Bugbrand Bugcrusher μ - New version coming

[KarateKid25]

A new version of the Bugbrand 'Bugcrusher μ' (micro) is being officially announced (possibly released?) next month.

No more information currently available, but it's pretty exciting regardless. I really like my current Bugcrusher and am interested to see what the new version will bring!

[john turner]

i can has link?

[KarateKid25]

John, the new Bugcrusher is in this months Bugbrand newsletter that I received via e-mail. Doesn't appear to be mentioned on his site as yet, sorry.

[kevteop]

Get on the mailing list if you want one, they will sell out very quickly.

[miskha]

I was extremely excited about this and joined the mailing list last night...
Mr. Bugs kindly replied to me and told me that this new micro bugcrusher will not be a "stomp pedal" format. It will have an input for an external footswitch though.

[bugbrand]

Hi there - very interested to find this discussion (and others on the forum - Kevteop, your bass samples on another thread were great, especially the fourth one which sounded super vocal).

Indeed, I'm afraid that at this stage I can't (or won't?!) do stompboxes - really due to the mechanical strength requirements and because my ways of making things have changed since the original MicroCrusher. As some of you know, my real focus at the moment is my modular synth systems - that constantly keeps me more than busy so even getting the MicroCrusher back towards production has taken far longer than I'd otherwise have hoped.

So, unless I could somehow find a place to make custom stompable cases (rather than me having to drill metal boxes - it is really impractical for regular production) I won't be able to make the MicroCrushers stompable.

[I wondered whether I could get someone else to make them - someone who is more geared up to stomp-things -- I then remembered Ooh La La pedals, but it seems they've stopped existing now -- shame]

But! I do have a footswitch input on the new design - takes a standard momentary pedal input (eg. like a keyboard sustain pedal). Maybe this will go some way to addressing the guitar/bass players needs.

I won't say much now about the exact changes - will announce in a month or so. But it is very similar circuit-wise to the previous MicroCrusher.

By the way, I would hope to have this in quite regular production once I get things going - that's one of the main points of my redesign, to create something that I can reproduce on an ongoing basis.

Cheers,
Tom

[john turner]

welcome to talkbass, tom! thanks for posting.

are you saying the new bugcrusher will be a card like the weevil? perhaps i'm dense, but could you explain how exactly this unit (the bugcrusher, or the weevil for that matter) is used? i.e. does it need to be mounted in a rack/module of some kind, is it self-contained and ready to go except for having the electronics exposed? by the demo movie of the weevil it looks like it's just good to go out of the box - is the back insulated or must one be careful what they put it on?

having a bugcrusher similar to the weevil that i see on your site would certainly not be a deal breaker for me, tbh. far from it.

[bugbrand]

Cheers John!

No - the new crusher will be in a case - just not something 'stompable' (so, similarly, the bypass button will only be a regular one rather than a stomp switch). So it will be totally standalone, standard mono I/O and powered by regular 9v centre-neg (though will also supply a little battery to DC plug converter for running on batteries).

[For the Weevils - yes, the backs are uninsulated - I did wonder about doing a bugcrusher in such a form, but really it is better as a boxed affair.]

Cheers!
Tom

[john turner]

cool, that sounds really neat, and for me, stompable is not a necessity, even for bypass (i has loops ). actually something like this would be preferred - i'd rather use a little synth momentary switch pedal then have another box on the board.

what are the dimensions of the bugcrusher's case going to be? and is it going to be touchy-feely like the weevil? (i.e. are there going to be knobs and switches and touch-sensitive pads on it? i love those )

[DreadRaver]

Originally Posted by bugbrand

So, unless I could somehow find a place to make custom stompable cases (rather than me having to drill metal boxes - it is really impractical for regular production) I won't be able to make the MicroCrushers stompable.

[I wondered whether I could get someone else to make them - someone who is more geared up to stomp-things...]

Hmmmm, if only I knew someone...

(pm sent)

[agreatheight]

How exactly does someone get on the list for this? I want one!

Oh, and I'm with John - I have a looper, as do a lot of people that would be adding this to their boards, so no switch is fine with me!

[Magical_Max]

+1 on the non stomp switch, I've also got a loop pedal spare.

Originally Posted by agreatheight

How exactly does someone get on the list for this? I want one!

Mailing list is on the website www.bugbrand.co.uk

[agreatheight]

Originally Posted by Magical_Max

Mailing list is on the website www.bugbrand.co.uk

Mucho gracias!

[bugbrand]

Hi!

The case will be roughly 12cm x 8cm x 5cm -- metal main section with PCB panel (kind of like on my modulars).

No - sorry, no touchy-feely weirdness like on the Weevils!


DreadRaver ---- THANKS!! Very interesting indeed.


Lists --- I just keep a mailing list for announcements when I release new things, so no waiting list as such. But, yes, you can sign up via the main BugBrand site.


Cheers!
Tom

[bugbrand]

Ping!

I've just released the first batch of the new design.
A 2nd batch of 15 will be going into production next week and then more around January and regularly after that.

http://www.bugbrand.co.uk/index.php?...products_id=91

Cheers, Tom
(sorry for the purely business nature of posting!)

[DannDubblewe]

they already sold out! OH MAN! I would've gotten one ssooo ffaassstt Thanks for the update Tom! Can't wait to get my hands on one. Sounds phenomenal.

[kevteop]

Tom: Wondered if you could advise me - does the original Micro have a... "LT1054" chip in it?

I'm having an issue with mine at the moment; well it's involved I don't know if it's an issue with the pedal itself: When I run it after my 2-channel SFX loop mixer it seems to generate a LOT of noise, especially when one of the two mixer channels is active. Max at SFX was wondering if it might be related to this chip in the Bugcrusher.

I've had the back off but as you can imagine I can't see any components without taking all the sockets apart to get the board out, which I don't want to do.

Any advice much appreciated.

[bugbrand]

Cheers Dan but sorry they went so fast..! New batch going into production on Monday though..

Kev - no, no LT1054 inside - that's a charge pump chip which I've never used. Original BugCrushers did require Bipolar power, but then I did a new design that just ran off 9v.

It is not too difficult to take the pedal apart - take off the jack nuts and the board should slide out with the pot/switch/power still attached by jumpers.

What sort of noise? General hiss? Bit surprised, really! I'd be absolutely fine to have a check over it if you wanted to send it back to me or can maybe help remotely. All chips in it (TL072, CD4066, CD40106) are socketed so easy to change if necessary.

[kevteop]

Originally Posted by bugbrand

What sort of noise? General hiss?

I don't know, it's very weird, and very loud in some cases! It's like the BC is picking up some loud-but-inaudible hiss and making it audible as it reduces the sample rate. But it seems to only happen when the BC interacts with this other mixer / line driver pedal which in isolation is dead silent. I need to try running them on different PSUs and do more experiments, I don't even know which box is making the noise at the moment.

Thanks for the offer though, much appreciated!

[bugbrand]

Hmm - yes, that could be the case, that something is generating some high-freq hash above 20kHz and this is then being BugCrushed and giving aliased low-freqs. We could probably add a bit more input filtering without too much trouble but have a look into it and let me know. Cheers, Tom