PROJECT NAME

SOLARIS
BASED ON BUILD DIFFICULTY
Dallas-Arbiter Fuzz Face Intermediate
EFFECT TYPE DOCUMENT VERSION
Germanium fuzz 1.0.1 (2022-07-01)
PROJECT SUMMARY
A hot-rodded adaptation of the classic fuzz pedal made famous by Jimi Hendrix.

9V

VOLUME BODY FUZZ

ON

PICKUP
CONTOUR SIMULATOR INPUT

SOLARIS
GERMANIUM FUZZ

IMPORTANT NOTE
This documentation is for the kit version of the project. If you purchased the PCB by itself, please
use the PCB-only version of the documentation instead. The circuit is the same, but the instructions
are completely different due to the specialized parts and assembly methods used in the kit.

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 Project Overview
2 Table of Contents
3 Introduction
4 Packing List
5 Packing List (Cont.)
6 Tools Needed
7 Component Identification
8 Hardware Identification
9 PCB Assembly Overview
10 Resistors
11 Diodes
12 Socket & IC
13 Trimmers
14 JFET Transistor
15 Capacitors (Non-Polarized)
16 Wire Headers
17 Capacitors (Polarized)
18 Germanium Transistors: Introduction
19 Germanium Transistors
20 Transformer
21 Footswitch PCB
22 Input/Output PCB
23 Enclosure Layout: Panel Mounts
24 Enclosure Layout: Panel Mounts (Cont.)
25 Enclosure Layout: Main & Footswitch PCBs
26 Enclosure Layout: Input/Output PCB
27 Final Assembly & Biasing
28 Final Assembly (Cont.)
29 Schematic
30 Full Parts List
31 Troubleshooting Information
32 Support & Resale Terms
33 Legal Information & Document Revisions

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 2

INTRODUCTION
If this is your first pedal, welcome to the hobby and thank you for choosing Aion FX. You’ve just joined
a community of over 40,000 people around the world with a passion for building homemade noise
machines using obsolete electronics technologies, and we’re glad to have you!

If you’ve done this before, it’s great to see you again and we’re confident you’ll find this build experience
an enjoyable one.

Aion FX kits are designed to empower anyone to build a high-quality pedal, no matter the skill level.
The pedalbuilding hobby has traditionally had a steep learning curve, but don’t be overwhelmed—we’ve
done all the hard work for you. All you need to do is follow these instructions and you’ll be on your way
to transforming your tone.

There are a few things to go over before you get started.

• You’re going to have to get your hands dirty—there’s no way around it. Nothing here comes
preassembled, and you’ll have to learn the skills to put it all together. This document will walk you
through everything you need, but be prepared to learn a few things along the way.

• This will take time. Plan on about two hours start to finish. It may take even longer if it’s your first
time building. Don’t rush it. If you find yourself getting frustrated or overwhelmed, take a break
and come back in a couple of hours or the next day.

• No direct technical support is offered. There are several DIY forums and Facebook groups with
thousands of members who enjoy troubleshooting and teaching. But please be sensitive to the
fact that the staff at Aion FX is minimal, and every minute spent helping individuals in private is
time that can’t be spent on new project development.

• There is no implied guarantee of a final product. Aion FX provides the ingredients and the recipe,
but you are responsible for putting everything together to make it work. We’ve tried to make the
process as clear and accessible as possible, but it must be expressly stated that purchasing the kit
is not a guarantee that you will end up with a working pedal.

It’s recommended to read through all of the instructions before you start, particularly if you’ve never
built a pedal before. If you familiarize yourself with the entire process ahead of time and you know what
the goal looks like, each step will make more sense.

Now, on to the fun stuff!

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 3

PACKING LIST
This is a list of all the parts that are included with the kit, grouped by value. For a list of all the parts
based on their PCB part numbers, please see page 30.

If you find that any parts are missing or damaged, please fill out the Missing Parts form.

Film Capacitors Resistors

NAME QTY NAME QTY
1n (0.001) 1 220R 1

10n (0.01) 2 1k 2

100n (0.1) 1 4k7 1

1uF 1 10k 2

100k 1

Electrolytic Capacitors 1M 2

2M2 1
NAME QTY
10uF 2

22uF 1
ICs
47uF 1 NAME QTY
100uF 1 TC1044SCPA or LT1054CP 1

8-pin socket 1

MLCC Capacitors
NAME QTY Transistors
100n (marked “104”) 2 NAME QTY
PN4303 or 2N5457 1

Diodes Transistors, germanium, matched for 2

Fuzz Face

NAME QTY
1N5817 1 Trimmers
1N4742A 1
NAME QTY
10k trimmer 1

100k trimmer 1

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 4

PACKING LIST (CONT.)

