The Jordon Boss Tone is a Monster!

petemoore · March 12, 2005, 05:28:48 PM

Mark, that very likely' explains why the J.B. I built didn't last long in testing and was deemed useless.
I'm sure I would have caught some of those anlmoly values had I known what I know now .. at that time.

jmusser · March 12, 2005, 05:49:23 PM

I thought I posted that very thing here, but I had posted it elsewhere. When I initially built this, it did absolutely nothing. I had misread Aron's note to say "change to this value", when it actually said "do not use these values" "Use the schematic"! I had put 2, 100uf in series, and had used a 50 and a 100 ohm in series. After I went through the wiring, I found I had done everything right for a change, and for some reason I reread the note. After I changed them out, and fired it up, I think I still have the grin

There is no subtlety to this pedal that I have found. It rips the paint off the wall!

Paul Marossy · March 12, 2005, 05:49:55 PM

So far I like the MPSA10 the best - it sounds the least rough of the ones I tried. I also made my PCB so that I could switch the diodes out of the circuit. As Mark said, it has quite a lot of distortion without those clipping diodes. In fact, I don't notice much of a difference when they are out of the circuit. :wink:

That's interesting about the second transistor - mine is in backwards if the emitter is supposed to be connected to that 18K resistor and the collector is supposed to go to ground...

BTW, for the second transistor, I used a 2N3645 - it was just something I had lying around in a pile of parts that were given to me a few years ago.

analogguru · March 12, 2005, 06:09:40 PM

In the original unit is used for the first transistor (Si-NPN) a:

MPS 6513 30V/100mA/350mW ÃŸ: 90 -180/2mA F=2dB Ft:250 MHz

and for the second transistor (Si-PNP) a:

2N 4249 60V/100mA/200mW ÃŸ: 100 - 300/0,1mA F=3dB Ft:40 MHz

analogguru

Dragonfly · March 12, 2005, 11:04:51 PM

Aron is working on a vero layout for it...i have some as well, but i'm waiting for Aron to post his. Its interesting to see how different people approach the layout of the exact same circuit...

Andy

Dragonfly · March 12, 2005, 11:54:43 PM

Quote from: DragonflyAron is working on a vero layout for it...i have some as well, but i'm waiting for Aron to post his. Its interesting to see how different people approach the layout of the exact same circuit...

Andy

ok...just "built one up" real quick using my vero layout...works and sounds GREAT !!!! i subbed a few parts (15 resistor for 18k, 1n914 for diodes, and a 2N3904 for Q1...Q2 is a 2N3906 as specified).,..this thing is mean ! i cant wait to try it out "at volume" tomorrow....

i think i'll box it up in the same box with a EH Hogs Foot booster....that way i can call the pedal the "BOSS HOG" !

Andy
Dragonfly FX

Phorhas · March 13, 2005, 12:04:14 AM

Quote from: Mark HammerThere seem to be some varying opinions/schems with respect to a few components.

On old schem drawn up by RG Keen, and sitting in a vast number of mirror sites for Jamie Heilman's Leper's Schematic Archive shows the second transistor as NPN. The second transistor should be PNP. Given that you indicate using a 2N3906, you have successfully avoided the use of the first schematic. RG used/showed a 10k output pot where others show 100k

Aron Nelson drew up the circuit again, and indicated on his redraw that a resistor shown as 150 ohms in some places is actually 150k. Similarly, a cap straddling the base and emitter of the 2N3906 should be 47-50pf and NOT uf. I gather it is a product of his schematic drawing software at the time, but NONE of the caps involved is actually polarized.

Please note that the emitter of the 2N3906 does NOT go to ground. Rather, it goes to the V+ line, and the collector goes to ground.

The intensity of this beast is such that it is hard to imagine that performance differences in yours are simply due to a few component tolerance differences or to using lower output pickups than others do. Of course, on the other hand I have no idea what you consider to be subtle and intense distortion.

Given how easy it is to confuse such matters, my money is on transistor pinout confusion. Notethat the omission of diodes in this circuit STILL gets you distortion. So if lifting the ground connection of your diodes gets you "clean" tone, something is installed wrong.

Well, I used the "Corrected" schematic, so I can't find any problems...but, it never hurts to run through the board again.

