Silicon Fuzz or Germanium Fuzz

[Robert]

What do you prefer - Silicon or Germanium fuzz, and why?

I have never owned a Silicon fuzz, so I can't really say yet which I like better. I dig my Das Fuzz, which has Germanium transistors (almost typed tranvestites by accident :eek:).

[Algonquin]

(almost typed tranvestites by accident :eek:).
Paging Dr Freud... paging Dr Freud... :rotflmao: :D

[luvmyshiner]

Paging Dr Freud... paging Dr Freud... :rotflmao: :D

Snarf! I have nothing substantive to contribute here. I just wanted to let Algonquin know that he is responsible for wasting the beer I just spewed out ma' nose.:beer:

[mrmudcat]

I myself love germs .......the silicons are more reliable(so they say) sistors but the germ sound is what I like.:beer:

[Tone2TheBone]

I dunno I love the germaniums in my Fuzz Face so yeah I'll go with them.

[duhvoodooman]

I guess germaniums, overall, but it's pretty close between the two for me. I have both in my Fuzz Farm pedal, and the germaniums sound a bit smoother and warmer, where the silicons have more gain and clarity, but are a bit more angular sounding. I was tempted to say "harsher", but that implies something bad, and that's really not the case, to my ear. Different, not worse. Both have their place.

I think silicon transistors in Fuzz pedals get a bad/undeserved rap. They still sound very good and typically "fuzzy". Keep in mind that Hendrix's later Fuzz Faces were silicon trannies, and Eric Johnson uses a silicon-based Fuzz Face. I don't hear anybody calling EJ's tone "harsh"....

[sunvalleylaw]

I don't even know what is in my EH Little Big Muff. I like it though.

[Bloozcat]

Germanium.

I have an Analogman Sun Face with the NOS 1960's British Newmarket NKT 275 germanium transistors in it. They're the ones that were used in the original Fuzz Face, and they sound significantly different from the newer germanium transistors used in commercially made fuzzes today.

The NKT 275 produces a bit less fuzz, and less of the high end fizziness that is so annoying in cheaper units. The Sun Face really does cop that 60's Clapton and Hendrix vibe very well.

[Ch0jin]

+1 Ge here.

I built both my DA Fuzzface clones (one with two knobs, one with four) using sockets for the transistors, and used Si for the inital power on and testing (Matched Ge's are too rare and expensive to fry because of a silly wiring error) so I did get to directly A/B Si and Ge and I base my preference on that.

I struggled for the words to describe the difference, but the word that keeps coming up for me to describe Ge fuzz is "Wooly" and whilst just as "fuzzy" the Si sounds a bit more "Clinical". (yeah none of that really helps i guess haha).

It's worth noting two things tho. Both my fuzz faces have NOS germs with slightly higher measured gain than the originals (or more specifically, whats was considered to be the 'best' gain for the originals). I ordered a bunch of matched pairs from smallbear and deliberatley used the higher gain pairs because I like being able to go right over the top into stoner territory. The other thing that's important is your amp. Into my tube amps I love my Ge Fuzz's. Into a solid state amp though the difference between Si and Ge dissapears. So much so that if I know I'm jamming with a SS amp I just take my Big Muff clone (which is of course all Si).

Hope that helps ;)


p.s. Si or Ge, both types will sustain for weeks in the right pedal!!

[sunvalleylaw]

So what is in my Little Big Muff Pi? I couldn't figure it out from the electro harmonix site or otherwise online. Tone, do you know? Whatever it is, I like it for my purposes and it seems to suit me.

[Robert]

I don't even know what is in my EH Little Big Muff. I like it though.

I think there's bunch of hair in thar. :D

[Tone2TheBone]

So what is in my Little Big Muff Pi? I couldn't figure it out from the electro harmonix site or otherwise online. Tone, do you know? Whatever it is, I like it for my purposes and it seems to suit me.

Most likely some kind of SI trans in there. The BMPi's are a different circuit all together from any Fuzz Face circuit. You can't really clean up the fuzz from a Muff by rolling back the volume on the guitar. You only lower the output volume of the 'bass heavy fuzz' the Pi's produceski. Different type of fuzz my friend. Go out and get a Ge fuzz for educational purposes and to add to your ever increasing arsenal. :beer: .....and put that zebra pup in the Fully already! ;)

[Tone2TheBone]

+1 Ge here.

