the Fuzz Face circuit. Supplied with list of resistor values used. Will also work in Bear Face, "Two-knob" Tone Benders, "69", Fuller Mods, etc.
PRICE: $15.00     Shipping Wt. 0.1 oz

E. Transistor Pair - Fuzz Face PNP, "The Continental"
Q1 is OC75, Q2 OC76. Tested in the Fuzz Face circuit, supplied with resistors of the values used in testing. Will also work in Bear Face, "Two-knob" Tone Benders, "69", Fuller Mods, etc. Sorry, no choice of gains.

PRICE: $18.00     Shipping Wt. 0.5 oz


-Kaleb

[dwstanford]

I've used all of these in various fuzz faces, and it really depends on the specific pair of transistors.  I've built two with the continental set, which you would expect to be the best.  One pair sounded good, one pair was way too high gain for my taste.  It sounded very close to the nkt's that are in the commercial ones, so you may like that.  Either way, my favorites were option B,  the US pair. They sounded the most like a vintage FF to me.  I've built three with this pair and they all sounded almost identical.  My favorite pair is actually the NPN CV7112.  The US PNPs are close, but these have the best harmonic response out of any I've tried.  I'd also recommend that no matter what pair you choose, you should breadboard your build with them first.  Each individual pair will need to be biased to it's own specifications.  Steve at small bear will send you the resistors you need to bias each pair correctly.  I would try them in that configuration as well as with the standard values.  I would also recommend making the trimpot an external control.  Ive found that in Memphis, those transistors respond a great deal to the humidity in the air and the cold, etc.  I like to dial in the bias at the gig to see what sounds the best for that environment.

[night-B]

I ordered some mangler boards today and I'd like to build 3 of them for myself :
one low gain, on medium and one high gain.
By low gain I mean this :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJbM9kZrPVU
I've got lots of germs and some are oc602 with 20 or 30 hfe. I'll try them for a light fuzz boost.
I'm a fuzz face noob and I don't know what will please my ears...
(I've got some oc602, oc139, ac127, ac128, get872, 2n404 and nkt275 waiting)
BTW if someone need some trannies, I had good deals, I can sell the 2n404 for 0.75$ each, tested, and selected hfe 

[slimtriggers]

Nice cover of Up From the Skies!


I have the SINO pair in my Zygote.  The only problem with those is that I couldn't find any data sheets anywhere for them.   No big deal, though, since they come labeled and tested from Smallbear.

I'd like to try some AC128's eventually.

[madbean]

I like OC75/76. I haven't used them in a FF but with my Bumblebee they sound super.

[cjkbug]

I've had the most consistent results with 2n3108's. those sound the most like my nkt275 sunface. super smooth without any rattiness in the decay.

[k.rock!]

Oh man...now I have more options to choose from! haha Thanks a lot you guys!

... Either way, my favorites were option B,  the US pair. They sounded the most like a vintage FF to me.  I've built three with this pair and they all sounded almost identical.  My favorite pair is actually the NPN CV7112.  The US PNPs are close, but these have the best harmonic response out of any I've tried.  I'd also recommend that no matter what pair you choose, you should breadboard your build with them first.  Each individual pair will need to be biased to it's own specifications.  Steve at small bear will send you the resistors you need to bias each pair correctly.  I would try them in that configuration as well as with the standard values.  I would also recommend making the trimpot an external control.  Ive found that in Memphis, those transistors respond a great deal to the humidity in the air and the cold, etc.  I like to dial in the bias at the gig to see what sounds the best for that environment.

Thanks a lot for your recommendations...I will definitely breadboard this circuit and try different ones for sure...One question arised from your comments: Is there an audible difference between an NPN and a PNP fuzz?

BTW if someone need some trannies, I had good deals, I can sell the 2n404 for 0.75$ each, tested, and selected hfe 

Thanks man! I would definitely buy a few from you for sure! Does that only apply to the 2n404 or do you have other types you might sell as well? Since this is my first fuzz I really want to learn about the sound of different trannies, so the more the merrier

I have the SINO pair in my Zygote.  The only problem with those is that I couldn't find any data sheets anywhere for them.   No big deal, though, since they come labeled and tested from Smallbear.

I'd like to try some AC128's eventually.

