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, November 9, 2018

Buttercup Fuzz

Stumbled across this one on FSB and thought it looked cool. It was designed by JD Barbato and is kind of a mashup between a Tone Bender MkII and a MkIII, with a BMP-style tonestack, with a switch changing the cap values in said tonestack. You can build it with all germanium transistors or use a combination of silicon and germanium:

I am currently using AC187 germaniums for Q1 and Q2 and a 2N5088 for Q3. Using the silicon 2N5088 removes some noise from the pedal, and adds a distinct, razory, compression to the sound which I prefer in my pedals. This combo also gives a nice ToneBender MKI type sound (ala Ziggy Stardust) when you invert the tone stack and roll back on the gain and butter a little.

The pedal also sounds good with the 2N5088's in Q2 and Q3, but is very hard edged. I have tried the 2N5088's in every position and in all combinations. The pedal doesn't work if all three are silicon. 

With a 2N5088 in just the Q1 position the pedal sounds pretty much the same as if all three were germanium. 
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9 comments:

  1. Max PietriniNovember 9, 2018 at 1:38 PM

    Nice!

    ReplyDelete
  2. The AplikatorNovember 9, 2018 at 2:05 PM

    You can tag this one as verified, subbed q1 and q2 for MP10B and q3 for 3904; butter pot is usable between 10 and 2, maybe a w pot? btw, sounds very good!

    ReplyDelete
  3. The AplikatorNovember 24, 2018 at 11:09 PM

    A little update, q1 & q3 are 3904's, q2 mp10b, changed 33nF caps for 39nF and 3.3nF for 3.9nF; butter pot for b50k and finally tested on my bass. THIS THING SOUNDS MASSIVE, i hated fuzzes for no particular reason but, ended up lovin them since the team awesome fuzz machine i made for a friend, this buttercup is definately a must.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Karl F.January 11, 2019 at 8:20 AM

    Hi Guys,

    I build the pedal with the settings "The Aplikator" wrote.
    The butter pot only works in the middle range between approx. 2 and 8. and in this range the pedal becames a loud background noise.
    Under 2 or over 8 the butter is away and the pedal is quiet. The rest works fine.

    Is that the way this pedal should work?

    Thanks a lot!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The AplikatorFebruary 4, 2019 at 7:26 PM

      Did you subbed the butter pot for b50k? I get noise but i assume cuz I've not boxed it yet.

      Delete
  5. ZZOYDMarch 27, 2020 at 11:28 AM

    Exelent fuzz! Used mp 38,Gt404g, 2n2222a

    ReplyDelete
  6. ZZOYDMarch 27, 2020 at 11:40 AM

    the butter pot used b100k, any noise! Working good!

    ReplyDelete

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