I built both my DA Fuzzface clones (one with two knobs, one with four) using sockets for the transistors, and used Si for the inital power on and testing (Matched Ge's are too rare and expensive to fry because of a silly wiring error) so I did get to directly A/B Si and Ge and I base my preference on that.

I struggled for the words to describe the difference, but the word that keeps coming up for me to describe Ge fuzz is "Wooly" and whilst just as "fuzzy" the Si sounds a bit more "Clinical". (yeah none of that really helps i guess haha).

It's worth noting two things tho. Both my fuzz faces have NOS germs with slightly higher measured gain than the originals (or more specifically, whats was considered to be the 'best' gain for the originals). I ordered a bunch of matched pairs from smallbear and deliberatley used the higher gain pairs because I like being able to go right over the top into stoner territory. The other thing that's important is your amp. Into my tube amps I love my Ge Fuzz's. Into a solid state amp though the difference between Si and Ge dissapears. So much so that if I know I'm jamming with a SS amp I just take my Big Muff clone (which is of course all Si).

Hope that helps ;)


p.s. Si or Ge, both types will sustain for weeks in the right pedal!!

I totally can dig what you're saying in your post. Good contribution.

[sunvalleylaw]

Most likely some kind of SI trans in there. The BMPi's are a different circuit all together from any Fuzz Face circuit. You can't really clean up the fuzz from a Muff by rolling back the volume on the guitar. You only lower the output volume of the 'bass heavy fuzz' the Pi's produceski. Different type of fuzz my friend. Go out and get a Ge fuzz for educational purposes and to add to your ever increasing arsenal. :beer: .....and put that zebra pup in the Fully already! ;)


One of these days, Alice! (re, the pup, I was starting to think I might save it for an LP, if I got an Agile or something if my birthday plan works out). Thanks for the answer. I like my MuffPi! :AOK:

[Tone2TheBone]

One of these days, Alice! (re, the pup, I was starting to think I might save it for an LP, if I got an Agile or something if my birthday plan works out). Thanks for the answer. I like my MuffPi! :AOK:

The Muff Pi's are really good and I might just get another one anyway just to add to my ever growing arsenal as well. :D Can't ever have too many fuzz pedals (right Voodoo?).

Word of advice dude. BE the plan. BE the plan. :beer:

[sunvalleylaw]

The Muff Pi's are really good and I might just get another one anyway just to add to my ever growing arsenal as well. :D Can't ever have too many fuzz pedals (right Voodoo?).

I do like it a lot. It gave me a ton of sustain for my intro lead and solos on "BLack Magic Woman" when I played out with the guys, and gave me some nice smooth hair as well. It set the "tone" for the song. :rockon:


Word of advice dude. BE the plan. BE the plan. :beer:
Ok Noonan. ;)

[Ch0jin]

So what is in my Little Big Muff Pi? I couldn't figure it out from the electro harmonix site or otherwise online. Tone, do you know? Whatever it is, I like it for my purposes and it seems to suit me.

Silicon for sure. As far as I know there was never a Ge based BMP.

Also, I dont think Ge transistors have been manufactured for decades. That's why only small run boutique pedals have them. Even if they were still being made, their unique "issues" would make them a real nightmare to include in an FX pedal from a mass production point of view. Just have a read about the selection process people used to go through with the original Dallas Arbitor Fuzz Faces. There's stories around of guys digging through boxes of them in guitar stores trying to find one that sounded just right because the sound varied so much as a result of the germanium transistors massive spec variances.

[Jimi75]

I have played Germanium fuzzes so far and I was quite satisfied.
Having tried out the Silicon version convinced me of the fact that they sound better *personal/subjective opinion*. My fuzz in use is a Silicon fuzz - it's great for the sounds I was looking for!

The trick to prevent the harsh sound is that you have to experiment with the amp setting. Usually, you should keep the fuzz turned on all the time and do the rest with the volume poti of your guitar. Put a lot of middels and reduce the treble a little bit, the fuzz gives you that brighntess you hear in Jimi's clean sound, turning up the volume poti opens the gates of hell or shall I say rock and blues heaven ;-) The distorted sound is of good definition an Silicon pedals rock.

I once posted this clip here:
http://www.box.net/shared/krams2yl9s

[sunvalleylaw]

Nice clip Jimi. I had forgotten about that one. I like how you start out with a bit from my favorite Hendrix tune (Freedom).

[Jimi75]

Nice clip Jimi. I had forgotten about that one. I like how you start out with a bit from my favorite Hendrix tune (Freedom).


Thanks Steve!
It's definitely among my top 5 Hendrix tunes.