I know there are general threads for pictures and even specific ones for whole boards, but I wanted to put this out so everyone knows how satisfied I am with myself. After approximately 9 months of building (is that all? feels like it's been years....) my personal gigging board is done. It consists of, starting from the right and following signal chain:
1) Dunlop Crybaby GCB95 (if my hands start itching I may mod this a bit, but it suits my needs pretty well stock)
2) Korg Pitch Black tuner (obviously stock)
3) ProCo RAT (vero build) modded for 3-way diode switching, but I keep it on germanium (1N34's, I think) 99% of the time
4) ZVex Fuzz Factory (vero build), followed the schematic exactly and haven't seen a need to mod it
5) Mad Bean Sunking (etched PCB), buffered version (can I get arrested for that artwork? :-\ )
5) A/B/Y loop switch aka "Circuit Box with Burst Switch" (that's the one with no knobs :P )
6) Lotus Snowjob Underdrive (vero build), changed the input/output caps but otherwise stock
7) Tonepad Rebote 2.5 (etched PCB), with switchable infinity mod
8 ) Box of Hall Reverb (vero build), pretty much stock
9) TC Ditto Looper (obviously stock)
(http://i.imgur.com/mXHIZx8.jpg?1)
I'm remarkably satisfied with myself and I want everyone to know it :icon_mrgreen:
Looks great too!! Done??? What does that ever mean? My gigging board changed weekly, but always stayed the same.
Quote from: jimilee on August 03, 2014, 11:55:13 PM
Looks great too!! Done??? What does that ever mean? My gigging board changed weekly, but always stayed the same.
I had a period where I was constantly changing things, but the more gigs I play the more I realize that this is realistically all I need for what I play.
Granted I'm still working on the pedals for my keyboard rig ... :icon_rolleyes:
I think Dr. Drew would disagree, once an addict always an addict.
It's a disease you see. Sooner or later you will go back to the needle, filled with flux....
Quote from: haveyouseenhim on August 04, 2014, 12:32:30 AM
It's a disease you see. Sooner or later you will go back to the needle, filled with flux....
And I agree that I'm an addict and I'm not done building, I'm just at a point where I'm comfortable with what I have on my board so I don't need to build for myself 8)
The cassette graphic looks great.
I use a Korg pitchblack tuner too. Nearly blew the battery up last week. I plugged it into a daisy chain without taking the battery out. Next time I used it on battery it malfunctioned. Took the battery out to check the voltage and it was really swollen. So I tested for voltage at the ( empty ) battery snap with the pedal plugged into the power supply. It was the best part of 9v.
It was bargain priced and I love its easy to read big LED display. It really needs a switched DC jack.
I hear ya :D
I've been using the same fx (all build by 'moi') for the last few years (Mosfet Fuzz, OCD, Boost, Rebote Delay, Chorus) and put them all in a Cornish style off box because that's the tone I'm after.
Even the amps I'm using are all hand made. So in a way (apart from making my own guitar) I'm done too.
But that didn't stop me from building: green ringer, big muff, big daddy, easy face, chorusses, easy vibe, pre-amps, more tube-amps,... ;D
So many builds, so little time.
Congrats with the board!! :D
Quote from: diydave on August 04, 2014, 03:13:30 AM
So in a way (apart from making my own guitar) I'm done too.
I'm trying to decide if my next step will be building a guitar or building an amp. My amp is hand built, just not by me, and I haven't found anything better short of a couple thousand dollars. My guitar on the other hand, was purchased brand new for $250, and while it's the nicest guitar I've ever owned (kind of sad now that I think about it) I would really like something nicer.
Not sure how to talk the wife into letting me do that one, especially since I just bought a drumset :icon_mrgreen:
Quote from: vigilante397 on August 04, 2014, 11:31:46 AM
Quote from: diydave on August 04, 2014, 03:13:30 AM
So in a way (apart from making my own guitar) I'm done too.
I'm trying to decide if my next step will be building a guitar or building an amp. My amp is hand built, just not by me, and I haven't found anything better short of a couple thousand dollars. My guitar on the other hand, was purchased brand new for $250, and while it's the nicest guitar I've ever owned (kind of sad now that I think about it) I would really like something nicer.
Not sure how to talk the wife into letting me do that one, especially since I just bought a drumset :icon_mrgreen:
I was just going through this with amps, I had some really nice amps (3 various Traynors, 69 Vibrolux that I turned into a 62, Oliver) but I really wanted a brilliant amp. So I was going to build a Hiwatt clone and my wife was behind that (if I sold some stuff to pay for it), but then I found a Cornford Carrera at a pawn shop for cheaper than I could buy the parts to make a Hiwatt and VERY surprisingly she let me buy it. A couple of tweaks later to personalize it and I have the most versatile touch sensitive amp I've ever owned. I've also done some more tweaks to the Vibrolux and while it's pretty ugly, it sounds really great paired with the Cornford.
