The “D” in LED stands for diode. It’s possible to use them in place of silicon or germanium diodes for a different flavor of clipping.
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Stoner/Doom Bassists Thread, Part 90: Maxed Out
- Thread starter Korladis
- Start date
I have a noob question too!
Are silicon, germanium and LED the only three types of diodes usable for this kind of circuitry, or just the most common?
They’re the ones I’m familiar with, but I’m just a cut above newb myself.I have a noob question too!
Are silicon, germanium and LED the only three types of diodes usable for this kind of circuitry, or just the most common?
But do they light up when you're running current through 'em?
Yes I've built synth filters that used LEDs as part of the circuit and they did blinky on and off while the filter was cycling. And yes the different colors of LEDs had an effect on the sound in that application. Used simply as an on/off indicator light, probably no. But @rutrho is the electronics whiz here, shed know for sure.
Coda Effects - The different types of diodes
I found this a good guide for the differences as applicable to guitar effects. There are quite a few other specialized diodes out there that I would assume make terrible choices for pedal applications otherwise some crazy pedalmaker would've done so by now.
Not the only, but certainly the most common. There is also something called a Schottky diode. I only know about that one because Dunwich Amps uses one in their Volt Thrower clone of the classic Rat distortion.I have a noob question too!
Are silicon, germanium and LED the only three types of diodes usable for this kind of circuitry, or just the most common?
But do they light up when you're running current through 'em?
I checked that when I was playing around with it before soldering it up... No go on that front sadly. At least nothing with my active bass going into it. I bet if I hit it with a harder signal it'd drive that gain stage more and it might work? Who knows...
I have a noob question too!
Are silicon, germanium and LED the only three types of diodes usable for this kind of circuitry, or just the most common?
Those are some of the most common ones you're likely to run across for this sort of usage. There are a ton of other kinds of diodes floating around.
Yep! Different colors of LED take different amounts of current to activate and have different current draws as well as having different forward bias V. I've run across similar things when making synth filters as well or when putting LED's into LFO's and stuff. I deal mostly with solar cells and arrays at work, but playing with analog stuff is fun because there is a point where it becomes less precise like digital stuff and more into an organic alchemy of parts, voltage and a bit of black magic. Its fun.
I'd guess it'd be for the lower forward bias V of them... The tend be lower than most Si diodes but similar in range to some of the Ge diodes... plus the whole obtainable and somewhat common thing.
But do they light up when you're running current through 'em?
when my volt thrower was on LED clipping the LEDs inside did light up. if i remember correctly there are a few pedals where the clipping LEDs are on the outside of the enclosure so that you can see them light up as part of the graphics. the VT was running 36V.
Always wondered about that one, but again, just want a cheap clone. $130 isn’t quite “cheap” for me.
Sam... saw this and thought of you! Look at these prices! Dayum!
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Ha!
i'm all for nice audio gear but this stuff is just a bunch of corksniffers and snake oil.
So, High on Fire is cancelling it's tour coz Pike is having parts of his foot (or just toes) amputated due to diabetes. That's sobering, considering my awful health:
Matt Pike Health Issues Force High on Fire to Cancel Tour
In another thought, awhile ago I found this awesome Mongolian band on Youtube by accident. i was gonna share it based just on the fact that it's kidna metally in a sort of grungey bluesy well of old Sabbath but entirely awesome coz it's Mongol as Fsck, but didn't but I ran across this pretty interesting little article in NPR are this morning, so to balance out the Matt Pike foot thing, here's this more upbeat stuff:
(skip ahead to a minute if you're bored easily)
How A Mongolian Heavy Metal Band Got Millions Of YouTube Views
Matt Pike Health Issues Force High on Fire to Cancel Tour
In another thought, awhile ago I found this awesome Mongolian band on Youtube by accident. i was gonna share it based just on the fact that it's kidna metally in a sort of grungey bluesy well of old Sabbath but entirely awesome coz it's Mongol as Fsck, but didn't but I ran across this pretty interesting little article in NPR are this morning, so to balance out the Matt Pike foot thing, here's this more upbeat stuff:
(skip ahead to a minute if you're bored easily)
How A Mongolian Heavy Metal Band Got Millions Of YouTube Views
I guess it's more that they cancelled to avoid having to get another toe amputated. My band mate was out with him last night in Oregon; he looks like he's in pain and moving badly... but the hope is to prevent further damage by taking it easy. FWIW. makes me sad to think his health may take him off the road for good. Yeesh. In partial response to that, I stocked up on salad stuff this week and taking some time off from the booze. He's only 4 years older than me; i gotta get my sheeet together!
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So I suppose this is becoming a legit genre now, there's also Tengger Cavalry. Next we'll see another Mongolian metal band fronted by an attractive Mongolian. She'll be deemed a poser because she is a former model.
But in Pike years, you're 17. (Actual age X Number of Tours X Drug Consumption) / Number of Toes
