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Building effects into the body of your bass

mr.sibs

By mr.sibs,
in Effects

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mr.sibs Enthusiast

mr.sibs

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Thought I would throw this one out there as i couldn't find an existing thread. So I know Matt Bellamy is infamous for his Kaos pad and theramin thing built into guitars, but has anyone else tried this?

I was thinking simple tasteful fuzz circuit that could use a blend and gain, with an on and off switch. How small do these circuits get? I guess Catalinbred manage to fit them in a pretty small surface area

[url="http://www.mojofunk.org/MikeSpace/wp-content/uploads/Muse/muse_guitar_1_back.jpg"]http://www.mojofunk.org/MikeSpace/wp-conte...itar_1_back.jpg[/url]

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stevebasshead Enthusiast

stevebasshead

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It might be an idea to look at the Build Yer Own Clone kits and see if any are suitably small to build in. You might be able to fit one or two into a control cavity or as with the old MPC Electra's in the 70s, the FX cartridges fitted into the rear of the bass body, more or less in the centre. I suspect this requires some reinforcing of the body but I'm not sure.

Just out of interest, Chris Squire still uses his MPC Electra Bass which has effects built in (up to 2 at any one time). Think he's been using it since the late 70s.

Here's what Wikipedia says about MPC Electra:

In 1976 Electra MPC (Modular Powered Circuits) models featured a pair of cartridge slots in the guitar body, which allowed effect modules to be plugged in and controlled from the front of the guitar. Today the unusual thing is that the effects are onboard, but even offering electronic effects to consumer musicians was fairly new at the time and offers an interesting alternate way to do it. There were a total of 18 guitar models which carried MPC circuits. The most notable was the Super Rock, which was a Les Paul copy. There were 12 total MPC modules offered.

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mr.sibs Enthusiast

mr.sibs

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[quote name='stevebasshead' post='979445' date='Oct 6 2010, 02:56 PM']It might be an idea to look at the Build Yer Own Clone kits and see if any are suitably small to build in. You might be able to fit one or two into a control cavity or as with the old MPC Electra's in the 70s, the FX cartridges fitted into the rear of the bass body, more or less in the centre. I suspect this requires some reinforcing of the body but I'm not sure.

Just out of interest, Chris Squire still uses his MPC Electra Bass which has effects built in (up to 2 at any one time). Think he's been using it since the late 70s.

Here's what Wikipedia says about MPC Electra:

In 1976 Electra MPC (Modular Powered Circuits) models featured a pair of cartridge slots in the guitar body, which allowed effect modules to be plugged in and controlled from the front of the guitar. Today the unusual thing is that the effects are onboard, but even offering electronic effects to consumer musicians was fairly new at the time and offers an interesting alternate way to do it. There were a total of 18 guitar models which carried MPC circuits. The most notable was the Super Rock, which was a Les Paul copy. There were 12 total MPC modules offered.[/quote]

1976! I bet they are worth a fortune now, I have never seen one. Will definitely have a further look

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mr.sibs Enthusiast

mr.sibs

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[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='979452' date='Oct 6 2010, 03:02 PM'][url="http://www.guitarheads.net/products/electronics/qdd.html"]Artec onboard distortion.[/url][/quote]

well that's just a gem! now will it fit into my telebass project I wonder? at only $25 it's got to be worth a pop, thanks

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stevebasshead Enthusiast

stevebasshead

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I don't know if you're registered on Finnbass (I think you need to be registered to view posts there) but Brycee has a thread about a dirt cheap built in overdrive circuit (circuit! It's a fiendishly simple 2 diodes) which would fit anywhere without any woodwork and costs pennies.

[url="http://www.finnbass.com/showthread.php?t=1384"]http://www.finnbass.com/showthread.php?t=1384[/url]

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Big_Stu Proficient

Big_Stu

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[quote name='mr.sibs' post='979368' date='Oct 6 2010, 01:36 PM']I was thinking simple tasteful fuzz circuit that could use a blend and gain, with an on and off switch. How small do these circuits get? I guess Catalinbred manage to fit them in a pretty small surface area[/quote]
My custom EB3 has an overdrive built into it, the circuit was made by JayDee & is tiny - he says it's very simple. It's sits between the pots in a slightly enlarged control cavity & has a control for it on the scratchplate. The back also has a flip up battery holder cut into it.
I can't take pics of the inside as it has an allover rear scartchplate which is fixed onto the guitar in starnge ways that I can't get undone around the battery holder.


Maybe you could get in touch with a Gibson EB3 user to take pics of the fuzz-tone in one of them. That'll be my next project when I can be arsed. Making an Epi EB3 up to Gibson spec.

