I just got done building a rangemaster following the schematic/layout from general guitar gadgets and while it sounds very nice to mine ears (a good tight boost into a sweet natural amp OD) I would like for it to have a little more output. Any way that might be possible? the link to the layout is here http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/diagrams/geb_rm_lo_pp.gif and the schem is here http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/diagrams/geb_rm_sc_pp.gif. I don't know if this would have any effect on the outcome of the sound but I used a 68k resistor attatched to a blue LED as I didn't have any red LEDs or 8k2 resistors. Welp. Thanks for the help!
My RM seems pretty loud already. What transistor are you using? HFE of transistor? Add another gain stage perhaps?
I used an oc44 transistor. How would you add another gain stage? sorry if that's a silly question, i'm very new to all of this. Thank you!
What is the HFE measurement of your OC44?
You could have 2x Rangemasters? Or tack on a single booster circuit like a ZVex Super Hard-on (SHO) after the RM?
Im such a noob. I don't know what HFE is...and I don't know how to test it...that's embarrassing...how do you do that? gah i feel foolish.
That's fine. We all have to start somewhere. :)
HFE is the gain of the transistor. If you have a digital multimeter, it might have a transistor tester that shows the HFE. 3 holes for the prongs of the transistor.
R.G's article (http://geofex.com/article_folders/rangemaster/atboost.pdf) might help.
Thank you for that link I am going to print it out when i get to a printer! And thank you for not judging me and for being helpful. My multimeter does not have the transitor reader on it. womp womp.
Can't help much, but where did you get the tranny? I have the Rangemaster on my "list" and I'm planning to get the transistor from smallbear. I know Steve always tests and reports the gain. Is it possible you landed a low output part?
George
I got my OC44 from westflorida electronics because they had a lot of the parts I needed all at once and it was fair shipping...unfortunately it didn't say the output of the transistor. But after I boxed it up and plugged it in it does sound good. I made it for a friend of mine for studio use. I think it'll probably sound best with a LP. It's a little much for my strat and dr.z unless i go to the neck Pup and roll some tone off. But it does give a nice tight boost/od. Hopefully this will show the picture of the finished product...It's only my 3rd pedal...please don't judge :) (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2420776&id=683891387)