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Projects => Build Reports => Topic started by: Cortexturizer on September 14, 2013, 02:54:41 PM

Title: The Marble Dilemma [wicked switches content, 3-in-1 content, PF content]
Post by: Cortexturizer on September 14, 2013, 02:54:41 PM
And the Wicked Switches are live! Woo-hoooo.

My first 3-in-1 build in a dirty reliced gold finish with the graphics on top covered with epoxy resin.
Started out as a Gilmour in a box, but soon replaced the power boost with the Zendrive as I am more inclined to play my SG these days, and the Zendrive works so well with that guitar.

What follows is a MXR Phase 90 clone, done to be like the Script version and a I've added the two-depths toggle switch. The middle white LED blinks in the tempo of the LFO.

The last but not the least is a digital delay with tails [Merlin's Small Time delay]. In my opinion every delay should have tails. It is a standard, textbook example of a PT2399 chip usage, but works very well. Brighter on smaller delay times and becoming gradually darker with increase of the delay time. Still never gets muddy, I love it.

What sets this build apart from other builds I've done so far, of course except for the size, is that I've used electronic CMOS switching. No more 3PDTs. They suck anyway. This box should last me forever.
The delay has it's own FET switching, so actually I am using a CMOS chip to switch a FET, my mind is on the verge of exploding.

Will write some more, now I gotta leave the house, tell me what you think guys! Oh yeah, later in the day I'm gonna do a demo, definitely!

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/1273114_10151903857431337_460573660_o.jpg)

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/1270520_10151903857396337_1230403001_o.jpg)

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/1270417_10151903857441337_1495940483_o.jpg)

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/1278104_10151903857786337_1335108804_o.jpg)

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/859574_10151903857836337_1931270208_o.jpg)

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/1269388_10151903857826337_1849488947_o.jpg)

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/1263081_10151903858146337_765538232_o.jpg)

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/1265768_10151903858101337_491891068_o.jpg)

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/1149760_10151903858131337_77611252_o.jpg)

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/1244366_10151903858431337_1473626386_o.jpg)

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/1263016_10151903858486337_1720083694_o.jpg)
Title: Re: The Marble Dilemma [wicked switches content, 3-in-1 content, PF content]
Post by: hammerheadmusicman on September 14, 2013, 03:26:31 PM
Yup. Awesome! Love those switches! The graphic looks killer.

How is the wicked switch? Any popping/tone degradation when in bypass?

George
Title: Re: The Marble Dilemma [wicked switches content, 3-in-1 content, PF content]
Post by: jimilee on September 14, 2013, 04:13:34 PM
Quote from: Cortexturizer on September 14, 2013, 02:54:41 PM

What follows is a MXR Phase 90 clone, done to be like the Script version and a I've added the two-depths toggle switch. The middle white LED blinks in the tempo of the LFO.


Wait....what is that? How you gonna gloss over 2 depth mods with out telling what it is and how you did it? Unless it's a trade secret, I gotta know! Your work is beautiful as always.
Title: Re: The Marble Dilemma [wicked switches content, 3-in-1 content, PF content]
Post by: hylandren on September 14, 2013, 04:15:20 PM
Holy cow, what an undertaking.
I was also unaware that Storm Thorgerson had passed away. What a sincere tribute and the enclosure exterior is very fitting.
I know many guys don't label the controls on pedals they are building for themselves, but I am just senile enough that I wouldn't remember what was what without a lot of knob twisting.

"No more 3PDTs. They suck anyway. "
Uh, Take cover! Incoming! lol
Title: Re: The Marble Dilemma [wicked switches content, 3-in-1 content, PF content]
Post by: wolfingsworth on September 14, 2013, 05:07:54 PM
Damn dude! This is one of the most original, creative and well executed pedals I've seen. Good work! Now I'm intrigued about those wicked switches...
Title: Re: The Marble Dilemma [wicked switches content, 3-in-1 content, PF content]
Post by: alanp on September 14, 2013, 06:48:03 PM
For the sheer amount of STUFF inside there, that is amazingly tidy!
Title: Re: The Marble Dilemma [wicked switches content, 3-in-1 content, PF content]
Post by: timbo_93631 on September 14, 2013, 07:21:37 PM
All of your standing resistors and diodes are so awesome.  70's Japanese style!  Hiiiiiiii-ya!
Title: Re: The Marble Dilemma [wicked switches content, 3-in-1 content, PF content]
Post by: Cortexturizer on September 14, 2013, 08:51:50 PM
Thanks gents! I enjoyed this one so much. It was definitely hard to do, but more in a sense that I had to do so much stuff, it's just building blocks basically.
Yeah, I love 70s style soldering and wiring :D haha I loved your comment hehe.

Anyway, I haven't detected any poping from the wicked switches, they are awesome. As to the tone suck, I am unsure at the moment but will try it out later. I haven't felt like my tone has degraded so far, there has to be a minimal impact on the tone though. I will test and report.

