I made an impedance buffer (fuzz pedal content)

[Toasted]

I went to see my buddy's band tonight, and when I got home I made an impedance buffer. It takes whatever input impedance you put in (for example your looooow impedance active bass) and re-sets it to the perfect (high) impedance to run vintage fuzz circuits that have a problem with low impedance signals - like a fuzz face and derivatives.

I can now use my active bass with any fuzz pedal. "Bonza".

9v boss-style power, water clear pink LED, hammond case, switchcraft jacks :O

[wdinc01]

How easy was it to make that? I might need one.

[ZombiCrow]

What all goes into that circuit? It's not that difficult, is it?

[Nick Kay]

I'm thinking I'm going to roll my own fuzz and throw something like that on the front-end, to save board space. How big is the circuit? Could you squeeze it in beside a Fuzz Face-style circuit in a standard-sized Hammond enclosure?

[arai]

cool!
are you willing to post the schematic?

[Toasted]

Thanks for the comments.

I just spent some time with the scope and there are a few improvements I can make. So I'm going to do that now

[icarussmicarus]

I'd like to hear some A/B'ing - and then i'd like to know a price

[Max Roberts]

Nice one Toasted. I don't understand why no other companies have tried to do this.

[pompompom]

No blue led?

[Max Roberts]

Originally Posted by pompompom

No blue led?

Ahh, but it's purple

[5stringwonder]

thought it was pink??

[seanm]

A simple buffer can be a nice easy circuit, or it can be tricky. The amount of input signal you need to handle can affect the design a lot. Luckily, a bass doesn't put out a huge signal.

I have a couple of simple schematics here: http://seanm.ca/stomp/minblend.html . Warning: the opamp does not show the power supply setup. If you ignore the send and return and the blend pot, the opamp circuit is just a simple buffer.

The advantage of the opamp is that it is almost a perfect buffer. If you hook up a scope, the input and output will match exactly.

The advantage of the transistor (a FET in this case) is less parts and some feel a more musical sound. However, there will be a slight voltage drop, it is not a perfect buffer.

[seanm]

As an aside, most (but not all) gain pedals also are buffers.

[Toasted]

Agreed Seanm, but the buffer I've built takes a low impedance signal and bumps it up to high impedance - for use with vintage fuzzes etc that don't like the low impedance signal from our active basses / gain pedals.

[seanm]

Originally Posted by Toasted

Agreed Seanm, but the buffer I've built takes a low impedance signal and bumps it up to high impedance - for use with vintage fuzzes etc that don't like the low impedance signal from our active basses / gain pedals.

Doh! I read that wrong.

Yes, all the buffers I showed take a high impedance and produce a low impedance output. Same with gain pedals.

Are you using a transformer? I have seen that done with the bazz fuss.

[Toasted]

A transformer is the only way I know to do it on a smallscale, yes

[Sean S]

So, Toasted, you gonna post a schematic and/or gut shots?

[Max Roberts]

Originally Posted by 5stringwonder

thought it was pink??

You are correct I should have read that part.

[CicadaSilence]

Very nice! How much of the enclosure does the circuitry take up?

[Jared Lash]

Are you using Jack Orman's transformer for this? I know that's what is used in the Messdrive and Messdrive Hybrid +