This is a library of perfboard and single-sided PCB effect layouts for guitar and bass. I'm not an electrical engineer by any stretch of the imagination, just a DIY'er who likes drawing layouts. It is meant for the hobbyist (so commercial use of any of these layout is not allowed without permission) and as a way to give back to the online DIY community.

Friday, March 4, 2016

Univox Super Fuzz - tone mod

For #FuzzFriday here's the Univox Super Fuzz (again) with a modified tone stack. I'm in the middle of building this one and wanted more control over the tone than just the on/off switch of the original. This stays true to the tone of the original, but with a bit more control.


21 comments:

  1. Built the tone mod version with the modified tone stack and it works when the tone switch is thrown one way, but not the other. I'm kind of confused as to what the extra tone control is. You would think the tone switch would be replaced with a tone pot or something. Anyways, I wired everything as the plans state above, so I'm not sure why my signal cuts out when the tone switch is thrown to the side leading to the tone 1 connection to the board. Also, I barely turn the balance knob up, and screams so loud that I have to keep it almost turned off. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated! Every other version of this pedal just has the balance 3 connecting to the tone sw 2, but this version has that connection, plus balance 3 still going back to the board to its own designated connection.

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  2. Hi! I have the same issue. Balance knob cuts the signal to 0 in rear positions, tone switch cuts the signal too when engaged. Overall volume is very low, but i get great increase in it when i link bal 1 and 2 with my fingers.

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  3. My bad guys. I forgot the change the text at the bottom of the layout to reflect the mod. That was left over from the layout of the unmodded SuperFuzz. The Tone pads should go to a B10k pot, not a switch. Updated the layout.

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    1. Thank you, but the layout is still faulty, i suppose:
      1. balance knob cuts all the sound when turned 100%
      2. when turned from, lets say, 0% to 10% there is a slight step
      3. overall volume is very low, i'd say it even eats some db

      I've tried replacing pots and ics, but no luck

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  4. I also noticed that 47uf cap at the top right corner is flipped 180 degrees comparing to your older layout http://effectslayouts.blogspot.ru/2015/07/univox-super-fuzz.html#comment-form


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    1. Hi btthrt! where you able to get this working? Thanks

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  5. Thanks! My newly added tone knob works with your layout correction. I sort of have the opposite problem as btthrt though. My super fuzz is so loud and powerful, that I can't turn up the balance and expander knobs very far. Mine also has some serious background noise, probably because of whatever is causing my pedal to be overly powerful and loud. As for that 47uf cap which is flipped 180 degrees, it appears to be correct. If you follow the track, the negative side of the 47uf cap is connected to the ground track. However, that means the perf board version on the top left of the page has it backwards then. Right?

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    1. Hi Marissa

      Can u post pics of your build? I'm very curious.

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    2. Marissa, I have exactly the same issue as you have. Where you able to fix it? Thanks in advance!

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  6. Hi! Can anyone verify this mod? Thanks in advance!

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  9. I built one without seeing if it was verified cause the normal version was all good...doh! Same problem as above, low ouptut and the expander cuts out the signal fully dialed CCW. Anybody know how to make this birdy sing? Please? Thanks

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  10. I just completed this build and got it working with no issues (other than me wiring the 3PDT wrong like an idiot...). I wired leg 2-3 together on the tone pot and just connected leg 2 to the perfboard. The tone knob is very dark at one side of the spectrum and is pretty bright and has lots of upper octaves added in at the other side. I'm not experiencing any volume cuts or weird steps other people are mentioning, other than the fact that it's a very loud pedal (which is to be expected) and it has a lot of background noise at high volumes (which again isn't terribly surprising). It seems more or less in line with the vintage examples I've played so I'm happy with it

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  11. Finished my build with the same issue of some of the folks above. Very low volume and signal is mute whether balance is fully CW or CCW. Any tips?

    BTW the 47uF isinverted on the perf side

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    1. Nah nevermind. Balance 1 and 2 are inverted on the PCB side of the layout (it's 3, 2, 1 from top to bottom not 3, 1, 2)!

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