Build - Pedal Project: Fuzz Face / Rangemaster (Stripboard)

Please select which type of transistor circuit you are building. If you are not sure what "positive ground" and "negative ground" mean, see our PNP "Positive Ground" Pedal Considerations tech article.
Looking to build this same project using an eyelet board? See our Build - Pedal Project: Fuzz Face / Rangemaster (Eyelet Board).

Many of the folks who work here are builders too, and we often have the occasion to put together interesting builds that we show off on our social media and elsewhere. When possible, we document the design and bill of materials so that these pedals can easily be built by any DIYers without going through the trouble of hunting down all the required parts.

This dual pedal is a combination of the classic Dallas-Arbiter Fuzz Face and the Dallas Rangemaster (treble boost). Fuzz + treble boost is a classic combo seen in pedals such as the AnalogMan Sun Lion and the Hornby Skewes Shatterbox. This version has an added bias control knob for the Fuzz Face side, and an input cap selector switch for the Rangemaster side. It is built on our black 20x10 vintage (0.15”) spacing stripboard.

The original Rangemaster had a single control (besides on/off), and that was the volume pot. The input cap selector is an easy way to expand the Rangemaster’s versatility by adding a control that changes the cutoff frequency of the input high pass filter. If you’d like to read about how it works, see our tech article Rangemaster Modification / Variant: Input Capacitor Switch.

Figure 1 is a stripboard layout for the Fuzz Face / Rangemaster combo pedal. Note that the input capacitor switch can be removed by simply removing the connections to it and changing the yellow 1nF capacitor to ~5nF. The bias knob can be removed by removing the connections to it (and the 2.2kΩ resistor) and wiring an 8.2kΩ resistor (or a 10k+ trimpot for trimmer bias control) from D11 to F11 or from D1 to H1.

Figure 1: Stripboard layout of an NPN Fuzz Face / Rangemaster combo build with input capacitor switch and bias knob.

Figure 1: Stripboard layout of an NPN Fuzz Face / Rangemaster combo build with input capacitor switch and bias knob.

Figure 2: Fuzz Face / Rangemaster NPN Schematic

Figure 2: Fuzz Face / Rangemaster NPN Schematic

The recommended wiring for the jacks and switches wires each section of the effect as if they were separate - the Fuzz Face section has its own footswitch and LED for engaging the effect as well as its own input and output jack, as does the Rangemaster section. However, the output jack of the Fuzz Face section and the input jack of the Rangemaster section both use a switched jack, with their switched contacts wired to each other. The result is that with nothing plugged into the Fuzz Face output jack or the Rangemaster input jack, the effects will be put in series with the Rangemaster after the Fuzz Face. This is the "default" way to use the pedal with a single input and output signal.

The Fuzz Face output and Rangemaster input jacks (also marked "SEND" and "RETURN" in Figure 3) can be used to insert external effects between the two, to switch the order (Rangemaster before Fuzz Face), or to use the two effects separately.

The input jack of the Fuzz Face section will disconnect battery when the plug is removed.

Figure 3: NPN Recommended Wiring

Figure 3: NPN Recommended Wiring

Parts List

Potentiometers
1 kΩ LinearR-VAM1KL-SSFuzz control
500 kΩ Audio/LogR-VAM500KA-SSFuzz volume
10 kΩ Audio/LogR-VAM10KA-SSBoost volume
10 kΩ LinearR-VAR-B10KFuzz bias
Transistors
NPN germaniumP-Q2SD77Fuzz Face Q1The NPN germanium transistor of your choice can be used here. P-Q2SD77 is a good option
NPN germaniumP-Q2SD77Fuzz Face Q2The NPN germanium transistor of your choice can be used here. P-Q2SD77 is a good option
NPN germaniumP-Q2SD77Rangemaster Q1The NPN germanium transistor of your choice can be used here. P-Q2SD77 is a good option
Capacitors
10 nFC-MD01-630Fuzz Face output cap
10 nFC-MD01-630Rangemaster output cap
1 nFC-MD001-630Rangemaster input cap
2 nFC-R82-2N2Rangemaster input cap (parallel)
3.9 nFC-PEID0039-100Rangemaster input cap (parallel)
10 nFC-PEID01-100Rangemaster input cap (parallel)
20 nFC-PEID02-100Rangemaster input cap (parallel)
47 nFC-PEID047-100Rangemaster input cap (parallel)
220 nFC-PEID22-100Rangemaster input cap (parallel)
2 μFC-SA2-50Fuzz Face input cap
25 μFC-ET25-50-MODFuzz Face emitter cap
50 μFC-ET50-50-MODRangemaster emitter cap
100 μFC-ET100-100-MODVoltage stabilizing cap
Resistors
470RR-I470Fuzz Face volume divider resistor
2.2 kΩR-I2D2KFuzz Face minimum bias resistorOptionally, replace with 100k trimmer to modify biad knob range
4.7 kΩR-I4D7KRangemaster emitter resistorOptionally, replace with 10k trimmer to vary bias
33 kΩR-I33KFuzz Face Q1 collector resistor
68 kΩR-I68KRangemaster base bias resistor 1Optionally, replace with 100k trimmer to vary bias
100 kΩR-I100KFuzz Face feedback resistor
470 kΩR-I470KRangemaster base bias resistor 2
1 MΩR-J1MFuzz Face input cap shunt resistor(Optional, not in original)
1 MΩR-J1MRangemaster input cap shunt resistor(Optional, not in original)
1 MΩR-J1MRangemaster output cap shunt resistor(Optional, not in original)
Other Items
StripboardP-PC-STD15-1-BLKBlack vintage-spacing 20x10 stripboard
2P6T rotary switchP-H392Rangemaster input cap selector
SPST rocker switchP-H518Battery enable/disable
Silver footswitchP-H501-L3PDT footswitch control for Rangemaster
Black footswitchP-H501-L-BLK3PDT footswitch control for Fuzz Face
Silver dress nutP-H52-NUT-DRESSDress nut for Rangemaster footswitch
Black dress nutP-H52-NUT-DRESSBKDress nut for Fuzz Face footswitch
Large black knobP-K650Fuzz Face volume knob
Large black knobP-K650Fuzz Face level knob
Large silver knobP-K650-SILRangemaster level knob
Small black knobP-K670Fuzz Face bias knob
Small silver knobP-K670-SILRangemaster input cap knob
Switched Lumberg DC jackP-JBLB-IN-SPower jack
1/4" stereo enclosed Switchcraft jackW-SC-112BXFuzz Face input jack
1/4" mono enclosed Switchcraft jackW-SC-112AXFuzz Face output jack
1/4" mono enclosed Switchcraft jackW-SC-112AXRangemaster input jack
1/4" mono enclosed Switchcraft jackW-SC-111XRangemaster output jack
WireS-W3024TC-BL-50Offboard wire, topcoat, 24AWG
Red/black prewired LEDP-LPW-FLATBK-RFuzz Face indicator
Red/silver prewired LEDP-LPW-FLAT-RRangemaster indicator
Battery clipK-P155Power pedal with 9V battery
Gorva S90 blackP-H1590BB-GORVA-BEnclosure
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