DIY Effects

[Bassybert]

5 hours ago, tauzero said:

 

Anyone familiar with the works of Terry Pratchett may remember "The Prid of Ankh-Morpork" and the signwriter's scream after stepping back to admire his work. I can imagine the same thing with "INENSITY". That's some admirable artwork, your daughter has an active imagination. I trust you'll continue to produce pedals for her to decorate.

Thank you, she’s definitely got a very creative mind. I’ve got a Univox super fuzz kit lined up for my Christmas present that she can go to town on 😊

Edited December 7, 2022 by Bassybert

[ezbass]

I made a couple of pedals during the lockdowns. They were meant to last weeks, but I got carried away and finished them in a couple of days each, despite trying to go slow. The graphics aren’t a patch on @Bassybert’s, however.

 

[Bassybert]

1 hour ago, ezbass said:

I made a couple of pedals during the lockdowns. They were meant to last weeks, but I got carried away and finished them in a couple of days each, despite trying to go slow. The graphics aren’t a patch on @Bassybert’s, however.

 

I think they look great, especially the wobble marks on the Throb 😃 How do they sound?

They're very addictive aren't they! The quality of Fuzzdog and Jeds kits are brilliant for the money, although I wish there was a different size enclosure option as my fat fingers find some of the wiring around the powerjack/footswitch/jack sockets a bit of a squeeze. I think I might source my own 1590BB size enclosures and buy just the non-enclosure parts next time.

[bloke_zero]

12 hours ago, Bassybert said:

Here's a few kits I've built from Jeds Peds and Fuzzdog. The Trem, Mad Mule and delay are more guitar based but the fuzz and SHO work really well on bass.

 

All designs were done as a joint effort with my daughter using posca pens and then a couple coats of varnish over the top.

 

The fuzz sounds amazing with my precision, you can't really play more than one note at a time but it gets really dirty and still keeps nice definition. The SHO is a clone of the ZVex Super Hard On clean boost and adds a huge amount of boost when needed, perfect for pushing preamps tubes!

 

Lovely! Lots of visual recognition value too - easy to remeber which pedal is which on a dark stage!

[bloke_zero]

16 hours ago, disssa said:

 

My version of the schalltechnik_04 Pumpernickel:

Nice. A lot cleaner than the original!

[Bassybert]

16 hours ago, disssa said:

 

My version of the schalltechnik_04 Pumpernickel:

That looks amazing @disssa very professional, your builds always look super clean!

 

Edited December 7, 2022 by Bassybert

[ezbass]

38 minutes ago, Bassybert said:

I think they look great, especially the wobble marks on the Throb 😃 How do they sound?

They're very addictive aren't they! The quality of Fuzzdog and Jeds kits are brilliant for the money, although I wish there was a different size enclosure option as my fat fingers find some of the wiring around the powerjack/footswitch/jack sockets a bit of a squeeze. I think I might source my own 1590BB size enclosures and buy just the non-enclosure parts next time.

I haven't used them for ages as, not long after building them, we moved house and they've stayed in an old pedal board case since. I remember the fuzz being very representative of the original Fuzz Face, giving that singing lead tone (on guitar) that Eric Johnson employs. It also cleans up really well from the guitar volume, giving a wide range of tones. The Throb does what it says on the tin pretty much. Very nice, old school tremolo and you can get a passable impression of Johnny Marr playing How Soon Is Now from it. I must break them out again sometime, but I rarely play electric guitar these days and they're not the kinds of effect that I use for bass.

[tauzero]

2 hours ago, Bassybert said:

I think they look great, especially the wobble marks on the Throb 😃 How do they sound?

They're very addictive aren't they! The quality of Fuzzdog and Jeds kits are brilliant for the money, although I wish there was a different size enclosure option as my fat fingers find some of the wiring around the powerjack/footswitch/jack sockets a bit of a squeeze. I think I might source my own 1590BB size enclosures and buy just the non-enclosure parts next time.

 

One thing that seems a bit odd to me, but might be more obvious from a view of the internals, is the placing of the power jack. The general trend is for it to be at the top of the pedal but these are at the bottom.

[Bassybert]

1 hour ago, tauzero said:

 

One thing that seems a bit odd to me, but might be more obvious from a view of the internals, is the placing of the power jack. The general trend is for it to be at the top of the pedal but these are at the bottom.

Yes it is a strange position, but if you buy the pre-drilled enclosures (like I have) that's where they are.

 

I don't think there's an option to change it unless I'm missing something completely obvious when ordering 😄

[LukeFRC]

1 hour ago, tauzero said:

 

One thing that seems a bit odd to me, but might be more obvious from a view of the internals, is the placing of the power jack. The general trend is for it to be at the top of the pedal but these are at the bottom.

I think that makes some sense though- if you're putting the jacks on the side then the power jack too means they can sit closer vertically? 