Potentiometers Switches
NAME QTY NAME QTY
1kB 1 Toggle switch, DPDT on-on 1
1kC 1 Mounting nut, toggle switch, 0.36" 1
100kB 1 Lock washer, toggle switch, 0.4" 1
250kB 1 Dress nut, toggle switch, 0.375" 1
500kA 1 Stomp switch, 3PDT 1
Dust cover 5 Mounting nut, stomp switch, 0.6" 2
Knob, 1/2” 5 Lock washer, stomp switch, 0.6" 1
Mounting nut, potentiometer, 0.44" 5 Dress nut, stomp switch, 0.77" 1
Lock washer, potentiometer, 0.5" 5

Outer washer, potentiometer, 0.475" 5

Wiring
NAME QTY
Other
3-strand wire assembly, 70mm 2
NAME QTY 4-strand wire assembly, 108mm 1
LED bezel 1 3-pin wire assembly header 2
LED, blue 1 4-pin wire assembly header 1
9V battery snap 1

DC jack 1

Input/output jack 2

Mounting nut, jack, 0.54" 4

Outer washer, jack, 0.6" 2

Lock washer, jack, 0.5" (thin) 2

Enclosure 1

Enclosure screws 4

PCB, main circuit 1

PCB, footswitch 1

PCB, input/output/DC 1

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 5

TOOLS NEEDED

SOLDERING IRON SOLDER DIGITAL MULTIMETER (DMM)

Temperature-adjustable is Preferably 63/37 or 60/40 leaded Most cheap ones in the $10-30 range
recommended. The optimum solder. Lead-free is more difficult to are fine for what we’re doing. Make
soldering temperature is 700-725º use, so if that’s the only type you can sure it has audible continuity testing
F (371-385º C) for leaded solder, or get, it’s best to watch tutorials that (i.e. it beeps at the lowest resistance)
750º F (400º C) for lead-free. are specific to lead-free solder. and transistor hFE measurement.

WIRE SNIPPERS FLAT-NOSE PLIERS NEEDLE-NOSE PLIERS

Also called nippers or wire cutters. Many general-purpose uses, but par- These are used for bending leads on
The Hakko CHP-170 is the best you ticularly tightening the nuts of pots, components and other general uses.
can get for less than $10. switches and jacks. Quicker than Use the smaller type with a tip that’s
changing out sockets on a ratchet. approximately 0.05” (1.25mm) wide.

SCREWDRIVER (PHILLIPS) FLAT SCREWDRIVER (SMALL) RUBBER BAND

Used for the enclosure screws. Get a This is used for tightening the set Yes, a plain old rubber band. This is
powered driver if you’ll be building a screws on the knobs. The tip should used to tighten the dress nut to avoid
lot of pedals! be no more than 0.1” (2.5mm) wide. scratching or denting it (which can
happen with metal tools).

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 6

COMPONENT IDENTIFICATION
If you’ve never built a pedal before, you’ll need to know what all the components are. These are shown
actual size. (Not all of these types of components may be part of this kit.)

RESISTOR TRIMMER POTENTIOMETER LED SILICON DIODE

GERMANIUM DIODE RECTIFIER DIODE SCHOTTKY DIODE ZENER DIODE

These are very fragile, so be Some Schottky diodes

careful when handling them. also look like this.

FILM CAPACITOR ELECTROLYTIC CAPACITOR MLCC TANTALUM CAPACITOR

Not polarized. Color may Polarized. The negative side Not polarized. MLCC stands for Polarized. The positive side
vary by brand and type. is marked. “multi-layer ceramic capacitor.” is marked.

OP-AMP / IC IC SOCKET TRANSISTOR OR JFET TRANSFORMER

Charge pumps and delay chips

also look like this. They may
have more than 8 legs.

WIRE ASSEMBLY WIRE ASSEMBLY HEADER DC JACK

LED BEZEL

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 7

HARDWARE IDENTIFICATION
The hardware comes unassembled, so you’ll need to sort & identify each of the pieces. The diagrams
below are actual size, so you can set them against the printed page to identify them if needed.

