![]() All these are PNP transistors, and even if you don’t care, please consider that the metal enclosure is usually connected to the + side of the battery, which means that if it comes to your mind to install a DC plug on these pedals, you will have a short circuit in case it touches another modern pedal, which enclosure is to ground. They come in black but sound the same if they are not. They are very good and consistent transistors. The OC75 used here are a kind of AC128 too but made by Mullard in England or Valvo in Germany. 3 transistors give a more refined tone we all love : Then we have of course the mighty supa fuzz from Marshall amps. All that fuss makes the difference, believe me. Same thing for the carbon resistors and the caps. Anyway, choosing a pair of transistors for a fuzz face is like haute-cuisine. We have these days great transistors testers, giving us precise gain and leakage –leakage is what made a blank noise- but I use my own method. In this original version, we have NKT275 transistors which are AC128 from outside continental Europe. A good start should be the circuit of the arbiter fuzz face :Ī real simple circuit circuit means a high sensitivity to the components, which means a VERY simple one to a VERY high. Well, a good choice indeed, isn’t it ? First of all, because a real lot of collectible fuzz pedals are collectible because they are linked to a british rock band, and these bands bought their fuzzboxes at home. It use high gain ( between 450 and 500 ) plastic silicium PNP transistors, my personnal favorite being the BC239, preferably made in France or Germany, while you have a numerous choice of great devices which can do the job. Rare, in its round edges enclosure style :Īnd of course a look at its circuit, which, as you can see, is quite complicated if you compare it to a fuzz f ace. ![]() ![]() Its tone switch, labeled differently through time, is a great addition. This second model, is much better sounding to my ears.Its crafty electronic circuit has been used in several pedals such as the ibanez fuzz, univox superfuzz and numerous wah-fuzz pedals but remains the most classic tone for me. It is considered nowadays as a very rough square signal buzz tone, but its nasty fuzz tone still turn heads. At this time –I was 15- I simply bought it because it was the cheapest : how could I know this pedal could become so collectable now ? But I just fell in love at first note : I could at least get a REAL guitar sound. I started my collection with the pedal you can see at the right of this picture : The uncanny companion fuzz from Shin-ei. too bad I seem to be the only one to own a few…. It is worth noting that transistor were produced in France since 1946, and one of the best fuzz germanium transistor is for me the SESCO ( Societe Europeenne des seim-conducteurs ) 324TI …. And from its knob : I had the same on my car radio. I base my belief on the lettering which was very up to date in the early ’70s in France. This baby fuzz is more obscure and there is no real proof she’s french. A very useful and nice feature of this pedal is its filter switch : works like a fixed tone with 3 positions. The transistors look like modern ac128 but they are blank. Garen was mostly an amp manufacturer, and their small amps are looked after because they are related to Django Reinhardt. Yes, there were fuzz in France and this one is really beautiful. Most of the most expensive vintage pedals are simple circuits in an old box. And their enclosures, with the beautiful sign of time, are the best time capsule I could think of. Tonal differences are not small if you swap any of their components. But the thing is, with simple circuits that EVERY component can be ‘heard’ and thus each pedal has its own signature. Why ? Usually they are very simple circuit anyone with a soldering iron could replicate. This page is about my personnal collection of vintage fuzz pedals, which are a favorite of most collectors. If you play electric guitar, you know that is the tone you want and that you will never regret buying. Let’s face it : the whole history of music has changed with these dirty two transistors wonders that gave guitar a leading place in all kind of music. Pedals brands can issue new effects making your guitar sounds like an organ, a piano or your deceased aunt voice, it all started and will end with this scandalous tone of fuzz. ![]() Any use should mention JACQUES PEDALS source, thank you ![]()
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