Yet another fuzz - the Infrazzz

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

When I get frustrated, I rip shit apart and build a fuzz pedal. This time, I sourced most of the parts from an old TV remote, ended up using an IR LED for the clipping and behold, the Infrazzz was born:

It's once again based on the über simple Bazz Fuss schem. I spent hours trying to get a Fuzz Face clone working (I swear, something with PNP Germanium transistors and positive ground schems just makes shit not work for me) and thought "fuck, I need to build something that works fast."

Here's a quick clip: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1809705/Infrazz-madness.mp3
And another one with a real amp: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1809705/Infrazzz-JCA.mp3

The IR LED makes it sound almost like a distortion instead of a fuzz

 

[Nimvi]

This kicks ass! And it looks nice too; loving the single-button design

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Haha, I'll include a footswitch later, just didn't have any lying around

 

[Line666]

Holy fuck, digging the shit out of that sound.

And that last riff as well - nice!

Whats the chain?

 

[Lasse Lammert]

Nice!

 

[jipchen]

What the I thought Fuzz pedals alway sounded like shit? What I just heard was freakin' awesome! What did the recording chain for this look like?
Also what's that song, I don't want it to stop

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Thanks guys! The chain was as follows:

Gordon-Smith Explorer (EMG81 on bridge) -> The fuzz -> Profire 2626 instrument input -> POD Farm (JMP, drive at zero, some cab, dunno, just needed something rather clean to try the pedal out ) -> HP/LP (90Hz & 7kHz). I'll try it with a real amp and mic tomorrow.

The song is just random riffing, I had to come up with something stoner-ish quick

 

[jipchen]

The fuzz somehow makes the POD not sound like POD at all. Probably no surprise because all the dist.. errm fuzz comes from the pedal, but still impressive.
Makes me a little interested in learning to understand and how to build these things and "simple" pedals and stuff in general. I have no knowledge or practical experience for this kind of things whatsoever, though and I doubt I have the nerve and talent to get into it, heh. I think I'll stick to not knowing anything at all and spending my money on these funny, colorful boxes

 

[Line666]

Super impressed - totally nails that uber middy Kyuss sort of tone. Sounds lush.

Make me one?

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

The fuzz somehow makes the POD not sound like POD at all. Probably no surprise because all the dist.. errm fuzz comes from the pedal, but still impressive.
Makes me a little interested in learning to understand and how to build these things and "simple" pedals and stuff in general. I have no knowledge or practical experience for this kind of things whatsoever, though and I doubt I have the nerve and talent to get into it, heh. I think I'll stick to not knowing anything at all and spending my money on these funny, colorful boxes

Something like the Bazz Fuss is a great build to get started. It's just a couple of components you can stick onto a breadboard and experiment with!

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Super impressed - totally nails that uber middy Kyuss sort of tone. Sounds lush.

Make me one?

Haha, thanks If you want one, the Bazz Fuss takes like ten minutes to solder together. Then it's just a matter of finding the right components for the tone (in my case, using whatever I could find the quickest )

 

[Melodeath]

Sounded awesome. Did not expect you to say POD

 

[Kazrog]

Super impressed - totally nails that uber middy Kyuss sort of tone. Sounds lush.

Make me one?

IMO this actually sounds better than Kyuss' tone on most of their records. Very impressed. TV remote parts? LOL. Genius, epic win of a tone here!

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Haha, I honestly didn't expect such positive reactions, cheers!

I wonder if this thing could switch my TV's channels if I opened the enclosure...

 

[Habsburgs]

I want one!

 

[Ashgarth]

fuck, this sounds great!!

I need one hahaha

 

[SentencedToBurn]

fuckin awesome

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Thanks! Here's a quick test with a real amp (JCA20h): http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1809705/Infrazzz-JCA.mp3

 

[Skaldir]

Sounds pretty awesome I'd say. More like a distortion than a fuzz maybe, but really good work.
Care to let us look inside and share the schematics. Mabye somebody wants to build himself a unit.

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Sounds pretty awesome I'd say. More like a distortion than a fuzz maybe, but really good work.
Care to let us look inside and share the schematics. Mabye somebody wants to build himself a unit.

Don't have schems at hand right now, but like I said, just google the Bazz Fuss schems (I used version 1 without the darlington setup, which looks to me like a basic fuzz face with a clipping diode) and start experimenting If you want a fuzzier sound, a lower voltage diode should take you there!