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riantide


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Axis Fuzz - HELP!!!
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Alright, life-or-death dilemma here:


I got a Roger Mayer Axis Fuzz because (obviously) it sounded AMAZING when I tried it out.  I've honestly never heard anything like it, it sounds like an amp blowing up (in a good way).  I'm a huge fan of both saturation and compression in a lead tone, and the Axis has the most unique way of doing both beautifully.  Sounds good, right?


Unfortunately the pedal has absolutely NO MIDRANGE inherent to it whatsoever, so every time I use it live (loud rock band) what I'm playing merely dissapears behind our rhythm player's RAT.  I mean, I can have it cranked and still whatever I'm doing sounds like mush.


The million-dollar question: do I mod the pedal or get a graphic EQ pedal to augment it?  The latter would be a pain in the ass, as I'd likely have to get a looper so that they enter the signal chain simultaneously and the EQ only effects the fuzz. 


I have a copy of the schematics and the layout but really don't know where to start.  Any suggestions would be lovely.  I'd really like to make this pedal work because it sounds so unique, but I understand it just might not be in the cards.


Also, I'm not above selling this orangish devil and listening to your recommendations as to what other pedals might have the same sonic attributes with a more useful (or even adjustable, for christ's sake) tonality.  Thanks for your time and I look forward to your feedback.


rian


P.S.  The tone I'm after I guess is somewhere between Billy Corgan and Brian May but crazier and Gibson-ey, if that makes any sense (which it probably doesn't).  I know someone is going to ask, so here's what I'm currently using:


1968 Super Reverb, Gibson LP standard, Gibson LP special, Gibson SG standard, Teles on occasion, and a VoodooLabs SparkleDrive.



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Fret Wire


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The Axis can sometimes sound muddy when using humbuckers. Does your's sound any better with your Tele? For humbuckers you can lower the 47k feed-back resistor from about 22k-33k, and that will help a humbucker equiped guitar noticeably. If the pedal still doesn't get enough mids, you can lower the value of the input/output caps. 

-- Edited by Fret Wire at 14:14, 2005-02-28

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Pete
riantide


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It has a tad more note definition with a tele or with my LP special (P-90's), but the midrange is still lacking to the point of distraction.


Which caps would be the input and output and what values would you recommend? 


Also, I'm rather new to tinkering with my gear, so exactly which component on the schematic would be the feedback resistor?  Here's a link to the schematic:


http://bryant02.home.att.net/schematics/axisfuzzschem.gif


Thanks so much for your time.


rian



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fuzzcentral


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The feedback resistor is the 47K resistor.  It's connected directly to the collector of Q2 (2N3904), just opposite the 22K resistor that's also connected to the collector of Q2.  The other end of the 47K feedback resistor goes to the 22uF capacitor on the wiper of the "fuzz" pot.

Brian Wenz replaced this resistor with a 50K linear pot wired as a series resistor, but replacing it with a 22K or 33K resistor like Fret Wire suggested does help the circuit respond to humbucking pickups a lot better.  I guess RM tested and tweaked this circuit with a single coil guitar

Phillip



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Axis Guitar Effects
tfc


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quote:
Originally posted by: fuzzcentral
"The feedback resistor is the 47K resistor.  It's connected directly to the collector of Q2 (2N3904), just opposite the 22K resistor that's also connected to the collector of Q2.  The other end of the 47K feedback resistor goes to the 22uF capacitor on the wiper of the "fuzz" pot.Brian Wenz replaced this resistor with a 50K linear pot wired as a series resistor, but replacing it with a 22K or 33K resistor like Fret Wire suggested does help the circuit respond to humbucking pickups a lot better.  I guess RM tested and tweaked this circuit with a single coil guitar Phillip"

 


I thought I read an article in a magazine, Roger was being interviewed for. Roger stated that the af circuit was feedforward. Maybe Roger was misquoted? tfc



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