Woodstock

Probably the most famous (or is that infamous?) fuzz of all times

 

     

 

The Woodstock fuzz rack effect module compares to many of the past and present variants of the Fuzz Face.  Whether you prefer a silicon Fuzz Face tone or a germanium Fuzz Face tone, we offer configs and options that should cover your Fuzz Face needs.  Pick your exact config without spending a ton for rare vintage pedals with unpredictable tones.

 

Description

The Fuzz Face is undisputedly one of the more famous effects pedals of all times.  It seems to have been used by nearly every guitarist at some point, with many of them using it as a cornerstone of their tone.  The only thing that rivals its popularity is the variety of opinions players hold on how it can best be used, which versions, clones, or copies are best, which magical components give it "that sound", and the many other facts and fables that have sprung up and added to the mystique of a relatively simple effect circuit.  We won't address all of those issues, many are matters of opinion and have no right or wrong answer.  There are a few facts that we will provide here to perhaps help guide you through the configurations and options we offer in our Woodstock module.

The earliest Fuzz Faces used germanium transistors.  Germanium transistors were of notoriously poor quality and had a very wide range of acceptable specs.  These specs also varied widely with temperature.  These facts alone account for a large part of the reason why identical germanium Fuzz Faces sound different.  It also turns out to be the case that transistors in each position in the circuit require specs within certain value ranges to sound best.  Early manufacturers didn't test individual transistors for each position.  They just picked random transistors out of the transistors they had and soldered them in.  This also accounts for large variations in tone among the early germanium units.

These problems with germanium transistors were very annoying to many players.  As a result, silicon transistors were also used in Fuzz Faces after a while.  The silicon transistors give a slightly different tone, but they are more consistent and don't vary with temperature.  They were still picked randomly, again leading to variation in tone.  A variety of different germanium and silicon transistors have been used in Fuzz Faces and Fuzz Face clones and copies for many years.  Each different transistor has its own sound in the circuit, although the variation between different germanium transistors and the variation between different silicon transistors tend to be smaller than the difference between silicon and germanium transistors.

It didn't take long for tweaked Fuzz Face circuits to appear, providing slightly different tones and more control over the tone.  Of course many stories abound about exactly what tweaks were used by what players, and in some cases it is probably too late to be 100% certain.

The Woodstock is offered in several base configurations, with options for further customization.  The table below shows some information about the various configurations and their default controls and transistors, two of the main differentiators between configurations.

 

Configurations

Configuration Woodstock Ge Woodstock Jimi Woodstock TSF Ge Woodstock TSF Si Woodstock MJM Woodstock GT Ge Woodstock Ge 69
Compares To original Fuzz Face, Analogman Sunface, Dunlop germanium Fuzz Faces, many others original germanium Fuzz Face with Jimi Hendrix mods Cesar Diaz Texas Square Face with germanium transistors Cesar Diaz Texas Square Face with silicon transistors MJM London Fuzz Face (germanium transistors) GT modded version of original germanium Fuzz Face Fulltone '69
Controls Volume, Fuzz Volume, Fuzz Volume, Fuzz Volume, Fuzz Volume, Fuzz Volume, Fuzz, Input Level, Bias, Mids, Volts, Bass Cut, Noise Cut Volume, Fuzz, Input Level, Mids
Transistors AC125 AC125 2N130x NTE123 2N130x AC125 AC125

 

Configuration Woodstock Si Woodstock Si 70 Woodstock Si/Ge Woodstock GT Si Woodstock JH-F1 Woodstock 108 Woodstock 109
Compares To original silicon Fuzz Face Fulltone '70 Joe Gagan Easy Face GT modded version of original silicon Fuzz Face

Dunlop JH-F1 Fuzz Face

Analogman Sunface BC108

Skreddy BC109 Fuzz
Controls Volume, Fuzz Volume, Fuzz, Mids Volume, Fuzz, Input Level, Blend Volume, Fuzz, Input Level, Bias, Mids, Gain, Bass Cut, Noise Cut Volume, Fuzz Volume, Fuzz, Bias Volume, Fuzz, Bias, Voice, HB/SC switch
Transistors BC108C BC108C 2N3906, AC125 BC109C BC108C BC108C BC109C

                            

 

