Frantone Time! I got a vintage Lo-Tone Classic Fuzz in for repair and thought that I'd take the opportunity to talk about the Frantone Crowbar, show how to unclog a stuck desoldering gun, and other handy how-to tips. Now that every pedal maker out there will soon be using a version of the Frantone Crowbar who knows - maybe they'll all be nice and send me a royalty. Yea Right! LOL! Enjoy!
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- Music by Fran Blanche -

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By Fran

18 thoughts on “Frantone lo-tone classic fuzz guitar pedal repair”
  1. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Richie Bricker says:

    Your classic fuzz used to be green? Now its grey like the rest of us. Sorry Im just a child. I thought this was the Sophie Lloyd channel, when ya gonna play?

  2. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Sammy Rothrock says:

    Crowbar polarity protection is great for those who don't always observe proper polarity for power supplies or over voltage ⚡. Myself I always have a dedicated power supply always negative center pin typical. Zener is a good fail-safe for chip transistor protection. Unless of course they occasionally get leaky . Keep up the good work Fran!

  3. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Sammy Rothrock says:

    Very cool 😎 fuzz !

  4. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars monkeybanana says:

    you're so cool

  5. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Magic Plants says:

    Great job Fran!

  6. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Andrew Turner says:

    Nice Fran! If I can ever afford one of your pedals, I’ll definitely buy it after watching this!🙏🏻❤️

  7. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Acme Racing says:

    I once repaired laser levels that had alligator clips to run from a 12V lead-acid battery. They used a bridge rectifier on the 12v power to keep reverse polarity from blowing them up. They also had a 120v cord that used two different pins in the connector to feed a power supply section. A customer forgot his AC cord one day. He put a plug on the battery cable and blew up every single board . Having worked in repair, it warms my heart to see an engineer who knows how to fix things. We'd often figure things out once instruments had been in service for a while, but the manufacturers wouldn't listen to us when we reported what we'd found out. I remember when a DeVry graduate from Kansas figured out a momentary voltage drop from excessive current draw on power-up. The engineers back in Japan HATED admitting that the resistor he added in series was an elegant and effective fix. They took six months testing it and then took credit in the service bulletin. "Engineering has found…"

  8. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Philip Markert says:

    You can do reverse polarity protection with an inexpensive MOSFET and only have 20mv or voltage drop.

  9. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Linda Xhuliana Hoxha says:

    I love that top. Cool!

  10. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Dumpster Stu says:

    I truly appreciate the work you do. 🙏 I hope someone will build more of your work for you.

  11. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Rikard Lalić says:

    All five stars for crowbar solution…

  12. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Strange Quark says:

    Great to hear that exhaust fan, so you're not inhaling the solder fumes. I loved that smell as a teen, but I imagine it's hazardous – particularly in quantity.

  13. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Heavy metal chainsaw says:

    This is awesome. Just found your channel, had no idea you also have a brand of pedals. :d
    cheers

  14. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Red Lioness says:

    I almost expected you to say "reversing the polarity of the neutron flow"!

  15. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars DanHarkless ﴾Halloween, theme parks, YTPs, & more﴿ says:

    Did I understand correctly that Fran is using side-effects of how a PTC thermistor works (and not using it as a thermistor at all) in her crowbar design? Too cool. Also super-clever tip regarding the desoldering gun warmup/declog. Weird that the manufacturer doesn't design the gun base to hold it vertically like that in the first place. Loved the shout-out to the old manual model; my old Radio Shack desolderer is still working like a treat too.

  16. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars David Meaux says:

    Wow, I had no idea that you were The Fran from Frantone! I’m the last to know I guess. Inspired by you and your spirit I dug out my old Frantone Sweet pedal, plugged in my guitar and realized a much greater appreciation of what I had. Thank you Fran for being you.

  17. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars ozzie321 says:

    that’s some excellent customer service

  18. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Tjay WASHINGTON says:

    how do i fix my Ptg nose

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