The Effect Builders Club!

[B.C.]

I'll do a more detailed thread on this as soon as I get a working prototype - but I just solved or got closer to solving a major problem I had with my Tonebender Mod.

In it's original schematic - it doesn't tolerate active basses as much.

But after some work on a TBer's Bluebeard fuzz - I discovered that a little power supply filtering can go a long way.

Here's the bluebeard clip (jaguar with flats played with the preamp full on then switched off. volume at 70% tone at 70% and gain at 70%
Link Removed

then here's the same pedal modified to tonebender specs while retaining the bluebeard power supply filtering and input resistor and cap.
Same settings as above.
Link Removed

I won't ask for specifics, but what kind of "filtering" did you do?(If that question makes any sense)

Edit: Being more specific, are you using an input transformer?

 

[BassJunkie730]

I emailed to JD sleep at GGG, because I thought the filtering might be for only the LED and have no effect on the overall circuit, and he confirmed that the extra filtering int he old BMP boards was for the LED.

while this may be the case - I still think it has an effect on the overall filtering of the effect because the 200uf cap was coupled with a 4.7k resistor to the LED and with a 4.7k resistor to the V+.

Then the 1.5M input resistor might have something to do with it as well

All in all, I got exactly what I've been looking for in a tonebender when modded Arbitrary's Bluebeard to Tonebender specs (meaning I changed the transistors, tonestack, and diodes.) but kept mostly all of the other components the same.

i hope that helps.

 

[B.C.]

I spoke to JD sleep at GGG and he confirmed that the extra filtering int he old BMP boards was for the LED.

while this may be the case - I still think it has an effect on the overall filtering of the effect because the 200uf cap was coupled with a 4.7k resistor to the LED and with a 4.7k resistor to the V+

Then the 1.5M input resistor might have something to do with it as well

All in all, I got exactly what I've been looking for in a tonebender when modded Arbitrary's Bluebeard to Tonebender specs (meaning I changed the transistors, tonestack, and diodes.) but kept mostly all of the other components the same.

i hope that helps.

Thanks bro, that is awesome!

 

[B.C.]

So lets get a discussion started. I know a lot of people prefer germanium diodes(I assume due to low forward bias correct?) but how do LED's compare to your general switching diodes? Lets here your experiences.

 

[roflol]

Leds always sound farty to me needs moar clipping ;<

 

[LzeroKI]

So I got a question, when ordering parts for my pedal (a tonepad red llama) does it matter if I mix capacitor types so long as each cap is the correct size(specific number of farads)? Say a mix of electrolytic, film and ceramic?

 

[B.C.]

So I got a question, when ordering parts for my pedal (a tonepad red llama) does it matter if I mix capacitor types so long as each cap is the correct size(specific number of farads)? Say a mix of electrolytic, film and ceramic?

I believe you should be fine.

 

[LzeroKI]

I believe you should be fine.

Awesome, well now Ive got another question (sorry guys),

I was planning on building the Tonepad Red Llama as my introduction to DIY pedals, but after hearing some clips of the Guttermouth Red Llama I am starting to think it may be a little too harsh/bright for my tastes. After playing around with my zoom B2 Ive found my perferred style of fuzz tone is similar to a Fuzz Face (which Ive heard the Wooly Mammoth is based on, and if I could afford a fuzz that sounds anything like a Wooly Mammoth, I wouldnt even bother to build my own). The problem is, in researching the Fuzz Face here on TB Ive seen alot of people say it doesnt sound all that great with a bass. So here's my question, are their any sort of mods I could do to the tonepad fuzzface schematic (found here) to make it sound better with a bass?

 

[arbitrary]

The biggest gripe I've heard people complain about with the fuzz face is how it doesn't play well with active electronics. Other than that, perhaps mod the tone stack to your liking.

 

[LzeroKI]

The biggest gripe I've heard people complain about with the fuzz face is how it doesn't play well with active electronics. Other than that, perhaps mod the tone stack to your liking.

Tone Stack?


sorry Im kind of a newbie when it comes to pedal lingo. I'm familar with electronics and such (Ive known how to solder for years and Ive gutted and redone the electronics of 2 cheap ebay guitars and an SX bass) but I havent quite grasped all the terms for the guts of a pedal yet.

Since posing my second question Ive found posts in other threads that suggest upping the resistance of the first resistor from the input to increase bass response, but on the Fuzzface schem. the initial resistor simply goes straight to the ground, will this "trick" still have an effect?

 

[B.C.]

The biggest gripe I've heard people complain about with the fuzz face is how it doesn't play well with active electronics. Other than that, perhaps mod the tone stack to your liking.

