ilovefuzz.com

So, i've been doing a whole lot of research on how the fuck Rivers Cuomo gets his lead tone on the blue album and here's what i've learned.


Rivers recorded all of the guitar tracks with most of Ric Ocasek's guitars. Namely a 60's LP junior and a 50's LP junior, but also his weird HH strat thing, a jaguar and a tele. Since Jason got kicked out of the band in the middle of tracking, rivers redid all of his guitars. His rhythm tone is immense. BUT it's his lead tone that i wish i could get. I posted in the gear forum about a lead fuzz, but basically i want it to sound like River's leads on blue, with maybe a bit more of a fuzz edge. The thing is, Rivers used NO effect pedals at all on the album. WTF.

Rivers mostly recorded all that through his Mesa MKI head through a marshal 4x12 cab, which was shaped like an 8x10, known as the mock 8x10.

Now. Mesa MKI's go for a whole lot of dough, and there's a WHOLE lot of different versions of them out there. Rivers had the 2 volume knobs one for each channel, treble, bass, and master. The Volumes we're push pull for bright and something else.

Mitchell Pro-100's are essentially that variation of the amp with the option to run at 100w or 60w.

Do any of you guys have experience with this beast?

i want one!

You're a bit of a DIY hobbyiest aint ya Wiz?

Try this... A Mark 1 Mesa converted to a distortion stompbox using J-Fets in place of valve triodes & running at 9-18v (your choice, higher voltage = more headroom... in basic terms)

http://www.runoffgroove.com/uno.html

I wish i was a DIY hobbyist moreso than i am..

i get all these plans and some parts together,

run out of money

move on to the next project.

but now this is something i'd like to look into..

I'm making an order from Mouser in the next like, two days, so this is obviously going to happen.. to an extent. am i going to be able to make this a dual footswitch since there's two channel volumes? that's where i'm lost.

and idk what it means by 100k trim over the JFETS.

and where the 10k resistor prior to the first JFET gate goes.

but i made a parts list... if you can help me out with the design scruff, i might make a bunch of these. especially if it really is weezer in a box.

i'm so stoked...

100k Trims... Trimmer pots, same as pots basically but miniature and on board, they're variable resistors for calibrating the J-Fets to the correct voltage (approximatley half the supply voltage, you'll need a multimeter for this step, you can do it by ear but it'll be harder)
Look like this (horizontal and vertical examples, both work the same, just whatever fits your layour better)



10k before the first gate? I see no 10k on the entire schematic? If you mean the 1M after the input it goes straight to ground to suppress pop that could come from the switch.

The 2 volumes are just Pre & Post volumes, I assume like on the original design, I haven't built this but the Master will of course control the whole thing and the first one will probably help with the gain of the overall thing, if you wanted a footswitchable volume control though it's very easily added see here:

http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main. ... E.jpg.html
(You could also use a 3PDT and have an LED For each "channel" or use a bi-colour LED that changes between the two colours)

Of course i'll be happy to lend a hand though

Good luck!

Oh i got confused the amp is 2 channels and i thought i saw vol 1 & 2, but they just labeled the one volume Vol 1 i guess to discern between V1 & Master.

i see what it means about the 10k resistor, it means to put it right before the gate pin between the first JFET's gate and the lead coming off of the input.

I'm on it.

10k Resistor between the input and first J-FETs gate? Are we looking at the same schematic or am I just tired and missing something, I can't see a 10k anywhere, let alone after the input or near the first FETs gate.

It's not in the schematic, it's in the notes on the page.

like where they say if you want it to be brighter switch out the 3n3 for a 2n2 cap

Oh rightt, that's just a mod for if you're picking up radio with the pedal... not entirely necessary but I suppose you can't be too cautious.

i picked up radio on the wolf computer alot

Wizard wrote:i picked up radio on the wolf computer alot

i luv it
also, i wanna try this weezer box

Now i'm awake properly, You'll probably be better off with a 100pF cap to ground after the input as the resistor in series may cause impeadance issues... although... being based off an amp it's probably not gunna have your usual stomp box impeadence anyway, you can use them in conjunction though and have the 10k & 100pF if it does pick up radio.