One of these days I'm still going to build a Hiwatt.
Congratulations Nathan on completing your ideal board!
I too reached that goal a few months back, the sound in my head from my school days was now encapsulated on my board.... But I've got 2 amps so I plugged them both in... ;D wow! It's better.. Now if I just modulate the signal to one amp :o yikes! Now if I just build a couple of extra boxes for one amp... And the journey continues :icon_rolleyes:
Quote from: wavley on August 04, 2014, 11:49:00 AM
...but then I found a Cornford Carrera at a pawn shop for cheaper than I could buy the parts to make a Hiwatt and VERY surprisingly she let me buy it.
Your wife seems to be a bit more reasonable than mine :P Pretty much the only way I get away with new gear is by building, selling, and trading. The only reason I got the lovely amp I have now is because I paid for half of it with pedals, and the drumset I just picked up was a straight trade for pedals. Some day I'll figure it out :icon_rolleyes:
Maybe I should write a persuasive essay for every piece of gear I want outlining how it's good for our marriage ;D
next week:
nathan: '' ive been thinking about building a ...... for my live board...and a .... ... ......... for home use, and maybe a ....... .. .... just for kicks''
;D ;)
re: women: just buy it...too late. done.. :icon_twisted:
Quote from: vigilante397 on August 04, 2014, 12:41:26 PM
Quote from: wavley on August 04, 2014, 11:49:00 AM
...but then I found a Cornford Carrera at a pawn shop for cheaper than I could buy the parts to make a Hiwatt and VERY surprisingly she let me buy it.
Your wife seems to be a bit more reasonable than mine :P Pretty much the only way I get away with new gear is by building, selling, and trading. The only reason I got the lovely amp I have now is because I paid for half of it with pedals, and the drumset I just picked up was a straight trade for pedals. Some day I'll figure it out :icon_rolleyes:
Maybe I should write a persuasive essay for every piece of gear I want outlining how it's good for our marriage ;D
Trading goods and services and the odd birthday money are the only way I ever get gear too. That's why I was soooo surprised when she let me buy it, so there's hope!
Quote from: deadastronaut on August 04, 2014, 12:46:27 PM
re: women: just buy it...too late. done.. :icon_twisted:
It's better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.
Quote from: wavley on August 04, 2014, 12:51:59 PM
It's better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.
indeed, a knack for pretending to be remorseful whilst excited and generally being a lying sod helps.. ;D
Quote from: deadastronaut on August 04, 2014, 01:34:12 PM
...being a lying sod helps.. ;D
Kind of embarrassed to admit that a lot of my gear purchases were covered up by my expert lying :icon_redface:
hey, if it works... ;D ;)
I always truncate, heavily discount, then round down:
"How much did that cost?"
"Umm... <quick mental calculation> Two hundred?"
My greatest fear is that, when I die, my Mrs. will sell all of my gear.
For what I told her it cost.
I'm planning on leaving my stuff to my gear-head mates - not Mrs B's eBay account. :icon_twisted:
Quote from: Buzz on August 05, 2014, 03:22:20 AM
My greatest fear is that, when I die, my Mrs. will sell all of my gear.
For what I told her it cost.
hmmmm i never thought of that... :-\
Nice work,
Interesting to see you got the exact same placement for your tuner and crybaby that I got my own board.
Quote from: Buzz on August 05, 2014, 03:22:20 AM
My greatest fear is that, when I die, my Mrs. will sell all of my gear.
For what I told her it cost.
Yikes, I've never thought of it like that :-\ I'm really hoping my children will be musical when they get older so I have someone to leave everything to.
When reading about you guys and your wives, this was all I could think of:
(http://www.quickmeme.com/img/29/293763d606e065a5d13d368c03d82cafd634970e395506c718df3bbedcbe40a6.jpg)
Nice work, Nathan!
Quote from: deadastronaut on August 04, 2014, 12:46:27 PM
re: women: just buy it...too late. done.. :icon_twisted:
I pulled that trick last night and bought my first made in USA electric - a Gibson Les Paul. My wife told me to start selling some of my stompboxes-the ones that are already built. :'(
If you're gigging regularly, why would you need permission? Secondly, you're a man, why would you need permission? If you want it, but it. If you know you really can't afford it, sell stuff and buy it. Personally, I really enjoy my hand built
Guitars, it's just not economical to build an amp for home use. There are other guys that can do it cheaper.
I don't gig except to sit in with friends occasionally. My musical interest produces no income. It's just a hobby. Neither of us buys things we can't afford, she just sees four electrics, four acoustics, a bass, mandolin, banjo, several amps, and a bunch of DIY stompboxes as excessive. I could understand if I had five electric guitars, but give me a break! ;) ;D
On second thought, I should probably do like Nathan and sell a few things instead of hoarding. ::)
It's quite easy to tell who has wives and who owns cats in this thread :icon_lol:
Her: "Do you need all those guitars?"
