HM-3 presets

PW-2 presets

XT-2 presets

Notes on Fuzz

Biasing: http://www.physics.mcgill.ca/~grant/Stuff/fuzzface.txt

http://www.theohartman.com/fuzz_faq.htm#Q:%20What%20is%20Bias%20and%20why%20isn't%20Bias%20Control%20a%20standard%20feature?:

the bias of the transistors of the fuzz circuit establish headroom (and thus its complement, breakup) in much the same way bias does on a tube amplifier. In both cases, the bias, or operating point, can be set permanently with a resistor soldered into the circuit board, or adjustably, with a trim-pot or knob. The original Fuzz Face established bias with the permanent/resistor method. It is worth noting that since every resistor has a tolerance (we use the same 5% carbon-composition resistors used in the original circuit), and no two Germanium transistors are alike, that you cannot mass produce Fuzz Faces with this bias method because each unit must have its transistors selected to bias correctly with the components on-board. HARTMAN Vintage Germanium Fuzz are built by fixing resistor values and selecting the transistor values. Again, not the only way it can be done, just the way we happen to do it.

If the Ge transistors selected are stable, in range, and pedal gets used in "normal" conditions, bias only decreases the amount of fuzz available. It does not significantly alter the character of the fuzz in quite the same way it does on the BC108 Silicon models (which is why it IS a standard feature on those). It's a "less-is-more" thing: one less component to fail, one less knob whose setting you have to worry about, one less gimmick.

Amp sound vs. mic recorded sound

I found this today:

"Trouble is, most players want the PODxt to sound like what they hear from a guitar amp, and not the sound the mike "hears". This is generally much thinner and fizzier. As a simple experiment, compare the typical 45 degree off-axis sound most players listen to about 6 feet away, to the sound 3 inches away in front of the speaker."

This is the exact problem I was concluding the other day that I have. I know what a guitar amp should sound like but I try to achieve this as well when I record which of course is completely unrealistic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overdrive_%28music%29

"A guitar amplifier's tone controls shape a different power-tube distortion voicing if the tone controls are set to emphasize the bass or treble. Extreme settings are most popular in heavy metal. Increasing the bass and treble while reducing or eliminating the centre midrange (750Hz) results in what is popularly known as a "scooped" sound (since the midrange frequencies "scooped" out). James Hetfield of Metallica used this tone on many songs on Metallica's first four studio albums. Conversely, decreasing the bass while increasing the midrange and treble creates a harsher sound. Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman of Slayer have both used midrange-heavy tones since the mid-1980s."

Eagle notes

So far, I've been using the Gaussmarkov (http://gaussmarkov.net/) libraries (http://gaussmarkov.net/eagle/lbr/gm-lbr.zip) mostly. I increase the pad size with the DRC to 20 mil (http://gaussmarkov.net/wordpress/tools/software/eagle/setting-all-pad-sizes/) and draw the signal traces with a thickness of 0.024.

After exporting the PCB image (900 dpi), I import it into Photoshop, invert the image and reduce the size to 40% of the original. I check scale of the printed image by seeing if the length from resistor hole to hole is between 0.6 and 0.7 minimeter.