Are there any sub $100 fuzz faces that are decent?

[gdhi11]

I'm big into fuzz faces, I have a bunch of different ones form different places--so naturally a friend asked me what I would recommend--and I said if you don't have one, probably just the Dunlop Mini.

He responded that he was hoping for under $100--is that even a thing? I couldn't think of any off the top of my head.

 

[DrewJD82]

Actually, if there were one circuit you can find all day long for under $100, it'd be the Fuzz Face circuit. Really basic and easy to make. Just do a search for Fuzz Face Clone and you'll get a ton of matches. There's even kits as low as $30 out there.

 

[James Freeman]

Caline Fuzzy Bear, that's a silicon FF clone.
20$ on Ali.

 

[dk_ace]

The Dunlop mini fuzz faces are good and sale for less than 100 used. Several flavors depending on what you want.

D

 

[SillyOctpuss]

If there's one circuit that's easy to build and mega easy to get wrong it's the fuzz face. I'd have a look at second hand Dunlop minis but don't be surprised to try a few different fuzzes to see what floats his boat. The jhs series 3 is pretty good,not sure how much it is in dollars though.

 

[gdhi11]

Yeah I’m no stranger to the circuit, I’ve had a dozen or so of them at times. Kinda stopped with an RCA Sundance a while ago.

 

[EOengineer]

If there's one circuit that's easy to build and mega easy to get wrong it's the fuzz face.

Hard agree. For a circuit with ~ a dozen components, it’s unreal how variable each build is, almost comically so if you go germanium.

There are a ton of small pedal builders on Reverb, I’d get something with an externally adjustable bias pot as that’s probably the most important component governing how the pedal feels and sounds. That 4.5v bias is extremely important.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

Hard agree. For a circuit with ~ a dozen components, it’s unreal how variable each build is, almost comically so if you go germanium.

Don't get me started on germanium. I love a germanium fuzz face but building a really good one is hard, definitely not for a noob.