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Hybrid Germanium Fuzz

You know the fuzz sound, but something is missing from it? Well, if something new or slightly different experience, these circuits can produce an alternative sound. This Hybrid Germanium Fuzz. Why Hybrid? It is combined with the old and new types of transistors. As the old germanium (AC128) in the current one (2N3904) are made of silicon. So meet old and new technologies. The whole circuit is based on the old familiar fuzz circuit. These do not have to change much. But what if before the fuzz, coupled with a preamplifier? For example:

Hybrid Germanium fuzz basic circuit. Use NOS germanium transistors.
Basic circuit

So, a pretty extreme sounds, or get extra distortion. Practically four parts and stronger, rougher sound is obtained. This small preamp, an existing Fuzz pedal built into it, such as tuning or mod. The options are:

Noise: Eliminate the high frequencies, less wheezing sound.
Volume: Output level
Fuzz: The amount of distortion
Compression: Stronger or softer fuzz effect

Hybrid Germanium Fuzz mods

Okay, now let’s see how you can further modify the circuit. The following circuit was a better preamp:

Better quality preamp circuit. Noise potentiometer missed.
Better quality preamp circuit.

This circuit should be slightly more components. But this sounds a bit more stable and more beautiful. More sensitive and emphasize the guitar voice. The “noise” controller was not built in, but who wants to do it.

The following changes to the previous circuit. built. Added tone control. It’s a little change of tone. Depending on the setting, resulting in blunt or stronger voice.

Better quality preamp and tone circuit. Little change in tone.
Tone mod.

The C4, C6 capacitors and R8 potentiometer value is not fixed. It can be varied within narrow limits. They are also little change in the sound.  For example, 4,7nF instead 6.8 – 10nF. or 25K instead 10K.  In this hybrid germanium fuzz circuit original NOS germanium transistors used. At one time they were manufactured in the 70s, the manufacturer Tungsram. Unfortunately, we have less and less NOS germanium transistors, more and more difficult to find them. And this is the real basis of fuzz.

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