Edited by Big_Stu
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mr.sibs Enthusiast

mr.sibs

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[quote name='Big_Stu' post='979611' date='Oct 6 2010, 05:01 PM']My custom EB3 has an overdrive built into it, the circuit was made by JayDee & is tiny - he says it's very simple. It's sits between the pots in a slightly enlarged control cavity & has a control for it on the scratchplate. The back also has a flip up battery holder cut into it.
I can't take pics of the inside as it has an allover rear scartchplate which is fixed onto the guitar in starnge ways that I can't get undone around the battery holder.


Maybe you could get in touch with a Gibson EB3 user to take pics of the fuzz-tone in one of them. That'll be my next project when I can be arsed. Making an Epi EB3 up to Gibson spec.[/quote]

amazing, how does it sound? do you have any clips?

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Big_Stu Proficient

Big_Stu

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[quote name='mr.sibs' post='979663' date='Oct 6 2010, 05:44 PM']amazing, how does it sound? do you have any clips?[/quote]

Not of me, I tried once but the camcorder was nowhere near up to taking the volume - and it needs volume to get the full effect.
But it was copied off this guy's bass - and I play it thru a much smaller but basically the same set-up rig.
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKJePz9A958"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKJePz9A958[/url]
FF to 3.05 for it to kick in. Still camcorder sound but better than I ever got.

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GarethFlatlands Rising Star

GarethFlatlands

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[quote name='stevebasshead' post='979470' date='Oct 6 2010, 03:20 PM']I don't know if you're registered on Finnbass (I think you need to be registered to view posts there) but Brycee has a thread about a dirt cheap built in overdrive circuit (circuit! It's a fiendishly simple 2 diodes) which would fit anywhere without any woodwork and costs pennies.

[url="http://www.finnbass.com/showthread.php?t=1384"]http://www.finnbass.com/showthread.php?t=1384[/url][/quote]

Sounds like it just adds clipping diodes to the output stage. I reckon you'd need to drill a hole for a switch to bypass them though?

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Silent Fly Collaborator

Silent Fly

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Posted (edited)

[quote name='stevebasshead' post='979470' date='Oct 6 2010, 03:20 PM']I don't know if you're registered on Finnbass (I think you need to be registered to view posts there) but Brycee has a thread about a dirt cheap built in overdrive circuit (circuit! It's a fiendishly simple 2 diodes) which would fit anywhere without any woodwork and costs pennies.

[url="http://www.finnbass.com/showthread.php?t=1384"]http://www.finnbass.com/showthread.php?t=1384[/url][/quote]

There are other two ways to do it without loosing the tone control:

1) Replace the tone pot with a push/pull. The push/pull switch can be used to switch between cap and diodes.

2) Use a 500k pot wired as follows:
mid contact: ground
contact #1: to diodes
contact #2: to cap

the sides of the diodes/cap not connected to the pot are bot connected to the signal (i.e. out jack)

When the pot is set in the middle, the clipping and tone are not active. One one side, it increases the clipping, on the other side it closes the tone.

It should do the trick.

Edited by Silent Fly
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stevebasshead Enthusiast

stevebasshead

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[quote name='Silent Fly' post='979747' date='Oct 6 2010, 06:49 PM']There are other two ways to do it without loosing the tone control:

1) Replace the tone pot with a push/pull. The push/pull switch can be used to switch between cap and diodes.

2) Use a 500k pot wired as follows:
mid contact: ground
contact #1: to diodes
contact #2: to cap

the sides of the diodes/cap not connected to the pot are bot connected to the signal (i.e. out jack)

When the pot is set in the middle, the clipping and tone are not active. One one side, it increases the clipping, on the other side it closes the tone.

It should do the trick.[/quote]
Intriguing! I hadn't wanted to lose the tone pot but this sounds like a very acceptable compromise. I've experimented with an outboard setup but this has set me thinking about an in-bass installation again. Cheers for that, I might just owe you a beer! :)

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mr.sibs Enthusiast

mr.sibs

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[quote name='Silent Fly' post='979747' date='Oct 6 2010, 06:49 PM']There are other two ways to do it without loosing the tone control:

1) Replace the tone pot with a push/pull. The push/pull switch can be used to switch between cap and diodes.

2) Use a 500k pot wired as follows:
mid contact: ground
contact #1: to diodes
contact #2: to cap

the sides of the diodes/cap not connected to the pot are bot connected to the signal (i.e. out jack)

When the pot is set in the middle, the clipping and tone are not active. One one side, it increases the clipping, on the other side it closes the tone.

It should do the trick.[/quote]

Brilliant, I might have to get some pictures up here to check but this is the way forward

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BobVbass Community Regular

BobVbass

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I put a 1970's Fuzz Box in my Aria LEB Bass in 1986 or so - replaced the pots with presets that I could adjust with a little screw driver and just diverted the output signal through it with a switch - so either clean or fuzzed - PP3 battery fitted in the existing cavity (just!!) No pictures I'm afraid but if anyone's got a mid 80's Aria LEB Classic with a picture of Asterix an Obelix painted on it you have the beast - and I want it back!! :)

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