Zvex Vexter Fuzz Factory

Packed with knobs that let you control everything from tight, radically fuzzy sounds that gate off instantly when you stop playing, to intermodulating oscillations that fight for control of your guitar as your notes decay, to shortwave radio sounds, ripping velcro and octave-like fuzz. Now includes an on/off LED and DC power jack!

OVERVIEW 

This is a five-knob fuzz using two new old-stock sixties germanium transistors. The circuit is not modeled after any classic fuzz design, but should have been around when Leary was still lucid. Although the five knobs are named
for the parameters over which they seem to have the most control, please don’t hold me to it. They are controls for vari- ous operating levels and biases, and basically shape you a personalized fuzz. 

VOLUME: Output level. 

GATE: Squelches noise after end of sustain. Turn to right to elimi- nate squeals, hiss and buzz, stopping just as they disappear, or use to tune in exact feedback pitch, if you’re that kind. Turning to left opens gate. 

COMPRESS: Adds attack characteristic when turned to left, which gets softer to right, and suddenly pinches tone when all the way 

right. Also use to tune in fat feedback fuzz, if you’re that kind. Lower the Stability and see what happens to this control. 

DRIVE: Increases distortion when used as a “normal” fuzzm and adjusts feedback pitch and tonal thickness, if you’re that kind. This control becomes meaningless when Compress is all the way right. 

STAB: Use all the way right. Do not adjust this control below 2:00, unless you like your fuzz soft and squishy. Use to control feedback pitch. 

WARNING 

Many ‘incorrect’ settings on this pedal squeal. This may annoy the faint-hearted. If you use the example settings, you won’t get hurt. I don’t want to see anyone hurt. Unless you’re that kind. Don’t forget to memorize or write down your favorite settings. 

GREENNESS 

Yes, folks, like all Z.Vex pedals, it’s as low current as pos- sible, extending battery life so long... I have never changed the battery in the prototype (3 years). ‘On’ current is less than 3 mA... compare to the Tube Screamer (of course an entirely different animal) at almost 40 mA. 

ARTINESS 

All Z. Vex pedals are hand painted and hand assembled, and each is unique. They are produced in small batches by umm, elves. 

EXAMPLE SETTINGS 

(These use “o’clock” notation — not spinal tap 1 to 11) 

Hi compression fuzz:
Vol 10:00 | Gate 3:00 | Comp 9:00 | Drive 5:00 | Stab 5:00 

Velcro fuzz:
Vol 10:00 | Gate 7:00 | Comp 5:00 | Drive 5:00 | Stab 2:00 

Cleanish hi octave intermodulation:
Vol 10:00 | Gate 2-3:00 | Comp 7:00 | Drive 7:00 | Stab 5:00 

Smooth fuzz:
Vol 10:00 | Gate 7:00 | Comp 3:00 | Drive 5:00 | Stab 5:00 (lower Stab is more mellow) 

Radio fuzz:
Vol 10:00 | Gate 7:00 | Comp 10:00 | Drive 12:00 | Stab:
Lower from fully clockwise while playing open ‘A’ with left hand. Stop at most interesting tone. 

Here is a beginners guide for some sounds using clock settings:

9 3 5 3 9

9 3 7 3 11

Set the vol to 9 the gate to 5 and all the others to minimum and demonstrate the base sound and point out that this isnt a Boss set to 12 o clock pedal. Set the Gate to 3 o clock and show the octave up sounds. Set the gate back to min and increase the gain until it squeals. Back off till it doesnt and show the turn down from the guitar fuzzes.

Now Setup the Fuzz Factory like this

9 * 12 3 9 run the guitar volume full.

The * is the gate control. Start at 9 o clock and it should squeal. It should also be around an E in pitch depending on pickups etc. Demonstrate the pitch changes from guitar volume. Now change the gate control to around 1 or 2 o clock your are looking for the squeal to go away. Demonstrate the high gain but normal sounds. Now set the gate to 3 o clock and demonstrate the starved bettery or splutter sounds.

Now if you are feeling frisky your bonus is the what the setting which is 9 min min max max. When you keep playing you get a huge fuzz which goes into squeal if you let it. Demonstrate how to induce the squeal when you want it.