New Project at Tonepad: Red Ranger

[Fp-www.Tonepad.com]

Check it out HERE

Fp

[KORGULL]

Your link to it might be bad. I tried twice and got "cannot find server error."

[Marcos - Munky]

Works here. Thanks a lot for the layout.

[NaBo]

ooooOOOOoooOOOOoooOOOOoooo... i like this one.  definitely gonna make one.  thanks for yet another sweet project

[sir_modulus]

Nice Nice! I'm still waiting for that Tonepad Univibe....now that would be....just plain beautiful...*sorry...I have tears in my eyes*.

Seriously though...if you could make a univibe layout, you guys would be the coolest thing since sliced bread!!! DO IT!

(and RG, I know you have one too...It's pretty darn amazing!)

Cheers, and a job well done!

Nish

[Fp-www.Tonepad.com]

Wait 'till you guys see the purple peaker! (next sunday )

Sir Modulus... I thought we already were  

But seriously... I don't have plans on doing a univibe layout, it's just too complicated, and there's RG's.

[R.G.]

Sometimes I get a real sense of accomplishment. When I started this, there were no internet schematics, no effects web sites, and darned near no DIY information. Come to think of it, there was an internet, but no world wide web.

We're in a situation now where a thousand flowers have bloomed. I got to start the first DIY effects PCBs with GEO's ready to solder boards (in fact, I originated the term "ready to solder" or "RTS" for them), the first PNP DIY layouts, introducing press-n-peel to the effect community as it formed. I did all the free effects layouts that existed for a number of years, and got to teach a whole generation of DIYers about making their own.

Now we have many effects sites, many people laying out boards, many sources for schematics and other effects information. I enjoyed my firsts, but it's really pleasing to see the work go on.

Life is good.

[Paul Marossy]

Sometimes I get a real sense of accomplishment. When I started this, there were no internet schematics, no effects web sites, and darned near no DIY information.

it's really pleasing to see the work go on.

This is a very cool thing. And I extend a sincere thank you. I learned  A LOT from reading the pages at GEO.

[Fp-www.Tonepad.com]

RG,

I remember back around 1995 when I first searched the web, there was geofex and amz... I had NO idea what I would come to do with effects and layouts, but I decided I wanted to build a TS and used the schematic from your website. I had a lot of trouble finding parts and they were all messed up (no small bear back then!).

I printed a bunch of schematics from geofex and took them to all the electronics parts stores in town. Everybody looked at me like crazy asking for a 500mH inductor! I didn't know what a compressor was and enclosures and stomp switches were a dream to have and not to mention actually transfer and etch a PCB!

When Matt Burnside contacted me so we would join and get a dot com which later became tonepad it was a surprise for me.

Indeed DIY effects have come a long way, and it is thanks to you and Jack who were there in the beginning. I am very proud to have become a part (important, or so I hear) of this phenomenon.

Keep building, everybody!!!!!!

Fp

[Fp-www.Tonepad.com]

RG,

Could you please email me, I want a copy of your book if possible.

fp at tonepad dot com

Thanks

[puretube]

does the select switch cause audible "pops" ?

[brett]

Cool circuit FP!  
Reminds me of the differential distortion, which was probably an undervalued and underexplored circuit (by myself as well as others).

Keep up the good work.

PS I think we are going to need a process or scheme to capture RG's knowledge.  I mean, what if he got hit by a bus tomorrow?  Or discovered gambling, women and booze?  RG writes and explains things so well - maybe we could have him draft a "guide to stompboxes" book, and we could all sell copies for him?  

[Fp-www.Tonepad.com]

Bret,
That's Dan Armstrong's circuit. All I've done is the layout.

Puretube,

I don't know, I haven't built it yet, I only simulated it, but no way of telling unless we build it... I won't have time for a couple of weeks, so I'm sure somebody else will build it before I do. Maybe one of the home-wrecker guys can answer that question. (formerly runoffgroove)

Fp

[Paul Marossy]

Maybe one of the home-wrecker guys can answer that question. (formerly runoffgroove)

Actually, there is a www.runoffgroove.com which is all new designs and the www.home-wrecker.com site is other people's designs.  Just to clarify... :wink:

[B Tremblay]

Actually, there is a www.runoffgroove.com which is all new designs and the www.home-wrecker.com site is other people's designs.  Just to clarify... :wink:

Paul's got it right.

In the beginning, the only way I could give back to the DIY-fx community was to share sound clips that weren't available elsewhere.  As my knowledge and skills developed, I started writing build reports and documenting mods.

Then, I began collaborating with Gary Burchett and our partnership resulted in us developing more original content.  Once we began the FET-based amp emulator series, I decided to move the older content to a different site: home-wrecker.com

The home-wrecker.com archive houses our build reports, layouts, modifications, and sound clips of others' designs.

To get back on topic, JD Sleep posted the Red Ranger schematic at his site  nearly two years ago.  I'd been curious about the RR since working on the Purple Peaker and was eager to breadboard it.  It worked pretty well and I don't recall any ugly pops when switching modes.

I made two very small mods to the filter section and used common transistors, so I re-drew the schematic to reflect those changes and uploaded it with a perf layout to my website.  The sound clip is pretty representative, but I had a difficult time recording it.  The boost was so great that it overloaded the cab sim!

It's pretty simple and the differnt modes are nice, but I never committed it to perf.  I personally prefer the Purple Peaker.

[Fp-www.Tonepad.com]

B,

I haven't build either the purple peaker or the red ranger, but I have simulated the circuits on the computer, I'll post the freq response curves this evening.

The thing about the purple peaker is that it doesn't give you a 'flat' boost, and the red ranger does, but the red ranger doesn't give the narrow peaks that the purple peaker does, so they're both different in that respect.

Next sunday I'll be posting the purple peaker pdf, which is almost finished but needs the parts list and other minor stuff.

Fp

[WGTP]

Shouldn't there be a Nobel Prize for contributions in Guitar FX?  

[Ben N]

Do you think this could work with 2N3904/3906 instead?  ('Cuz I have 'em.)

Thanks,
Ben

[Fp-www.Tonepad.com]

Ben,

Definitely. Go for it.

Fp

[Dragonfly]

B,

I haven't build either the purple peaker or the red ranger, but I have simulated the circuits on the computer, I'll post the freq response curves this evening.

The thing about the purple peaker is that it doesn't give you a 'flat' boost, and the red ranger does, but the red ranger doesn't give the narrow peaks that the purple peaker does, so they're both different in that respect.

Next sunday I'll be posting the purple peaker pdf, which is almost finished but needs the parts list and other minor stuff.

Fp

seems like it might make sense to put BOTH a Red Ranger and a Purple Peaker into a single Hammond 1590BB box, as a 2 channel boost. One side giving a nice flat boost, and the other having a more characteristic presence to it.....

hmmm.....  "Ranger Peaker"