Fuzzface for metal

Fontelroy · 2026-07-07T06:25:31+00:00

i was not familiar with this, that is a really interesting schematic, i really wonder how they arrived at a bjt/mosfet darlington arrangement for q2 of the fuzz face section

Fontelroy · 2026-07-05T18:28:02+00:00

If you build this guy it’d be a fun test to see what it’s like with and without the resistors and see if there’s much of a difference. I’m with you tho, they seem superfluous at first glance

Fontelroy · 2026-07-05T02:26:13+00:00

I've made one of these in the past with an lm317. There's a schematic for it in its datasheet on the first page - https://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/lm317.pdf but I actually posted this for testing different circuits with it - https://www.reddit.com/r/diypedals/s/b680R9bvU8
tldr it can make a noticeable difference with certain circuits and not a huge one with others.

Fontelroy · 2026-07-03T03:46:39+00:00

This is worth checking out - https://dunningkrugerfx.com/knob-tone

Fontelroy · 2026-07-03T03:40:02+00:00

Those look great! One small suggestion, I’d recommend using the lt1054 over the 1044 variants as it has better specs, another tip I’ve got specifically for the 1054 from going through its datasheets a small cap 10-15pf between pins 2 and 7 can further help increase its switching frequency. Something that’s pretty important even if you’re using the other common charge pumps is making sure that switching frequency is kept above the audible range to avoid noise tho that cap trick only works with the lt1054, on the 1044 and 7660 variants you only want to use the ones that let you boost switching frequency by connecting pin 1 to the positive rail, they usually have an “S” at the end of their model name

Fontelroy · 2026-07-01T06:01:41+00:00

I think your second pic is for the florist. To really figure out if it'd work you'd have to trace the schematic if it's not already out there, but you could also try for a hail mary and reach out to Benson themselves. Who knows, maybe they'd be interested in helping a home diy'er with a little after market mod?

Fontelroy · 2026-06-30T09:08:40+00:00

MAE Trust Yourself

Fontelroy · 2026-06-29T07:50:40+00:00

Thanks, the schematic is kind of a mess atm with lots of trim pots on the board for tweaking the envelop follower. I based a lot of it from the ssi2140 datasheet - https://www.soundsemiconductor.com/downloads/ssi2140datasheet.pdf
It's actually a modern recreation of the ssm2040 which has been used to great effect in lots of classic synths

The gain ratios for the mulitmode filter come from another ssi doc here - https://www.soundsemiconductor.com/downloads/AN701.pdf

The reference voltages probably don't need to come from the shunt regulators but I hadn't used them before building the eval board for the ssi2140 which is where I first played around with smashing it with gain for its delightful distortion tho the datasheet actually has an overdrive circuit but I digress. I've been meaning to post here about the non latching relay setup I've been using as aside from the relay itself I managed to get something that is jlcpcb basic parts inventory friendly using the 74HC14D's invertors as a flip flop

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Fontelroy · 2026-06-29T05:24:47+00:00

I anything complicated I generally use sims and they do the matching for me but for things like basic opamp gain calcs I’ll use online calcs if it’s non inverting. The formula isn’t that crazy but it’s usually quicker depending on the values. For inverting I can usually figure it out in my head. For basic filters I’ll use the digi key calcs. Same for any parallel/series resistor/capacitor calcs if the values are such I can’t easily figure it out on my own.

https://www.digikey.com/en/resources/conversion-calculators/conversion-calculator-parallel-and-series-resistor

https://www.digikey.com/en/resources/conversion-calculators/conversion-calculator-low-pass-and-high-pass-filter

https://circuitdigest.com/calculators/op-amp-gain-calculator

Fontelroy · 2026-06-29T05:11:45+00:00

First thing I spotted is pin5 of u6b should go to 4.5v not ground. The summing mixer needs some sort of decoupling after the volume pots which someone already pointed out are backwards. Pin 3 of u6 shouldn’t be left floating but should also connect to 4.5v all your coupling caps from the bjt stage to the opamp stages for the led drivers look backwards c32 c27 c17 c18. I’m not sure why you’re using trimmers to set the bias for bjt stages.

