e.c.,
I just finished mine yesterday but I wanted to compare the sound I'm getting with yours (and anyone else's). Tone, volume and gain all work fine, but the low strings have a fuzzy quality about them.
I dropped the 33k res. down to 22k and I've tried using a MC4558 and TL072 op-amps. I'm also running on dc adapter as opposed to a battery, but doubt that has anything to do with it. Q1 is in a socket.
It works like it should (seemingly), but I don't remember either of the original SD-9's I had sounding like this.
Is there a resistor or cap that I can play with the values on to offset this (slightly) fuzzy effect?
Quote from: Bucksearse.c.,
I just finished mine yesterday but I wanted to compare the sound I'm getting with yours (and anyone else's). Tone, volume and gain all work fine, but the low strings have a fuzzy quality about them.
I dropped the 33k res. down to 22k and I've tried using a MC4558 and TL072 op-amps. I'm also running on dc adapter as opposed to a battery, but doubt that has anything to do with it. Q1 is in a socket.
It works like it should (seemingly), but I don't remember either of the original SD-9's I had sounding like this.
Is there a resistor or cap that I can play with the values on to offset this (slightly) fuzzy effect?
Hey bro do me a favor and try this simple test...play through your sonic distortion bypassed (clean) and see if the fuzzy effect comes in more prominently when you have the drive control up all the way...
I have recently found with 4 original sonic distortions that this eems to be a chronic problem that alot of people don't hear, probably because they're playing with distortion most of the time...but let me know if your clone does this as well...thanks
Ammscray,
Will do. Usually when I build a new pedal, I build it with battery clips instead of a dc jack and go straight to the in/out jacks and board without a DPDT switch (less to troubleshoot if it doesn't work right).
I'll wire up a DPDT on the Sonic Distortion and see what I get; I also will go over the component values with a fine-tooth comb. From what I remember, it went from a Tubescreamer-ish OD to a killer distortion; not really a fuzz pedal.
When troubleshooting Doug H.'s Vox EXP, which is getting no sound at all at the moment, I found that two of my 1M resistors (brown-black-green)were incorrect: I had been staring at them so long that I had gotten the colors mixed up and put in two 15ohm (brown-green-black) instead. :roll: It pays to doublecheck.
Quote from: Ammscray
I have recently found with 4 original sonic distortions that this eems to be a chronic problem that alot of people don't hear, probably because they're playing with distortion most of the time
I've heard about this before, with other pedals in addition to the SD9. I assumed it must be concern the fet switching...
What makes no sense it that it uses the same FET switching as the TS9 and others and they don't do that...I've tried changing the FET's themselves, also using different ones, and changing the diodes that go to them...also tried the transistors after those...no dice...in some of the original ones the bleedthrough was more pronounced than others...thanks for your replies guys
Does the type of power supply used affect it at all? I guess I'm shooting in the dark here, but it is an intriguing phenomenon..
Nope, it does it with both AC and batts...it really bogs me out, it's subtle but noticeable, especially when playing loud and clean with the pedal off...awesome box though, I've always liked them more than any tube screamer...
Anything R color codes I can't read at a glance, I run through the DMM to be sure of the value...takes an extra few minutes per build - hours? of debugging and I have a cup of rejected resistors to prove to myelf what a timesaver this is for me.
I built mine like schem, tyhe gain knobs taper's a little funny, used Si diodes...[something like2-3 series and another in the other way, [I sampled different and inverted diode configs]...basically I set it up as just a one trick dog, I think it does quite well at providing a nice medium hardness Dist.
By the way what are you using for clipping diodes in the SD?
I'm using 1N4148/914(?) silicon. I'm considering replacing them with T1 LED's to see what happens. I'm just curious about the fuzziness of the lower strings; it didn't do that with my original. I'll try a couple of other op-amps too while I'm at it.
Ammscray,
If you're playing an original, that had electronic switching, it may be an IC.
My cousin's Danelectro Tremolo (Tuna Melt) had the switching IC go out on it. It would play fine with the effect on, but when bypassed, it would sound very dark (like the treble turned down to 10%) and you would still faintly hear the effect. I asked some guys here on the forum and they told me which IC to replace. I replaced it (for $.50) and it's worked fine since. Just a thought. I'm not too sure on some of the older Ibanez' though.
OT, when is Maxon reissuing the Super Metal? I'm not about to try and build one and shouldn't have sold the one I had.
Quote from: BucksearsAmmscray,
If you're playing an original, that had electronic switching, it may be an IC.
My cousin's Danelectro Tremolo (Tuna Melt) had the switching IC go out on it. It would play fine with the effect on, but when bypassed, it would sound very dark (like the treble turned down to 10%) and you would still faintly hear the effect. I asked some guys here on the forum and they told me which IC to replace. I replaced it (for $.50) and it's worked fine since. Just a thought. I'm not too sure on some of the older Ibanez' though.
OT, when is Maxon reissuing the Super Metal? I'm not about to try and build one and shouldn't have sold the one I had.
The SD9 uses SK30A FET's for the switching and I have already tried replacing those...in bypass mode the clean sound is fine til you until you turn the drive control up...then there is some "fuzzy" bleedthrough into the clean sound...thanks
Bucksears,
I finally got mine to work. After completely rebuilding the board from scratch (etching, etc.) It worked. Unfortunately, I experienced similar tonal problems as you are describing. I replaced the diodes with Ge, Si, LED, symmetrical, asymmetrical, input cap, output cap, diode cap, etc...
I was never pleased with the sound, so I abandoned it. I'm still looking for a good wet distortion. I'm currently playing around with another tube screamer circuit on my breadboad to see what I can come up with.
Thanks for your help though!