DIY Effects

[Protium]

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1386589848' post='2301749']
Yup; offboard wiring (pots and switches and sockets etc...) is a bit of an aquired skill. It can end up like knitting with spaghetti if you're not careful. That said it shouldn't put you off having a go. If something goes wrong then it's not dealung with dangeroys amounts of voltage and yoy'll learn a new skill that can be used to mend a bass or replace bits of it as and when the need arises - can save you a few quid by not having to pay a tech to do that sort of stuff for you.
[/quote]

My builds I generally use a specific colour wire depending on what it connects - green input, blue output, etc. Makes it easier to debug - not that I ever need to do that, perfect results every time me

[UglyDog]

Has anyone had a bash at building a ZVEX Woolly Mammoth or Mastotron clone? I'm tempted to have a bash as they're very simple circuits, the WM especially. Anyone done it already?

[paul_5]

Yup, made a couple of Wooly Mammoth clones. I used 2N2088s, but you can get away with 2N3904s if you can't find them.

[Protium]

[quote name='UglyDog' timestamp='1386958635' post='2306897']
Has anyone had a bash at building a ZVEX Woolly Mammoth or Mastotron clone? I'm tempted to have a bash as they're very simple circuits, the WM especially. Anyone done it already?
[/quote]

I have vero layouts for the Mammoth and also my own take as a three knob version (minus the frankly useless EQ), if you want them give me a yell

[UglyDog]

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1386959637' post='2306917']
Yup, made a couple of Wooly Mammoth clones. I used 2N2088s, but you can get away with 2N3904s if you can't find them.
[/quote]
That's interesting - all the schematics i've seen show 3904 trannies. Any reason why you went for the 2088s? Do they have a different characteristic?
[quote name='Protium' timestamp='1386961140' post='2306952']
I have vero layouts for the Mammoth and also my own take as a three knob version (minus the frankly useless EQ), if you want them give me a yell
[/quote]
Yeah i'd be interested to see your eq-less version ta. I'll PM you my email addy.

Have either of you guys had a go at a Mastotron? How do your WM clones get on with active basses?

[Bigwan]

If you ignore the switch on the mastotron (i did) then it's just a wooly mammoth with another pot on the input as a kind of impedance control.

[UglyDog]

Just wanted to say that I ordered a bunch of bits from Steve at [url="http://www.doctortweek.co.uk/"]http://www.doctortweek.co.uk/[/url] a few days ago -- they all arrived safely this morning, and he even enclosed a xmas card.
Very keenly priced stuff too. My first order from Steve but it certainly won't be my last. Woof!

[Sibob]

Yes I get a lot of stuff from Steve, great guy.
Waiting on some bits now as it happens, maybe after New Years now though

Si

[UglyDog]

[quote name='Protium' timestamp='1386449655' post='2300370']
Radioactive megaboost
Built into a small plastic enclosure (8 x 6 x 4cm) I've been meaning to use for a while, 9V PSU only
[/quote]
This raises an interesting question for me:
Enclosure-wise, I've only ever used diecast metal boxes for anything wth a footswitch, but do many of you guys use ABS boxes at all? If they work well and are suitable for stomps I would be interested in giving them a whirl but I thought I'd canvass opinion first

[DolganoFF]

Metal boxes have inherently better shielding. This and better durability more than justifies somewhat higher price for me...

[Alfie]

Just finished a couple of builds inside Hammond 1590A enclosures. I am not really into graphics at the moment so I have gone for a brutalist aesthetic.

[url="http://s202.photobucket.com/user/grrh27/media/ALF_6664_zpseeb71cd0.jpg.html"][/url]

First a valvecaster with a switchable feedback loop adding a bit more bass:

[url="http://s202.photobucket.com/user/grrh27/media/ALF_6652_zps64956413.jpg.html"][/url]

It has a pink LED below the valve to soften up the look a bit.

[url="http://s202.photobucket.com/user/grrh27/media/ALF_6662_zps33ef0828.jpg.html"][/url]

This was a real PITA to box.

Next is an LPB-1, probably my favourite pedal circuit of all time because of it's simplicity and the oomph-to-component ratio it provides.

[url="http://s202.photobucket.com/user/grrh27/media/ALF_6669_zps8a7f1f16.jpg.html"][/url]

I know not everyone likes bright LEDs, but I ruddy love them! The LED here is housed in a glass lens and it obnoxiously, eyesight-damagingly bright.

[url="http://s202.photobucket.com/user/grrh27/media/ALF_6674_zps66f79ce4.jpg.html"][/url]

[url="http://s202.photobucket.com/user/grrh27/media/ALF_6679_zps9ee2a81d.jpg.html"][/url]

It lights the ceiling.

[url="http://s202.photobucket.com/user/grrh27/media/ALF_6677_zps994e67e2.jpg.html"][/url]

Edited January 2, 2014 by Alfie

[BigBeatNut]

[quote name='Alfie' timestamp='1388702801' post='2325195']
Just finished a couple of builds inside Hammond 1590A enclosures. I am not really into graphics at the moment so I have gone for a brutalist aesthetic.

