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Bazz Fuss
Some time ago, either on the discussion boards or while browsing the
'net, I found myself face-to-face with an ultra-simple circuit named Bazz
Fuss. Designed by Christian (né Hemmo), I immediately printed the
schematic and built it.

Despite being intended for use with a bass guitar, when I plugged in my
guitar the result was a beautiful fuzz with synth-like background textures.
The incredible simplicity overwhelmed me. For someone who had been
slowly growing restless with each fuzz I built, the Bazz Fuss was some
kind of renaissance.

When building it, I made one modification to the original schematic. The
original used a 100k gain pot at the front of the circuit, which I relocated to
the end of the circuit for use as a volume control. I did this with the
thought that I could always use my guitar volume as the gain control, but
it really sounds best at full gain.

The original schematic specified a 2N3904 transistor, but I like the

2N5088 for better note decay.
The input cap I was 4.7uF, the output .1uF (socketed).
NOTE: The above perfboard layout, while drawn for the Bazz Fuss v1,
can be easily adapted for use with the v2 or v3 simply by using sockets
for the capacitors, transistor, and diode.

About a month passed after building the Bazz Fuss, and I was using it as
my main fuzz during that time. Then, I saw that Christian had updated the
circuit to use a darlington transistor and a smaller resistor. I built this
revision at once and while it was slightly more defined, the original sound
was still there.

I believe the transistor can be any NPN darlington or even a homemade

darlington.
The input cap I used was 4.7uF, the output .22uF. Both caps are
socketed.
 homemade darlington

More time passed, and I used the Bazz Fusses quite often. Then, after
spending a lot of time experimenting with clipping diodes in a different
circuit, I realized that I had never tried anything other than a 1n914 as the
diode in the Bazz Fuss. I quickly built a third version with nearly
everything socketed and began testing.

*Diode can be any from chart below, input cap was .056uF, output was
.047uF.

The chart below shows my diode experiment findings. I'm using the
obnoxiously arbitrary standard of "degrees of dirt" being (from most to
least) fuzz -- distortion -- overdrive.

measured
diode(s) notes
voltage
decent, but output is
1N34A .220v
too low
stock version, great
1N914 .570v
fuzz
1N34A, a bit more defined, a
.780v
1N914 bit louder
(2)
almost a hybrid
1N34A, 1.0v
fuzz/distortion
1N914
 Bazz Fuss v3
orange a hybrid
1.8v
LED distortion/overdrive
As with many circuits, the input capacitor value has a large effect on the
sound. I've tried everything between 4.7uF and .0047uF, and for my
tastes, as the diode voltage increases the cap value should decrease.
With the LED or the (2) 1n34a, (1) 1N914 combo as the diode, I like the
brighter sound of a .047uF. The original really sounds great with the low
end menace of a 4.7uF input cap.

My suggestion for building your version of the Bazz Fuss is pretty simple.
Follow the Bazz Fuss v3 schematic (above) and socket everything except
the 10k collector resistor (visit Small Bear Electronics for the sockets and
other great items). That way, you can have as many fun options as I did
while experimenting with the circuit. Although I specify an MPSA13 or
other darlington, you can use a 2N5088 or 2N5089 (just be sure to use
the correct collector resistor value) and still get some interesting sounds.
With non-darlington transistors and the 1N914 diode, the sound (to my
ears) has more of a synth feel and the note decay is quicker. Tim
Escobedo has documented some interesting mods for the Bazz Fuss and
you should visit his Bazz Fuss page for the mods and a sound clip. I have
recorded a couple clips of the original Bass Fuzz (v1 on this page) as well
as the Bazz Fuss v3 (with the LED, picture at right) and they can be found
on my Sound Clips page.

Listen to the Bazz Fuss!

 Deluxe Bazz Fuss
by Gary Burchett

The diode can be swapped to your taste, but I've found that other diode
sounds (LED or Ge+Si in series) can be emulated with different
Thickness settings, and have used a silicon 1N914. With the print values,
you should be able to get a good treble boost all the way to a big, fat
sound.

All three cap values should be adjusted to taste.

The 42TM018 transformer (Mouser part number) may be eliminated if you

are plugging in a passive-pickup guitar directly. The transformer idea is
nicked from Tim Escobedo, who got the idea from Jack Orman's article on
Pickup Simulation, and Tim says it will preserve the Bazz Fuss' unique
tone.

This collection of mods should give you a versatile, simple to build and
good sounding OD/Distortion/Fuzz box.

Listen to the Deluxe Bazz Fuss!

Buzz Box
Another application of the Bazz Fuss design is the Buzz Box, also
designed by Christian. The circuit is simply two BF in series, but the
second BF stage uses a germanium diode rather than the usual silicon.
The circuit produces a nasty (in a good way), explosive octave-up fuzz
similar to the Scrambler and Green Ringer.

Listen to the Buzz Box!

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