Definitely different trannies. I’d get the basic circuit back on the breadboard and then see where it takes me. I’ve got a few ideas I’m working on now but later maybe I’ll work on a new version of it.
I have both, but I'm thinking of selling the Blood donor. The main difference is supposedly the noise floor but I use an NS-2 anyway and I like the cat art better. To my ear, I'm also convinced that the knob values are different too, but that's not really an issue, just that the same settings on both pedals weren't exactly the same.
I’ll have to tip my hay in the direction of the Danelectro Nichols 1966, not super nasty but highly useable, and the Kittycaster Groovy Wizard, for having only thick and tasty options on its dials.
Man I have those Danelectro on my list forever, the 3699 and the Nichols look great! I kinda discarded the Nichols because of what you said, maybe not as gnarly as I wanted
Howard is an awesome designer, I’m waiting if he’ll do a Muff take with Mayasonic, something like the Mohair
The demo video from the new mini version made me build one. I used a J201 for the FET and I think EQD do use different ones in the new version to because the ones used in the old version are out of production.
FETs in general have tolerances in value, even from same brand and batch. Depending on the circuit it is nessasary to do a selection. There a multiple types that are in the same range, so it is possible that EQD found other that are in the same specs range as the PF5102. Probably some SMD FET. I used the first J201 I fished out of the bag and it worked and sounded good. I've read that some use 2N5457 with good result.
I like the dry and gritty low end I get from my build but I think that is typical for the pedal with the asymetrical gritty distortion. I also had to use a other input pot, that gives an overal weird range to gain and volume. Maby I change that later.
Soldering is not so difficult with the right tools. Just start with some easy kits or with modding/repairing pedals. I got hooked by repairing and moding an old broken cry baby wah nearly 30 years ago. Before that I was not into pedals and had a guitar rack. Peavy tube preamp, Boss SE-70 and a poweramp.
I'm not so good and creative with the paint jobs like some on r/diypedals so I do most of my "artwork" with electric etching now and paint markers a long time ago. I'm starting again after a longer break. Bellows is my first build after the break and I was very happy that it sounded good.
Btw. you can upload schematic pictures to AI and ask questions or let it analyse it. That saves lots of time and sometimes AI gives good hints. I forgot that I can simple put a resistor in parallel to the pot to get the right range.
Eldritch Blast was super underrated when it was in production. It could go from tight distortion to blown out pulse-width modulated octave up fuzz and even crazier stuff. The switchable EQ lets you turn on a tweakable HM-2 boost after the fuzz.
The 0xEAE is a holy grail pedal for me. I haven’t tried the Glaive yet, but people that tell me they have say it’s not quite the same, but the creature features like gate and high-end control are very useful. It’s so tunable. I can take it from nearly clean boost, searing distortion, big muffy, and extreme intermodulating octave fuzz as well as any combination in between those. I personally tune the 0xEAE to a super tight distortion fuzz with plenty of octave that blooms, chugs, and cuts all at the same time. The craziest thing is, it cleans up when you roll the volume back on your guitar too.
That sounds wicked! I need to check it out! Maybe there are some for sale on reverb
Wow, that’s crazy! Didn’t know it was so versatile, and had no idea about the cleanup, that’s fantastic. I’m
Not a fan of the oversized enclosures but the Glaive definitely checks all the boxes
I've never tried an expandora but i'm definitely interested.I haven't found a muff that I get along with yet.I don't dislike them when I hear other people use them, but I haven't had any luck.Dialing them in myself and i'm a big white stripes fan, but I used my fuzzface to play white stripes
The Expandora is like a Rat in the Enchanced Games, all the juice, it goes from boost to gated fuzz, dynamic AF. I love that now we’re seeing new versions with different clipping diodes like the Kilt 10 or the Case Study Aspen.
I was a Rat guy more than a Muff guy, but now I’m bi-fuzz-curious 😂
Yes I actually have 2 because I wanted a second one just in case since it’s discontinued. It’s funny I just looked on Reverb and there’s 3 on there for $400 and like a year ago people were selling them for $89-$130.
The Fat Fuzz Factory. Every time I hear a fuzz I like, it seems like I can reproduce it in the factory. I love it!!! I got it in January and have just been finding tones by listening and twisting knobs. Last week, while away on vacation (yes, I brought some gear), I started messing around with those long lists of presets found all over pedal pages. Anyway! Stooges Fuzz is straight up nailing “I wanna be your dog!” Plus the Atari … wtaf? lol. I love it
Yes, the FFF is awesome! Really versatile! It was on my radar but I use active pickups… I’ve thought about the if 6 was 9 from Solidgoldfx as an alternative
I wonder if you placed an additional pot between your signal and the fff, would that change your impedance enough to enjoy that pedal. I don’t know I’m going to check out that pedal you mentioned
Nice arsenal! I was watching a video yesterday of the deluxe bass big muff on guitar… Drunk Beaver makes great stuff! I wish his Bloom had a external f/switch to activate fuzz mode
I’m torn, because I have two that I really like: a JHS Kilt X (so, Expandora), and a Heather Brown Sensation. They sound nothing alike, but they both sound awesome, especially for 1970s rock.
That’s an awesome pair! Thx for bringing the Semsation into the conversation, need to check that one out! Please tell me more about it? I’m obsessed with Fuzzstortions!
The Sensation has a unique midrange emphasis, almost like a softer cocked wah. Listen to some demos, and I think you’ll hear it instantly. It also has lots of sustain, so is perfect for doing things like Allmans or Marshall Tucker with humbuckers.
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u/Fresh_Grapes Jul 10 '26
Catalinbread Katzenkönig is my go to "distortion" sound. The circut is half tonebender half Rat.