MODDING EFFECT PEDALS

[Guest]

I am after a new compressor and after my positive experience with my Humphrey bad monkey thought i would have a go myself. This is the route i intend to take, first get hold of a Boss CS-3 these are available for under £40 quid new so no big outlay even if i fry it with cack handed soldering.

There is a DIY option here [url="http://www.ev-b.com/cs3modding.html"]http://www.ev-b.com/cs3modding.html[/url] but i have ordered one of the Monte Allums kits with a chip adaptor to install a Burr Brown OPA2134PA Dual Opamp, to be honest the new chip and instructions are what attracted me to it.
[url="http://www.monteallums.com/pedal_mods.html#cs3optoPlus"]http://www.monteallums.com/pedal_mods.html#cs3optoPlus[/url]

Anyone have any advise? What sort of soldering iron should i get ( I am fairly experienced at soldering but normally on slightly bigger stuff)
The other thing i have been wondering about is substituting some of the components with high quality ones as found here [url="http://www.hificollective.co.uk/catalog/default.php?cPath=61"]http://www.hificollective.co.uk/catalog/default.php?cPath=61[/url] Is there any advantage in buying capacitors and resistors etc of this quality or would it be wasted. I am doing this mainly to find out whats possible and i just like fiddling with things and realise i might get a similar performance for not much more money off the shelf but that would be no fun would it?

Edited February 3, 2008 by steve-norris

[Guest]

Another thought, is there a socket type of thing i could use, if i de-solder the input cap for instance is there some sort of socket i could solder on the board so i could change caps easily by plugging them in, that way i could easily evaluate different value/quality caps without lots of soldering.

[steve]

[quote name='steve-norris' post='133013' date='Feb 3 2008, 01:51 PM']Another thought, is there a socket type of thing i could use, if i de-solder the input cap for instance is there some sort of socket i could solder on the board so i could change caps easily by plugging them in, that way i could easily evaluate different value/quality caps without lots of soldering.[/quote]

you could rig up a piece of veroboard with strips of jumper sockets (not sure of the maplin code, but they're in a strip and they're designed to mate with the pin strips they sell). Basically run two lines of sockets down two of the copper strips of the board, soldered at every pin. Connect a lead from each of the veroboard strips to each of the capacitor holes on the pcb, then you can try different combos of caps ets.

Hopefully my description isn't too vague....

[Guest]

[quote name='steve' post='133347' date='Feb 3 2008, 11:33 PM']you could rig up a piece of veroboard with strips of jumper sockets (not sure of the maplin code, but they're in a strip and they're designed to mate with the pin strips they sell). Basically run two lines of sockets down two of the copper strips of the board, soldered at every pin. Connect a lead from each of the veroboard strips to each of the capacitor holes on the pcb, then you can try different combos of caps ets.

Hopefully my description isn't too vague....[/quote]



hi good idea, i have seen some little whatsisnames that have two holes for the componant legs, somewhat like a two hole section of breadboard but have been unable to find them anywhere. possilbly because i don't know what i am looking for!

On the plus side the monte kit and pedal have been ordered, in the end i brought a new one to mod as SH ones were going for around £30 and i managed to get one for £39, perhaps i should do a build diary?

[clauster]

Great choice of pedal Steve! I've been loving mine since I did the monte-allum's mod a few weeks back (works nicely in line with the bad monkey too).

Get a decent iron! I used my cheapy work one and it took hours to get all the parts changed (to be honest theres' still parts to do - I've not fitted the Burr-Brown chip or adaptor, so I'm at monte-allum's opto mod stage at the mo). There's 34 joints to be desoldered and resoldered, so you might as well make it as easy as possible.

[Guest]

looking forward to having a play with the kit,So how effective are the mods? I can't help wondering about taking it one stage further perhaps by using components like these [url="http://www.hificollective.co.uk/components/copper_foils.html"]http://www.hificollective.co.uk/components/copper_foils.html[/url] my problem is limited knowledge, for example are all 0.047 capacitors the same? do you just find one with the correct value or is there more to it than that i have found some little connectors so i might do the standard mods first then experiment.

[Guest]

On the iron front which type/ power rating did you use and did you use de-soldering braid or invest in on of those little solder pumps?

One of these caught my eye looks useful [url="http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=96859&doy=5m2&ma=Electric%20De-Solder%20Pump%20(Elec%20Desolder%20Pump)#overview"]electric de-soldering pump[/url]

[clauster]

Monte's components seem pretty good quality. I did wonder whether I should have just got the plans and bought the cap's etc from Radio Spares or Maplin, but I'm more than happy with the results from the parts in the kit.

The problem with selecting parts yourself is knowing what to go for which materials, tolerances, voltage handling etc (those you've linked to look like hi-fi power amp caps). Those plugs look good though (although you'll probably need a new casing for the pedal to have enough room for the plugs and components).

I used a no name 35w pencil tipped iron. It wasn't really up to the job - I want to have a more powerful iron before I attempt the burr-brown upgrade, and find my chisel tipped Antex for the desoldering. I used the desoldering braid, but only because I've always used it and have developed a hands-free technique, never tried the desoldeing bulbs.

Finally the mods are VERY effective. You end up with a completely transformed pedal. Now it works (rather than just makes hiss) I wish it had a variable ratio, but for £60 and evenings soldering it's an excellent comp (even at double the price).

[Guest]

Well i had the case off the Boss ( before i had even used it) not overly impressed with the build quality, several components were glued together with some sort of gunk and most of the others bent on the circuit board Sound wise it's equally unimpressive, noisy and very flat sounding a real tone suck to be honest its almost unusable for bass. I much prefer the sound and build quality of the ED-1, still waiting for delivery of the Monte kit and looking forward to some quality compression.