As for what I consider a subtle or intance distorion - subtle is some thing in the lines of an OD and as for intense is more or less like an over-the-top-fuzzy-purple-hazey stuff... hope I made sense

Paul Marossy · March 13, 2005, 01:08:15 AM

QuoteIts interesting to see how different people approach the layout of the exact same circuit...

My PCB is almost just like the schematic! It measures 1.5"x1". I could have made it smaller, but why?! :wink:

Dragonfly · March 13, 2005, 02:01:45 AM

Quote from: Paul Marossy
QuoteIts interesting to see how different people approach the layout of the exact same circuit...

My PCB is almost just like the schematic! It measures 1.5"x1". I could have made it smaller, but why?! :wink:

...in case you want to use a thimble for an enclosure

Paul Marossy · March 13, 2005, 07:32:14 AM

Quote...in case you want to use a thimble for an enclosure

Well, I suppose in that case...

Mark Hammer · March 13, 2005, 08:54:18 AM

Quote from: PhorhasAs for what I consider a subtle or intance distorion - subtle is some thing in the lines of an OD and as for intense is more or less like an over-the-top-fuzzy-purple-hazey stuff... hope I made sense

Perfect sense. Since this normally sounds much more in the over-the-top category, I think we can safely rule out different expectations as the source of your disappointment. Now is the time to look at pinouts, shorts and cold solder joints. If it helps, I think your patience and frustration will be well-rewarded. DO make a place on the board for extra input capacitance. This thing behaves in interesting ways with the added bass content in the input signal.

vortex · March 13, 2005, 04:14:19 PM

I just finished the Bosstone. A fun fuzz!

I used the PN2222 & 2N3906 trannys. 0.1 uF caps for the input and output. 1N914 &1N34 diodes.

I added a switch that takes the diodes out of the circuit . Without the diodes there is even more volume and with the "Attack" knob at lower levels is a decent clean boost. With the diodes in the circuit things get nice and over the top.

Here is a quick vero layout I did in Coreldraw while I was making this. Sorry, I am not up to speed on the "Torchy" style of presentation. Anyone who wants too improve on this, please feel free. I just thought it might be of some use.

Torchy · March 13, 2005, 04:28:53 PM

Dragonfly · March 13, 2005, 06:08:10 PM

Well...like i said, i was "gonna" wait for Aron to post "his" vero layout for the Bosstone, since he seemed excited about doing one...but since everyone else is posting theirs, i guess i'll go ahead and post mine...

this layout *is* verified, btw...great sounding aggressive fuzz...

andy
dragonfly fx

Dragonfly · March 13, 2005, 06:16:54 PM

3 different approaches to laying out the same circuit....kinda neat really...

andy

analogguru · March 13, 2005, 06:17:29 PM

Hmmm....and here is my PCB-Layout:

http://forum.musikding.de/attachements/Gordons_Bossclone.gif

enjoy,

analogguru

Dan N · March 13, 2005, 07:00:34 PM

Gordons Bossclone?

Ha ha! my first good laugh of the day!

Rick · March 13, 2005, 08:49:36 PM

Yes, fun circuit ! I just plugged in the 0.1 caps to replace the 0.02s and yeah this is the way it will be -a fun bit of ghosting octaves to boot ! I used a 5087 and a 5089 and it's somewhat stable like that -great fun. Tried germanium transistors in it as well, but in this circuit silicon sounded best to me. btw quite a while ago I tried 2 germanium diodes in this and it killed it. I mean hardly any output at all. I replaced them with the 1n914s and staight back into Ina Gada Da Vida / Iron Man crunch. Anybody else try the 1n34a diodes in this (maybe I had a wiring problem or short etc.) ? Great and easy circuit -a must build for those who like the old crunchy / raspy distortion !!!

brett · March 13, 2005, 09:12:44 PM

Hi
I made up this version of a bosstone a while ago. It includes a 2-pole filter for rolling off some of those ear-destroying highs. For a milder high-cut effect, change the 2n2 caps to 1nF. Instead of the filters, you could also use a big muff tone section and output buffer. But I like to keep things very simple.

This version is also designed for modern transistors, with higher hFE than the originals (about double). That's why the 220 ohm resistor is on the emitter of Q1.

Finally, as you can see, I've used 3 x 1N4148s for a tube-like sound. :wink:

cheers

petemoore · March 14, 2005, 01:29:00 AM

That's nice 'cause one size doesn't always fit all !

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The Jordon Boss Tone is a Monster!