Him: "Do you need all those shoes?"
(http://www.fmlainsights.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/311/2013/04/whack.jpg) :D
Quote from: bluebunny on August 06, 2014, 03:06:07 AM
Her: "Do you need all those guitars?"
Him: "Do you need all those shoes?"
(http://www.fmlainsights.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/311/2013/04/whack.jpg) :D
Right! I told her, I don't have one like that though. I boughten last guitar cause it was blueburst and looked awesome!
Quote from: Buzz on August 06, 2014, 02:08:45 AM
It's quite easy to tell who has wives and who owns cats in this thread :icon_lol:
Naa, it's just that we're all adults. I married one like that, and divorced her after 15 years. Found one that we could both have mutual respect. It goes both ways. :-D not dogging anyone, "let me ask my wife" makes me nuts. She'll tell you the same thing. Sorry for the tangent. [ /rant]
Quote from: jimilee on August 06, 2014, 03:02:05 PM
Quote from: Buzz on August 06, 2014, 02:08:45 AM
It's quite easy to tell who has wives and who owns cats in this thread :icon_lol:
Naa, it's just that we're all adults. I married one like that, and divorced her after 15 years. Found one that we could both have mutual respect. It goes both ways. :-D not dogging anyone, "let me ask my wife" makes me nuts. She'll tell you the same thing. Sorry for the tangent. [ /rant]
My wife and I have mutual respect, that's why I have to ask her if we have the money for big purchases and she does the same with me to make sure the other doesn't have plans for the money. I tease, but we involve each other in big purchases.
Quote from: jimilee on August 06, 2014, 03:02:05 PM
Quote from: Buzz on August 06, 2014, 02:08:45 AM
It's quite easy to tell who has wives and who owns cats in this thread :icon_lol:
Naa, it's just that we're all adults. I married one like that, and divorced her after 15 years. Found one that we could both have mutual respect. It goes both ways. :-D not dogging anyone, "let me ask my wife" makes me nuts. She'll tell you the same thing. Sorry for the tangent. [ /rant]
All meant in good fun. I think we're all adult enough here to rib each other and have a giggle. That's another reason to like it here.
Quote from: Buzz on August 06, 2014, 05:48:35 PM
Quote from: jimilee on August 06, 2014, 03:02:05 PM
Quote from: Buzz on August 06, 2014, 02:08:45 AM
It's quite easy to tell who has wives and who owns cats in this thread :icon_lol:
Naa, it's just that we're all adults. I married one like that, and divorced her after 15 years. Found one that we could both have mutual respect. It goes both ways. :-D not dogging anyone, "let me ask my wife" makes me nuts. She'll tell you the same thing. Sorry for the tangent. [ /rant]
All meant in good fun. I think we're all adult enough here to rib each other and have a giggle. That's another reason to like it here.
Cool, I didn't want to come off wrong. I'm an ass but I am a fun one.
I think my wife and I would be less controlling over my gear purchases if we aren't dirt poor :icon_rolleyes: I'm a university student working part-time at a music store, she's unemployed and stays home with our 8 month-old daughter. So we don't have as much money to throw around as I like to pretend we do :P Trades do pretty well for me though.
hats off to vigilante397 , thats excellent you accomplished your goal , and your work looks very very nice ! its really cool you are playing live with your gear too ... savor that . i am at about the same point the op is at , but it took me over three years . i am a slow old hack , i have been building for four people , we each have 2 rigs , indoor and then battery powered outdoor . i will continue to build a bit as i really do enjoy it , but i also have to limit myself because of health issues ( back pain) , and other responsibility's . thats what i have been telling myself anyways ... lol .
i utilize my wife to talk me out of purchases i shouldnt really make . she "lets me" do what i want for the most part , because i am frugal and do not really spoil myself .
but ... she bought me a gr50 when we were dating ... and she enjoys making music as well . if i was a blitz-spender , cirucit-hoarder or spree-beast... i would think things would prolly be a lot different , although i built my share of useless turds to get to where we are at , unfortunately thats how it went for me , despite honestly really trying to become informed .
that being said , the best bang i ever got for my buck , when it comes to this stuff has to be the fernandes sustainer guitar i got used for 225 w/ a hardshell a few years back .
its really a great instrument , the sustainer , well naturally the guitar has ridiculous amount of sustain , but i have crutched out on the sustaining pick up ... i am in love . if any of you run into one of these in good condition , used ... think about checking one out , they really are amazing tools .
anyway , thanks to aron , and all for contributing , helping me get to where iam at with this stuff . i tried a bit many years ago , and found myself in way over my head , preinternet days , this was a bit more of a challenge for me .