D*A*M 1965 & Jerms MKI comparison

[stella_blues]

Great video....Jim did create a monster MKI, such a good fuzz

He also has a 1965 to make comparisons with, and sounds like he hit the bullseye.

[cubba]

I haven't tried a 65 (yet!), but Jim's MkI is absolutely without a doubt my favourite fuzz so far (and I didn't think that it was possible to have "a" favourite).

That's the rub!
The first British fuzz (or at least, the first Tone-bender) is most likely the "best" of them all.
First-thought, best-thought, Mr. Kerouac.
Every time I hear it played back in a recording, I am completely smitten with the tone.
I think it's otherworldly.
So if you can get one sounding like these, you are golden
and Dave set the bar for that with his 1965.
Then Jim 'caught the fever and delivered~.

[jerms]

hey cubba thanks for the comparison clip!!! i tried really hard on these and i thnk i got it!... i wish i had more good trannies and i'd make some more.... sorry to let the cat out of the bag but these telefunkens = crap!!!... i may have gotten 8 usable ones out of 50.... but i havent't had the time to sound check them either, so maybe not even that good of a turnout .... too much $ gone to waste on garbage!!! anyway, i'm way too busy with other things to even want deal with these now... sorry guys but if i don't find some real Texas Instruments 2G381's i don't know if there will be anymore of these.... it's really disappointing!!!! anyone here got any you want to sell me?..... i'll pay $12 apiece for untested and $25 apiece for tested examples in the 90-130 hfe range keeping my fingers crossed!!

[devnulljp]

That said, I'm a huge fan of my Numbero Uno, ya'll can kiss my ass, that fucker ain't going nowherez.

Same for #2...cold, dead, hands

[redeyeflight]

Jim and I played a DAM shapes of things modded to true MK I specs by David and Jim's MK I side by side and they were very, very close in sound. Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the ethos on these pedals was to make as true of a MK I recreation as could be done and in that respect other transistors wouldn't be appropriate. It's a fantastic pedal and if anyone out there has some good T.I. transistors get those damn things to Jim so he can build yall some more!!

[redeyeflight]

well if he does make some more with different transistors lets just say I'd be in for a second one!!

[stella_blues]

I can see redeye's point and Sickle's...if you are going to build a replica you want the same trannies as the original.
If however you are building your version of a MKI circuit, then the trannies don't really matter as much as the end result, ie does it sound like a MKI.

I have one with an OC84 and two OC81M's, and to be honest the sounds are not that far apart.
Your average fuzzhead would not really notice the difference, especially as there are so few of us have actually tried a real vintage MKI.

[Cado]

We made the clips only to demonstrate the fantastic job Jim did on these MKI's. Everyone here knows that David's work is second to none & to find a MKI that can hang with a 1965 deserves the recognition. Initially there wasn't any plan to make clips, just a get together to show each other our new stuff. If I thought we were going to record, I would have brought a guitar with me. Anyway, after a side by side comparision was made, documenting the result was an obvious choice.

[emeka]

We made the clips only to demonstrate the fantastic job Jim did on these MKI's. Everyone here knows that David's work is second to none & to find a MKI that can hang with a 1965 deserves the recognition. Initially there wasn't any plan to make clips, just a get together to show each other our new stuff. If I thought we were going to record, I would have brought a guitar with me. Anyway, after a side by side comparision was made, documenting the result was an obvious choice.

And a fine choice at that... thanks for doing so!

[psycho*daisies]

Nice job on the video, guys!! love it!!

Not to derail your thread, but here's my 2cents:
i do hear some differences...in my '65 & Jerms (at least)
not that one is better than the other, just different.

'65 is well balanced, stable; it's thee pro, gold standard version. more compression...balanced. Tuned to perfection!!
....Jerms is wild, loose, "open" and unchained, (and crispy/crackly - in a very good way!!),
tad noisier too...but that comes w the territory.

'65 is a shade darker, imo. relatively refined, undistilled Mk1 fuzzy goodness.
Think "Evil Hearted You" or "Over Under Sideways Down". That's IT for me.

...Jerms gets that "Hold Tight" opening note where it just rings out
and starts to feed back on itself in harmonics. (Dave Dee & Co.)

i guess the '65 seems more Yardbirdsy, Jerms is downtown Ronsonville...
Both keepers...

cheers to Dave & Jim....Holy Rollers!