I/O JACK MOUNTING NUT OUTER WASHER LOCK WASHER

DIAMETER: 0.54” / 13.7mm DIAMETER: 0.6” / 15.2mm DIAMETER: 0.5” / 12.7mm

POTENTIOMETER POTENTIOMETER MOUNTING NUT LOCK WASHER

(SINGLE) (DUAL)

DIAMETER: 0.44” / 11.2mm DIAMETER: 0.5” / 12.7mm

OUTER WASHER KNOB

DIAMETER: 0.475” / 12mm

TOGGLE SWITCH MOUNTING NUT DRESS NUT LOCK WASHER

DIAMETER: 0.36” / 9.1mm DIAMETER: 0.375” / 9.5mm DIAMETER: 0.4” / 10.1mm

FOOTSWITCH MOUNTING NUT DRESS NUT LOCK WASHER

DIAMETER: 0.6” / 15.2mm DIAMETER: 0.77” / 19.6mm DIAMETER: 0.6” / 15.2mm

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 8

PCB ASSEMBLY OVERVIEW
Now it’s time to start building!

The first thing you need to do is snap apart the PCBs

into 3 separate boards (if needed) and break off the
tabs from each using needle-nose or flat-head pliers.
You should be left with the PCBs shown to the right.

The general principle for PCB population is that you

want to work in layers from shortest components
(i.e. lowest-profile) to tallest so that when the PCB is
upside-down, everything is making contact with the
work surface and is held in place.

Generally speaking, you should populate the

components in this order:

1. Resistors
2. Diodes
3. IC sockets
4. Trimmers
5. MLCC capacitors
6. Film capacitors
7. Transistors (silicon)
8. Electrolytic capacitors
9. Transistors (germanium)
10. Transformer

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 9

RESISTORS

PART VALUE PART VALUE

R1 1M R6 100k

R2 1M R7 1k

R3 10k R8 220R

R4 1k RPD 2M2

R5 10k LEDR 4k7

Using the parts list above, populate the resistors by pushing them through the holes and bending the
leads outward at an angle to hold them in place. Resistors are not polarized, so they will work in any
direction. Turn the board upside-down to keep the components held in place while you solder.

You’ll use this same technique for most of the other components as well.

If it gets too crowded, just flip the board and solder everything you’ve done so far, then cut the leads
using the wire snippers to make room for more.

If this is your first time soldering, watch tutorial videos on YouTube and make sure you get it down
before you begin. You don’t want to practice or experiment on this board!

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 10

DIODES

PART VALUE
D1 1N5817

Z1 1N4742A

Next, you’ll populate the diodes—only one on each board, so this step is pretty simple. The 1N5817 is
black with a silver stripe, while the 1N4742A is orange with a black stripe.

Diodes are polarized, so make sure to identify the polarity band (which indicates the “cathode”, or
negative side) and match the band to the footprint on the PCB.

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 11

SOCKET & IC

PART VALUE
IC1 TC1044SCPA
or LT1054CP

Next up is the IC socket. You can’t bend the leads of the sockets like you can with the other components,
so they won’t stay in on their own until they are soldered.

Again, it’s much easier to do this with gravity holding them in place for you, so you’ll want do them
before you do any of the taller components.

Installing the IC
Don’t insert the IC into the socket just yet. We will do this in a later step, after we’ve finished soldering
the tallest components (the polarized capacitors). This information is just listed here for reference.

The legs of the IC are bent outward slightly during manufacturing, so they’ll need to be bent back inward
before they can be inserted into the sockets.

It’s easiest to do this by laying the IC legs against the table and bending the body itself so all four legs on
the side are straightened out at once. Then, flip it and do the other side.

ICs may have two different orientation marks: either a dot in the upper-left or a half-circle notch in the
middle of the top side. Some ICs have both marks. This shows which way the IC should be rotated when
inserting it into a socket (the socket also has a half-circle notch).

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 12

TRIMMERS

PART VALUE
Q1 BIAS 100k (104)

Q2 BIAS 10k (103)

The bias trimmers come next. The two trimmers have different values, so you’ll first need to identify
them by the code on the side of the case. The text is laser-etched rather than printed, so if you have a
hard time making it out, you can hold it at an angle to a light source and it should be much easier to see.

