I wanna build my TS7 into a guitar effect. :P

[JimRayden]

I have this Ibanez TS7 and I want to mod it into something more non-digital-looking.  

So I opened it up today. The first thing I saw, it looked like it's tightly stuffed with digitally evolved organic electronics. The PCB looked like it's really really tight crowded and has hundreds of parts on it. But that was the backside of the PCB. Turning the PCB around, I saw that only very little of the high-tech board was used. It looks like Ibanez is producing the same boards for all of their Tone-Lok pedals and then only use a certain section of the PCB for that effect. How cheap is that. Even the box is ready for more jacks and pots.

Here's a little link for you:
http://bobweigt.tripod.com/id2.html

Compare pictures 5 and 9. Get it? Looks really really cheap to me.

(Quote from this forum: "This thing was layed out by devil himself" )

I want to mod this thing into an actual pedal. First thing I'm worried about is the switch. Does the box allow a good sturdy actual swith instead of that micro-switch? Also, I'm getting rid of the PCB-crap in there and build a perfboard BSIAB or something similiar in there.

Any thoughts, comments?

PS: I always thought that the tone-lok series is full of crap. Now that I've opened it, I think it's just really really cheap. Might sound good, but it's cheap.

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Jimbo

[Pedal love]

I love the ts7. The knobs pop up to you and then get out of the way when you don't need them. The problem I have obviously- there are several boards, which are connected by a vast array of connectors. If you don't know exactly where you are, you could end up modifying something wrong. Before it even gets touched, make sure you follow an accurate schematic. Identify all of the parts, it will save you time and prevent mistakes.pl

[JimRayden]

I am not wanting to modify it. I'm wanting to rip the innards out of it and building something different in it.

And I love the knobs too. If possible, I'm going to keep them.

Help with the switch anyone?

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Jimbo

[ian87]

from what i recall, the switch in question in miniscule. you're going to have trouble installing something burlier while retaining the same actuator. why not just bypass the buffer altogether and true bypass it with a 3PDT? drill a hole in the top of the footswitch and mount the new switch there.

[JimRayden]

from what i recall, the switch in question in miniscule. you're going to have trouble installing something burlier while retaining the same actuator. why not just bypass the buffer altogether and true bypass it with a 3PDT? drill a hole in the top of the footswitch and mount the new switch there.

Yea, that's what I was thinking of.

Actually, I must admit, I'm trying to increase its value. The Tone-Lok has a really really bad reputation around here because of the crappy switching system. I want to use the box for something really cool and sell it since I'm really tight with money right now.

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Jimbo

[Torchy]

How about this -

I make 15 different effects.
I notice that I can use one master pcb.
I have one pcb production overhead, one supplier, one product from them.

If ZV did it it would be a masterstroke. As it is its "Ibanez" so must be a rip.

How cheap is that. Even the box is ready for more jacks and pots.

Thats multi-functionalism and mass-production for you. Mind you, GGG do a "Jack-Of-All-Minibooster"pcb to accommodate several boosters.

I want to mod this thing into an actual pedal.

wtf ? Its already a pedal

Also, I'm getting rid of the PCB-crap in there and build a perfboard BSIAB or something similiar in there.

PCB crap And perf is the answer to everything...

Might sound good, but it's cheap.

Taken a fuzzfactory apart recently ? Sounds amazing, nothing special inside but youre paying for the sound, the product that gets the sound, and ZVs time effort sweat and customer service. Fair price IMO. I think its time the sticker "No user-serviceable parts inside" was replaced with "Dont undo the screws becuse you'll be disappointed".

Actually, I must admit, I'm trying to increase its value.

I want to use the box for something really cool and sell it

I honestly dont see what the point of this thread is ?  You either dont like the TS-7 and want to use the case for something else or you just want to have a bitch about modern mass-produced electronics.

[Pedal love]

I am not wanting to modify it. I'm wanting to rip the innards out of it and building something different in it.

