Fuzz Pedal

Once you have your guitar and learned how to play in time with a metronome, the only thing left to do is rock out. However, as you might have noticed, no matter how hard you rock, it just does not sound right. That is because you are missing something. As many guitarists will tell you, the secret to rocking out is actually fuzz. Before you can do any serious rocking out, you are going to need to build a fuzz pedal. Fortunately, making your own fuzz pedal is a lot easier than it may sound.

Step 1 Go get stuff

You will need:

- (x2) 2N3904 NPN Small Signal Transistor (Model: 2N3904 | Catalog #: 276-2016)
- (x2) 100K Ohm 1/4-Watt Carbon Film Resistor (Model: 271-1347 | Catalog #: 271-1347)
- (x2) 10K Ohm 1/4-Watt Carbon Film Resistor (Model: 271-1335 | Catalog #: 271-1335)
- 22 uF Electrolytic Capacitor (Model: 272-1026 | Catalog #: 272-1026)
- 0.1µF 50V Hi-Q Ceramic Disc Capacitor (Model: 272-135 | Catalog #: 272-135)
- 0.01µF 500V 20% Hi-Q Ceramic Disc Capacitor (Model: 272-131 | Catalog #: 272-131)
- 10K-Ohm Horizontal-Style Trimmer (Model: 271-282 | Catalog #: 271-282)
- 5K-Ohm Linear Taper Potentiometers (Model: 271-1714 | Catalog #: 271-1714)
- 100K-Ohm Audio-Taper Potentiometer (Model: 271-1722 | Catalog #: 271-1722)
- Multipurpose PC Board with 417 Holes (Model: 276-150 | Catalog #: 276-150)
- SPST Flatted Metal Lever Toggle Switch (Model: 275-634 | Catalog #: 275-634)
- 1/4" Mono Panel-Mount Audio Jack (Model: 274-255 | Catalog #: 274-255)
- Hexagonal Control Knob (Model: 274-407 | Catalog #: 274-407)
- Fully Insulated 9V Battery Snap Connectors (Model: 270-325 | Catalog #: 270-325)
- Enercell® Alkaline 9 Volt Battery (Model: 23-853 | Catalog #: 23-853)
- DPDT specialty stomp switch
- Sturdy metal project box

Comments

[cdousley]

I made this picture for anyone who cant read the skematics, The quality went all messed up when i uploaded it so you can get a better one here. I hope this helps! If you find an error with it just tell me and ill fix it.  


Sorry i had to use tinypic for the link The website is overflowing with ads but my pictures right there, I promise.

[khelms]

What is the wire coming from the 10k potentiometer connected to? I don't see it in your drawing

[Heitz]

This was a great instructable. The fuzz requires a little volume to get a fuzzy punch but I really enjoyed making it. Just have to add some knobs and call it quits. Thanks!

[thechiliman]

I would like to make it with LED diode. Where should i put it? Thanks

[randofo]

The foot switch is not currently wired to deal with an extra LED. Would you just want it to indicate whether or not the switch was pressed or whether or not the pedal was on?

[thechiliman]

Yes, just to see if pedal is on...

[randofo]

You need to wire the LED and a resistor (try 330 ohm perhaps - or 1k ohm to be on the safe side) between power and ground. When the circuit is turned on, the LED will glow.

[geoslim13]

I think I will make one for my younger sisters electric cello.

[mrmerino]

Electric cello. Nice.

[Higgs Boson]

I have a pick up for my cello. would this or something similar work on it?

[adamg4119]

Yea it should. Any effects pedal would, as long as you have a 1/4" cable that you use.

[Higgs Boson]

I do. Thanks.

[kerryavance]

Hey I just built this circuit but it's not working for me. When I turn it on it just makes my guitar quieter but no fuzz. Any idea where I may have gone wrong?

[adamg4119]

It might be possible that one of the capacitors is not wired properly. I haven't built this circuit, but ive built numerous other ones. I say the capacitor because on the Wah circuits, if you lift one of the legs of a capacitor, it cancels the Wah and makes a volume circuit.