The 100k trimmer for Q1 BIAS is marked P 104, while the 10k trimmer for Q2 BIAS is P 103.

The two trimmers can be soldered like normal components, by bending the legs outward as shown:

These trimmers are used to bias the germanium transistors. We will adjust them at the end once the
pedal is fully assembled.

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 13

JFET TRANSISTOR

PART VALUE
Q3 PN4303 or
2N5457

Now we’ll do the JFET transistor. For the JFET, if the legs are not already bent into 0.1” spacing, use your
needle-nose pliers to bend the outer two legs as shown.

Since this is just used as a simple buffer stage, it doesn’t need to be selected for any particular
characteristics, so sockets are not necessary. You can just solder it directly to the board.

Bend the outer leads of the JFET to hold it in place on the board. Then, solder it and clip the leads.

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 14

CAPACITORS (NON-POLARIZED)

PART VALUE PART VALUE

C1 1uF C7 10n (0.01)

C2 100n (0.1) C11 100n MLCC

C3 1n (0.001) C12 100n MLCC

C4 10n (0.01)

After the JFET come the box film and MLCC capacitors. These are all several different heights, but there
aren’t as many, so just do them all at once. Bend the leads at an angle to hold them in place.

MLCCs and box capacitors are not polarized and will work in any direction. To keep things neat, though,
it’s best to put them all facing the same way so the values can easily be read.

Note: The blue box film capacitors (C3 and sometimes C4 and C7) have the value printed on the top,
while the red capacitors have the value on the side. The text on the side of the blue capacitors is not
related to the value and can be ignored.

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 15

WIRE HEADERS

Install the two 3-pin headers (wire connectors) as shown above. These have a polarity pin, so as long
as they are pressed all the way down, there’s only one possible way to install them. They do fit pretty
tightly in the holes, though, so press firmly.

There’s also a 4-pin header on the I/O board that we will do in a later step.

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 16

CAPACITORS (POLARIZED)

PART VALUE
C5 10uF

C6 22uF

C8 100uF

C9 10uF

C10 47uF

Populate the electrolytic capacitors. They are polarized (i.e. they will only work in one direction), so note
the vertical mark that indicates the negative side. The longer leg is positive and fits in the square pad.

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 17

GERMANIUM TRANSISTORS: INTRODUCTION

Next are the germanium transistors. These are very different than modern electronic
components, so they need an introduction before we cover how to install them.

Silicon vs. germanium

Compared to silicon, germanium transistors are imprecise and inconsistent, even among
the same part number. As a result, when classic fuzz circuits use germanium transistors,
it’s not the part number that’s important, but the specifications of the individual device.
Two transistors of different part numbers with identical gain and leakage will sound
exactly the same. Conversely, not all transistors of the same part number will work in a
particular circuit.

Because of this, be aware that this kit may include any of several different part numbers. In this
document we will refer to them as Q1 and Q2, not by specific part numbers such as AC125 or MП16Б.

Matching
The transistors included in the Solaris kit have been measured and matched for best performance in
the Fuzz Face circuit. The transistors come in two bags stapled together, and each bag has two numbers
written on it that are used for the matching process.

It’s not necessary for you to understand what these numbers mean, but if you’re curious, the top number
is the gain (hFE) and the bottom number is the leakage current in microamps (μA). All you need to know
for a successful build is that the transistor in the front is Q1 and has a lower gain value. The second
transistor is Q2 and has a gain value approximately 40 to 60% higher than Q1.

It is extremely important that the transistors are not removed from the bags until it’s time to
install them, and only one at a time, to avoid inadvertently mixing them up. They are not visually
distinguishable from each other, and outside of the bags there is no way to tell which is which. The pedal
won’t sound right if the transistors are used in the wrong positions.

Temperature sensitivity
Germanium is a delicate semiconductor material and very sensitive to overheating. If the transistor is
overheated, it could be permanently damaged. It’s recommended to mount the transistors so they are
elevated above the PCB by about 3/8” (9.5mm) to allow some of the heat to dissipate before it reaches
the body of the transistor. If it takes longer than two seconds for the solder to form a good joint, move to
a different component and let the transistor cool a bit before trying again.

Old-stock precautions
Germanium transistors are not manufactured today except for some expensive industry-specific
applications, so nearly all of the germanium transistors used in guitar pedals are old-stock. The
transistors in this kit are at least 30 years old, and sometimes 50 or more.

