New idea for a pedal...maybe it's been done before?

[wampcat1]

I was thinking the other night, which is generally a bit dangerous in itself, that it would be cool to build several pedals that were all small circuits and you could interchange them, sort of like a module. For example, opamp/diodes to ground in one box, another with IC/feedback diodes, another with jfets, etc. Then also have different boxes for tonestacks, and the like. Seems like it would provide hours of tweakage for breadboarding ideas!

What are your thoughts on this? Have you done anything like that to help speed your breadboarding time?

Just some late night/laying in bed type of thoughts.

Thanks,
Brian

[Mike Burgundy]

Search GEO on the term "stamps" (I think) and you'll find ideas for just such a modular system. It's a great idea, and I tip my hat to you for coming up with it.
Hey, hasn't everything been done before?

[Melanhead]

what about a computer controled one .... see the modules on the screen and piece 'em together with storeable patches! hmmmmmm 

Too many ideas, not enough time

[nelson]

Having little PCB's of well used circuit blocks for breadboarding is a good idea, I mean a bog standard LFO, an inverting amplifer with gain control, a big muff gain stage, a jfet gain stage, the circuit boards having sockets for key components ofcourse.

I have been playing with the idea of a pedal with selectable gain stages, hooked up to DPDT toggles or rotary switches. All on you have octave fuzz madness, all off you have a clean booster and diff selections for everything inbetween.


BS170 booster input stage for high impedence input----->opamp----->feedback loop clippers---->diodes to ground----->big muff gain stage------->Jfet gain stage---->inverter gain stages---->volume control.



1590BB would be big enough too.

[wampcat1]

Search GEO on the term "stamps" (I think) and you'll find ideas for just such a modular system. It's a great idea, and I tip my hat to you for coming up with it.
Hey, hasn't everything been done before?

I should'a known that MR. Keen had thought of this long ago with two hands tied around his back....hehe!!

http://www.geofex.com/Article_Folders/FXbus/fxbus.htm

Oh well...good thoughts for drifting to sleepy land I guess.

[Nasse]

It is not easy to find time and intelligence to design a complete circuit pcb, maybe it would be possible in small pieces for dummies like me. I have been thinkin for phaser small board with dual opa two stage phase sift thing would be cool, just use four, six or more with same basic mixing and lfo board

[R.G.]

Just for completeness, there is one large commercial and one small commercial outfit that does the replaceable innards module approach. The big one is the Line 6 stuff and the small one is Dave Fox in one of his distortion pedals. There was a commercial amp that included pluggable preamps for the same reason.

Finally, look at "wrappers" on GEO. If you get the right wrapper, you can do pluggable effects easily.

[Plectrum]

what about a computer controlled one .... see the modules on the screen and piece 'em together with storeable patches! hmmmmmm 

Too many ideas, not enough time

The Clavia Nord Modular does exactly this, it has stereo inputs (as well as being a synth) and is totaly patchable.
Has numerous clipping/shaping modules, though one can build from the ground up using diodes and feedback, multiple filter types, modulatable delays, envelope following...

Downside... it's digital, but cool nonetheless.

Grant

[toneman]

Hey S-boxers...just some comments 2 RG's comments...
The amp might have been the SeymoreDuncan "Convertable"...replacable input modules(tube & tranny).
There's a web site devoted to refurbishing them.......use google...
The FoxRox  "Jimi-in-a-Box"(CaptainCoconut)  uses changeable fuzz modules... Ger, Sillycon, & I think, there are 4 possibilities(?)
And, last but first, remember the SequentialCircuits ProFX ?
Several modules completely programmable as far a order and remembers many! knob settings.
I had one for many many years...just recently sold it.....
Google 4 more info....they are "collectors items", but i'm trying to stop (collecting, that is...LOL!!)
I'd B interested in that KORG-PME-multieffects(I think) "modular" pedal that was mentioned by Mr. Hammer a bit ago.
NOT in buying one....LOL!!, just to look at the  octave/waveshaper module/schematic.
Hmmmm, reinventing the "modular stompbox".......Hmmmmmm.....
this is the place.....   
staybuilding....
tone

[Melanhead]

The amp might have been the SeymoreDuncan "Convertable"...replacable input modules(tube & tranny).

Or the Randall MTS, switchable preamp modules! .... Great for the session player, if it sounds any good that is

[wampcat1]

I guess I'm not really thinking of doing something like that with a finished product (like the fox and line 6 products), but more for a breadboarding shortcut, thought I guess it WOULD be cool to be able to Have one big pedal with multiple selectable innards to make a analog multi-effects of sorts!

[Johan]

..just drew this one up...simplistic..but still...

http://aronnelson.com/gallery/johan/the_modeler
johan

[Paul Marossy]

There was a commercial amp that included pluggable preamps for the same reason.

The first modular tube amp on the market that I know of was the Seymour Duncan Convertible in the early 80s. They are great sounding amps with the right modules in them. 

EDIT: I had an idea for a "modular pedalboard" a while back on one of those RACO box threads. You could build an enclosure of some sort and the face of the RACO boxes as the modules. Loosen a couple screws and pull it out, put a different one in. Kind of a nifty idea, but maybe not very practial in the real world. It probably could make a somewhat more compact pedalboard depending on what you want to use...

[troubledtom]

Having little PCB's of well used circuit blocks for breadboarding is a good idea, I mean a bog standard LFO, an inverting amplifer with gain control, a big muff gain stage, a jfet gain stage, the circuit boards having sockets for key components ofcourse.

I have been playing with the idea of a pedal with selectable gain stages, hooked up to DPDT toggles or rotary switches. All on you have octave fuzz madness, all off you have a clean booster and diff selections for everything inbetween.


BS170 booster input stage for high impedence input----->opamp----->feedback loop clippers---->diodes to ground----->big muff gain stage------->Jfet gain stage---->inverter gain stages---->volume control.

i knew you were looking over my shoulder , the first time i talked to you
     peace,
         - tom



1590BB would be big enough too.

[no one ever]

ZIM?