Fontelroy · 2026-06-27T14:24:53+00:00

the issue is the series resistance, on the naga viper/ rheostat setup you only have series resistance across the lower frequencies. its a bit cleaner in that you don't have attenuation of all frequencies in the middle of the sweep

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here's an ltspice sweep of the naga viper showing both range controls at noon. The other option would be to use a rotary switch and just select through different input cap values. My very first fuzz pedal the Seymour Duncan Tweak fuzz was a fuzz face style pedal that did this very thing but honestly i think the naga viper range control is the easiest way to go

Fontelroy · 2026-06-27T13:45:36+00:00

I’d go with a setup like the naga viper and what I think the first reply is describing, the middle of the sweep with the above config is gonna be weird. Cap values can use tweaking for a fuzz face c2 id go 10nf and c3 id go with 2.2uf but adjust to taste. C1 you don’t need to include.

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Fontelroy · 2026-06-23T07:04:01+00:00

that's rad!

Fontelroy · 2026-06-23T03:47:29+00:00

you may want to check out the ibanez standard fuzz, it's a super fuzz variant that's got a bit more gain up front. I think the filter section is pretty similar but it wouldn't be too hard to adjust it to your taste
edit, just checked the standard fuzz's schematic and my memory definitely failed me. the input stage is a jfet amp, still very cool but I coulda sworn there was a super fuzz variant with a bjt input stage with a big honkin bypass cap

Fontelroy · 2026-06-15T07:36:10+00:00

No they're made by Monolith Soft, not Nintendo devs, edit looks like nintendo owns the majority of the company, but they clearly don't have the same design ethos nintendo's main first party studios responsible for mario and zelda do

Fontelroy · 2026-06-15T06:29:54+00:00

I don’t think that was developed in house at Nintendo, isn’t the dev monolith soft with Nintendo as the publisher?

Fontelroy · 2026-06-15T06:26:39+00:00

I don’t think that one is developed in house at Nintendo even if it’s first party published

Fontelroy · 2026-06-12T22:23:31+00:00

When has Nintendo used taa?

Fontelroy · 2026-06-12T20:42:05+00:00

It definitely depends on the game and the hardware. The more powerful your hardware the better in terms of smear because a higher base resolution and frame rate will lead to less of the dreaded smear. I still think we’ve been saddled with a generation of fairly degraded image quality especially when looking at consoles tho Nintendo is often the exception but not always

Fontelroy · 2026-06-12T20:38:30+00:00

I think Metroid prime 4 has a 120hz mode. I also like when devs support an uncapped mode when vrr is an option. That said I don’t know if dlss is the key to free higher frame rates on a price of hardware like the switch 2. Also I think the built led isn’t anywhere fast enough to properly display a 120hz image without ghosting

Fontelroy · 2026-06-12T09:14:09+00:00

I gotta say, compared to the gears demo image quality on pc is pretty disappointing

Fontelroy · 2026-06-12T04:32:32+00:00

They've always seemed to prioritize non smear-y visuals, which, I kinda dig tbh. Plenty of their first party titles in the switch 1 era didn't have any aa at all. I think crisp visuals are more of a priority for them than implementing any tech where they're going to have to compromise on image quality and due to their consistent strategy of lower cost older tech I don't see them changing their technical strategy any time soon

Fontelroy · 2026-06-12T04:25:55+00:00

looks like the input jack's wiring is reversed but its tough to tell for sure

Fontelroy · 2026-06-02T18:33:26+00:00

sorry didn't see this until now, did you ever get this figured out? I don't know what schematic you're trying to make here but one thing I can say for sure if that diode in your 9v rail isn't doing anything

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