I need ideas,the last complete build I did was a preamp in my 45.00 Tiesco guitar to acheive a Frank Zappa type fuzz from a GuitarPlayer article.Still have the preamp.I want to do a distortion pedal that isn't to harsh but that I can experiment and learn with what do you all suggest?I Checked out the Gus Smalley but the schematic is to blurry to read and most schems and layouts that I download are unreadable or print out to large for the page. HELP.
I'd vote for a distortion+
it's simple to build, easy to modify, and you can find all the parts (or acceptable substitutions) at radio shack.
and it's not too bad sounding either
http://www.tonepad.com/project.asp?id=2
or
http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/v2/index.php?option=displaypage&Itemid=74&op=page&SubMenu=
-Jeremy
smash drive. thru and thru.
Where can I get a Smash Drive Layout?
Quote from: KevinSTPWhere can I get a Smash Drive Layout?
http://www.diystompboxes.com/cgi-bin/webbbs_scripts/webbbs_config.pl?read=329
Here it is:
http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/v2/index.php?option=displaypage&Itemid=157&op=page&SubMenu=
The Smash Drive may be too harsh but turning down the guitar volume knob can decrease the intense distortion.
You can also try the Electra, Distortion Plus or DOD 250 overdrive all can be found at http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/v2/index.php?option=displaypage&Itemid=50&op=page&SubMenu=.
Quote from: zenerHere it is:
http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/v2/index.php?option=displaypage&Itemid=157&op=page&SubMenu=
The Smash Drive may be too harsh but turning down the guitar volume knob can decrease the intense distortion.
You can also try the Electra, Distortion Plus or DOD 250 overdrive all can be found at http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/v2/index.php?option=displaypage&Itemid=50&op=page&SubMenu=.
its only too harsh if you actually use that .005 cap. personally i use a .068
Is that so, Ansil? Well then, thanks and I'll surely try that one.
This simple question is complicated a bit by the variables:
What type of amp do you use (tube or SS)?
What type of pickups (esp. important if you use actives)?
What type of general tone do you want (metal, blues, fusion, classic rock, etc. )
Do you use your amp's distortion or do you set your amp clean?
Something that sounds great with a Strat into a dirty Marshall might not sound so good with EMGs into a clean solid-state amp. The Fuzz Face is still a pretty good starting point, and is pretty versatile if you use a tube amp and passive pickups.
Just something to consider.
Quotethe last complete build I did was a preamp in my 45.00 Tiesco guitar to acheive a Frank Zappa type fuzz
BTW- just got the DVD of Frank Zappa's "Baby Snakes". Ah, the majesty of his tone in this era... Glad I got to see him every tour from about '75- '88.
Kerry M
Quote from: Ansilits only too harsh if you actually use that .005 cap. personally i use a .068
I just used a .1 in mine and that worked pretty well too.
Regards
RDV
Quote from: RDVQuote from: Ansilits only too harsh if you actually use that .005 cap. personally i use a .068
I just used a .1 in mine and that worked pretty well too.
Regards
RDV
cool beans RDV. i used to use that. but i found that it was too bassy for my tastes on smaller amps.. worked great as long as i used a couple of 12" speakers or better, but on smaller amps it got farty for me.. but that is my own personal opinion. also what outptu cap did you use. i used a .1uf. and found sonic nirvanna. of course i also used clipping leds. too.
Quote from: Ansil
cool beans RDV. i used to use that. but i found that it was too bassy for my tastes on smaller amps.. worked great as long as i used a couple of 12" speakers or better, but on smaller amps it got farty for me.. but that is my own personal opinion. also what outptu cap did you use. i used a .1uf. and found sonic nirvanna. of course i also used clipping leds. too.
I used a .1 on the output also. You know, I thought about diode clippers too. Where'd ya put em'? Between the .1 and the volume pot(I used a 1Meg Log)?
