• From: Danville, IL
  • Registered: 2012-02-18
  • Posts: 458

Topic: Converting Bona-Fuzz from 9V Battery to Power Supply

Love my Dunlop Bona-Fuzz, but not keen on pulling it off the pedal board and dissassembling it to swap the internal 9V battery - so considering drilling a hole and adding in a 2.1mm female input that I solder up to the internal wires.

Have googled up several suppliers, but need to make sure that the one I use will be able to handle the thick sidewalls of the round enclosure.

So, anybody else done this mod and have a suggested supplier & part number?

Thanks!

kestrou

  • From: York, PA
  • Registered: 2010-08-27
  • Posts: 1,749

Re: Converting Bona-Fuzz from 9V Battery to Power Supply

There was a thread about this shortly after they came out. You can drill or notch the side walls of the enclosure so that when closed, there is an opening for a 9v cable to run through. The voodoo lab pedal power comes with (and you can buy separately) a power cable that connects where the battery would and the other end goes into the power supply. I'd do that over soldering anything.

OR: There is an aftermarket bottom piece designed to fit fuzz face pedals ALREADY with the hole or opening for a cable to pass through. I don't remember where or who sells them, but they do exist. I'm sure someone will remember.

3 Reply by DanDdanDan (edited by DanDdanDan 2013-01-20 04:25:36)

  • Registered: 2013-01-06
  • Posts: 15

Re: Converting Bona-Fuzz from 9V Battery to Power Supply

Hi guys.

For my JB fuzz face I use a gigrig virtual battery. It's a small box that clips to the battery snap and you plug a standard 2.1mm power cable into it.  It isolates the fuzz from anything else you're powering & makes it think its been powered by a batt, which is important as germanium fuzz especially can get upset if using a power supply. It also has a sag control so you can drop it to 6.5v if you want...

As for how to get the cable into the pedal.  No drilling required. I simply place a metal washer between the case and base plate so that when the pedal's screwed together it doesn't quite close up at that point. Using a washer 2mm or so thick means there's plent of room for the cable to pass without it getting nipped.

Check out gigrig.com for the virtual battery

  • From: Orlando, FL
  • Registered: 2010-04-15
  • Posts: 1,374

Re: Converting Bona-Fuzz from 9V Battery to Power Supply

ou can drill or notch the side walls of the enclosure so that when closed, there is an opening for a 9v cable to run through. The voodoo lab pedal power comes with (and you can buy separately) a power cable that connects where the battery would and the other end goes into the power supply. I'd do that over soldering anything.

That's what I did for a different pedal - works great.

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  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2008-10-26
  • Posts: 2,926

Re: Converting Bona-Fuzz from 9V Battery to Power Supply

Hey if you do decide to drill a hole in the bottom of the pedal consider buying a cheap used fuzz face and use the bottom of that one so you can keep your BonnaFuzz original in case you should ever see fit to sell it.  You can buy power sources that plug up to a 9 volt battery terminal without modding out your pedal.  The cheapest is Onespot.  You would have to buy their power source and their plug kit but it is only about $40 total!

AD3THREE's Website

  • From: Montreal, Canada
  • Registered: 2012-12-10
  • Posts: 44

Re: Converting Bona-Fuzz from 9V Battery to Power Supply

I am using this:
http://www.godlyke.com/power-all/power- … r-supplies

They have a power supply and adapters for all types of pedals. I used their adapter for 9V connection and then used a seperate Boss power supply so that the Bonafuzz is on it's own power source. What I did in the meantime until I find a permanent sollution is I placed two hard rubber pieces that keep a small opening for the wire to come out of between the plate and pedal. Don't want to drill or cut the Bonafuzz bottom plate.

IamKrisJones's Website

  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2008-10-26
  • Posts: 2,926

Re: Converting Bona-Fuzz from 9V Battery to Power Supply

Speaking of Fuzz Face pedals does anybody else have a hard time lining that screw up with the cast piece you screw into with that plate blocking your vision?  I got rid of my old fuzz face for that very reason and bought a big muff.  2 totally different pedals in the fuzz family.  I'm more of a Gilmoure fan than a Jimi Hendrix fan anyway!

AD3THREE's Website

  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2008-10-26
  • Posts: 2,926

Re: Converting Bona-Fuzz from 9V Battery to Power Supply

I guess it would have been smart to do like this guy and post a link to what I was talking about.  I like this one because it doesn't cover up a the spot beside of it.  http://visualsound.net/1-spot-power-supply/1spot/

IamKrisJones wrote:

I am using this:
http://www.godlyke.com/power-all/power- … r-supplies

They have a power supply and adapters for all types of pedals. I used their adapter for 9V connection and then used a seperate Boss power supply so that the Bonafuzz is on it's own power source. What I did in the meantime until I find a permanent sollution is I placed two hard rubber pieces that keep a small opening for the wire to come out of between the plate and pedal. Don't want to drill or cut the Bonafuzz bottom plate.

AD3THREE's Website

  • From: Danville, IL
  • Registered: 2012-02-18
  • Posts: 458

Re: Converting Bona-Fuzz from 9V Battery to Power Supply

OK - you guys have definitely had some great ideas!

helrazr84 - I actually have a Voodoo Labs power supply with that connector - might as well use it and not butcher the internal wiring harness, right?

DanDdanDan - Like your idea of using a washer or two to hold it open - gonna steal that idea too.

Thanks guys - off to tweak the pedalboard!!!! smile

kestrou

  • From: York, PA
  • Registered: 2010-08-27
  • Posts: 1,749

Re: Converting Bona-Fuzz from 9V Battery to Power Supply

Yeah, use the cable that snaps on where the battery goes in the pedal. I wouldn't mess with cutting and wires or soldering connections unless youre really good at that type of thing. However you decide to go from there is up to you. Personally, id just notch out the metal on my own stuff but that's me. I make my equipment work for me! Washer trick is a good idea that costs basically nothing and leaves no permanent modifications. Good starting point I think.

  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: Converting Bona-Fuzz from 9V Battery to Power Supply

OneSpots come with a 9v to plug adapter.

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  • From: kentucky
  • Registered: 2008-03-06
  • Posts: 304

Re: Converting Bona-Fuzz from 9V Battery to Power Supply

i hadnt thought about these options before.....i had been wanting either the JB or EJ fuzz face but wasnt happy thinking about batteries and unplugging crap all the time.....this may allow me to rethink things.

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