Rickenbacker - Transonic Fuzzstortion in pedal format.

Rambozo96 · Post by **Rambozo96** » 21 Dec 2019, 02:55

Just finished this Rickenbacker fuzz circuit found on the Transonic amps that the likes of Led Zeppelin and Steppenwolf used as a backline. Wanted to know how it sounded and didn’t have the room or the cash for a Transonic so I did the next best thing by building one. The schematic didn’t specify what the fuzz circuit used for transistors so I used 2N2222A’s since i had a bunch of those on hand needing be used up. Here’s a clip of the fuzz in action. Very ratty! Unfortunately due to the lack of in depth clips of the Fuzzstortion in action I have no idea how close to the real thing I am.

Axldeziak · Post by **Axldeziak** » 21 Dec 2019, 16:00

Any chance you could post the schematic you ended up with? I've been looking at the original amp schematic and I'd like to know what all you chopped away to make it work.

Rambozo96 · Post by **Rambozo96** » 21 Dec 2019, 18:16

Here we go. Still messing with the bias.

soulsonic · Post by **soulsonic** » 18 Apr 2020, 22:12

Which model of amp is this circuit taken from? I was looking at some Transonic schematics and saw a very different circuit with clipping diodes.

Axldeziak · Post by **Axldeziak** » 19 Apr 2020, 01:27

Looks to be from the Transonic 100 & 200 schematic.

soulsonic · Post by **soulsonic** » 19 Apr 2020, 15:28

Well...schematic says it wants either 27v or 29v to power it, depending on the model of amp. With that voltage as reference, you can judge from the stated collector voltages of 11v for Q11 and 0,15v (!) for Q12.
I think some other parts of the circuit need to be included as well. Q2 is always in-circuit before it, driving it with a much hotter signal than what comes straight from the guitar. You can see there's some tone shaping happening as well. Would be nice if they had labeled the value of L1!

Q1 is just a buffer, but it's needed because the input impedance of Q2's circuit is too low for good interface with a guitar.
Same goes for the fuzz! If you have a guitar going straight into the circuit starting at Q11, the input Z is going to be very low and you'll be losing alot of signal potentially. It obviously works and gives a sound, but I don't think it's going to be very accurate in regard to the original's tone and feel.

Rambozo96 · Post by **Rambozo96** » 22 Apr 2020, 20:33

I may dredge this up and try adding that section of the circuit.

Rambozo96 · Post by **Rambozo96** » 11 Jun 2020, 04:13

I think you’re right about the Q1 being a buffer. Running a buffered pedal in front of this thing makes it act a bit more like it should, now I guess I just have to figure out what in the world inductor Rickenbacker used in the preamp.