MXR M173 User Manual

SAMPLE SETTINGS

WARM FUZZ
WITH BUFFER

VINTAGE HEAVY FUZZ
WITHOUT BUFFER

HEAVY FUZZ
WITH BUFFER

M173 Classic 108 Fuzz

Congratulations on the purchase of your M173 Classic 108 Fuzz! Guitarists
of all styles, from Hendrix devotees to garage rockers and stoner-metal
fanatics, will dig the familiar late-Sixties/early-Seventies crunch delivered
by the new MXR Classic 108 Fuzz. We’ve taken the guts of our BC-108
loaded Fuzz Face, placed them in a more pedal-board friendly shape, added
the modern conveniences of a battery door, optional AC adapter operation,
and true hardwire bypass with LED. The Buffer-Switch removes the classic,
Fuzz Face high-end roll off and eliminates the oscillation caused by some
wah wahs when placed in front of a Fuzz Face. The Classic 108 Fuzz comes
in a heavy-duty Phase 100-sized box with a sweet hammer-tone turquoise
finish.

- BC108 Fuzz Face circuitry in a pedal-board friendly chassis.

- AC adapter or 9-volt battery operation.

- True hardwire bypass.

- Original Fuzz Face hammer-tone turquoise finish.

DUNLOP MANUFACTURING, INC. P.O. BOX 846 BENICIA, CA 94510 U.S.A.

TEL: [phone] FAX: [phone] WWW.JIMDUNLOP.COM

92503006727 REV B

1

CONTROLS

1 VOLUME controls overall effect

volume (inactive in bypass
mode)

2 FUZZ controls overall amount of

distortion

3 BUFFER Switch removes

high-end roll off and oscillation
caused by some wah wahs

4 FOOTSWITCH toggles effect

on/bypass (red LED indicates on)

SPECIFICATIONS

- Input Impedance, Buffer Switch On ................................. 800 K ohm

- Input Impedance, Buffer Switch Off ................................. 10 K ohm

- Output Impedance @ 1 KHz, Maximum Volume............... ~16 K ohm

- Output Impedance @ 1 KHz, -6dB Volume........................ ~120 K ohm

- Maximum Output Level ...................................................... -4 dBV (ref 1Vrms)

- Maximum Gain @ 1 KHz, Volume & Fuzz Max.................. 55 dB typ.

- Power Requirements ......................................................... 2.2 ma @ 9VDC

POWER

The MXR Classic 108 Fuzz can be powered by one 9-volt battery (accessed via the
battery door on the bottom plate of the pedal), a Dunlop ECB-003 AC adapter,
(ECB-003E in Europe) or a Dunlop DCB-10 DC Brick power supply. To install the

2

3

4

battery, remove the battery door from the bottom plate of the pedal, connect the
battery clip, place battery into cavity, and replace battery cover.

DIRECTIONS

To begin using your MXR Classic 108 Fuzz:
A) To set up the Classic 108 Fuzz, using shielded guitar cables, plug your

instrument into the Input (IN) jack and your amplifier into the Output (OUT) jack.
Start with the Volume knob 2/3 of the way up (2 o'clock position), and the Fuzz
knob all the way down (counter-clockwise). Turn on the effect with the
footswitch toggle. Then gradually raise the Fuzz knob to increase the intensity
of the fuzz effect. Experiment with the different settings, stopping when the
desired level of fuzz is reached.

B) Once your Fuzz level is set, adjust the Volume knob for the desired output

volume. Toggle the footswitch on and off, and compare the volume with and
without the fuzz effect. For many playing situations, matching the two volume
levels is desirable, especially if you'll be switching the fuzz tone in and out
while playing. However, you can also use the Volume knob to boost the overall
volume for a solo, by adjusting it so that the fuzzed volume is louder than the
clean signal.

C) If you experience unwanted signal breakup or distortion, try turning the Fuzz

knob down (counter-clockwise) to reduce the overall amount of distortion. If
the unwanted distortion persists, your amplifier's input maybe overdriven with
too hot a signal. Turn the Volume knob down, then re-introduce more fuzz effect
with the Fuzz knob (For especially hairy lead guitar tones, combine the Classic
108 Fuzz effect with any Crybaby wah wah pedal!)

D) Engage the BUFFER switch to eliminate oscillation, which may occur when

your wah wah is placed in front of the Classic 108 Fuzz. Engaging the Buffer
Switch will also brighten up the Fuzz tone, which will be very apparent when a
guitar with passive pickups is connected directly to the Classic 108 Fuzz input.