Hybrid vs. Germanium Fuzzes. My two cents......

 :

5/31/2004 7:29 PM

Humbucker

Hybrid vs. Germanium Fuzzes. My two cents...... I was just comparing my DIY all-germanium Fuzz against my Silicon/Germanium Fuzz and I like the Hybrid better. I'm actually surprised by this.     While both are really good, I find that the Hybrid has more gain and more high-end bite but still really fat and beefy sounding, it crunches a lot like a good tube amp. The fuzz cleans up pretty good and doesn't lose treble when rolling-off the guitar's volume knob.     And I'm told that the Hybrid pretty much takes care of the temperature problem.     Something else that I've noticed is that when I use my TrebleBooster before the all-Germanium Fuzz the low-end is totally wiped out and it sounds like a tiny little radio, this isn't a good combination in my book.     But if I use the TrebleBooster before any of my other Distortion/Overdrive boxes or my Silicon-Germanium Fuzz a lot of the low end remains and really sings.     I'm not sure why the all-Germanium Fuzz sounds thin with the TrebleBooster and the Hybrid sounds fine, maybe a difference in impedance?     Anyway, I think I prefer the Hybrid when all is said and done, it's the best of both worlds IMHO.

 

7/19/2004 1:11 PM

RedHouse

Since you like the hybrid, you should also try out Brett's "Miss Piggy" design which is an all silicon design but REALLY can emulate best aspects of Germanium while retaining what you like about the hybrid...     http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/~jethro.dog/index.html       I find I'm using higher resistances in the piggyback base-emmitter links, more like 33k and 47k with 2N5088 in the hfe=350 range.     Search on "Miss Piggy" over at Aron Nelsons forum, you will find much about it there.

 

Page 1 of 1