+1. I think it is playing with the Caps to see what suits it best, IMHO.

 

[B.C.]

Tone Stack?


sorry Im kind of a newbie when it comes to pedal lingo. I'm familar with electronics and such (Ive known how to solder for years and Ive gutted and redone the electronics of 2 cheap ebay guitars and an SX bass) but I havent quite grasped all the terms for the guts of a pedal yet.

Since posing my second question Ive found posts in other threads that suggest upping the resistance of the first resistor from the input to increase bass response, but on the Fuzzface schem. the initial resistor simply goes straight to the ground, will this "trick" still have an effect?

Well, probably not much. the resistor to ground is a way of matching impedances for your signal. Generally, your bass has a very small impedance, while OP Amps(and Transistors I believe as well) have a very high impedance.

 

[Sir Edward V]

I'm pissed

I completely f***** up my blender build... it was supposed to be much better quality than my last one, but I ran into the same damn problems that I did last time!

I think the main reason I messed it up was I lost patience with it and quit putting as much effort into it...

another problem was I tried to re-use my old 3pdt pots and it wasn't de-soldering well... so that turned out crappy!

I think I'm going to buy new parts and start from scratch, new box, new switches, everything.... and I think I am going to look into making a PCB with the traces on it like I'm supposed to...

I'm just so pissed right now.

 

[Sir Edward V]

Anyone know of a good PCB kit to get, or the best way to go about this whole circuit board business?

So far I have been using a perfboard from RadioShack... I don't think I ever want to use one of these again!

 

[niftydog]

I dunno man, if patience is in short supply, etching your own PCB's is asking for trouble with a capital T.

 

[Sir Edward V]

really... lame

well I think I figured out one problem, I used a 100k resistor as my input impedance resistor to ground. I just re-built the circuit on my breadboard, and it was also messing up, then I replace that one with a 18k and it sounds good again... hopefully changing that out makes it sound good... :scowl:

 

[B.C.]

really... lame

well I think I figured out one problem, I used a 100k resistor as my input impedance resistor to ground. I just re-built the circuit on my breadboard, and it was also messing up, then I replace that one with a 18k and it sounds good again... hopefully changing that out makes it sound good... :scowl:

Know the feeling. The Phasor is giving me some trouble. I've got the general circuit down, but I am using JFET's as variable resistors and I'm either having trouble with the JFET's not matching or connection of the gates. I'm actually considering using a voltage dependant varistor connected to an RC circuit to change the resistance.

Long story short, what could I use varistor wise? I assume that I will have to find a low powered one, but most seem to be made for circuit protection(ie high power).

Sir Edward, for the PCB making, I would give the Radioshack PCB kit a try. They hide them, but I think it is pretty easy to use.

 

[shooter_mi]

Awesome, well now Ive got another question (sorry guys),

I was planning on building the Tonepad Red Llama as my introduction to DIY pedals, but after hearing some clips of the Guttermouth Red Llama I am starting to think it may be a little too harsh/bright for my tastes. After playing around with my zoom B2 Ive found my perferred style of fuzz tone is similar to a Fuzz Face (which Ive heard the Wooly Mammoth is based on, and if I could afford a fuzz that sounds anything like a Wooly Mammoth, I wouldnt even bother to build my own). The problem is, in researching the Fuzz Face here on TB Ive seen alot of people say it doesnt sound all that great with a bass. So here's my question, are their any sort of mods I could do to the tonepad fuzzface schematic (found here) to make it sound better with a bass?

The first thing to do with the fuzz face would be to increase the input cap from 2.2uf to 4.7uf or even 10uf. That will let more bass into the circuit.

If you're concerned with the Fuzz face, though, consider the Bazz Fuss. It's a pretty simple circuit that I think sounds a lot better for bass than the fuzz face. You can add big muff tone stack for more tone shaping, too. I'm using a DIY woolly mammoth now, but had the bazz fuss on stage for a while before that. It's a simple fuzz that sounds surprisingly good.

 

[niftydog]

Long story short, what could I use varistor wise?

I don't think a varistor is gonna do what you need it to do. I'd persevere with the FETs if I were you. MOSFETs are a bit easier to use than JFETs IMO if you want to try something else.

 

[B.C.]

I don't think a varistor is gonna do what you need it to do. I'd persevere with the FETs if I were you. MOSFETs are a bit easier to use than JFETs IMO if you want to try something else.

Ok, yeah, thanks. I just matched my JFETs today so I think I'm going with that. It is amazing how much some of these same transistors differ when it comes to shut off voltages and such.