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Someone cracked the Animato
- Thread starter father of fires
- Start date
Crowella
Commercial User
I really need to buy/rent somewhere I can paint other than my garden. No matter my best efforts there, I can't seem to get a perfect job painting in my backyard. :/
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Toaster oven for authentic animato "easy to ding" finish. I think I'll put a paper decal over the top of this one. At least the drilling is fine. Top mount jacks.
Invalid Link Removed
Toaster oven for authentic animato "easy to ding" finish. I think I'll put a paper decal over the top of this one. At least the drilling is fine. Top mount jacks.
Does the toaster-oven finish mean the Animato-clone will have a baked-in tone?
Crowella
Commercial User
Honestly regretting not buying sparkly gold paint. It's breaking apart before I even begun! So much overrun too on one side. Meh. This is why I outsource finishes.
I'm going to see how my printer goes tonight at making the PCB. Might take an hour to drill.
Also, fun fact for the night. Turns out drunk people don't know how to throw fish and chips at someone. That was both good and bad at the same time. Story of my life!
I'm going to see how my printer goes tonight at making the PCB. Might take an hour to drill.
Also, fun fact for the night. Turns out drunk people don't know how to throw fish and chips at someone. That was both good and bad at the same time. Story of my life!
Crowella
Commercial User
Things are moving along. The parts arrived today for the second prototype. Might have it working within the next 24 hours if I get on it.
Just doing the whole cost/effect thing with the next makes. I can't do the relay switching for production models. Just going to become too expensive as the PCB size will be huge and it will mean rearranging components to fit and blowing up the PCB size too far. Also looking elsewhere to get the cases painted/drilled. I looked into buying the gear to do professional finishes myself but a UV screen printer costs somewhere in the "too many digits" range and I'd rather somewhere that can do a good job.
I've also come in contact with a packaging supplier which means I need to speed up that whole "marketing/image" side as well as the pedal, such as the naming competition thing. That might help get it into hands quicker.
Still getting emails almost every day asking for both the original and the updated version. Wow.
Serious thanks to everyone.
Just doing the whole cost/effect thing with the next makes. I can't do the relay switching for production models. Just going to become too expensive as the PCB size will be huge and it will mean rearranging components to fit and blowing up the PCB size too far. Also looking elsewhere to get the cases painted/drilled. I looked into buying the gear to do professional finishes myself but a UV screen printer costs somewhere in the "too many digits" range and I'd rather somewhere that can do a good job.
I've also come in contact with a packaging supplier which means I need to speed up that whole "marketing/image" side as well as the pedal, such as the naming competition thing. That might help get it into hands quicker.
Still getting emails almost every day asking for both the original and the updated version. Wow.
Serious thanks to everyone. 
Still getting emails almost every day asking for both the original and the updated version. Wow.
I'm not surprised, considering how how hard the pedal is to find. It took me about 2 years before I stumbled across one on e-bay randomly. If the tone is spot on then I'd be more than happy buying as not to ruin my Animato
Crowella
Commercial User
Which is amazing considering at least two of the buyers bought one to protect their original. One will do a review on it soon, the other preferred mine over the original, claiming they usually prefer silicon pedals anyway, which was interesting to hear.
Thanks for the note about the packaging, it's going to be better for future models, I assure you. Shame it isn't the tone you need and you are passing it on but I can understand, I've done it with many things before. I was expecting at least one person to not find it perfect, that's why there are so many options. With all the demand, you can probably make a profit off of it. 
The original pedal was hard for me to find. I think I mentioned I got it from Japan, which cost a lot for a package redirection service. It also meant I had to get that service to pay for it as it only allowed Japanese bank accounts to pay!
One other thing too, I'm working on the shipping/customs side of things, not to get costs down so much but to keep things pretty reliable and honest. Turns out a few people got hit with customs fees, one equalling half the price of the pedal! For my neighbours in Indonesia, it costs ~$50USD just to get mail tracked there so I'll do some investigation into that.
Time to print the PCB. *gulp*
Thanks for the note about the packaging, it's going to be better for future models, I assure you.
Shame it isn't the tone you need and you are passing it on but I can understand, I've done it with many things before. I was expecting at least one person to not find it perfect, that's why there are so many options. With all the demand, you can probably make a profit off of it. The original pedal was hard for me to find. I think I mentioned I got it from Japan, which cost a lot for a package redirection service. It also meant I had to get that service to pay for it as it only allowed Japanese bank accounts to pay!
One other thing too, I'm working on the shipping/customs side of things, not to get costs down so much but to keep things pretty reliable and honest. Turns out a few people got hit with customs fees, one equalling half the price of the pedal! For my neighbours in Indonesia, it costs ~$50USD just to get mail tracked there so I'll do some investigation into that.
Time to print the PCB. *gulp*
Crowella
Commercial User
Strangely fulfilling moment when a $40 printer actually has been the best for making PCB's. Tru fax.
Sadly, peeled one corner just slightly too quick so I had to get the magic marker out. The lighter areas that cover the toner are the magazine fibers. I give that a tidy up before etching but here we are, happy to etch.
Also just noticed one trace was touching when it shouldn't have, The photo saved me disappointment.
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EDIT: Successful etch. BRB in 20 years while I drill this...
Sadly, peeled one corner just slightly too quick so I had to get the magic marker out. The lighter areas that cover the toner are the magazine fibers. I give that a tidy up before etching but here we are, happy to etch.
Also just noticed one trace was touching when it shouldn't have, The photo saved me disappointment.
