Styx Drive

[Cortexturizer]

This is the R Customs layout of the Upper Decker.Huge layout but incredibly good sounding high-gian pedal that I made for my friend. The boost part is just a LPB-1, I found it to sound really good post-wreck. In the end I decided not to label the knobs cause I liked the simplicity of the swirl + pedal name in white.
I am not big on distortions at all, but I really like this one although it's waaaaay too heavy sounding for me. But it wasn't meant to be played by me hehe.
I added the cheesy post-effects on the photos just for fun, never done that before.
The swirl finish was done by my other friend, who swirls guitars masterfully. I left it unlacquered because I loved the slightly embossed and raw looks and feel. The swirl is incredibly hard and stiff, I drilled through it with my hand drill and it haven't moved at all, no cracking, nothing, incredibly done, my friend Zoran really is a master of swirl!

Under the main board lies the boost, the voltage doubler circuit that infuses the wreck with 18V, though the boost part works on 9V of course.
The only mod I did on the circuit is that I changed one 4,7nF cap on the Treble side to 560pF because I noticed that I always had it crancked to get a good sounds so I reduced the cap to not have to cranck it all the time.
I decoupled the two circuits right at the DC jack. That's what those 470uF and 100r resistors are for.



















I do have some clips of this, if someone is interested I might post them.

I haven't built much stuff over the past few months and the competitions were fantastic but I was unable to compete, and now when I have a couple, actually three builds in August, there's no competition! blah...

Oh, I etched this monster board myself, completely DIYed it, came out great, used the magazine paper/iron method. Wasn't easy, but turned out fantastic. A couple of pictures of that

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jdMth_wjlb4/UhppTOJsDhI/AAAAAAAABcI/tjBLe82KE4A/w401-h534-no/IMG901.jpg
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xhASgx5dRT4/UhppTJ98-aI/AAAAAAAABcM/JoQ7FbzFv3M/w401-h534-no/IMG903.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-9a7EkbokDBY/UhppTtfTMwI/AAAAAAAABcQ/AhKOUbmqnS8/w712-h534-no/IMG904.jpg
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-hnSZKhWApxU/UhppWUFLukI/AAAAAAAABcY/ovylEzAFpS4/w712-h534-no/IMG905.jpg
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cryYdVuYLiE/UhppXB9HC0I/AAAAAAAABcg/P0R3plaFJQk/w712-h534-no/IMG906.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-3eNQkkY-KpI/UhppXz5CoDI/AAAAAAAABco/r8F6ie0cu7g/w712-h534-no/IMG907.jpg
not the cleanest looking but nevertheless made for a great souning beast
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-AQ-Oi94amUw/UhppYyPqzBI/AAAAAAAABcw/G0KsQuyYz1M/w401-h534-no/IMG908.jpg

[midwayfair]

Your friend is a lucky guy.

The madbean contest for August is combined with September, so you could enter one then.

Of course, you could also have entered something into the DIYAtompboxes contest I'm running this month, which I posted about a couple times.

[gordo]

That's just gorgeous inside and out.  I agree, I like the way the black is a bit puckered and you can see bubble pops.  I gotta try the swirl thing, I really like how it looks.

[jprizz]

I am not a fan of swirl finishes but this one is just awesome! It as if it speaking to me, "open your mind..."

[jimilee]

That's awesome looking for sure. I chuckle every single time somebody builds an upper decker. That's great!

[lincolnic]

Great swirl, nice wiring!

[richard_mcg]

Agree with everyone - that swirl effect is amazing!!

[alanp]

Agreed, that is a hugely dark and intense swirl. You should do a build with Rej, where the two of you collaborate on the art

[juansolo]

Super swirly awesomeness! 

[Cortexturizer]

Thanks man!
Yeah I am really satisfied with this one, and I wasn't a fan of swirl at all until I saw it on a pedal I built hehe. Cheers!

[selfdestroyer]

Wow the looks great. Also, I commend you on the magazine transfer method. I fought and fought with that method when I first started etching and I gave up. I just could not get solid results but yours is great.

[snz728]

yes good swirl, etch and wiring

[hylandren]

I too am not generally a "swirl" guy, but this one is primo, as is the rest of the build.
You're a brave man, putting that pedal out on that window ledge like that...

[Cortexturizer]

hyladren, snz728 and selfdestroyer thank you guys, always a privilege to receive good words from y'all!

[DutchMF]

This looks freakin' awesome!!! Such a beautiful, well-executed finish! Damn.... Sure hope  it sounds as good as it looks! (and I think it does) Lucky guy you built it for!

Paul