First a valvecaster with a switchable feedback loop adding a bit more bass:

It has a pink LED below the valve to soften up the look a bit.

[url="http://s202.photobucket.com/user/grrh27/media/ALF_6662_zps33ef0828.jpg.html"][/url]

This was a real PITA is box.
[/quote]

Love it Cute.

[quote name='Alfie' timestamp='1388702801' post='2325195']
Next is an LPB-1, [...] It lights the ceiling.

[url="http://s202.photobucket.com/user/grrh27/media/ALF_6677_zps994e67e2.jpg.html"][/url]
[/quote]

Arrghhh ... where are my [url="http://www.lightdims.com/"]LightDims[/url] ?

[Alfie]

[quote name='BigBeatNut' timestamp='1388705146' post='2325236']
Love it Cute.



Arrghhh ... where are my [url="http://www.lightdims.com/"]LightDims[/url] ?
[/quote]

It would take millions to dim my little beauty.

Edited January 2, 2014 by Alfie

[Sibob]

[quote] This was a real PITA to box. [/quote]

No sh*t
Amazing build, would love to see inside the box

Si

[Alfie]

[quote name='Sibob' timestamp='1388709362' post='2325288']
No sh*t
Amazing build, would love to see inside the box

Si
[/quote]

Not the cleanest build, I'm just glad it all worked and fit it. The only 0.047uF I had to hand was an orange drop, a bit much I know. If I was to try this again I would definitely think more about the size of my capacitors

[url="http://s202.photobucket.com/user/grrh27/media/ALF_6690_zpsb1ebc627.jpg.html"][/url]

I have also built another tubecreamer with a bunch of switchable mods (and a bit of pink and purple).

[url="http://s202.photobucket.com/user/grrh27/media/ALF_6699_zps36eca2f4.jpg.html"][/url]

[UglyDog]

Love the Valvecaster and quite fancy having a bash myself. I've found a schematic online for a 9 volt version, but is there anything to be gained (pardon the potential pun) by running it at 18v? Would I have to change any of the components to cater for the higher voltage?

[Alfie]

You would need a voltage regulator to send 12v to the heaters. I assume you have read the massive thread over on diystompboxes?

Some people like running it at 12v, why do you want to run it at 18v?

[Alfie]

This is also quite a useful thread for your purposes:

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=104438.0

Bear in mind that the Valvecaster is a low headroom, low gain boost. If you want more headroom or more gain, or both, then you don't want a Valvecaster and there are plenty other valve circuits to play with. The beauty of the Valvecaster is is simplicity.

[paul_5]

Anybody built a shoe song bass overdrive?

Might give this a go over the weekend:

[URL=http://s1221.photobucket.com/user/paul_510/media/shoe_zpsa9f5115b.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd471/paul_510/shoe_zpsa9f5115b.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[Sibob]

Looks interesting, will be good to hear how it sounds!

Si

[UglyDog]

Just looked it up -- sounds like a great little project.
God, there's so many things I'd like to have a bash at -- first on the list is the Mammoth/Mastotron mashup although I guess I should finally finish off the stack of mods I've been doing on my Russian Small Stone (Univibe, gain, colour, mix and brightness mods) first.
After that there's a whole load of possibilities. So far, I've collected/developed schematics/veros for:[list]
[*]modded Doctor Q clone
[*]highly modded Phase 45 (I'm having a bash at designing my own vero layout for this)
[*]Shoe Song (thanks paul!)
[*]modded TS808
[*]modded Valvecaster
[*]Proco Rat-alike with every conceivable mod
[/list]
Can't wait to get stuck into, I dunno, something!

[Protium]

[quote name='UglyDog' timestamp='1387921794' post='2317324']
This raises an interesting question for me:
Enclosure-wise, I've only ever used diecast metal boxes for anything wth a footswitch, but do many of you guys use ABS boxes at all? If they work well and are suitable for stomps I would be interested in giving them a whirl but I thought I'd canvass opinion first
[/quote]

I use metal enclosures for everything, I just had the ABS box lying around so decided to put something in it

[UglyDog]

Another quick query for you veterans -- how do you go about applying graphics to your finished boxes? I've got some cool ideas for a couple of the projects on my list but I have no idea how to actually do it!

[paul_5]

[quote name='Sibob' timestamp='1389351892' post='2333092']
Looks interesting, will be good to hear how it sounds!

Si
[/quote]
It's not bad at all. I had to sub one of the trannies and use a 2222 as I'd run out of othrr NPNs but it gives a very vintage O/D sound. I'll give it a go through my amp a bit later on to see how it sounds through a cab...

Edited January 12, 2014 by paul_5

[nick]

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1389519822' post='2334920']
It's not bad at all. I had to sub one of the trannies and use a 2222 as I'd run out of othrr NPNs but it gives a very vintage O/D sound. I'll give it a go through my amp a bit later on to see how it sounds through a cab...
[/quote]

I built this a while ago too, will have to dig it out, it was a nice overdrive...Experimented with different npn's, seem to recall BC108C & BC109 giving nice results (to my ears)