"The Project" (WEM Project V clone)

[Bret608]

Imagine an era where the big secret thing our governments were working on was the most intense fuzztone of its day! If only, right? I've had this board since 2014 and have finally gotten around to boxing it. My daughter got me this lovely aqua Rustoleum for my birthday and that was the impetus. This is an eight-transistor fuzz monster, based on the famous Project V of Brian Eno fame. I highly recommend this and know that deadendfx still have a board available. This one came from a group buy by twinspace, who I think doesn't frequent these parts anymore.

Anyway, it sounds like a Big Muff meets Fuzz Factory through a cocked wah. I noticed Ian Sherwen of Ghost Effects occasionally makes these with germanium for the PNP transistor (Q5), so I tried it with a 2n5087 and a high gain/low leakage OC47 black glass with 228 hfe. It sounds great either way, but the germanium was somehow smoother/less crackly on the note decay while also having crazier harmonics and overtones. Oh yeah, the NPN silicon are all BC549b at about 360 hfe (similar to the original BC108 in terms of gain). I love how it gushes with sustain and weird bloom as the notes decay! I can't claim to understand the schematic, but those drive and edge switches do make it go even crazier.

I'll switch those knobs for something that covers the labels less at some point, lol...the decal on this one was a struggle all around!

[jessenator]

Neat!

Can't say I was familiar with this one, but it's definitely got an interesting tonal twist on a transistor fuzz (at least from what I found on youtube).

[Bret608]

Thanks! Yes, it does have its own thing going for sure. Worth a build in my book!

[Bio77]

Stop making me want more fuzzes, Bret!    Great build!

[nzCdog]

Very clean build!

[Thewintersoldier]

cool project Bret, sounds really interesting. Any chance o a sound clip?

[Bret608]

Haven't really recorded myself before! Let me see if I can make at least a lame cell phone clip work. May have to enlist my daughter's help, lol.

[blearyeyes]

This one seems to have pots instead of switches, any clue?

[GrindCustoms]

LMAO, that opening line is perfect!

Never heard about that fuzz before, but i'm a fan of the BMP and FF, looks very interesting.

Nicely put together too!

[Bret608]

Thank, Rej! @blearyeyes, Ian at Ghost Effects did put some of those switches as well as the external trimmers onto pots. The board I have wasn't set up that way unfortunately. For my money though, the "drive" switch on a footswitch and the 2nd internal trimmer on an external pot would be the biggest wins.