Options

  • Custom Transistors - Choose different transistors from the default for the configuration.
  • Input Level Control - Gives you a control to dump some input signal to ground.
  • Bass Cut Switch - Gives you a switch that allows you to select between the standard input capacitor and another input capacitor, usually to reduce bass.
  • Blend Control - Like the Bass Cut Switch, but a potentiometer that blends between the two capacitors instead of just selecting one.
  • Bias Control - Gives you a control to adjust the bias.  Recommended on any configuration that uses germanium transistors.
  • Mids Control - Gives you a control to adjust the mids.
  • Volts Control - Gives you a control to decrease the voltage from the standard level to "dying battery" levels and below.
  • Noise Capacitors - Adds some small capacitors in both stages to cut very high frequencies and noise.
  • Noise Capacitors Switch - Puts the Noise Capacitor option on a switch to turn on/off.
  • Impedance - Vintage Fuzz Faces didn't have pull down resistors to set their impedance properly.  As a result, much of the signal is lost.  This tone-sucking cuts the highs more than the lows and gives the circuit its famous wooly sound.  More modern Fuzz Face circuits include a large pull-down resistor to set the impedance properly so the highs are not lost.  This makes the tone brighter, but you gain control over it by getting rid of the unintended high cut tone-sucking.  Use this option to specify the impedance you want - none or high are the usual choices.
  • Impedance Switch - Allows you to put a pull-down resistor (or two) on a switch, along with a setting for no pull-down resistor.
  • Gain Control - This allows you to reduce the signal between the first and second stages.  This is intended only for silicon configurations where higher gain silicon transistors can end up with too much gain.
  • Carbon Comp Resistors - For those who like carbon comp flavor in their fuzz.
  • Custom Components - We use metal film resistors and a selection of capacitors that provide good tone and low noise. 

 

Front Panel

  • On/Off indicator LED
  • Volume
  • Fuzz
  • (optional) Input Level control
  • (optional) Bass Cut Switch
  • (optional) Blend control
  • (optional) Noise switch
  • (optional) Mids control
  • (optional) Bias control
  • (optional) Gain control
  • (optional) Volts control
  • (optional) Voice control
  • (optional) HB/SC switch

 

Rear Panel

  • Audio In
  • Audio Out
  • On/Off Footswitch
  • On/Off Override
  • DC Power
  • DC Power LED

 

Module Width

  • 1.5" standard
  • 2" or 3" with options
  • 2" left wing module and 1.5" right wing modules are available for 2-4 control configurations

 

Power Consumption (aprox)

7 - 55mA

 

Base Configurations

Part # Description List Price
MOD-WSTOCK-GE Woodstock Ge module $220
MOD-WSTOCK-JIMI Woodstock Jimi module $220
MOD-WSTOCK-SFGE Woodstock TSF Ge module $220
MOD-WSTOCK-SFSI Woodstock TSF Si module $210
MOD-WSTOCK-MJM Woodstock MJM module $220
MOD-WSTOCK-GTGE Woodstock GT Ge module $265
MOD-WSTOCK-GE69 Woodstock Ge 69 module $245
MOD-WSTOCK-SI Woodstock Si module $210
MOD-WSTOCK-SI70 Woodstock Si 70 module $215
MOD-WSTOCK-SIGE Woodstock Si/Ge module $235
MOD-WSTOCK-GTSI Woodstock GT Si module $255
MOD-WSTOCK-JHF1 Woodstock JHF1 module $210
MOD-WSTOCK-108 Woodstock 108 module $215
MOD-WSTOCK-109 Woodstock 109 module $240

 

Options

Part # Description List Price
MOPT-WSTOCK-TRANS Custom Transistors $0 - TBD
MOPT-WSTOCK-INLEV Input Level Control $19
MOPT-WSTOCK-CUT Bass Cut Switch $19
MOPT-WSTOCK-BLEND Blend Control $19
MOPT-WSTOCK-BIAS Bias Control $19
MOPT-WSTOCK-MIDS Mids Control $19
MOPT-WSTOCK-VOLTS Volts Control $49
MOPT-WSTOCK-NOISE Noise Capacitors $0
MOPT-WSTOCK-SWNOISE Noise Capacitors Switch $19
MOPT-WSTOCK-IMP Impedance $0
MOPT-WSTOCK-SWIMP Impedance Switch $19
MOPT-WSTOCK-GAIN Gain Control $19
MOPT-WSTOCK-CCOMP Carbon Comp Resistors $5
MOPT-WSTOCK-CC Custom Components TBD