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Any DIY pedal builders on TB? Strut your stuff!

#2,261
jw23mind said:
Parallel is standard but when alternative diode options are provided all bets are off. I've seen diodes stacked in series, switched in series or parallel, asymmetrical vs symmetrical, etc. I'd need the schematic of this PCB I can't tell from the picture.
Click to expand...

I don't have the PCB schematic... I'll just try it both ways... maybe alligator clip a resistor from the clipping cap to the input of the diode section when I can.
 
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#2,264
deepestend said:
I do have a meter... what would I do for that?
Click to expand...
Might be too involved to try and explain everything. But basically one side of a diode network should be connected directly to either the base or collector of the associated transistor, OR via the selector switch. You measure continuity between various nodes and figure it all out, different switch positions etc. I suggest drawing a diagram as you do this to make sense of it all. OR forget the meter and lift one lead of the clipping cap and insert the resistor there, with the caveat that the resistor will apply to all the diode settings.
Maybe message CMC and they could tell you
 
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#2,265
Working up my banjo/dobro hybrid's new outboard electronics package:

img_0611-png.5248544


There's a loop for one of my resonant LPF EQ pedals for the magnetic pickup and then the piezo one mounted on the resonator goes through its own LPF and straight to the blender. So I'm kind of moving into something similar to the Alembic/Wal dual filter thing with this now, which would also crossover to Ric 'O Sound applications and the like.
 
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#2,267
deepestend said:
@jw23mind, all very interesting. So, on this diagram:

What are the hi-cut caps? C10, C11, C12? The 470/430/500pf ones?

Later caps effect the EQ: So, are you saying that larger caps for C2 and C3 make for more bass response? For C5 and C13, smaller caps will mean a more compressed clipping?

View attachment 5250690
Click to expand...
Oh, goodness that is a fantastic image. I bought an Aion Halo kit and have it mostly together now. I did a lot of research on the myriad variations so decided to socket all the component locations that had different option depending on the Muff version.
IMG_9035.JPG

Hopefully this diagram can help me sort the options and reduce the possible number of permutations down a bit.
 
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#2,268
HoHumbucker said:
Oh, goodness that is a fantastic image. I bought an Aion Halo kit and have it mostly together now. I did a lot of research on the myriad variations so decided to socket all the component locations that had different option depending on the Muff version.
View attachment 5251804
Hopefully this diagram can help me sort the options and reduce the possible number of permutations down a bit.
Click to expand...

Let us know what you land on! What sound are your aiming for? More Russian/Overdrivey, or more Bluebeard/Rams Head?
 
#2,269
deepestend said:
Let us know what you land on! What sound are your aiming for? More Russian/Overdrivey, or more Bluebeard/Rams Head?
Click to expand...
If I really knew what sound I was looking for, it would be a lot easier. I am still very much a beginner at both electronics and bass. I have a blues overdrive that I really like, but was thinking that the Muff (likely some Russian version) would be fun to have around for a different sound.

I am also looking for something fun to run my saxophones and clarinets through. I have a couple good mics and a TubeART preamp. I can tell you that a bari sax run through a T-Rex Quint octave pedal (with the 5th turned up) is a really hoot. I can only imagine a bari sax run through the muff.
 
#2,270
deepestend said:
View attachment 5247042

I did the same on my benson preamp pedal clone. Sounds great.

I used the Son of Ben pedalpcb board and: ended up switching out C6 and C8 for 330n (what I had on hand, though I think anything 100n and above would have been fine). That really opened up the pedal and makes it sound a lot fuller and more useful on bass. Also omitted C5 so that there's more gain before breakup.

@johnk_10 what did you do to mod yours? Esp to get more low end?

Here's the Son of Ben schematic:
Click to expand...

I had not used this pedal in a while, but inspired by John K, I went in and replaced the first two 22n caps with 150n caps and wow... huge difference. Really liking this pedal a lot as a boost and light OD. I wish it could have a little more girth/lower mids, but I'm not totally sure how to achieve that... maybe mod the bass tone stack?
 
#2,278
@deepestend

My brain was percolating on your diodes-dilemma; in addition to the good advice jw23mind has given, here's another idea:

Offboard wire your clipping diodes.

With an on-off-on switch you could wire up a couple of LEDs>resistor for the middle position lugs 2&5, stock diodes on one side of the switch and a third combo (asymmetrical or whatever) on the other side of the switch. That way you'd have the resistor only on the LEDs and not on the other clipping diodes.

Just make sure the FV of the LEDs+resistor are still a bit above the forward voltage of the other options on the switch, or the idea won't work. Should balance out the volume spike of the LEDs, too.



@jw23mind — some neat ideas of yours to experiment with. I've thought about playing with smaller clipping caps than the Russian 47n but have yet to do so. I'll try your suggested 33n and 39n.
Also, to try to keep the bass flowing I've been keeping the feedback caps large (your "hi-cut", btw — largest ever used by EHX was in the White Can Ram's Head at 680p, according to Kit Rei), but will also experiment with trying smaller here in conjunction with the smaller clipping caps.
It's all about getting the balance right, right!? Right!
 
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#2,280
I made a thread about this but only got a couple replies; thanks @Feral Feline for chiming in.

I'm wondering if there's anyone in the general Pacific Northwest that would be able to take on a project: rehouse my Southampton Fifth Gear into a smaller enclosure, wired so it is always on and with trimpots instead of full sized pots. I rarely adjust it and never turn it off, so I figure I can save a ton of real estate on my pedalboard.

I've built some pedals from kits, and have a few to put together, but it requires setting up a soldering station every time, so I haven't done it in a long time.
 

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