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Projects => Build Reports => Topic started by: jkokura on February 14, 2011, 04:02:30 AM

Title: My Ego is too large?
Post by: jkokura on February 14, 2011, 04:02:30 AM
Also finished my Ego Driver today. I used the same font and a similar knob layout to the 'inspiration' for this build. It's probably too much of a clone really, but I thought I'd want to keep this one. I might.

So when I fired this up I realized I had the switch backwards, so I had to fix that. Also on my test run I realized that the TL082 sounds like junk that's been run through the wood chipper and then glued back together in. I don't have any 2272's left, so I tried an RC4558 I had on hand first, and it improved muchly. I might try some other options, but the RC4558 sounds good to me so far. It's not tubescreamer like at all. The tone knob gives a very wide range of control, but I find it's to sharp. between 7 and 11 it's like there's a blanket over my amp, and then between 11-2 it's pretty good, and then between 2 and 5 it's piercing. Well, maybe that's exagerating, but there's no fine control, it's on or off for the tone knob. The drive knob behaves similarily, but it works much more smoothly. I don't see myself using it in HP mode, as LP mode tends to sound better to my ears.

After I had switched the OpAmp, I found it excelled with the drive around 10:30. I liked it adding just a touch of hair and making my chords break up a bit. It responded really, really well to my picking dynamics, and I can see it responding well to stacking too. I might keep this one, I'll have to play with it a whole bunch first.

(http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/4297/imagenzg.jpg) (http://img535.imageshack.us/i/imagenzg.jpg/)

And the Guts.

(http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/1124/imagenqq.jpg) (http://img593.imageshack.us/i/imagenqq.jpg/)

Thanks for looking!

Jacob
Title: Re: My Ego is too large?
Post by: wilcorocks on February 14, 2011, 05:41:11 AM
Hey man,

The guts look great!  Super clean.  Great job as usual.
Title: Re: My Ego is too large?
Post by: nzCdog on February 21, 2011, 08:39:17 AM
Quote from: wilcorocks on February 14, 2011, 05:41:11 AM
The guts look great!  Super clean.  Great job as usual.
+1, I've learned lots from looking at your pedal gutshots
Title: Re: My Ego is too large?
Post by: FuzzMonkey on February 21, 2011, 09:28:06 AM
I wish my wiring was that tidy!  :-[
Title: Re: My Ego is too large?
Post by: madbean on February 21, 2011, 01:14:43 PM
Your description is pretty on par with my experience, Jacob. I've never been a big fan of the tone control in the OCD. I wonder how it might sound with a modified Muff control. The distortion is pretty darn sweet in that 10-2 range.
Title: Re: My Ego is too large?
Post by: B_of_H on February 21, 2011, 09:17:09 PM
put in a jrc4580D at 18v and you'll have everything from light overdrive to high gain distortion with clarity.

the 4580D also seems to clip less at 9v as well but if you are running the gain below 11:00 then the opamp isn't going to make a big difference. 
Title: Re: My Ego is too large?
Post by: redbean on February 22, 2011, 06:53:17 PM
Beautiful work, Jacob!  ;)

Btw, I am learning a lot by reading your (and other's) posts... I must've read a a couple hundred threads by now.  ;D

Title: Re: My Ego is too large?
Post by: jkokura on February 22, 2011, 09:10:30 PM
Quote from: redbean on February 22, 2011, 06:53:17 PM
Beautiful work, Jacob!  ;)

Btw, I am learning a lot by reading your (and other's) posts... I must've read a a couple hundred threads by now.  ;D



Great compliment, thanks! I really love building, and I feel like I do a pretty fair job at creating good products. I've learned a lot at this and other forums, and participating in teaching and helping is a way to give back for all the 'learning' others have given me.

Keep reading. There are really excellent resources that are and will be available here in the future!

Jacob
Title: Re: My Ego is too large?
Post by: redbean on February 22, 2011, 10:14:52 PM
Quote
Great compliment, thanks! I really love building, and I feel like I do a pretty fair job at creating good products. I've learned a lot at this and other forums, and participating in teaching and helping is a way to give back for all the 'learning' others have given me.

Keep reading. There are really excellent resources that are and will be available here in the future!

Jacob

I have been lurking here for about a week or so, reading all the tech threads and others. I came here by accident.... lucky me! ;D

EDIT: had to fix the quote above  :D
Title: Re: My Ego is too large?
Post by: B_of_H on February 23, 2011, 03:04:24 PM
Quote from: madbean on February 21, 2011, 01:14:43 PM
Your description is pretty on par with my experience, Jacob. I've never been a big fan of the tone control in the OCD. I wonder how it might sound with a modified Muff control. The distortion is pretty darn sweet in that 10-2 range.

I havent tried but perhaps a different value or taper of pot will help?  A reworked tone control section could be an interesting mod.  This makes me want to tinker again!  Damnit!  ;)

I dont know much about how these things work but the cap in line with the tone pot controls bass while the pot itself seems to dump high end to ground as its turned up? 
Title: Re: My Ego is too large?
Post by: Liam on February 23, 2011, 05:48:53 PM
How about just reducing the pot range?  Swap it for a 4k7, and then use a pair of series resistors adding up to about 5k3, one on each of leg 1 and 3.

Looks a nice build, very tidy. 

I think it will be next on the list for me.

Liam