Regards
RDV
Thanks for the info-I play a Tele with Joe bardens in to a much modified Fender "75" head and 2,1X10 cabinets with reissue celestion C10's-Effects are Tubeworks smooth303,or DS-1 with Seeing eye mods,MXR AC powered Flanger and Zoom 507 multi.The lead channel of the amp kind of sucks so I keep searching for a nice overdrive sound not so much heavy distortion, but nothing I have is doin it yet.So I want to start a from the beginning project to learn from,hoping I can make simple alterations to the basic unit to learn what I am doing.By the way I spent the evening gutting an old Zenith stereo and got a bunch of transistors TZ 1054,1044 1053.Are these gooduns,and I also have a Midland solid state amp with some Sanyo transistors SB### and SD### are these Germaniums?
Quote from: RDVQuote from: Ansil
cool beans RDV. i used to use that. but i found that it was too bassy for my tastes on smaller amps.. worked great as long as i used a couple of 12" speakers or better, but on smaller amps it got farty for me.. but that is my own personal opinion. also what outptu cap did you use. i used a .1uf. and found sonic nirvanna. of course i also used clipping leds. too.
I used a .1 on the output also. You know, I thought about diode clippers too. Where'd ya put em'? Between the .1 and the volume pot(I used a 1Meg Log)?
Regards
RDV
i did indeed put them inbetween the cap and the pot.. actuallly i now put them from the first lug to the third lug on the pot since i dont' have to put them on the board now. i useda red 3mm led and a green 5mm led. sometimes before or sometimes after those i use a 5mm clear green. inline with the others. to tame the output and create crossover dist.
Quote from: KevinSTPThanks for the info-I play a Tele with Joe bardens in to a much modified Fender "75" head and 2,1X10 cabinets with reissue celestion C10's-Effects are Tubeworks smooth303,or DS-1 with Seeing eye mods,MXR AC powered Flanger and Zoom 507 multi.The lead channel of the amp kind of sucks so I keep searching for a nice overdrive sound not so much heavy distortion, but nothing I have is doin it yet.So I want to start a from the beginning project to learn from,hoping I can make simple alterations to the basic unit to learn what I am doing...
Winter on the cape is a good time for tinkering- not much else to do besides substance abuse and the occasional B&E. Well at least that's how was about 25 years ago when I was in my teens :wink: Your rig certainly sounds like you get a killer sound, [fx_snob]except for maybe that zoom thingy, whatever the hell that is[/fx_snob]. You may want to consider something that just clobbers the input of your amp, rather than a *distortion* effect per se. The AMZ Mosfet boost, Jack Orman's mini-booster (fat boost) or the NPN Booster project here, are all candidates. Not sure how this will work with your amp, which from what I know is kind of a strange beast. I've had good luck using the Tech 21 sansamp GT2 with loud&clean Fender type amps, but this is far from a beginner project for DIY.
Kerry M
Quote from: Ansilsometimes before or sometimes after those i use a 5mm clear green. inline with the others. to tame the output and create crossover dist.
You mean from hot to ground ran the same direction as the other two LEDs, right? I did that with 2 (5mm)Red LEDs, and then ran a 1N4001 the same direction as one of the LEDs and it smoothed out the distortion and brought the level down to a usable level. COOL!! I also tried a JRC386 instead of the Rat Shack 386, and it made no diff whatsoever.
Regards
RDV
Quote from: RDVQuote from: Ansilsometimes before or sometimes after those i use a 5mm clear green. inline with the others. to tame the output and create crossover dist.
You mean from hot to ground ran the same direction as the other two LEDs, right? I did that with 2 (5mm)Red LEDs, and then ran a 1N4001 the same direction as one of the LEDs and it smoothed out the distortion and brought the level down to a usable level. COOL!! I also tried a JRC386 instead of the Rat Shack 386, and it made no diff whatsoever.