On the connector front i have managed to find something a little more suitable ( the other ones were too big )

[url="http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?criteria=DC18U&DOY=7m2"]http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?criter...18U&DOY=7m2[/url] These look ideal for messing around with.

Edited February 7, 2008 by steve-norris

[clauster]

One of the components (I think the first) you need to replace is in the middle of all the stick gunk.

As standard, the pedal is truly awful, but once you've done the mods (even without the new chip) it's great. Works nicely after the Bad Monkey too.

[Guest]

Still waiting for the kit of parts, while looking at the board i noticed two of the chips were the same so i have ordered a few more burr-brown op amps and socketed the board ( tested with the original chips !!!!)
If anyone out there knows anything about these things i woiuld also like to find out about replacing the othe chips on the board with HI-FI replacements if possible, for any one thinking of having a go the soldering is not as scary as you might think even on the chips which are close together.

[clauster]

[quote]If anyone out there knows anything about these things i woiuld also like to find out about replacing the othe chips on the board with HI-FI replacements if possible,[/quote]

You've dscovered a whole new form of GAS: MM (modding madness )

I really like those plugs..... You've got me thinking of getting one of those pedal kit boards (can't remember the name of the co but its somewhere on the board) and fitting it out with those sockets so I can swap components to my hearts content.

[quote]for any one thinking of having a go the soldering is not as scary as you might think even on the chips which are close together.[/quote]

+1 , find a free evening and a decent soldering iron and enjoy making something work better yourself!

[Guest]

The boss project is finally finished! (Would Have been quicker but have been suffering from the worlds worst cold AND training for a new position at work)it's a very very worthwhile project, lets bear in mind the fact that the average SH value of these pedals is around £30 ( overvalued for bass IMHO) .
So you get hold of a second hand one and spend the money on an upgrade kit, what your wondering is is it worth it? Well my EA combo despite what might think is not HIFI quality, by that i mean when you turn up the loud knob you get a little hiss but i have to really try hard to hear any extra noise from the modded boss, its very transparent now and doesnt change sound of my bass apart from compressing the playing dynamics , the controls now actually do something as well. To be honest I've never had a really good compressor ( apart from the ones on my POD XT PRO) and it's amazing, a very natural sound ( unless you turn up everything to 11) and that's the real seller for me it still sounds like my bass, my amp, my fingers even at high compression settings it still sounds natural.

I did however run into a few problems, maybe due to my flu like cold i managed to break a PCB track in the process of cutting a componant leg off, with luck it was a track next to a component i had to change so i was able to leave the leg long and bridge the gap. The level of skill required is above numpty but really most of us should be able to do it given a little patience.

SO i am a very happily compressed man, i didn't spend a fortune and have a quality bit of kit, granted it may not have a fancy name on it or be painted in a trendy colour, but after modding its a quality piece, can't see me getting compressor GAS anytime soon


Job well don i reckon, not much money spent, i feel great about it as i did a little work with an iron and i have a great compressor, honestly don't get too caught up in 'boutique' compressors they might be very similar to one you could build for £40

I have a few chip adaptors and a few burr-brown op amps on the way so i will replace the other chip on the cs-3 which matches MONTE'S chip replacement and see if it gets any better, to be honest it's in no great need of improvement now but i may have CLAUSTERS newly invented mod gas ( by the way if you fancy an extra chip let me know i owe you one for the tip)

[clauster]

Wondered where you'd gotten to Steve. Was getting worried you'd soldered yourself to the Boss

It's a really great mod isn't it? Doesn't just improve the pedal it completely transforms it.

Thanks for the first refusal on one of your spare chips, but I've still got my chip and adaptor waiting for me to get a better soldering iron. Just out of interest did you do a before and after test with the chip and did it make much difference? It sounds really good without it to me. Certainly I'm not getting any obtrusive noise anymore, but if it also gets a bit more tone through then that might be the push i need.

[Guest]

Actually the chip was the first thing i put in !, what i have done is replace the other chip ( IC1) as well with a burr-brown as it is identical to the replaced chip in Monte's kit. What i did do is socket the chip adaptors as shown ans swap them about, there is a noticeable improvement in clarity and a little less noise,it's worth doing the other chip so if you want its yours ( i ordered 3 chips and adaptors)

[clauster]

PMed you re the chip and adapter.


Glad you went for this modded pedal over the Blackfinger you'd been considering - the bf is a great vintage style compressor but nowhere near as clean as Monte's CS3.

Have you thought about telling Monte Allum about the second BB chip?

[barneythedog]

An old post revived.

I just wanted to add my opinion, as I've just finished the opto mod on a CS-3 I bought of the 'bay.

I've recently changed from a Warwick Profet amp (with inbuilt compressor) to a Little Mark (with no onboard comp), so I have been on the look out for a pedal.

To echo the previous comments, this is a WELL worthwhile mod. The most obvious change to me was, as Steve says; the controls now DO something. On top of that, it seems a lot more transparent. When I first bought the pedal I was very disappointed how much of my "sound" disappeared with the pedal on. No more. This makes a well built but pretty average pedal into something well worth having.

As a footnote I would add that, whilst it IS a DIY mod, a degree of skill (or a LOT of patience) is required. I am fortunate that in a former life I was an electronics tech. and have lots of experience in soldering, desoldering etc. As a first attempt at soldering I would recommend starting on something simpler.