Link Removed
EDIT: Successful etch. BRB in 20 years while I drill this...
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Crowella
Commercial User
Debug time. Clean blend definitely works which means the relay switching and power filter works but the rest doesn't. Honestly glad I bought the oscilloscope now. Might have it running by tonight/tomorrow.
Such a tight squeeze, made more so when I forgot that wires have width too. Derp.
EDIT: First impressions, I had to revert to the original start of the pedal with the exception of the Sziklai pair, using an MPSA13 in there and it seems okay, still seems a bit too warm/fuzzy for me but I think that's still the first stage. The body control is nice though, warms it up.
EDIT 2: Seems those front caps of 10n then the 6n8 are really key to the tone. When you introduce lower frequencies in that stage, it starts to lose the distinct tone. I replaced them and it sounds amazing. I need I to make a few wiring changes before I make a demo.
Might have it running by tonight/tomorrow.Such a tight squeeze, made more so when I forgot that wires have width too. Derp.
EDIT: First impressions, I had to revert to the original start of the pedal with the exception of the Sziklai pair, using an MPSA13 in there and it seems okay, still seems a bit too warm/fuzzy for me but I think that's still the first stage. The body control is nice though, warms it up.
EDIT 2: Seems those front caps of 10n then the 6n8 are really key to the tone. When you introduce lower frequencies in that stage, it starts to lose the distinct tone. I replaced them and it sounds amazing. I need I to make a few wiring changes before I make a demo.
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It's good to have friends in high places! Just got a JohnK Animato with blend and germaniums, and that is totally the sound! I've really not heard anything quite like it before. Does mellow, does angry, does in between, all with that funky sound that I've not heard in any other fuzzes. Yeah, I think I will get a lot of mileage out of this pedal. Awesome job, John...thx!
Tried to get a pic but neither of my cameras are behaving well today.
EDIT: I guess this shot isn't too bad. I'm no Ansel Adams, though...
Tried to get a pic but neither of my cameras are behaving well today.
EDIT: I guess this shot isn't too bad. I'm no Ansel Adams, though...
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This Animato thing is wild! Other fuzzes and overdrives I've used come off like a healthy tube amp being cranked hard. This one sounds like a sick tube amp being cranked hard. Reminds me of tubes that still work but are at the end of their life cycle...microphonic, distorting, etc. I kind of knew that going into it but it seems even more so in person. Has a lot more versatility than I expected, too. Pretty much runs the gamut from barely-noticeable overdrive to sickness. The blend knob really helps with the versatility quotient, too. Not sure it would be my first choice for Jamerson-y breakup, but I would totally use it with a hollowbody to get that British Invasion tube breakup like Chas Chandler or Paul Samwell-Smith.
I do not get the Big Muff comparison at all, though. I know it's supposed to be two Muff circuits tied together in Suzuki pairs or Souvlaki pairs or some such, but there's nothing even remotely Muffy about it to me. A Muff is a real hard fuzz, and this one is all gooey and goopy. Played with it for a couple hours tonight and got nothing that sounds like a Muff. Maybe I've played the Muffs that weren't as good for bass or something, but I don't hear it. Go figure.
Man, this fuzz thing really is a big rabbit hole. Started out a couple years ago deciding I wanted a simple little fuzz for playing "Dance To The Music" with my oldies band, and now I've been through like 8 or 9 and I'm buying a handmade Animato! It's weird...I'm finding a lot more use for fuzz than I thought I would. Whoda thunk it? Anyway, shout-out to my old friend JohnK for turning whatever he touches into gold!
I do not get the Big Muff comparison at all, though. I know it's supposed to be two Muff circuits tied together in Suzuki pairs or Souvlaki pairs or some such, but there's nothing even remotely Muffy about it to me. A Muff is a real hard fuzz, and this one is all gooey and goopy. Played with it for a couple hours tonight and got nothing that sounds like a Muff. Maybe I've played the Muffs that weren't as good for bass or something, but I don't hear it. Go figure.
Man, this fuzz thing really is a big rabbit hole. Started out a couple years ago deciding I wanted a simple little fuzz for playing "Dance To The Music" with my oldies band, and now I've been through like 8 or 9 and I'm buying a handmade Animato! It's weird...I'm finding a lot more use for fuzz than I thought I would. Whoda thunk it? Anyway, shout-out to my old friend JohnK for turning whatever he touches into gold!
- Feb 16, 2008
- 21,240
- 23,634
- Disclosures
- John K Custom Basses
Well I'm glad of that because the Muffs I've played made a better impression at the store than with a band. Won't know how this sounds with a band till Sunday but it sounds good playing along to Muse and Winny Puhh CD's The hard part for me is going to be finding a role for it because it has several usable tones, and even on its lighter settings, it sounds quite Animato-y.
Also should add a shout-out to Crowella...you done good, my brother! Thanks to you for cracking it and to you and John for making it rock for bass without requiring 2 lines!
The hard part for me is going to be finding a role for it because it has several usable tones, and even on its lighter settings, it sounds quite Animato-y.Also should add a shout-out to Crowella...you done good, my brother! Thanks to you for cracking it and to you and John for making it rock for bass without requiring 2 lines!
Well I'm glad of that because the Muffs I've played made a better impression at the store than with a band. Won't know how this sounds with a band till Sunday but it sounds good playing along to Muse and Winny Puhh CD's
Also should add a shout-out to Crowella...you done good, my brother! Thanks to you for cracking it and to you and John for making it rock for bass without requiring 2 lines!
Try blending it with a fuzz as well. It works very well that way