[LukeFRC]

Question for the room…

 

how much of a learning curve is etching?

the way I see it there are two things I would need to learn - the toner transfer bit and the etch

 

the alternative is a printed/subliminated aluminium plate, like origin use - this would look different but for me be easy (graphic designer by day) 

[bobbass4k]

It can be difficult to get good results at home the basic way with glossy paper and an iron - you'll need a proper drill too - a dremel or something smaller and the proper very tiny bits with several spares (they WILL snap). The UV method is less fiddly but does require more investment (might be easier for you though if you've access to printing gear etc.)

 

Etching is pretty straightforward, you just need to be sensible - do it outside, gloves, goggles (do NOT skip the goggles). You can't pour spent etchant down the drain so you'll need a sizeable bottle to store it in (it's reusable though, you'll get a few etches out of the same batch with some topping up) - the skip here takes spent etchant but i know in some places it's appointment only.

 

My advice would be it's more trouble than it's worth - if there's a premade PCB available buy it. 

[LukeFRC]

4 minutes ago, bobbass4k said:

It can be difficult to get good results at home the basic way with glossy paper and an iron - you'll need a proper drill too - a dremel or something smaller and the proper very tiny bits with several spares (they WILL snap). The UV method is less fiddly but does require more investment (might be easier for you though if you've access to printing gear etc.)

 

Etching is pretty straightforward, you just need to be sensible - do it outside, gloves, goggles (do NOT skip the goggles). You can't pour spent etchant down the drain so you'll need a sizeable bottle to store it in (it's reusable though, you'll get a few etches out of the same batch with some topping up) - the skip here takes spent etchant but i know in some places it's appointment only.

 

My advice would be it's more trouble than it's worth - if there's a premade PCB available buy it. 

Ah - clarification … etching thr enclosures! 
 

(I looked at etching pcb and it was cheaper and easier to learn kicad and get them produced by a Chinese company )

[bobbass4k]

1 minute ago, LukeFRC said:

Ah - clarification … etching thr enclosures! 
 

(I looked at etching pcb and it was cheaper and easier to learn kicad and get them produced by a Chinese company )

Ahhhh, there may have been context I missed.

 

To be fair the same complaint applies, I could never find a combination of paper and printer that gave me a perfect transfer - but with access to pro equipment you might haver much better results. The upside of enclosures is you can etch with bog standard caustic soda (make sure it's pure though) which can obviously go straight down the drain. I got some good results but I could never get a perfectly clean etch or mask of the sides properly, and sanding the paint off is exhausting work. It'll take a few tries to get it right and figure out times and balances. Eventually i settled on using a very strong caustic soda mix and sponging it on rather than submerging the top in a weaker mix. I do it every now and then but it's pretty labour intensive. It would be nice if someone UK based offered an equivalent of Taydas UV printing service, but I guess that's a pretty massive investment for someone like bitsbox or fuzzdog. 

[tauzero]

49 minutes ago, LukeFRC said:

Ah - clarification … etching thr enclosures! 
 

(I looked at etching pcb and it was cheaper and easier to learn kicad and get them produced by a Chinese company )

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/374164049337 perhaps? No nasty chemicals, just don't look into the laser with remaining eye.

[bobbass4k]

26 minutes ago, tauzero said:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/374164049337 perhaps? No nasty chemicals, just don't look into the laser with remaining eye.

I've been considering going down the CNC route myself - It's a lot of money and space investment but the results are hard to argue with - see dissa's immaculately clean enclosures.

[LukeFRC]

9 hours ago, tauzero said:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/374164049337 perhaps? No nasty chemicals, just don't look into the laser with remaining eye.

Looks nice - that one doesn’t come with the laser … and I know the lasers for metal aren’t the same as for wood etc

 

my fave line in the description…

 

“Portable experience. This two-in-one laser CNC engraving machine has the functions of engraving, engraving and milling. This engraving machine can engrave;”

[disssa]

Peavey TB RAXX clone 

[Bassybert]

Another cracking build Disssa! Are those valves/tubes running on high DC voltage?

[disssa]

16 hours ago, Bassybert said:

Another cracking build Disssa! Are those valves/tubes running on high DC voltage?

Yes, 200volt

Edited December 17, 2022 by disssa

[Alfie]

I have answered one of life's great questions: is it a good idea to use a slice of agate as a knob.

 

 

The answer is no.

[Alfie]

But here is the latest evolution of my homemade collection.

 

 

L-R: Mini Booster, LPB1, Valvecaster, Bazz, BBOD, Woolly Mammoth, Tubescreamer, SHO, Orange Squeezer.

 

 

Edited December 17, 2022 by Alfie

[LukeFRC]

2 hours ago, Alfie said:

I have answered one of life's great questions: is it a good idea to use a slice of agate as a knob.

 

 

The answer is no.

Gives a great rock sound though? 

[LukeFRC]

Did you polish or sand the enclosures at all @Alfie? They look good 

[Alfie]

The mini booster is sanded and polished as I wanted the LEDs to reflect under the glass table-top fixing plate I used as a knob.

 

The ex boss enclosure was also sanded and polished. I have recently discovered that the school I work in has a sand blaster, so I might have a go with that next time.