While age has nothing to do with performance of the device itself, the leads may be corroded and solder
may not adhere well unless they are cleaned first. If you notice any corrosion on the leads, use medium-
grit sandpaper or a fine metal file to remove it, and ensure the leads are shiny before soldering.

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 18

GERMANIUM TRANSISTORS

PART VALUE
Q1 Germanium

Q2 Germanium

Now that we’ve covered the basics of germanium transistors, it’s time to install them. Remove Q1 (the
front transistor with a lower gain value) from the bag. As mentioned on the previous page, it’s important
to leave Q2 in its bag until Q1 has been soldered so they don’t get mixed up.

Insert it into the pads on the PCB, being mindful of the “V” pattern of the pins. Keep it raised about 3/8”
(9.5mm) above the PCB, then bend the legs on the bottom side to keep it attached. Turn the PCB over
and let it hang down while you solder it in place. Be quick and make sure the transistor casing doesn’t get
too hot or the transistor could be damaged.

Now, repeat the same step with Q2, the one labeled with the higher gain value. Once both have been
soldered, you’ll need to make sure the transistors aren’t making physical contact with each other. The
base pins are connected to the metal casing, so anything they touch will be shorted against the base.
Bend them slightly away from each other and they should remain that way.

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 19

TRANSFORMER

PART VALUE
XFM1 42TL019

The transformer is the last of the on-board components. Before installing it to the PCB, scrape off any
wax on the leads. You don’t need to be terribly thorough since it will melt away with the heat of the
soldering iron, but we don’t want the wax getting in the way of a good solder joint.

The primary and secondary coils of the transformer have different properties, so the transformer must
be facing the right direction or it won’t work correctly. In this case, the primary is marked with a “P” and
the top of the nylon bobbin is colored black on that side. The primary side should line up with the pad
marked “1” (in other words, facing toward the bottom of the PCB).

As with earlier components, first bend the six legs to hold it in place as shown in the diagram below.
Solder the legs and the two outer tabs and then clip them short.

Now that we’ve finished with the main PCB, go back to page 12 and insert the IC into the socket.

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 20

FOOTSWITCH PCB

PARTS
3-strand wire assembly (2)

4-strand wire assembly

Next, it’s time to finish up the footswitch board. You should have done most of the on-board components
on this board in a previous step, but if not, go back and do those.

There will be one longer assembly with 4 wires and two shorter ones with 3 wires. The longer one goes
in the middle and the shorter ones go on the left and right sides. The wire assemblies should then be
soldered to the footswitch board as shown.

STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3

First, thread the wire through the Next, bend the wires back upward Then, solder the wires from the top.
strain-relief slots, with the blue and fit the ends of the wires into the This is the trickiest part of the whole
side facing outward and the PCB’s solder pads. build. You want to solder the pads
previously-installed components without touching the iron to the
facing up. On the top side of the PCB, bend the wires themselves and risking burning
exposed wires backward so it holds through the insulation. It helps to
For now, pull it through as far as it the wire in place. Pull the header use a sharp or narrow tip on the
can go. back up through the slot partway. soldering iron.

BLUE
MARKING

Once all three wire assemblies are soldered, set the footswitch PCB aside. We’ll solder the actual
footswitch and LED in a later step.

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 21

INPUT/OUTPUT PCB

PARTS
Input & output jacks

DC jack

Wire header

9V battery snap

Almost done! Get the two input/output jacks, the DC jack and the wire header and snap them in place.
The PCB is designed for them to fit securely, so you can do them all at once before flipping and soldering.

After you’ve soldered everything, make sure to snip the leads on the I/O jacks as close as possible to
the PCB. There’s not a lot of clearance between the bottom of this board and the top of the main PCB
once everything is in place, and you don’t want the pins to short against anything on accident.

Next, we’ll hook up the 9V battery connector. This is optional. Not everyone uses batteries. But, if you
do, this pedal should last a long time on a single 9V so you won’t need to change it very often.

STEP 1 STEP 2
Thread the battery snap leads through the strain- Bend the exposed wires back down and solder them
relief hole twice so it forms a single loop. into the pads. Red is positive (+), black is negative (-).
After soldering, pull it tight.

