B.o.S. builds a .. Rando winter build part 2..

[BetterOffShred]

I built a Earth Sound Graphic Fuzz finally. Used a UA741 as it's supposedly interchangeable with the LM741, but it whistled real bad and sounded like shit. I read over at FSB that you need the TI chips for it not to whistle and some folks had good luck with TL061/71. I tried a 71, and the whistle is completely gone!

The controls are definitely highly interactive and the pedal is loud as fuck if you crank up the level.. I read some people say that adding a conventional volume pot at the end of the chain allows you to max the "level" control for better frequency interaction and then control the vol.. so yeah I'm going to try it out and see how it works.

[Chankgeez]

I have a Basic Audio built version of the ESR Graphic Fuzz circuit. John added a master volume to it like you said. I also asked him to put a switchable buffer in it. That circuit behaves very differently with buffer in front of it. I highly recommend both those mods.

[BetterOffShred]

Thanks dood, I read the buffer kills the whine if you use a UA741, but the frequency knob basically becomes ornamental. I'll build a simple Mosfet buffer on a toggle.. It's a pretty rad circuit. Just because they are so easy to make, I may stick a green ringer on a toggle in with it if I do box it up.

Green ringers make everything better. I read a thread at DiySBs where Mark Hammer details some mods to make the octave really pop so maybe I'll try those. He recommends using schotkys for the diode bridge and then replacing a few component values similar to the tentacle.. should be fun

[Chankgeez]

Yeah, the buffer kills the whine. Also makes it less "filter-y" and more of a "straight ahead" fuzz. Definitely lessens the effect of the frequency knob, but doesn't totally negate it. It's just a lot less effective.

I like both ways. Makes the circuit a lot more "versatile".

I can't remember if the Green Ringer interacts well with the ESR. (They're both strange circuits. ) Haven't played that combo in a while. Will have to revist it. Definitely do some thorough testing before you box 'em up together.

[BetterOffShred]

I have an unboxed tentacle laying around. I'll hook it up and test when I get home today just for fun.

[BetterOffShred]

Well I tried it.. and it's way too piercing. Like ear shredding piercing. Even with the filter at it's most low end setting. So I won't be doing that

There's another mod I want to try that involves adding a pot between pins on the chip with wiper to ground. With the buffer and master vol that would make a 4 knob and a toggle .. probably still get it in a 1590B .. I'm not the most tidy haha!

[Chankgeez]

Were you trying Green Ringer into Graphic Fuzz or Graphic Fuzz into Green Ringer?

I usually run Graphic Fuzz into Green Ringer. If it sounds too piercing, I just turn on another distortion after 'em to blunt the edge a bit.

Yeah, the Basic Audio Graphic Fuzz (it's called the "Dirt Halo") I have is a five knob: two volumes, filter, fuzz and clamp (and that buffer switch). Although, I don't know where/how John implemented the clamp in the circuit. Not an essential mod, but it adds a tiny bit more versatility.

[BetterOffShred]

Fuzz-->Ringer. It seemed way too bright with the test amp and guitar .. though the guitar is bright and only has a bridge pickup.

I'm not quite done with this circuit yet, I need to try the clamp and wire up the buffer and master. Then I'll probably box it. The fuzz is definitely a good one, love the frequency sweep.. It would be cool to have a toggle for an LFO to sweep it..

[Chankgeez]

Yeah, Green Ringer after a fuzz'll always brighten things up. I usually keep the tone on my guitar rolled all the way off.

LFO would be an interesting mod… … or have the frequency controllable with an expression pedal.

[BetterOffShred]

I'm not sure that I'm savvy enough to make an expression option for this, but I bet I could rip off the modulation portion of the Echo base delay and change a couple values to get it to work with the B1M pot on the Graphic Fuzz.. maybe.

Also while I'm thinking about it, I used a B10k for the "level" control and it definitely needs an audio .. but with a master it might be ok.. Chank what do you notice with your master volume? Does the level bunch up at the right side?

[Chankgeez]

I'll have to check that for you. By "right side" you mean clockwise?

EDIT: Just checked. The first quarter turn doesn't do much. After that the taper's pretty smooth. Not sure what value/taper pot he used.

[BetterOffShred]

Yeah I figured a b10k would be ok for the original level and then maybe I'll use an A100k for the master. Thanks dood

[eatyourguitar]

don't forget that I posted a schematic to the anti-whistle mod for the ESR graphic fuzz in John's (basic audio) thread on diystompboxes. my hatred for this circuit is two fold. it whistles. and it kills the battery since I can never remember what position the power switch is in. you absolutely need a battery switch if you do not use a charge pump. if you connect it to the same 9v power supply as all the other pedals on your pedal board you could have some magic smoke or some really bad shit happening with dead pedals or power supplies etc... you need a dedicated 9v supply and that is why there are batteries and charge pumps and power switches involved. you also might want to use plastic jacks if you are using a charge pump but this gets into some very tricky technical discussion so I would advise that this approach be for experts only and at your own risk. in theory plastic jacks are not required and basic audio uses metal jacks which will obviously last longer. in practice I guess you need to just try it in your rig before you make a decision on what is appropriate. I have no reason to believe that there is anything wrong with the basic audio version of the ESR graphic fuzz. most people love it. you can probably share a 9v center negative supply daisy chained from all your pedals. personally I would be skeptical until I tried it myself but so far it gets good reviews. I mention this because I think this is one of those pedals that can teach us a lot about electronics as it relates to the real world and obviously guitar pedals.

[BetterOffShred]

Hey thanks for the in depth view man! Yeah I built a modified version based off Noctelli and Induction' s thoughts over at DiySBs. I haven't tried it daisy chained yet but maybe I'll go look at your schematic. thanks

Edit: I think it was FSB actually ..

[BetterOffShred]

Finished boxing the Naughty Stir PLL 2.0. It's a pretty bananas pedal. It will do burly fuzz and then 2 modes of 4046 PLL stuff.. the non glitch mod "Smoov" on my pedal still has a little bleed through so it's definitely not straight up fizz. I built it a year ago and then never boxed it, but socketed the input cap and transistor .. which fell out.. so I tried a few values before I boxed it up.. 100n and a 2N3904 sounded the best through a bigger amp. Lots of fun.