Frazz Dazzler

[mff]

Anyone got anything to say ??



i know i think i would like one.

[Ryan]

Hi mff!

Weeellll.. I spose I could say a lil bit....

Frazzes were the first Dr. Scientist pedal, I've been messing around with them since 2004 and they've changed a lot through the years but always kept a few features like the gating and the 1-watt audio amp for the distortion. Their circuit today looks like this: input buffer > 3 mis-biased transistor stages to strangle and choke the signal > 4th transistor stage is the choice of gate or fate > 1 watt audio amp for 200x gain > variable filter/sizzle knob > volume control/output

This Frazz is the first one that Tanya and I made in the summer of 2005 and it's also the first pedal to receive a Dr. Scientist finish.

[Blurillaz]

I like that first-run mini frazz, with only two controls.
Wonder if any are lurking about these forums...

[Ryan]

Blurry, we actually never sold a two knob Frazz... when we launched the website and began selling pedals in August of 2006 the Frazz had 3 knobs, I'd added the sizzle control. It was just a high cut filter back then, rolling off the treble, now it filters the high frequencies like a notch so you get a different kind of tone throughout the sweep.

That very Frazz is on a shelf just a few feet away.. it watches us...

[Blurillaz]

That very Frazz is on a shelf just a few feet away.. it watches us...

You should put googly eyes on the robot.
...or not.

[mff]

So yeah, we need to talk about the changes. U've also added a mix, wich kinda explains itself. But whats the switch for?

[Blurillaz]

So yeah, we need to talk about the changes. U've also added a mix, wich kinda explains itself. But whats the switch for?

It turns the gate on and off I believe.

[LowWatt]

The gate on the frazz is responsible for some of my favourite sounds. The thing loves having an analog delay or tremolo or both sent into it. Use the fuzz knob to set the gate just right and feed sustaining notes under the influence of delay and/or trem into the Frazz and watch as the gate gets confused as the note decays and starts creating sub rhythyms along the beat of the effects.

Hard to explain with words, I'll try to throw a clip of it together one of these days, but it is a very cool and usable fuzzed out rhythmic sound.

[Gunner Recall]

This baby is in the mail:



Am I missing out on much without the new gate switch?

[Blurillaz]

This baby is in the mail:
Am I missing out on much without the new gate switch?

Just missing a gate.... I guess... or think... or... something.
There may be a slight difference between the two, aside from the swtich, because Ryan always finds some genius thing to do to the circuit.

[LowWatt]

This baby is in the mail:
Am I missing out on much without the new gate switch?

Just missing a gate.... I guess... or think... or... something.
There may be a slight difference between the two, aside from the swtich, ecause Ryan always finds some genius thing to do to the circuit.

It's not missing the gate, but the ability to turn the gate off. I've got the same version as ms is getting and I've never once wanted to turn that gate off. To me it's a fundemental part of the Frazz's sound. Always nice to have options, but I really don't believe either of us are missing out on anything.

[Ryan]

Sure thing, mff, there definitely has been some changes along the way. The timeline is a little blurry since remembering isn't really my forte, but awhile ago I decided Frazzes needed a mix control so they could play nicer with bass guitars and drums and synths.. turns out it works pretty cool with guitar too.

Whenever the time comes around to order new pcbs I take it as an opportunity to maybe make an improvement either in the building of the pedal or by adding a feature or something.. with the last revision I figured it was time to give a choice of gate or no gate. The toggle switches between two different transistor stages, one that's set up to gate and one that isn't. The non gating side is a little lower gain, a little woolier, but still sounds like a Frazz.

I personally only play the gating side.. I love that sound.. with the gain way up. I like palm muting and power chording and heavy-metaling and stuff like that and for me the Frazz is exactly the tone I like. (with a clean amp, I always play it into a clean amp.)

Other little changes are the volume, older Frazzes are really flippin' loud. A 1 watt audio amplifier drives the output and on older Frazzes it's left pretty much wide open so it goes really loud.. I dial it back now so it's a little more reasonable.

The sizzle knob has changed a bit too over the years, it used to just be a treble cut.. simple low pass filter that knocked the highest frequencies down. Now it's a variable notch filter.. all the way down it cuts massive amounts of treble, then as you turn it up it filters different frequencies, first cutting out all the mids, then around noon you get all the mids back with not a ton of highs, then turn it up for the highs.

The Frazz is totally one of those pedals that just doesn't work right with some players so I never take offense if somebody doesn't like it. It doesn't clean up with the guitar volume knob, doesn't even work right really with the guitar volume turned down, and the gate can be a little much for weakish single coils. Plus it's a distortion tone that's not very natural or amp like.. I doubt anybody on The Gear Page would like one. *little tease there, those guys are cool*

So Jon, if you don't like it, don't feel bad to let me know! And thanks for trying one out!

[Gunner Recall]

Somehow I think it will fit in just fine.
I'm thinking of a robot themed mini-board...frazz --> cosmichorus --> e600

Now to stalk the mail man

[Killing Nevada]

Somehow I think it will fit in just fine.
I'm thinking of a robot themed mini-board...frazz --> cosmichorus --> e600

Now to stalk the mail man

[Gunner Recall]

That is all.