For even more strain relief, you can thread the snap
through the loop to form a knot. (not shown)

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 22

ENCLOSURE LAYOUT: PANEL MOUNTS
Attach the hardware to the enclosure as shown. (The I/O board is done in a later step.)

1kC 100kB 500kA FOOTSWITCH

DPDT
250kB 1kB
on-on

MOUNTING NUT
LOCK WASHER
BEZEL
& LED
MOUNTING NUT

DRESS NUT
FOOTSWITCH

The dress nut fits over the top of the mounting nut and is for aesthetic
purposes only. Wrap a rubber band around it to use as a grip when tightening.
Do not use metal tools on it or you run the risk of scratching or denting it.
125B

POTENTIOMETERS BEZEL & LED

Fuzz: 1kC The LED will just
DUST CAP sit loosely inside
Input: 250kB the bezel for now.

Body: 100kB

Contour: 1kB

Volume: 500kA
MOUNTING NUT
LOCK RING

LOCK WASHER

OUTER WASHER You’ll need to hold the bezel in place when

tightening the nut. The top of the bezel is fairly
MOUNTING NUT
sharp, so try using a rubber band for grip instead
of pressing your finger against the bottom.

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 23

ENCLOSURE LAYOUT: PANEL MOUNTS (CONT.)

1kC 100kB 500kA TOGGLE SWITCHES

DPDT
250kB 1kB
on-on

MOUNTING NUT
LOCK WASHER

BEZEL MOUNTING NUT

& LED

The dress nut acts as a mounting nut, unlike the footswitch dress nut. Use flat-
nose pliers on the flat sides of the nut to tighten securely.
FOOTSWITCH

125B

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 24

ENCLOSURE LAYOUT: MAIN & FOOTSWITCH PCBS

After all the components are affixed to the enclosure as

shown on the previous page, place the main PCB on top of the
potentiometers and toggle switches as in the diagram to the left.

You may need to adjust the position of the potentiometers and

toggle slightly if they are not aligned straight.

Once all of the pins are through their holes and the PCB is laying
flat, solder each of the pins from the top. Be careful not to touch
any of the surrounding components with the soldering iron.

After you’ve finished soldering the pots, clip the leads as close
as you can to the main PCB. This is more important with the
two uppermost pots because the input/output PCB overlaps
them and you need to avoid any of the components shorting.
(The toggle switch lugs do not need to be clipped.)

Next, move to the footswitch board and solder the 3PDT switch.

The LED is last. Before soldering the LED, double-check to make

sure the flat side of the LED is facing to the right, as shown in
the diagram, and that the short leg is coming through the pad on
the right. It won’t work if it’s turned the other way. Then, clip the
leads of the LED.
125B

Why solder everything inside the enclosure before testing it?

“Rock it before you box it” is conventional wisdom in pedalbuilding, and you’ll often hear it
recommended that builders should test the circuit before putting everything inside the enclosure.
However, Aion FX projects are designed to be extremely easy to remove from the enclosure for
troubleshooting, with no desoldering required—so with these kits, it’s actually much easier to “box it
before you rock it”.

If you’ve read the documentation carefully and followed all the instructions, there’s a good chance you
will get it right the first time!

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 25

ENCLOSURE LAYOUT: INPUT/OUTPUT PCB
Affix the input/output PCB to the north-facing panel of the enclosure as shown.

Note the use of two mounting nuts on each of the jacks, one inside and one outside. The inner nut acts as
a spacer to set the DC jack flush with the outside of the enclosure. The inner nuts should be threaded as
far down as they can go.

MOUNTING NUT

OUTER WASHER

LOCK WASHER

MOUNTING NUT

125B

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 26

FINAL ASSEMBLY & BIASING
After everything is in place, just plug the 3 wire assemblies into their respective headers and make sure
they’re secure. That’s it! Here is a cross-section of the inside of the completed pedal.

At this point, you have completed the full circuit as far as the electrons are concerned, but we still need
to bias the transistors before it will sound right.

Biasing
The trimmers allow for easy biasing of the two transistors without having to swap out resistors.

As a starting point, using a small screwdriver, turn the Q1 bias trimmer to 9:00 and the Q2 trimmer to
around 2:00. Set the Contour knob just above 9:00. Then, with a multimeter, touch the black and red
leads to the two pads marked “TEST” below Q1. Turn the Q1 trimmer until the multimeter reads -0.7V
(either positive or negative depending on which lead is touching which pad).

