Is there an opamp based fuzz that sounds like a fuzz face?

[GrooveChampion]

I just cant stand typical fuzz face circuits and the biasing required

[velouriafx]

It isnt a fuzz face variant, but do you know the demo tape fuzz?

[Travis]

IMO the Fuzz Face is a pretty easy one to get sounding good. It helps to breadboard before soldering everything together

The best suggestion I can think of is the Lovetone Big Cheese. It doesn't sound exactly the same, or react to your guitar controls the same way. It's a much more complicated build than the FF, but probably the closest thing to what you're looking for

[GrooveChampion]

Well, if not OP amp then a tranny based one that isnt a bitch to bias.

[Travis]

It's actually hard to think of anything easier than a Fuzz Face that has that kinda sound. It shouldn't be hard to bias it though. What kinda transistors have you tried?

[GrooveChampion]

BC108s and 2n3094s in the Creepy Fingers, Fulltone 70 and the Analogman Sunface, all of them were utter failures.

[Dex3887]

Then there's something amiss. I have built tons of them from tagstrip to pcb and even the germanium ones were easy to bias. What are you expecting it to sound like? It won't be really smooth but with guitar volume knob you can tame It or if its still too gruff you can add 2 small caps to soften it up. There's a schematic for the rock face(?) That uses a opamp to ensure bias and prevent thermal runaway but that's using ac128(germanium) try the one knob fuzz on the main page. They are incredibly hard to mess up and its essentially a fuzz face with the fuzz pot dimed with just the volume control.

[GrooveChampion]

Well, I am going for the Sunface type sound, but I guess the gain and bias can be omitted.

[Beaker]

This is what you want:

http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/1-knob-fuzz-bonanza.html

Super simple builds, and no biasing worries. You can easily compare the values on these with the Sunface, and adjust to suit. The best thing about these is that you can easily play with component values to get it to sound exactly the way you want it to.

As others have mentioned, biasing a Fuzz Face is easy - even a Germanium one, so I'm wondering why you are finding it such an issue?

[GrooveChampion]

I have no idea, I guess that its because I ordered a bunch of BC108s and all of them measure at around 500 hfe

[Dex3887]

Just try a bog standard fuzz face. Its a maybe 1 hour build and box project. Also make sure you are using the right value resistors. I admit my first few builds failed miserably because I didn't double check when I was unsure of color codes. Now I've memorized them all. But stick with it. Its frustrating as hell and will infuriate you to no end. But the satisfaction of building something that sounds great is unrivalled.

Btw those bc108s you have should sound mean as shit in the ritual fuzz 1 knob jobber beaker linked from the main page.

[GrooveChampion]

I already tried several bog standard fazz faces, they either didnt work, were too low gain, too fizzy, too gated and etc

[Travis]

Did you only try the BC108? If you're frustrated with choosing the transistors, you could order a tested set from smallbear.

[Marbles]

I sort of know what you mean. I kind of have the same experience. I am doing something wrong, but apparently keep doing it wrong :) Even the silicon fuzz faces, it's just not there. Not enough gain, not enough fuzz, not loud enough.. every single time. I have a graveyard box of Fuzz Faces and Tonebender failures. Yesterday I took one (germanium) out again and swapped a bunch of very high gain russian transistors and again: Ok sounding, but 'stiff', gain too low and volume as well. That is my error I'm sure, just doesn't get it right.


The version that works for me (built a few and all good) is the Skreddy Lunar Module. 5 knobs to wire, but really a great fuzz.

[Dex3887]

+1 on the Lunar Module. I can't believe how damn good it sounds. I have 3 now on vero and 1 pcb etch. Easy and works with a huge variety of transistors. Si or Ge work equally as well In it.

[GrooveChampion]

I already have a graveyard too, it is so damn annoying how something so easy can be so frustrating to build, i have a few options i wanna try though.

[Sphere80]

I had the same problem starting out, but a successful 1- knob fuzz build, like Beaker suggests, gave me the kick I needed.  Those 1 knob fuzzes are all high gain Fuzz Faces with the fuzz control set at max, so try them out!

[Muadzin]

Marbles wrote

I sort of know what you mean. I kind of have the same experience. I am doing something wrong, but apparently keep doing it wrong :) Even the silicon fuzz faces, it's just not there. Not enough gain, not enough fuzz, not loud enough.. every single time. I have a graveyard box of Fuzz Faces and Tonebender failures. Yesterday I took one (germanium) out again and swapped a bunch of very high gain russian transistors and again: Ok sounding, but 'stiff', gain too low and volume as well. That is my error I'm sure, just doesn't get it right.

Maybe this is more a case of the fuzz face not being something for you? Maybe your tastes run more into a different sort of fuzz?

The version that works for me (built a few and all good) is the Skreddy Lunar Module. 5 knobs to wire, but really a great fuzz.

Hell yeah! The Lunar Module rocks! And best of all, it even sounds good after a buffer. Once it wormed itself onto my board I just couldn't find anything else that would kick it off. I wish Fractal has a Lunar Module modeled in the Axe.

[Marbles]

I have thought about that too. Maybe you're right and I expect too much of the germanium ones. But in my head it have to sound looser, not as stiff. En more volume and gain.

Since I have the same issue with the silicon version I build, I think it has more to do with my building though. I own one of those Dunlop jH-01 fuzz faces and like it a lot. I'd think i would come close when building a silicon version.

[Marbles]

Btw, because of this I decided I did not have enough fuzzes, so I built the Basic Audio Scarab Deluxe..

Like it a lot from first tests!