Stoner/Doom Bassists Thread, Part 90: Maxed Out

[br1qbat]

Today I felt a little better with the flu so I said "Why not building another kit?"
BAD idea
This time I managed to damage the PCB too.
This is the third build gone wrong for some reason
Now I have two kits left. If I can't successfully and flawlessly finish either, I think I'll sell everything and give up with this stuff. Very disheartening.

Well I've built probably 20 synth kits and a handful of pedals and still recently bricked one. I once made a complete unsavable mess of a synth module kit that cost me $200. It's part of the fun!

What kits do you still have to build?

 

[aldaa]

Made this a year ago, feel free to spread it amongst your doomy valentines

 

[oZZma]

. I once made a complete unsavable mess of a synth module kit that cost me $200.

What kits do you still have to build?

Wow ..
I have left this Dwarcraft Great Destroyer "clone": Invalid Link Removed
And this Invalid Link Removed

 

[jakey c]

Any recommendations on a preamp pedal that gives a british orange tone? Also pretty torn between that and a burning sunn pedal, not british sounding i know but sunn. You know

 

[cornfarmer]

Any recommendations on a preamp pedal that gives a british orange tone? Also pretty torn between that and a burning sunn pedal, not british sounding i know but sunn. You know

 

[br1qbat]

Wow ..
I have left this Dwarcraft Great Destroyer "clone": Invalid Link Removed
And this Invalid Link Removed

Disclaimer: sorry if this is stuff ya know, just trying to help!

Well both of those have small part counts and board mounted pots so not too bad. Just go real slow. Make sure to mind orientation on the caps. Also noticed those kits have few resistors too. Always a headache to have to look up the values - I can never remember. The best kits imho have the reisitors labeled for you. Just remember, slow. Enjoy the process.

Soldering is often more a 'get in and get out' job. Put the iron's tip on the part feed the solder in and back off. It doesn't usually take much time to heat things up. Maybe a second. I use a basic cheap weller iron. For those pcb boards, I put the part in, and then fold the legs down on the back. Put the iron at the legs base at the pcb's 'ring'. As soon as a little blob of solder lands there and fills the hole, retreat. As long as its shiny and not dull its a good solder joint. If its dull, hit in with the iron just for a sec til it melts again.

Do you have one of those 'helping hands' thingamabobs? A must imho for wiring where you need everything to stay put while the solder solidifies.

Also, if you need to desolder, I like the 'braid' over the suction thingy. Could never get those things to work for me. The solder braid just goes on the solder joint and then the iron on the braid, as the solder melts the braid absorbs it. Even then, desoldering the same spot more than twice and the board is peobably going to get messed up in my experience.

Desoldering braid:

Also also, use rosin core solder. I use Kester '44'. Expensive-ish but itll last ya forever:

 

[themarshall]

Desoldering braid and desoldering pump... I have not problem with removing solder from the surface but I still haven't found a way to free the holes... I also had bent the pot connection to have a mechanical joint as well, which made nearly impossible (with my skill ) to remove all the solder...

I use a solder sucker first, then braid to get the rest. A little liquid rosin on the braid really helps, for me. Tips gotta be in A+ shape, too - more so than for soldering. IMHO.

 

[kleinenenten]

I think it was one of you guys that gave me the idea, but I gotta say, the Gunslinger on bass is pretty solid. Almost as good as my ODB. Maybe not quite as full in the lows, but the other qualities are darn near identical to my preferred settings on the ODB. Will have to keep twiddling, and likely max the lows soon, as I had them at 3:00.

 

[themarshall]

I think @cornfarmer had one in his fuzz comparison a few pages back.

 

[kleinenenten]

I think @cornfarmer had one in his fuzz comparison a few pages back.

I believe you are correct. My current BAC level prevents me from being entirely certain on most things at the moment, however.

 

[oZZma]

Disclaimer: sorry if this is stuff ya know, just trying to help!

Well both of those have small part counts and board mounted pots so not too bad. Just go real slow. Make sure to mind orientation on the caps. Also noticed those kits have few resistors too. Always a headache to have to look up the values - I can never remember. The best kits imho have the reisitors labeled for you. Just remember, slow. Enjoy the process.

Soldering is often more a 'get in and get out' job. Put the iron's tip on the part feed the solder in and back off. It doesn't usually take much time to heat things up. Maybe a second. I use a basic cheap weller iron. For those pcb boards, I put the part in, and then fold the legs down on the back. Put the iron at the legs base at the pcb's 'ring'. As soon as a little blob of solder lands there and fills the hole, retreat. As long as its shiny and not dull its a good solder joint. If its dull, hit in with the iron just for a sec til it melts again.

Do you have one of those 'helping hands' thingamabobs? A must imho for wiring where you need everything to stay put while the solder solidifies.
View attachment 3322907

Also, if you need to desolder, I like the 'braid' over the suction thingy. Could never get those things to work for me. The solder braid just goes on the solder joint and then the iron on the braid, as the solder melts the braid absorbs it. Even then, desoldering the same spot more than twice and the board is peobably going to get messed up in my experience.

Desoldering braid:
View attachment 3322915

Also also, use rosin core solder. I use Kester '44'. Expensive-ish but itll last ya forever:
View attachment 3322917

They only sell lead-free rosin core solder here in Italy.. but I read more than once that the lead one is much better and easier to use (isn't that dangerous?)