Jimilee, it's just the 1M resistor on the phase 90. I replaced it with two wires going to the toggle switch. One posistion of the switch gives stock value of 1M and the other puts that blue trimpot above the battery in it's place, so I can dial in a second value by ear. Works great, two distinctly different sounds and depths. As to the amplitude of phasing, I felt like my p90 doesn't have enough low end, um, not enough wide of a sweep?, I don't know it's a cool phaser that I use for swirly sounds but I would have liked if it had some more travel to it's sweep. Hopefully it will be clear in the demo so you guys can tell me if your p90s sound like mine or better.

Hylandren :), yeah yeah I know, but I think most of the people are getting tired of em. Just...too much hassle on the long run and pretty non-elegant while engaging [imagine doing a ballad in a church and the stepping/breaking sound of the 3pdt echoes throughout the wide hall, not a cool moment that's for sure]

Alanp, yeah, I did the best I could really, insane amount of wiring in there. 3-in-1s with electronic switching obviously can come out that way hehe. Cheers
Title: Re: The Marble Dilemma [wicked switches content, 3-in-1 content, PF content]
Post by: croquet hoop on September 14, 2013, 09:53:34 PM
And I thought a 5-knobs fuzz was annoying to wire... I don't even want to imagine the time it took to wire it all. It looks stunning though, both outside and inside. Bravo.
Title: Re: The Marble Dilemma [wicked switches content, 3-in-1 content, PF content]
Post by: Cortexturizer on September 15, 2013, 01:22:07 AM
Here's a quick demo, mindless noodlin' of course :D . My camera bailed on me so I attached the sound only. For the competition I'm gonna do a video and a proper demo. Cheers

[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/kuato-design-stompboxes/the-marble-dilemma-demo[/soundcloud]
Title: Re: The Marble Dilemma [wicked switches content, 3-in-1 content, PF content]
Post by: jimilee on September 15, 2013, 02:16:40 AM
Man I still got another phaser I'm gonna build myself and this would be an awesome mod to do.
Title: Re: The Marble Dilemma [wicked switches content, 3-in-1 content, PF content]
Post by: midwayfair on September 15, 2013, 02:37:48 AM
Great build ... really tidy overall, and the switches and graphic are both really cool.
Title: Re: The Marble Dilemma [wicked switches content, 3-in-1 content, PF content]
Post by: lincolnic on September 15, 2013, 04:00:29 AM
This is very, very rad.
Title: Re: The Marble Dilemma [wicked switches content, 3-in-1 content, PF content]
Post by: ch1naski on September 15, 2013, 05:57:52 AM
Cortex, you've done it again. Beauty.
And I and my son are big storm fans. His Floyd art was the absolute best.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 4

Title: Re: The Marble Dilemma [wicked switches content, 3-in-1 content, PF content]
Post by: pickdropper on September 15, 2013, 02:43:04 PM
Cortex, this is just a fantastic build.  I really dig both the graphics and the insides.  The use of the wicked switches is a nice touch.

But I really like the photo dedication. 
Title: Re: The Marble Dilemma [wicked switches content, 3-in-1 content, PF content]
Post by: chuckbuick on September 16, 2013, 04:16:51 AM
Great build, man.  All around.
Title: Re: The Marble Dilemma [wicked switches content, 3-in-1 content, PF content]
Post by: Cortexturizer on September 16, 2013, 02:30:32 PM
Thank you people!
I'm gonna do a better demo and pack it all up as a contest entry.

What about that phase sound, is it like your regular phase 90? I ask because I never played one, I built the p45 version long time ago, and I am a heavy EHX Small Stone user [have an original from 1977], so this one sounds swirly and sweet to me, but I am used to the giant sweep that the Stone has. Anything unusual you guys can hear in the sound, sweep-wise, soundwise, whatever-wise? :D
I'm probably just too used to the Stone...
Title: Re: The Marble Dilemma [wicked switches content, 3-in-1 content, PF content]
Post by: Ettore_M on September 16, 2013, 03:34:46 PM
I missed this one!

Great build! I've never seen so much circuits in so little space.. (It's a 1590BB, isn't it?)

I'm really happy to see the Wicked Switches in a build like this. And excited to see how good they are. I'm really interested in the tone sucking. But I think it'll be negligable.

Again, well done! :)

Hector
Title: Re: The Marble Dilemma [wicked switches content, 3-in-1 content, PF content]
Post by: Cortexturizer on September 16, 2013, 03:39:39 PM
Thanks Hector!
Yeah, I'd say that the impact on the tone is pretty small. I still haven't made a test.

This is a 1590BBDD enclosure, so a size smaller than DD but bigger than BB, really useful size. Still, it was a squeeze!
But i wanted something powerful that I can take to a friend's house and just jam without having to take my big pedalboard all the time and all the pedals are velcro'd there and more [ziplocks and whatnot] so this seemed like a cool thing to do. Really happy how it turned out to be at the end.
Title: Re: The Marble Dilemma [wicked switches content, 3-in-1 content, PF content]
Post by: brejna on September 16, 2013, 10:03:48 PM
Wow it really looks great!!  8)
Beside of all that you have done, you also got me stuck on those CMOS switching.. I will try them in one of mine next builds
Cheers
Title: Re: The Marble Dilemma [wicked switches content, 3-in-1 content, PF content]
Post by: kothoma on September 17, 2013, 07:15:28 AM
Most impressive!