I have drawers full of germanium transistors sitting around that may be useless as amplification devices. Indeed, it improves on a couple of weak spots the Dist+ had. In effect, it is a fancy MXR Distortion+. The first op-amp stage brings the level up enough to produce good clipping from the transistors, and the second provides some gain recovery to compensate for how much the transistor diodes will clamp the amplitude rather low. So you're quite correct that it is NOT a Big Muff topology, either standard 4 transistor or op-amp. I'm sure there are plenty sitting in bins around the world that are NOS, but unsuitable for use as transistors, making them a cheap purchase for anyone intending to use them another way. In this instance, as the schematic indicates, they seem to be used simply as diodes, situated in between two op-amp gain stages. Between the ‘range’ and ‘wool’ controls there are a lot of shades of awesome.
The target tone of the Lunar is in the Fuzz Face range, but it's not just a simple clone of a Fuzz Face or of a Tone Bender. Into a loud amp on the edge of breakup this thing is a blast to play through. Skreddy Member Messages 2,338 2 It's definitely in the same family and can be dialed in to sound like a MkII Tone Bender, which is essentially just a Fuzz Face with an extra gain stage in front. If it is simply used for its diode properties (each leg of the transistor is essentially a diode), then it may still be quite good in that role. The Rover will do everything from mild crunch to saturated, and it cleans up a bit with the guitar volume, much more so than a Tone Bender mkII. But that assumes it is being used as a gain/amplification device. Marc made Lunar Module pedals in a variety of finishes over time.If a GE transistor is leaky, or has the "wrong" hfe, then it goes in the "not suitable for fuzz" pile.
The difference is that the two internal trim-pots on the Lunar Module have joined the other knobs on the top of the pedal for easier tweaking. In 2011, the old three-knob Lunar Module was replaced by the five-knob Lunar Module Mini Deluxe. But the Lunar Module is a modern classic among pedals and you should check it out - even if you aren't a fuzz enthusiast. Wyllie Moonrock is, overall, still my favorite fuzz, because I don't need my fuzz to be perfect. It effortlessly delivers that singing, sustaining fuzz tone, smooth yet EQed to cut through the mix, perfectly behaved, and malleable in character with the knobs on the pedal and on the guitar. Turned lower, there will be a darker, tamer response." Turned all the way up, the Lunar Module will be fuzzier and more aggressive, but also noisier. you can get more billiance and "hair" or make it darker and smoother, to suit your amp and taste." Range "sets the gain of the input transistor. Brite is a "post-distortion treble control. Body "dials in the amount of bass going into the fuzz section, for everything from tight overdrive to full-voiced distortion to thick, nasty fuzz." There are two internal trim pots accessible through holes in the side of the pedal: Brite (AKA Presence, left side) and Range (AKA Pre-Gain, right side). There are three knobs: Vol, Fuzz, and Body (called Sharpness on some pedals). Marc started with a silicon Fuzz Face circuit, added a third BC109 transistor, changed some things, and the result was the Lunar Module. The story is that Marc Ahlfs loved the tone David Gilmour played in the solo to the Pink Floyd song Time on the album Dark Side of the Moon, and he set about trying to distill that tone into a single pedal (Gilmour probably used an extensive effects chain when recording the solo). I was blown away its reputation is well-deserved. I had heard of the Skreddy Pedals Lunar Module for years, but never heard one until recently.