Next, moving to the test pads under Q2, turn the Q2 bias trimmer until the multimeter shows -4.5V
(again, either positive or negative). Then, measure each leg on all three of the transistors. You’re looking
for something near these voltages.

• Q1: Emitter 0V (left leg); Base -0.2V (center leg); Collector -0.7V (right leg)
• Q2: Emitter -0.5V (left leg); Base -0.7V (center leg); Collector -4.5V (right leg)

The voltages don’t need to be anywhere near exact, this is just a benchmark. Let your ears be the judge.
Some people prefer the Q2 voltage to be higher, around 5.5V.

Note that the Contour knob directly adjusts the bias of Q2, so the voltages will not match the above
unless the knob is set to 25% rotation.

Testing
Plug in a 9-volt supply and test it out with a guitar and an amplifier.

Test the bypass switch a few times, then start turning the controls and see if everything sounds OK. If it
works, great! If not, don’t be discouraged. See page 31 for troubleshooting info.

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 27

FINAL ASSEMBLY (CONT.)

Finishing touches
Now, just a couple of things for the final assembly. Turn the shafts all fully counter-clockwise, then put
on the knob and rotate until the indicator line is aligned with the dot on the enclosure that shows the
zero point. Affix the knobs to each of the potentiometer shafts as shown in the diagram below.

Using a small flat-head screwdriver (no more than 0.1” / 2.5mm in diameter), tighten the set screw until
it presses against the shaft of the potentiometer and holds the knob in place.

Don’t over-tighten or you could damage the set screw. However, if it’s not tight enough then the knob
will be prone to falling off or losing its alignment with the markings on the enclosure.

Last, just close the panel on the back using the four screws. Before that, though, grab a permanent
marker and write your name and the completion date on the inside of the back panel. This is an
accomplishment!

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 28

SCHEMATIC

+9V VA

D1

1N5817 IC1 -VA

C12 C8 1 8

1N4742
2 7 -VA

Z1
100n 100uF 3 6
C9 4 5
CONTOUR
1kB
10uF TC1044SCPA C10 C11
GND 3 1
PWR_GND PWR_GND -VA 2
47uF 100n

220R
R8
PWR_GND PWR_GND

3
Q1 BIAS

3
100kB

10n
Q2 BIAS

C7
10kB
2

2
1

3
1

VOLUME
VA

500kA
OUT

2
10k
R5

R7

1k
VA

1
PICKUP PICKUP
1M
R1

10n
A1 B1

C4
Q1 Q2 GND
1uF

A2 B2
42TL019
C1

4
S

IN Ge Ge
A3 Q3 B3
XFM1

2N5457 3

3
2M2
RPD

P
1

R4
INPUT
250kB

100kB
BODY
1M
R2

2
C2 100n 1k

3
C3 GND

10uF

FUZZ
1

1kC
10k

R6
R3

C5
1n

2
GND
100k C6

1
GND GND
22uF
GND GND

GND GND

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 29

FULL PARTS LIST
In this document, the parts list is spread out across several pages by step. For more experienced
builders, though, it may be easier to have everything in one place.

Resistors
PART VALUE PART VALUE
R1 1M R6 100k

R2 1M R7 1k

R3 10k R8 220R

R4 1k RPD 2M2

R5 10k LEDR 4k7

Capacitors Transistors Diodes

PART VALUE PART VALUE PART VALUE PART VALUE
C1 1uF C7 10n (0.01) Q1 Germanium Z1 1N4742A

C2 100n (0.1) C8 100uF electro Q2 Germanium D1 1N5817

C3 1n (0.001) C9 10uF electro Q3 PN4303 or

2N5457
C4 10n (0.01) C10 47uF electro

C5 10uF electro C11 100n MLCC

C6 22uF electro C12 100n MLCC

IC Potentiometers Switches Transformer

PART VALUE PART VALUE PART PART
IC1 TC1044SCPA Fuzz 1kC DPDT on-on 42TL019
or LT1054CP
Input 250kB 3PDT stomp

Body 100kB

Contour 1kB

Volume 500kA

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 30

TROUBLESHOOTING INFORMATION
What happens if you finish building the kit and find that it doesn’t work right? Here are a few common
problems people have with this pedal and how to solve them.

The LED doesn’t light up.

