finally i've done....

I've built this a couple of weeks ago but since i can't get 2n5089's on my local store i had try with a bunch of other  transistors: 2n2222, 2n3904, bc108,bc109, bc549...and well: not bad at all, but not enought good still    (a lot of noise and a not too much "definition" either ) but....
i get a few 5089 samples from central semiconductors (i think) this morning and i put them on the blackfire....hey man!                              what difference!!! :shock: It's incredible but, the thing changed like day and night with the specified transistors...

I also changed the input cap from .1 to .001 and output cap from .1 to .01 because it has too much bass for my humbuckers, i'd tested more values for that caps and this are the values that sounded more fine to me :roll:

After that, i've checked all the voltages on the 5089's...all seems to be ok unless Q4 that is 3.3v on colector... :?  i dont know why but there are 3.3v no 4.5v.
I changed the 1k resistor to ground of Q4 from 1k to 1.2k and now there are 4.5v  

Now it sounds like an angel (well not exactly like that :wink: ) and surprise: it's really quiet! too much gain for me, ok, but it has a lot diferent sounds on it....i really love this thing, now i'm going to sleep  :wink:  but tomorrow i'll put it on a big amp at higher volume and i'll get a lot of time to test it "seriously".....

Thanks Joe Davisson for this....now i don't need spend a lot of money for a high gain pedal, i have the blackfire! one of the best sounding distorsion pedals that i'd heared (comercial effects inclusive)....I strongly recommend this built...Si señor! i do it...

P.S. you'll never have enought distorsion/overdrives!!!

what about vulcan?jejeje

Regards

I hear a lot of good things about this build..I think ill start in on it in the next few weeks..not that i have enough already--I just cant stop!

I guess it's about time i try those layouts i made for the blackfire

Hmmm I had breadboarded one but using 2n5088's instead, lots of noise/hiss/oscillation (and with a noisy environment to start with). In light of your post I'll get some 5089'S and try it again.

Ciao.

where can i find the blackfire layout/schematic?

Quote from: jimbobwhere can i find the blackfire layout/schematic?

Gringo has a "Joe Davisson pack" on his web page!  :wink:

http://gringo.webhop.net


I can't stop play guitar with it!!!! :twisted:  :twisted:  :twisted:

I'm working on a mp3 (maybe a pic too)  to demonstrate how it sounds...

I revamped my Blackfire layout to a more "compact" form, but haven't uploaded it.

The old one (7cm x  4.5cm) seems fine to me, but it's quite big, yet easier to populate.

If anyone wants the mini version (3cm x 4.5cm), i'll upload it (.bmp ready to transfer, .sch and .pcb files included).

surely i'll try it...my friend wants my blackfire :lol:  i must build another one...
I did the mod for lower gain (470k/470p to 2.2m/100p) and now it has not too much gain for my taste...i'll try to put both (470k/470p and 2.2m/100p) on a little piece of perfboard and make them switchable...i'll call it "clean" and "lead" or simply "boost" switch...  i think it must work fine...

Regards

latest schem:
http://www.analogalchemy.com/pedals/blackfire.gif

Thanks for the report! The problems with other transistor types could be due to biasing problems. Even 2N5089's can be off from my values. The 10k collector and/or 4.7M resistors should be altered slightly until the collectors of Q2, Q4, Q5 are between 4 - 5 volts. Unfortunately, discrete transistors aren't as builder-friendly as opamps.

By rebiasing, I've built the Blackfire with 2N3904's, and even germaniums.  The stages themselves are pretty stable. Should work with anything, if you can tolerate the gain loss. Q5 could be replaced by another entire stage if higher gain is desired.

It should be wired straight in a line, with no wires crossing, basically like you would on a breadboard. The output of Q4 should be pretty distant from the input. Meaning that the footswitch with the input wire on it shouldn't end up right next to Q4. It's a touchy bastard. The Vulcan isn't quite as haywire, well...

-Joe

Thanks to you Joe for this monster!

Have you built the blackfire with germaniums? :shock:  I have a bunch of them (all most older than me) and i would like to use them in any stompbox...i think it would be ok with the lower gain mod to have a good  "bluesy tone"... althoug it is very good as is!  What about the sound with germaniums? too much noise with it?


Regards

Using germaniums is probably a bit of a waste.  You'd need 3 stages to get the same gain, and it won't really sound better. Germaniums seem to work the best in the pedals they were originally in, Fuzz Face, Tone Bender MKII, etc.

-Joe

I've found that haveing a Q1 Ge amp [say booster schem or whatever]  imparts quite a bit of Ge-ness to whatever the rest of the circuit is.
 Suggestion [Ez nuff to try]..just try a Ge in Q2 of Blackfire, [Q1 being an emitter follower], bias and see if some Ge mojo that is  to your liking occurs.
  Ge's to me are like an inaccurate combination lock when you get say  three amp stages in a row...the numbers [bias] must be 'right' on all three for the sound to open up, and it seems the numbers themselves 'index' so that re-tuning for temperature etc. becomes necessary.
 Another question I've had about Ge's is: do thet warm up when current flows through them? More than once I percieved the onset of 'Ge mushiness' after minutes of playing them in a severe' Fuzz circuit, maybe even booster circuits....

I found using a GE in Q1 carried all the way thru the circuit with mushiness.    :oops:

Would the blackfire be good for metal, like palm muted bassy stuff? Bands kinda like a perfect circle or opeth.

At the right side of the BF board, and used a two knob tone control, just before the output pot, and a switched cut/boost R change on the pot, I can dial mild to med preset amount of cut/boost,  and use the switch to get 'there'. An excellent stage Stompbox.

Well, i don't have a web page to upload the sounds but a friend of mine live me a little amount of space for it... Tomorrow i'll record any more again because i'm not satisfied with the results, so you can get an idea how sounds my blackfire...
I'd record this with a washburn n2 guitar, the blackfire pedal and runoffgroove's cab sim after that...i'd adedd a bit of reverb by software (mostly in "soloist" guitar) and nothing more....
I'm the worst player in the world, I know it  :oops: , but i hope you can hear the blackfire and get an idea what he can do...
Here is the link:

http://www.hispasonic.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=musica&file=index&id=1877



Regards

I just got some 2N5089's from SmallBear and they measured between 733 & 800hFE.  The 2N3094's I have measured aren't even half that much.

There is something about the way the BF sounds.  I need to get a spectrum analyzer set up.  

Another mp3 sample:

http://www.hispasonic.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=musica&file=index&id=1886

Now with an active 3 band tone control adedd and also the "lower gain mod" had been reversed to his original state (470k/470p)...The BF has now lots of gain and there are a bit more of noise,of course, but it still isn't in a box and has long wires between cab sim, blackfire and the tone control board....

Washburn N2 = Blackfire = R.O.G. CabSim (Tweaked a bit) = WaveLab

*Reverb and Delay (last sample only) adedd by software.
*"Normalized" in a software editor to match level between samples.

I hope you like it...be careful with your speakers,it's a bit "loud" i think...

Regards

Nice sounding clips!

The BF is a favorite of mine.

Doug

Quote from: YouAreWould the blackfire be good for metal, like palm muted bassy stuff? Bands kinda like a perfect circle or opeth.

I'm not familar with those bands but I would think so. The thing I've found about metal is you want a sharp mid scoop around 1khz. The BF has plenty of gain for it.  Google "duncan amps" and go get his "tone stack calculator" software. You can take a known circuit like a marshall stack and tweak it to get the sound you want. Get that 1khz scoop and then slap that tone network between the last BF stage and the output volume control and you would probably have a nice metal pedal.

Doug