Want to mod my Sovtek BassBalls

RocktimusBass · #1 03-22-2013, 02:42 PM

Hey everyone. I just picked up a used Sovtek BassBalls pedal (the black with blue writing) and I am wanting to do a few mods. I want to move the external trim pots to the outside and I want to make it true bypass.
I am really comfortable with soldering. The problem I am having is finding any instructions on this pedal. I searched on here and found some links, but sadly they were broken. I took the board out and I don't see any markings on it telling me which resistors and caps are which. Any and all help is appreciated!

RocktimusBass · #2 03-22-2013, 02:51 PM

Internal, not external. Sorry, typing from my iPhone.

Wud · #3 03-22-2013, 04:07 PM

It's all here -

Nano Bassballs Trimpots Mod

Oops sorry thats for nano's and won't help with the true bypass.

RocktimusBass · #4 03-22-2013, 04:11 PM

That's the problem I am running in to... I saw that post. There was some French site that was out there for the Sovtek one that was linked in another post, but the site isn't up anymore. Thanks for trying to help!

cheapbasslovin · #5 03-22-2013, 10:23 PM

Go to the link above. The second to last post on the first page and the first post on the second page are my Bassballs that I rehoused and modded from a Russian model.

Hopefully your PCB will look the same as my PCB there. To move the trimpots you need two 5k ohm pots. You can experiment with other resistances if you want but for a straight swap 5k is the ticket. The trimpots are the two plastic disks with a slot for a tiny screwdriver to fit into. My recollection is the lone terminal on the one side is the wiper and the other two are the element terminals.

I didn't do the true bypass mod on mine and I doubt I'd remember the details if I did, sorry.

RocktimusBass · #6 03-23-2013, 06:23 PM

Thanks for the help. I think I bought 10k pots, I don't remember. I will look at them tomorrow and take the BassBalls apart and see what I can figure out.

gregmon79 · #7 03-23-2013, 06:51 PM

I'm searching for my sovtek bass balls! Seeing this thread really makes me want to find it! Hey does anyone know what these go for on the open market?

RocktimusBass · #8 03-23-2013, 07:28 PM

I bought mine used a few months ago for 45 bucks.

gregmon79 · #9 03-23-2013, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RocktimusBass

I bought mine used a few months ago for 45 bucks.

Thanks. I was just wondering if it was worth a significant amount in case I ever wanted to sell. Well, lets see if I can find it first

Rip Topaz · #10 03-24-2013, 01:33 AM

Great mod to this pedal. I modded mine a few years back and it really opened up the pedal and made it more musical.

cheapbasslovin · #11 03-24-2013, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RocktimusBass

Thanks for the help. I think I bought 10k pots, I don't remember. I will look at them tomorrow and take the BassBalls apart and see what I can figure out.

My recollection is that there are a couple of 5k resistors in series with the 5k pots (one resistor per pot). I think some people have replaced both with the 10k, but for me the controls are sensitive enough without the 10k range.

RocktimusBass · #12 03-24-2013, 10:43 AM

I remember reading something like that and that's why I bought the 10k.
At some point I am going to tackle this project and I will document it so hopefully others can learn from me.
For me, the true bypass is important as the switch in mine is crapping out and sometimes when I step on it, it doesn't turn completely off, and I have to step on it a few times.
I'm also going to change the LED to blue just for fun. Bought cool blue knobs for the new trim pots.