How do you like them though? Do they sound similar to the video I posted? I'm curious about the AC128's as well...

I like OC75/76. I haven't used them in a FF but with my Bumblebee they sound super.

Thanks Brian! I'll take that into consideration as well...so many options! 

I've had the most consistent results with 2n3108's. those sound the most like my nkt275 sunface. super smooth without any rattiness in the decay.

Would these be similar to the US option that dwstanford was talking about? If they are the same, or similar, then these would definitely make it to my SB shopping cart cause now I would have two people recommending the same ones


Thanks all! This has been very helpful!


-Kaleb

[bigmufffuzzwizz]

I remember JakeFuzz saying he got the best results using NPN CV7112 trannys. They are also the most expensive on SmallBear! Probably some crazy military spec grade components.

[JakeFuzz]

I remember JakeFuzz saying he got the best results using NPN CV7112 trannys. They are also the most expensive on SmallBear! Probably some crazy military spec grade components.

Yes! Those are insane! Definitely my favorite (tried ac128, 3ax31c and ac176). I wish I could find more of them. They sound dark but exceptionally smooth, demo's to come this this weekend! I asked Steve where he gets these and he says it is a super secret surplus location that a builder directed him to so they are still around somewhere. There were several thousand OC140's in a single British television line standard converter that I saw on youtube! That would be a scavengers goldmine.

[tubeman]

my vote is metal can oc81  with q1 gain about 85 and q2 gain about 120

For thevery small cost of buying the parts needed for this build, it is wise to buy some serious trannies. I have built several of these.

My best results listed below in order from best to worst. Others i've tried are not worth mentioning... LOL

OC81D (medium dirty with best clean up on guitars volume)
OC71N Amperex holland(medium dirty with good clean tone)
AC122N (cleaner fuzz and very natural)

Put your money where your fuzz is!
You will be blessed for doing so!

[night-B]

I breadboarded a FF with the 2n404 and sounds interesting! It's not my vid but I really like it :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvfrMZzlL10

[k.rock!]

Thank you all for your recommendations! I'm starting to think that I'll have to built like 100 of these things using all sorts of different trannies on them cause they all sound awesome! haha

I posted a question a few posts up but I wanted to ask it again cause I'm really curious about this:
Is there an audible difference between an NPN and a PNP fuzz?


-Kaleb

[bigmufffuzzwizz]

Have you read R.G. Keen's The Technology of the Fuzz Face?? 100% mandatory!
From what I've gotten its harder to produce NPN germaniums with reliable results. Someone explains it, I just can't remember where..

[night-B]

I have some GE npn and in the same pack the specs are very different! Hard to find good pairs of specific hfe and low leakage. The beautifulest npn fuzz I heard is the D.A.M. Drag'n'fly with stock oc131. Check this one out!
I'm looking at RG Keen page.
For the ones interested I have sold all of the good pairs of 2n404 I had but some more are coming

[k.rock!]

Have you read R.G. Keen's The Technology of the Fuzz Face?? 100% mandatory!
From what I've gotten its harder to produce NPN germaniums with reliable results. Someone explains it, I just can't remember where..

I haven't read it yet...but I will this weekend! haha Thanks Magic

I have some GE npn and in the same pack the specs are very different! Hard to find good pairs of specific hfe and low leakage. The beautifulest npn fuzz I heard is the D.A.M. Drag'n'fly with stock oc131. Check this one out!

Sounds awesome man! I really like that it cleans up very well too, very smooth

I remember JakeFuzz saying he got the best results using NPN CV7112 trannys. They are also the most expensive on SmallBear! Probably some crazy military spec grade components.

Yes! Those are insane! Definitely my favorite (tried ac128, 3ax31c and ac176). I wish I could find more of them. They sound dark but exceptionally smooth, demo's to come this this weekend! I asked Steve where he gets these and he says it is a super secret surplus location that a builder directed him to so they are still around somewhere. There were several thousand OC140's in a single British television line standard converter that I saw on youtube! That would be a scavengers goldmine.

I found a few of those in some sources in Pakistan for about $10 a piece. Steve sells a pair matched for $25 so I think I'm better off getting them from Steve I don't have the means to match trannies at home...

Do you have any sound/video demo of your fuzz with the CV7112s in? I'm really interested in how they sound!

Thanks!

-Kaleb