I found desoldering is the most difficult job... And solder sucker is a PITA for me too. I could not manage to absorb the solder that went into holes with the braid tho...

Yes I have a helping hand but I don't find It comfortable to use... I think I'lI switch to something like this:

Or this:

Any advice?
I think once I I have done the two remaining kits I'll just buy perfboard and spare components. There's no point spending for the enclosure as long as I can't get stuff that WORKS, moreover, being compelled to build the whole circuit will teach me lots more than just placing components. Cheaper and more fun.

 

[oZZma]

I use a solder sucker first, then braid to get the rest. A little liquid rosin on the braid really helps, for me. Tips gotta be in A+ shape, too - more so than for soldering. IMHO.

What I find difficult about the solder sucker, is that in the same instant I move the iron tip away from the hole to suck the solder, the solder solidifies. This stuff is damn TINY, I can't have both the iron and the pump on the hole at the same time.
Moreover, I find difficult to melt solder that Is stuck into a hole. Sometimes it melts, sometimes not. I must find some tutorials about that.

 

[Novarocker]

A lot of what's been said echos my experience but also brings light to some of the stuff I had no idea about. I'm still very new to soldering too though.

 

[Kriegs]

What I find difficult about the solder sucker, is that in the same instant I move the iron tip away from the hole to suck the solder, the solder solidifies. This stuff is damn TINY, I can't have both the iron and the pump on the hole at the same time.
Moreover, I find difficult to melt solder that Is stuck into a hole. Sometimes it melts, sometimes not. I must find some tutorials about that.

This is how I was taught to desolder if you are doing through hole soldering/ desoldering:

• Place the board in your helping hands so that you can hold the iron in one hand and the solder sucker in the other.
• Ready the solder sucker and place it on the underside (non-component side) of your board (there's more room for the solder sucker's nozzle to make a good seal on this side). Speaking of which... make sure that your solder sucker has a good seal around the hole that you're trying to clear.
• Place your iron on the topside (component side) of your board. As soon as you see the solder begin to flow, push the button on your solder sucker and then move your iron away.

 

[oZZma]

This is how I was taught to desolder if you are doing through hole soldering/ desoldering:

• Place the board in your helping hands so that you can hold the iron in one hand and the solder sucker in the other.
• Ready the solder sucker and place it on the underside (non-component side) of your board (there's more room for the solder sucker's nozzle to make a good seal on this side). Speaking of which... make sure that your solder sucker has a good seal around the hole that you're trying to clear.
• Place your iron on the topside (component side) of your board. As soon as you see the solder begin to flow, push the button on your solder sucker and then move your iron away.

Thanks a lot!! By logic, this should work much better than the way I did!

 

[socialleper]

Last week we touched briefly on Mastodon. It got me thinking about a band that I really dig but that doesn't seem to get mentioned as much.
What are your thoughts on Cathedral? They were one of the bands that got me into stoner\doom stuff a few years back. Then they proceeded to call it quits. I can't say I'm in love with every one of their releases, but the ones I like make me feel like they should be on the Stoner\Doom Mount Rushmore with Sleep, Electric Wizard, Candlemass, etc.
Any thoughts on the spin offs Lee, Gav, or Leo have done?

 

[kleinenenten]

Last week we touched briefly on Mastodon. It got me thinking about a band that I really dig but that doesn't seem to get mentioned as much.
What are your thoughts on Cathedral? They were one of the bands that got me into stoner\doom stuff a few years back. Then they proceeded to call it quits. I can't say I'm in love with every one of their releases, but the ones I like make me feel like they should be on the Stoner\Doom Mount Rushmore with Sleep, Electric Wizard, Candlemass, etc.
Any thoughts on the spin offs Lee, Gav, or Leo have done?

Unfamiliar with the spin offs, but Cathedral are solid. Not my favorite, but always good when they come around.

 

[TSmith92]

Last week we touched briefly on Mastodon. It got me thinking about a band that I really dig but that doesn't seem to get mentioned as much.
What are your thoughts on Cathedral? They were one of the bands that got me into stoner\doom stuff a few years back. Then they proceeded to call it quits. I can't say I'm in love with every one of their releases, but the ones I like make me feel like they should be on the Stoner\Doom Mount Rushmore with Sleep, Electric Wizard, Candlemass, etc.
Any thoughts on the spin offs Lee, Gav, or Leo have done?

I never really listened to Cathedral but I saw With the Dead at Psycho last year. They didn't have a guitarist so the bassist was biamping into his rig and his tone was spicy.

 

[socialleper]

I never really listened to Cathedral but I saw With the Dead at Psycho last year. They didn't have a guitarist so the bassist was biamping into his rig and his tone was spicy.

The guitarist was either sick or there was a visa problem. Leo had to fill in the space for both. In solid doom fashion, it isnt like the bass and guitar were doing crazy sychopated counter point or something. Kudos to him for pulling it off.

 

[socialleper]

Unfamiliar with the spin offs, but Cathedral are solid. Not my favorite, but always good when they come around.

Death Penalty is a little more classic rock and roll.
With the Dead is a more of drone doom band.
Both are worth checking out.
I can't adequately describe Chrome Hoof. Its just weird to me.