Recommend me an OverDrive!

[shoegazed]

after a couple of years of looking i've stopped with the highway 89. i don't turn it off!

andy

[m-theory]

I've never been a TS fan, but I recently built a GGG version, with a few necessary mods, including one silicon diode and two red LED's, and I'm really happy with it.  It's got quite a bit of gain (at max) for an "overdrive," but also dials back beautifully, and cleans up well with the guitar volume as well.  It's also got significant output, and, with the red LED clippers, does sound "Marshally." 

I wouldn't personally call the BSIAB an "overdrive."  I know that some do, and if you compare it to a death metal tone, it's definitely not that, but it's got far more gain than a typical "overdrive" pedal would.  It does dial down very well, however, and it also does a very decent "Marshall" tone.  On the lower end of the gain settings, you can certainly get some AC/DC mojo, but overall, I think it's got far more gain that you'd need, if you're looking for an AC/DC type tone.  That's definitely not a "distortion" tone. 

[newbie builder]

One thing I'd note is that people often use much more distortion when playing AC/DC type stuff than AC/DC actually used- there stuff is in large part pretty low gain.

[oldrocker]

I modded my DIY rat and added a switch for the turbo switching off the SI diodes and using the LED's.  Not as buzzy or fizzy as the SI's and much louder.  My not be ACDC sound though but sounds cool none the less.

[enigmur]

Wow I thought this thread had sunken to the depths!

Cheers for all the replies fellas, I was actually looking at the HW89 myself - I think it may be what Im after, should be a fun build too!

Hopefully I have most of the parts already, possibly not the transistors.

I'll start work on it tonight perhaps.

Any layouts which work nice? Old Rocker, did you follow a particular one? It can be perf or vero, vero would be nice since it is a bigger circuit than I've done before.

Cheers!!

[oldrocker]

I did my Hwy89 without a layout at the time on perf.  Home-wrecker.com has the perf layout for it as does MarkM.  I'm not sure about vero since I don't use it.  I posted them below so you have some choices.
I used 3904's for the transistors in mine.  I think it sounds great.

http://groups.msn.com/DIYElectricGuitarEffects/schematicsandlayouts.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=107
http://www.home-wrecker.com/highway89.html
http://aronnelson.com/gallery/album76/Highway_89_LAYOUT_b
http://www.logmonster.com/images/full/?pic=Highway89Image_1179802981-422-15115.jpg

[ulysses]

i wouldnt say the hwy89 was an overdrive.. i would say its more of a distortion..

anyway, i did a really nice  vero layout of the hwy89 that will fit in a 1590b..

check my layouts..

cheers
ulysses

[oldrocker]

.

[mcasey1]

Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive!  Basically a TS-808 ( which I don't altogether appreciate due to boxy sound) with a blend pot that allows a dry boosted signal to be blended in(solving the boxiness problem).

[enigmur]

i wouldnt say the hwy89 was an overdrive.. i would say its more of a distortion..

anyway, i did a really nice  vero layout of the hwy89 that will fit in a 1590b..

check my layouts..

cheers
ulysses

I used yours, cheers for the layout man.

The board is all populated minus a 680nf cap (dont you hate that??)
Do you think BC109's would work in the circuit? They have an HFE around 120.

I also need to buy a 500k pot.

This should be an interesting one to try and box! I can see hours of hair pulling fun ahead of me!

[snorky]

My 2¢...

My modded SD-1 (according to http://fuzzcentral.ssguitar.com/sd1.php) sounds
amazing.  i play a Strat with Kinmans, and it's as good as anything I've ever tried.
(No so crazy about the modded DS-1 BTW...)

I've also played a ZVEX SHO, and that thing sounds great too, but haven't played one as much.

Lots of good suggestions!

- Mark

[enigmur]

The board is all populated minus a 680nf cap (dont you hate that??)
Do you think BC109's would work in the circuit? They have an HFE around 120.

BD139's, sorry...

[sfx1999]

It should work, but with less gain. Careful, the 2N5089 pinout may be different than the BD139.

[oldrocker]

Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive!  Basically a TS-808 ( which I don't altogether appreciate due to boxy sound) with a blend pot that allows a dry boosted signal to be blended in(solving the boxiness problem).

Even the regular Voodoo Lab Overdrive is cool.  I built the Justin Philpott circuit and it sounds great.  I've been dying to build the M. Hammer The Roseyray too.