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Experimenting with Barry’s P.U.F.F. projects, I thought to build out four variants on his P.U.F.F. theme. One is a silicon version with high gain transistors, external Bias control and a guitar pickup simulator at the input; one is a stock germanium with Barry’s recommended germanium x-sistors; one is a stock with an external Bias control, and the fourth is a high-gain germanium based also with a guitar pickup simulator at the input. I completed the enclosure of silicon version today and am continuing to house the remaining three. You can see in the photos all the progress of planning, population and build outs.
Enclosures with decals, fully prepped and coated.
Testing them. (“Rocking before boxing.”)
And the finished silicon version . . . .
And of course, the obligatory gutshot. (I will be added some hot-glue to re-enforce the placement of the guitar pickup simulator x-former later.)
These puppies rock! And each is just a bit different from one another. All of them will get the guitar pickup simulator added to the input. It really facilitates the guitar’s volume control dynamics when the pedal is placed after a buffered pedal.
Big O – the transistor gains. I happen to a few high gain PNP germaniums and wanted to try them. (Around 200 Hfe) They don’t make the pedal any louder, just different nature to the fuzz tone. I’m likely going to replace them with a set of MP20B x-sistors at ~130 Hfe.
LOL! And it occurs to me as I can see it in decals photo – I put the wrong decal on it. It should say “Hi-Gain Fuzz Face”.
Barry – thank you sir!
Now that I am coordinated I can put my new PUFF V5s up for sale in the SHOP
Part numbers and values are the same but they now have on board pots.
I’m feeling a need to revisit my MK 1.5 Tonebender build from a few years ago in a slightly larger format. Basic component changes from the standard PUFF build – C1 to 4.7u, R2 to 47K, R3 to 470R, and P2 A100K. Maybe the Roger Mayer Classic (Early) by changing R1 to 1K and P1 to a B2K.
Dang it, I was starting to get my pile of near builts thinned out.
Chuck
Do the higher gain transistors give a smoother fuzz or rougher sounding fuzz? I have changed transistors in various pedals I built and it seems that lower gain transistors in some of the older type fuzz circuits seem to be more to my liking (fuzzier fuzz than smoother sounding/more distortion pedal sounding fuzz).
Of course this is to my own ears. And also transistor bias definitely plays a role in how the fuzz sounds as well.
With regard to what Chuck stated, I am in total agreement. As soon as it appears I am getting close to finishing all my projects, somehow the list starts growing longer. I blame Barry for this. He makes too many darn good circuits to build.
I also was going to build a Mk1.5 bender as well, but recently bought a used switchable boutique Mk1.5/MkII and so I have 1.5 now. I A/B’d the MkII part of this pedal, which has gotten rave reviews, with my old home built MkII (external bias mod + matched Small Bear transistors) and they sound identical. This makes me feel good as this was the 2nd pedal I ever built probably about 15 years ago and it is of boutique quality.
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