Regards
RDV
nope.. actually i mean inline after the capacitor inbetween the two points like a load resistor. kind of like the heavy metal pedal from boss. but with only one of them.. like this
-------------[capacitor]--------------DI-----------------(pot with the diodes to ground across the first and third lugs.)
also the surface mount 386 is the best in my opinon.. although it isn't smt it is just alot smaller. it will still fit ian a ic socket if you fanigle it.
Quote from: Ansil
nope.. actually i mean inline after the capacitor inbetween the two points like a load resistor. kind of like the heavy metal pedal from boss. but with only one of them.. like this
-------------[capacitor]--------------DI-----------------(pot with the diodes to ground across the first and third lugs.)
I get it now, but strangely enough, putting the third diode the way I did it seemed to accomplish the same thing.
Regards
RDV
To me it sounds like you're after a smooth overdrive sound. The j-fet based Odie at runoffgroove.com offers some smooth "tubey" overdrive. Alternately, the various 4049-based distortions are fairly smooth and tubey if not driven too hard. There's a couple of PCB layouts at my web site if you're interested in either of these options. Otherwise, a TS9 or TS808 clone at low drive levels might also meet your needs, especially if one of the clipping diodes is replaced by a Ge diode.
The Cape is much less dead in winter than it used to be,and it is crawling with musicians,nice to hear from a local.For the most part my sound is great but Looking to get a Danny Gatton kind of sound,check out the "Relentless" CD.Not sure but I think a compressor is also needed.The Zoom thingy is a reverb-delay actually kind of nice.A booster is a cool Idea looks like the bigginer project here may be a good place to start.
Quote from: KevinSTPFor the most part my sound is great but Looking to get a Danny Gatton kind of sound...
Good luck! Danny would have sounded good playing a popsicle stick with a rubber band stretched over it! :D
Kerry M
OK giveme a break,I didn't mean to imply that a pedal will help me to play like him,I meant I like the overdriven sound he got most of the time.Now don't point out that I need a 53 tel and a 59 Fender amp,Because Roy Buchanan is my mean man and I can get his sound at times but only bits of it .But D.G often had an overdriven sound that seems to have compression,but these days I must to maintain family peaceI must restrain my volume so I am aiming for a good clean sound as a base and add outboard effects to achieve flavor.But I am fairly new to building circuts with understanding,I can disassemble and reassemble anything but not understand the basic reason for the components and values involved.IDIOT SAVANT!!!! Jesus I do ramble on.I just downloaded Joe Davisson"s "Simple Overdrive" Looks nice and easy.That plus the info yall will keep me busy. Hope I haven't dragged this topic to far afield. 8)
Quote from: KevinSTPOK giveme a break,I didn't mean to imply that a pedal will help me to play like him,I meant I like the overdriven sound he got most of the time.
Me, I want the pedal to play like him. God!,was that guy good! The Humbler! Truly!
Regards
RDV
I got a bunch of his CD's and they all are awesome.The Humbler,Relentless,Crusin Duece,and New York Stories keep me smilin.Why do they leave us so early?For raw emotional brain connected directly to the strings playin Danny and Roy do it for me.At the end of Roy double CD Sweet Dreams they gave him 10 or 15 minutes of time and said Roy do what you want and when my friend and I listened to it we were speechless,How in the world could one man,one amp and one Guitar make so many different tones?
Never did see Danny Gatton live, but did get to see Roy a couple of times back in the mid 70's . I remember him using two Twin Reverbs facing each other with a mike in between them. Same club I saw the New York Dolls at (The Performance Center in the Garage/ Harvard Square). Worked at the music store downstairs from there around the same time.
Kerry M
Never seen either of them myself.Not much of a concert goer.Although I did see Santana years ago on the common in Beantown,and saw Jimmy Page with the Black Crows a couple years ago.What more do I need?There is a Guy who advertises in Vintage Guitar-Bob Davis, in Glouchesterwho has a lot of Danny and Roy Videos for sale and I hear he has real ggod stuff,I mean to get some.
But for Now I think I am going to try the "Easy Drive" and then a Booster ala Orman