First, does the pedal sound right? If you aren’t getting any sound, you probably have a power issue with
the whole circuit that is not specific to the LED, so you’ll want to look elsewhere for the problem.

If it does pass a signal, it’s probably just the LED itself. Is the flat side facing to the right (looking in the
enclosure from the back)? If it’s reversed, it won’t work, so you’ll have to re-solder it the right way.

The transistors won’t bias correctly.

If you can’t get the right voltages on the transistors, there are a few steps to diagnose the issue.

Is the charge pump putting out the correct voltage?

The charge pump (IC1) is an inverter that converts +9V to -9V so the circuit can be used with a standard
center-negative power supply. If it’s not inverting properly, nothing else will work.

First, set your multimeter to DC mode with a range of 20V or higher. Touch the black lead to a ground
point for the circuit. The easiest spot is inside a tapped screw hole in one of the corners of the enclosure.
This way the probe stays in place without needing to use alligator clips. The circuit must of course be
fully installed in the enclosure for this to work.
1 8
Then, touch the red probe to the lower-right pin of IC1 (pin 5) and read the voltage. Note 2 7
that IC pins are labeled counter-clockwise from the upper-left, as shown in the diagram to 3 6

the right. It should measure the inverse of the supply voltage, or slightly less. 4 5

If the voltage is not -9V, then there’s an issue with the charge pump itself or the surrounding parts.

Are the transistors touching each other, the side of the enclosure, or any other nearby component?
The metal case of the transistor is connected to the base pin, so anything making contact with the
transistor will interfere with its operation. Make sure the transistors are angled away from each other
and that Q2 is not touching the side of the enclosure.

The voltages are close, but not exact.

Is the collector voltage correct? The other voltages are given as rough guidelines, but they may be
slightly different depending on the properties of the transistor. The collector voltage is the one we’re
concerned with. If it’s right, then the others should be OK.

Also, make sure the Contour knob is set to approximately 25% rotation (just above 9:00) when biasing
Q2. This knob directly adjusts the bias of Q2 which happens to change the midrange tone in a useful
way. At 25% rotation, it has the stock Fuzz Face resistance of 470 ohms, which is what the bias voltages
are based on.

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 31

SUPPORT
Aion FX does not offer direct support for these projects beyond the provided documentation.
Replacements and refunds cannot be offered unless it can be shown that the circuit or documentation
are in error or that the included components are non-functional.

Where to get help

The two best places to ask for help are the DIY Stompboxes forum and the DIY Stompboxes
Facebook group. Both communities have thousands upon thousands of members and they are very
accommodating to new builders.

When posting a troubleshooting request, always include the following:

1. A thorough description of the problem you are experiencing

2. A photo of the inside of the pedal

3. A list of all the measured voltages of each of the pins, described on the previous page

While we cannot offer direct, private support, you may send a link to your public troubleshooting thread
to Aion FX using the contact form on the website. There is no guarantee that we will be able to join the
discussion and help solve your problem, but this improves the chances.

It benefits the whole community if the troubleshooting process is public because then people who have
the same issue in the future may come across it when searching. And if you do get help, remember to
pay it forward! The best way to learn new skills is to help others. Even if you’ve only built one pedal, you
have more experience than someone who is brand new, so you have something to offer.

RESALE TERMS
These kits may be used for commercial endeavors in any quantity unless otherwise noted. It’s okay to
sell individual builds locally or online, or even to offer a service to build pedals based on these kits.
No direct attribution is necessary, though a link back is always greatly appreciated. The only usage
restriction is that you cannot “goop” the PCB or otherwise obscure the source. In other words: you don’t
have to go out of your way to advertise the fact that you use Aion FX kits, but please don’t go out of your
way to hide it. The guitar effects industry needs more transparency, not less!

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 32

LEGAL INFORMATION
All trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Any use of trademarks is for comparative advertising purposes only under fair use. It is not an
endorsement of this product by the trademark holders.

These kits are intended to be built by the customer. Aion FX is not responsible for language that may be
used by the customer in the marketing or resale of the finished product.

All content and graphics in this document are original works and are copyrighted by Aion FX and may
not be used without permission.

DOCUMENT REVISIONS
1.0.1 (2022-07-01)
Add LT1054 as an alternate for IC1.

1.0.0 (2022-01-21)
Initial release.

SOLARIS GERMANIUM FUZZ 33