Xploration • Curation • Recommendation
Talisman Audio's glorious point-to-point Deluxe Face Blender delivers exceptional full-fat vibrant Germanium and Silicon Fuzz Tones, one of the very best of its kind
As I mentioned in my recent GP7 Fuzz review, this Deluxe Face Blender was a little more immediate and full-on for me, and somewhat surprisingly - where I typically favour the Dual Germanium combination for these kinds of devices. Here my favourite combination is the Ge OC140 on Q1, combined with the Silicon BFY50 on Q2 - those two Transistors deliver my favourite textures and harmonics!
The pedal comes in a handsome deep blue enclosure, and the facia looks fantastic, but somewhat pales when compared to the exceptionally colourful and neatly arranged point-to-point circuit inside - which includes Philips Tropical Fish, Alcap, and Nichicon capacitors - all super high quality and super colourful too! It’s possibly the prettiest assembly of components I’ve seen to-date! Everything about this pedal is next level!
I’ve properly put this pedal through the wringer and explored its every extreme. Compared to the GP7 - this one is phatter and more searing, a touch more full-on in every department than the GP7 - which is still exceptional. While on the GP7 I quite like both capacitor filter settings - while on this one the Low 2.2 μF setting is so much more potent than the Hi 5.6 nf one - that I just keep it on Low all the time, while with the GP7 I flip in the Bright Capacitor on every now and again.
In every other aspect this is the perfect pedal for this type - it’s the fourth of this kind for me - which started with the DanDrive Austin Pride back in 2019. This Deluxe Face Blender is my first Ge/Si Switching Fuzz wired point-to-point though!
I can’t speak highly enough about this Fuzz - it is just the perfect fuzz confection every which way - and it sounds exactly as grand as you would hope!
Some notes from Tom :
"Those old Mullard transistors really sing. Having independent bias trimmers for each transistor really helps to dial in the sweet spot. I spent several hours playing and biasing each one by ear to get it right."
Note also that :
- Q1 Si is higher hfe than Q2 Si
- Q2 Ge is higher hfe than Q1 Ge
This means :
- Q1 Si - Q2 Si = high / low gain
- Q1 Si - Q2 Ge = high / high gain
- Q1 Ge - Q2 Si = low / low gain
- Q1 Ge - Q2 Ge = low / high gain
"I've found from lots of experimenting, that this hFE / gain arrangement gives the best tonal variation."
Controls - Volume, Fuzz / Gain, Filter : Low 2.2 μF / Hi 5.6nf, Bias, Q1 Transistor Select : Ge OC140 / Si BFX84, Q2 Transistor Select : Ge OC141 / Si BFY50.
Power : 9V DC [-] c. 5mA current draw
- Q1 : Philips/Mullard Germanium Black Glass Bulb OC140 + Silicon BFX84
- Q2 : Philips/Mullard Germanium Black Glass Bulb OC141 + Silicon BFY50
The Deluxe Face Blender sports high quality vintage Capacitors, including Philips Tropical Fish and Orange Drop, Alcap, and Nichicon. Also a 56uh inductor pickup simulator, and high quality Alpha pots.
Preferred Settings : Volume @ Noon, Fuzz and Bias @ 3 o'c, Filter pretty much always on Low 2.2 μF, and the following order of Transistor Selections.
Hierarchy of Tones :
- Ge OC140 + Si BFY50
- Ge OC140 + Ge OC141
- Si BFX84 + Ge OC141
- Si BFX84 + Si BFY50
The biggest surprise for me is that I like the Hybrid Low Gain Transistor Mix the best - that delivers the best tones and harmonics for me - even above the full Germanium Mix.
Tom has done a brilliant job on the Component selection here too - those are perfectly calibrated for maximum impact. And that combination of Transistors is truly exceptional. I generally have a great experience of OC140 and OC141 Transistors - while the BFY50 and BFX84 are part of the revelation for me here. I feel I may have encountered them before - but not sounding this good - and in this combination!
This Fuzz is brilliantly executed and assembled for sure - a vintage-inspired Modern Masterpiece in the Making!
The Deluxe Face Blender goes for £320 - where you currently need to contact Tom via his Instagram Page - www.instagram.com/talismanaudio/ - as is Website is not up and running yet - but should be up within a month or two or so!
This is essentially a Superior Germanium, Silicon, and Hybrid Fuzz Face - all in the same box!
I might possibly prefer a different High / Bright Capacitor versus the one that comes fitted - which somewhat sanitises the pedal's output for me. I would like a more Brightness option - but one which leaves more of the 'Phatness' intact! Other than that this is a perfectly flawless fuzz. Well worth it for the time and effort put into it - and all those priceless and colourful rare vintage component!
Thoroughly recommended!
Demos
No YouTube demo yet - so no embed that I can use! - Tom will though have his YouTube Channel up soon too.
In the meantime can l direct you to this excellent Facebook Video Demo :
www.facebook.com/61557329155448/videos/589697053882210/