[Ecirpddot]

So I've followed your schematic and when I turn the circuit on and get nothing. I've trouble shot the circuit numerous times and still get nothing. What should I do

[adamg4119]

Troubleshoot again! haha but check that there are no bridged solder connections, faulty solders, make sure your grounds are all connected, check with a multi-meter that the circuit is getting power, check google :D

[dgeorgaras]

First thing i've got to say is...GREAT FUZZ
I started of by laying all the components on a test breadboard
when I first plug it in to my guitar, the by-pass signal made a buzzing sound
but when I engaged the DPDT switch... it was such a smooth fuzz
Also the volume pot is doing nothing, just not functioning, yet the fuzz pot is
If you have any suggestions on how to fix the bugs, please respond

[adamg4119]

Check the wiring on the volume pot, which lugs are connected where. Also check that the pot is wired to the correct spots on the circuit board.

[weezhum]

The Potentiometers i bought, (used part number) the stems on them are reallly long, they dont look like the photo you have. But if you click on the link you provide it shows the ones i got. Any thoughts?

[adamg4119]

A potentiometer is a potentiometer. Their designs vary, but as long as you get one with the same values, it should be aight. I had a pot with a stem about 3 inches long from Radio Shack and I cut 2 inches of it off for my wah

[mrmerino]

I have no idea why I'm suddenly conceded with this now, but where the circuit up there says ground, is wis necessary to connect the grounds from the input and output jacks?

[randofo]

http://www.instructables.com/id/Basic-Electronics/

[YNOT333]

Did any make a board layout for this? Or a easy way to figure out layout?

[randofo]

http://www.instructables.com/id/Basic-Electronics/

[freeza36]

if only I knew SOMETHING about electronics

[randofo]

http://www.instructables.com/id/Basic-Electronics/

[rockdrum]

What are the dimensions of your project box?

[LoneStarWD]

Santa vaca! This is incredible!

[hazzywazzy]

does it have to be a metal project box can i use a plastic one??

[randofo]

Plastic is okay. It is just more likely to break when you step on it.

[jtucci]

Why the hell don't pedal companies do this?

[Garlikguy]

Finished this project yesterday, and I want to thank you so much. It was my first real electronics project besides a hovercraft I made from some Styrofoam, wires, and motors. It is a very satisfying project to complete, and it works great. (only thing is, make the connections and components more spaced out, otherwise you can run into some problems with solder on the bottom touching each other.)

[pfred2]

I've built a 2 transistor fuzz its OK. I still want to build one using vintage Germanium transistors to see if it is any nastier. Now if you really want to rock out build the circuit at the bottom of this page:

http://www.gmarts.org/index.php?go=217

I built one and took it to a music store and let the guy that owned it play around with it some. While he was using it he looked like he was in a trance and when he got done all he could say to me was how much do you want for it? The guy was stupefied.

It is beyond awesome! I have a vintage JRC4558 in mine so that may help some I don't know. I think I ran it with some other ugly 4558s and it sounded just about as good to me. Those old JRCs are a little richer than everything else though.

I'll have to post an Instructable about how I built mine. I have the Eagle files still and loads of construction pictures for it. It should be as epic as the device is. I have one question though how do I put up Eagle sch and brd files so they don't get messed up?

I think with the overdrive pedal it really does need to be etched.

[zen of zappa]

this is awesome! i am about to make my own guitar, so it is really cool learning how to make all of my gear. what are the dimensions of the box? and where did you get the stomp switch?

[randofo]

I got the switch and case from Small Bear Electronics:
http://www.smallbearelec.com/

[egallagher-doucette]

could anyone please post a modified schematic for taking out the switch and turning on the pedal with the input jack?

[randofo]

Get a stereo jack and wire ground from the battery to the middle stereo contact and the ground wire from the circuit to the ground (barrel) contact. When you stick in a mono plug it will bridge the middle battery contact and circuit ground contact to complete the circuit.

[scórdova plata]

Hey that was pretty easy to build I even designed a custom PCB layout, if anyone is interesed... I will upload the pictures! :) I only have a problem... the fuz sound like synthesizer maybe the problem is because I used a 500K trimpot instead a 10K maybe someone of you can help me :)

[randofo]

That would do it. The trimpot is for very fine tuning.

[Halt! I am Reptar]

How possible would it be to add more modifiers from a real fuzz factory pedal like stability, drive, compression, gate?