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, June 12, 2015

Maestro FZ-1A Fuzz Tone

I got to see the Rolling Stones a couple days ago and when they kicked into (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction as their second encore, I realized I hadn't laid out the effect responsible for one of the greatest songs of all time.



The FZ-1 used 2, AA batteries to run off 3v, and the FZ-1A used a single AA battery to run off 1.5v. The circuit was designed to be friendly with the wide range of hFE gains and leaky germanium transistors in production at the time. So when you're picking out transistors for Q2-3, either pick leaky high gain or low leakage and low gain (less than what you'd use in a Fuzz Face). Original units were positive ground effects with PNP transistors. I've laid the perfboard side out for positive ground and the PCB side for negative ground. I've also added some extra components to get supply voltage down from 9v to about 1.5v, so you can daisy chain it with other effects (if you're building the negative ground version).


20 comments:

  1. How can I add a 1n5818 diode to this for polarity protection?

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    1. You can replace the 4001 in the layout with the 5818.

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  2. Thanks!! And I assume that if I want to build the the perf board version as a NEG Ground, all I have to do is reverse the diodes correct?

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    1. Yep. Flip the diodes and the 100uF power filter cap.

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  3. Just the 100uf power cap? not the two 1uf caps also?

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  4. I apologize for the many questions, but youve been so helpful! I just ordered some Germ Transistors from SmallBear for this. And they sent me biasing resistors for the trannys.. Which resistors would I be replacing on your layout with the biased ones. He sent me 3. Q1-5.6k, Q2-3k, Q3-15k.

    Really appreciate your help!

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    1. I think those would be the resistor coming off the emitter of Q1 (10k in the layout), the resistors coming off the collectors of Q2 and Q3 (both 10k). You might want to bread board it before soldering components.

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  5. I wish I could publish a photo.. but I just finished this. It came out perfect!.. Sounds incredibly good! Thank you for all your help! You can mark this one as verified!

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  6. I made this circuit a couple of weeks ago. Good to have a circuit where one can use leaky transistors.
    I also made a mod. I put a dpdt switch there with the output caps. One side hase the 3.3 nF, and the other has 150nF. Overkill! Very meaty, very mean! All different animal.

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  7. Built and approved, find a video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lfk0bv88mLk

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  8. Hello friend, would it be possible to work 3 v directly with 2 AA batteries?
    Which parts should you exclude or modify?
    Thank you very much for this wonderful work.
    regards

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    1. Jump the 10k resistor connected to the +9v rail and omit D1-3.

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    2. Hello, as always you are a great professional and kind, have a small detail for your work, check your account, I hope you continue doing things as incredible friend.
      REGARDS

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  9. Can I use a max1044 voltage inverter and connect the ground to ground and negative 9v to negative 9v?

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  10. Sounds fabulous. Finally made my demo to my build: https://youtu.be/XB5pLIur6Jc

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  11. Would be better to add a bias knob to q2 or q3?

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  12. The transistor use AC 128 or AC 125?

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