zygote completed- observations

[claytushaywood]

I just completed the zygote build and have it biased correctly.  I ended up using transistors with gains of 77 and 136- PNP germaniums.  I included all the knobs.

I subbed a 22n for c3 and c6.

Now here's whats up... Great sounding fuzz, of course, it's a fuzz face... loving the fat switch... But I think I misinterpreted the fat switch effect.  It says in the doc that decreasing c3 will make the effect more apparent.  So putting a smaller value capacitor in parallel with the 2u2 input cap will make for more bass?  is this correct?
The standard tone if pretty thin, but I havent tried it in a live situation with my big amp yet.

Now for the drain knob, I thought this would have a more dramatic effect like other germanium fuzz pedals I've played with that have had this type of circuit.  I think the little effect this has might be due to the fact that I'm not getting as much gain as a typical fuzz face.

I'm using single coils, but I'm hardly getting enough gain to get by.  What all can I do to increase the gain?  Would changing transistors to a higher hfe help?  I dont have a boost pedal at the moment so unfortunately I was unable to try to boost my input before hand- but I've also read that fuzzes dont do well with buffered signals.  Though I used to dig a tubescreamer before a big muff pi

I do have a variety of transistors at the moment, and that may be the problem.  When changing them I know it's kind of subjective, but should I keep the typical nearly doubled Hfe of q2 vs q1  (ie 70-120 reccomendation- means like 95-160?)

Any input would be great!  thanks!

[claytushaywood]

about the fat switch- i was under the impression that two capacitors in parallel would make a larger capacitor.  a larger input capacitor makes a more bassy sound right?  So does this circuit work like... c3 is the standard capacitor value that's always on... and the 2u2 is added in parallel to make the "fat" sound. 

So by lowering c3 to 22n I'm also making the standard sound less bassy and even the fat sound less bassy?

[shawnee]

1. about the fat switch- i was under the impression that two capacitors in parallel would make a larger capacitor.  
2. a larger input capacitor makes a more bassy sound right?  
3. So does this circuit work like... c3 is the standard capacitor value that's always on... and the 2u2 is added in parallel to make the "fat" sound. 
4. So by lowering c3 to 22n I'm also making the standard sound less bassy and even the fat sound less bassy?

1. True
2. Yes
3. Yes
4. Yes but a 22n in parallel with a 2.2uF is 2.4uF and you probably won't even hear the difference from an increase of less than 10%. The input blend on Joe Gagan's Easyface is really the way to go.

[mgwhit]

I'm using single coils, but I'm hardly getting enough gain to get by.  What all can I do to increase the gain?  Would changing transistors to a higher hfe help?  I dont have a boost pedal at the moment so unfortunately I was unable to try to boost my input before hand- but I've also read that fuzzes dont do well with buffered signals.  Though I used to dig a tubescreamer before a big muff pi

Standard Ge Fuzz Faces do well with single coils, so I would recommend rolling the Strain control completely off.  I think that only helps the circuit deal with higher output pickups.  Also, in my experience Fuzz Face Fuzz and Volume controls are only useful in the last third of their rotation.  Don't be afraid to keep them over there.  I've heard that a 1kC (reverse log) pot can help to unbunch the Fuzz control (but I haven't tried it yet).

If you really feel like you're not getting as much Fuzz or Volume as you should, triple check your component values and/or throw some pics of your board up here.

[claytushaywood]

Standard Ge Fuzz Faces do well with single coils, so I would recommend rolling the Strain control completely off.  I think that only helps the circuit deal with higher output pickups.  Also, in my experience Fuzz Face Fuzz and Volume controls are only useful in the last third of their rotation.  Don't be afraid to keep them over there.  I've heard that a 1kC (reverse log) pot can help to unbunch the Fuzz control (but I haven't tried it yet).

If you really feel like you're not getting as much Fuzz or Volume as you should, triple check your component values and/or throw some pics of your board up here.


[/quote]

Do you think the subs I made to c3 and c6 are affecting my gain range?  I subbed a 22n for c3 and a 22n for c6.

Also, what about the fat control?  Reducing the value of c3 makes the fat switch more apparent, but the way I'm seeing it, that means my normal sound is less full or "fat"... is that right?

[mgwhit]

Do you think the subs I made to c3 and c6 are affecting my gain range?  I subbed a 22n for c3 and a 22n for c6.

Also, what about the fat control?  Reducing the value of c3 makes the fat switch more apparent, but the way I'm seeing it, that means my normal sound is less full or "fat"... is that right?

Yes, you're correct about that last bit.

Subbing 22n for C3 is certainly thinning your sound.  The 2u2 C2 that the Fat switch adds in parallel is actually the normal input cap value for a Fuzz Face.  I'm guessing that the stock value of C3 is another "make the Fuzz Face humbucker friendly" mod.

You subbed up for C6, so that's actually letting more (lower) frequencies through and not thinning your sound.

[claytushaywood]

thank you for the help mgwhit!