And I love the knobs too. If possible, I'm going to keep them.

Help with the switch anyone?

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Jimbo

OK? :?

[JimRayden]

"If ZV did it it would be a masterstroke. As it is its "Ibanez" so must be a rip. "

Yes, but i don't think ZV would produce a PCB that is about 5 times larger than needed and then just use a tiny circuit on the corner of it. That is a waste in my opinion. Also, look at the layout. the main part is at one place, then it has two-three caps on the centre of the board, some more on the other side, then it has 4 more boards in it. i don't think that layout is too good.

"Thats multi-functionalism and mass-production for you. Mind you, GGG do a "Jack-Of-All-Minibooster"pcb to accommodate several boosters. "

He does it for several boosters. He doesn't do the same board for an overdrive, a fuzzbox, a bass synth, a phaser, a chorus, a digital delay, etc etc etc.

"wtf ? Its already a pedal "

I was referring to the crappy switching system and the huge PCB by exaggerating a bit. Maybe I should of put a fun smiley after my statement, so you'd get it was not literally ment.

"PCB crap And perf is the answer to everything..."

I was not telling the PCB is bad or the perf is good. I was again referring to the crappy layout with huge PCB's being used for such a small circuit. And I'm going to build a perfboard in it since I don't have the tools for a PCB.

"I honestly dont see what the point of this thread is ? You either dont like the TS-7 and want to use the case for something else or you just want to have a bitch about modern mass-produced electronics."

The first choice, please.

Maybe my words aren't as clear as needed, since english is not my native language. So please forgive me all my mistakes.

And ZV is just plain cool!

---------------
Jimbo

[MartyMart]

Jim,
I sold two of these a few months ago, after buying them new for â,¬50 each.
It takes about half an hour to turn one into a "very close" TS-808..!!

IE- the right chip ( socketed )
The right output transistors
The two 1uf NP caps to poly's
Tone cap upgrade.
Diode changes ..? if you want.
Cleaner/more gain mod.........
A blue "mojo" LED.
DONE  

They sounded great and I had a email back about both of them.
The guys who bought them were VERY happy, also happy to not waste
100's of bucks on an "old crusty" 808  !!!

Apart from the obvious switch problems ( which will take a few years to develop ) they are a very good box IMHO

Marty.

[JimRayden]

Thanks, Marty. Yea but I wanna show the pictures of replacing the innards with more "normal" ones instead of just modding. I know, the sound is the most important, but I wanna live knowing that it's built by me and working as it should.

I'm just looking to make it better and sell it, so.... Hmm, I might do the mods and give the thing to my brother, so he could sell it off eBay and maybe some tone-lover would buy it.

But really, there aren't much tone-o-philes around here. All they care about is the durability and the paint. :\ Maybe I'll get more lucky selling it in the US.

blue led - great idea!

Hey - what about stripping the box and repainting it with green... more mojo.

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Jimbo

[JimRayden]

One more idea. What about putting in a latching microswitch instead of the original switching system? Would that improve it a bit?

Sorry, what is this thing? Microgap switch?

--------------
Jimbo

[JimRayden]

thanks to all for the replys so far!

I'm currently thinking of what to do with the lil' fun "hot" switch... I thought of either making the "hot" channel into a clean boost, or a nice lil' germanium Fuzz Face. That led me to a thought, how do the characters of an FF and a TS fit into one enclosure?

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Jimbo

[Brian Marshall]

i was actually going to rehouse mine  a while ago, and never actually got to it.

One thing for sure... if you take the time to trace it, it is much easier than trying to make use the output jack boards

basically with this type pedal there is a ribbon of wires that goes ot the output jack.  the effect, and bypass are actually always on.

I would completely lose the output jack board, and just build a bjt buffer (i believe its already biased at 4.5 volts on the main baord output could be wrong... if i am then use a jfet if its at 0volts)

it would be easier to just true bypass it