Fuzz Face - Hendrix or Arbiter

[lowell]

I'm thinking about buying one... what are people's thoughts on these 2 pedals do you consider one better than the other and why?

[Sweetfinger]

The Hendrix is likely going to be more consistent from unit to unit, but I wouldn't consider it to be the most 'musical' or useful of the two. The key to getting a really sweet useable FF tone is to get a good pair of Germanium transistors that have been chosen for their tone and gain characteristics. Dunlop doesn't really go through the trouble, they've changed the circuit to be able to use 'unsuitable' transistors. IIRC they've added a buffer stage as well
Here's some info:
http://www.analogman.com/fuzzface.htm
and more:
http://geofex.com/Article_Folders/fuzzface/fffram.htm
Essentially, I consider both to be useful only for the housing. I'd chuck the guts and rebuild them properly. Look for a used one and have it modded.

[cjlectronics]

I heard Jorge Tripps was designing for Dunlop now. I don't know if he is still there; however, some friends say the new Dunlop FF is really cool for a BC108 box. I would take my rig to a local music store and try a few out.

[yescaster]

boutique fuzzes

The left side is the rangemaster and the right is a fuzzface. Analogman pedals.

Germanium is a big part of the character.

I have a fulltone 69 and it doesn't sound this good. But I want to try it on a battery now that I've grown to experiment with a few different fuzzes... I'm sure I can get it to sound much better.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BtQSjvLyrs

[dai h.]

as above, the new Dunlop Hendrix is a silicon transistor fuzz face while the Arbiter (which I think is or was built by Cornell?) is a Germanium. Might be a luxury but good to have both "flavors". Probably harder to obtain a good Germanium based Fuzz Face(or type clone) due to difficulty in sourcing (and having to measure and match) the transistors.

[bob p]

If anyone here had already done the legwork on sourcing & sorting germanium transistors for fuzzfaces, please let me know. I'd like to build one if I can find proper semis. thanks.

[dai h.]

Small Bear has selected ones(Germanium). Sometimes individuals on various bbses.

[yescaster]

I have played both silicone and germanium..

Sonicly ..the difference can be likened to the woman tone of old Cream (Germanium)...
or the hot buzz of 80's ZZTop (silicone).

Reliabilitywise....Germanium also stopped being used for a specific reason... it would "crap out" in climatic shifts or extreme humidity....unreliable and very sonicly variable even in slight temp changes. Also they are voltage reversed (tip positive on pedals) which causes ground faults and shorting in pedal chains. Silicone is just a more consistent component... but imho ...reliable component does NOT always = great voice.

That is why Fulltone adds the "bias" and analogman adds the "sun" knobs. temp/humidity/voltage biasing.

ANY new/modern mass produced fuzzes (ie: dunlop,boss,etc.) that are not "boutique" will sensibly not be germanium based transistors or circuits.

It's too much liability. Only "boutiquers" are living up to the responsibility of measuring/testing and warranty-ing germanium based tip positive pedals (and thank god for those toneheads)...
which is a heavy undertaking..seeing they probably hear alot.."my pedal crapped out when I took it to an outdoor gig- but now it works again...is this normal?"

re: germanium crapping out/acting up in temp/voltage shifts - listen closely to Jimi's randall island recordings....and hear him getting bent at his pedals.

So the point is... NO mainstream fuzzface reissue.. will sound like a fuzzface clone. ...and no fuzzface clone will sound/play the same... like guitars.

But all market reissue fuzzfaces (silicone) will sound very similar...and be consistent and reliable, sacrificing some carbon-esque voice qualities (germanium)... and none of those will sound like what you hear on early recordings.

The one thing I can say from experience with germanium fuzzes is this... you have to drive it like a car...handling curves and accelerating hills...in order to sound like opld reccordings of your faves.

Listen to the video clip i put up...and notice how many sounds i get with out touching the pedal (also adjusting pedals too in that clip, yes)

YouTube - Analogman Sunlion and Bi-chorus demo (also Fulltone Supatrem)

...tweaking volume and tone knobs, and toggles, go along way with a fuzz... unless you run a "buffered/non bypass circuit" in front of it...like a storebought box.

i encourage anyone to experiment with good clone fuzzes...

then the question may be different..
dunlop or...?
nope... it will be..
hmm.. do I wanna sacrifice the consistent reliability of a pedal, and have to work my gear alittle more, gain straighten my wahs personality..to get that freaking great tone?

(lol alot of downsides to germanium)

...I love that Analog mike says.. you will hate my pedals if you arent a tweaker. I can't say about his service and reliabilty yet.. because i haven't heavily used my analogman pedals in real gig scenarios, or had to call for service.. but tonewise.. the fuzzes and drivers he sells are the best sounds I've ever played on. And I've played alot of pedals.

Then pick one of those "marketed reissues" based on the reliability factor... and the knowledge that tone will be sacrificed.

I will say this however..and i believe it is still available.. the Fulltone 70' is a tasteful reproduction clone circuit with silicon..I have tried it.. it sounds as good as silicone will imho.

Also experentionaly mentionable... all clone and "boutique" pedals out there are not necessarily good, or built by electronics smart people.

.. one in particular from a "builder" who boasted great fame of his pedals, and had actual famous people using them (who I spoke to personally),... and his work was horrible despite the huge hype, and neat suprise artwork inside the cover, and fancy signature and individual "hand numbered" casings. He did give me my money back and paid shipping back...but still denied any issues even after sending him a video of the pedals crosswired and malfunctioning circuit, not to mention how sloppy the pedal was... the paintjob was the nicest thing on it.

So yea... mainstream reissue pedals are the way to go to be reliable and roadworthy.

...but the boutique world (real scientific tone seeking builders- not some beginners building GGG pedals and putting a logo on it- watchout) is like taking the red pill in matrix and will open a world of tone.

My toes curl when i think about how much better my playing got since the first time my buddy said to me, after asking "why does this sound so good?"... "mikie.. that's fu'n germanium and carbon comp components bro!"
His homemade pedal looked like caca... but man alive.. he changed my whole perspective on tone and what is sold in the guitar center as great tone. I was "born again" sonicly that very day, and ever since, have artisticly blossomed as a player.

[imaradiostar]

Ellipsis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

To answer to original question it has less to do with who made it and more to do with the color. Once you gut it and build a fuzz of your choice inside it all that will really matter is the color. I find that grey and blue fuzz faces tend to sound better but one of my old favorites was red. I drilled a hole for an extra knob and used a 10k pot instead of the 8k2 resistor on the collector of the second transistor.



I swiped the above photo from someone's TGP thread. I love pictures like that. I'd love to hear him auditioning them- must be pretty neat to hear the comparisons in the hands of someone who uses them so effectively.

Jamie

[yescaster]

[QUOTE=Sweetfinger;72303]The Hendrix is likely going to be more consistent from unit to unit, but I wouldn't consider it to be the most 'musical' or useful of the two. The key to getting a really sweet useable FF tone is to get a good pair of Germanium transistors that have been chosen for their tone and gain characteristics.[QUOTE]


This is a great example side by side... if you can't hear the difference.. keep listening... to me the germanium sounds more human... the silicone is rigid in comparison.

YouTube - OXFUZZ guitar effects pedal with Stratocaster Germanium vs Silicon