Futile Art FX 😵 Mind Contro‎l Fuzz

"I'll show ya God on the highest,
Up where no one can see...
Up where no one can find us
But me.

As you look through the window
Of your mind getting high,
You won't ever know
That we're all here to die..."

The clone of Gretsch ControFuzz pedal.

Super rare and bizarre circuit produced by Gretsch for only quite a short period in the 1970's. It incorporates a unique blended circuit design whereby the distortion/fuzz signal is added to, and blends alongside, your clean signal. A very rare piece for Gretsch and unusual fuzz collectors - not often found for sale!

I had never really paid much attention to it before, but it seems really interesting! The originals used very early LM748 IC Op-Amps infamous for their characteristic "sizzling bacon, like your mind is about to fry" background noise.  I don't know anyone who feels the functioning is compromised in any way by using some other compensated Op-Amp (except for the ProCo RAT LM308/OP07 dillemma, but that's completely different story...), so I used JRC4558D for more MOJO and simply because they are stable and offer a much better signal to noise ratio. 👍

To put it simple, the schematic works by blending a clean signal and a heavily clipped signal. IC provides a fixed gain of just over 2200 (!), which is more than enough for the diode pair to clip just about anything passing their way, even when the note is well into its decay phase...
With so much gain applied, though, and with the need to balance the signals properly to achieve the degree of cancellation required to produce its unique effect, you'll hear that the actual fuzz level kept fairly low.  Make no mistake, it can be a LOUD effect when dimed, but the fuzz effect appears to be sorta tamed and sounds extremely smooth, creamy and organic! Which certainly does fit well both Bass VI and low Baritone guitar tunings... 😏

Since the duration of the apparent sustain in the fuzzed signal is much longer than the clean signal, and since the two are combined as difference signals, there is an interesting transformation over time as the note seems to go from clean to fuzzy, rather than the reverse (the normal course of events in a typical fuzz). So it appears somewhat psychedelic and a bit mindf*$kery for an average player or an unprepared unlistener... 😅
It becomes a serious fuzz machine as the clean signal gets lost, and adding Gain just makes it meaner and louder! Sounds really interesting and fits well in a Heavy-Psych/Acid Rock context!

Controls are:
Boost - sets the effects Volume. Should be self explanatory...
Dist. - is a Blend control, mixing in to signal desired amount of Vintage Fuzz

Features:
- You support the builder! Each and every penny spends on parts for more complex builds! (You are always buying from the builder direct or through one of the members of FAFX family, I am saving to start building amps currently...)
- All hand-made! I am designing, drilling, painting and building all my effects from scratch, one by one, old-school style. Futile Art FX are completely made by hand! I never use premanufactured PCBs, enclosures and circuits.
- Premium hardware. Rugged aluminium enclosure, full-metal jacks and industrial grade switches. Futile Art FX will last you a living!
- Worldwide International shipping! Each and every pedal in my shop ships worldwide w. tracking and secure packaging!

Housed in a durable aluminum 1590b enclosure (battery clip inside). Original printed design w. bright water-clear White LED upfront.

Dimensions: 4.41 in x 2.4 in x 1.26 in (112 mm x 61mm x 32 mm)

All my effects are 9v center negative (BOSS style) power supply (not included) and feature True Bypass