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Topics - aballen

#21
Tech Help - Projects Page / Current Lover on 15V
January 18, 2014, 11:46:31 PM
Today was a good day, I finally rocked a few builds and I'm ready to box them. 

Tenebrion reverb, just my new favorite reverb.
Timmy, fantastic sounding OD, I'm actually amazed at how simple it is, yet how good it sounds
Stage fright, just spooky... great phaser.  Its my first OTA phaser, really like it

And yes, finally my current lover, but I'm having a little trouble trimming this bad boy.  I have it running with a road rage at 15V, using an LT1054(with pin 1 lifted).

When trimming it, I have to pretty much move the bias trimmer fully CW to get flanging.  unfortunately, I still get a bit of distortion, and I cant trim it any further.  T1 is already fully CCW and adjusting the clock trimmer does not seem to help.

It is flanging, but it sounds a bit dirty.... any ideas here guys?
#22
Tech Help - Projects Page / Aquaboy self oscillation
January 02, 2014, 06:26:26 PM
My aqua boy seemed to give up on me, I was getting no delay, so I popped it open to check the BBDs. 

I re-calibrated the whole thing and I'm finding that I get self oscillation around 1/2 way up the feedback pot.  This is with T1 fully counter clockwise.  Not sure what to adjust here but I know this is not right.

I'm running with MN3005s, at 15V, boosted from a road rage, just in case that is a factor.
#23
Open Discussion / New toy
November 03, 2013, 12:39:48 AM
So I'm traveling for work a lot lately and my next trip will be for two weeks.  I just can't live without a guitar for that long.  My Kirn strat is just too nice to put on a plane so I went looking for reasonably priced guitar to travel with.

So I got My first tele and I have to say I'm pretty pleased so far. It's an FSR tele.



Already put on Schaller locking tuners and I'll be looking for wilkinson compensated saddle as well.  The pickups may get upgraded as at some point. They are pretty low output, butch traveling it does not really matter.  I'm going to give it some time before I decide on that one.

It's my first fixed bridge solid body.  I really like it.  I put on 11s after changing the tuners and the tone is just great.

I think would have preferred a satin finish on the neck anyone know how to properly burnish the neck?

Anyway, lovey new toy.  I don't know why I did not get a tele earlier.
#24
Open Discussion / The Nuts
October 31, 2013, 11:51:36 PM
Ok, I think I'm finally ready for my first multi-pedal.  I'm looking for some input cause I really have to narrow it down... The idea being one box, possibly with a built in power supply, containing my favorite effects.

No I'm not calling it the Andromeda 3.0, but I don't think I want to call it "the nuts" either, suggestions on the name welcome too.

I'm not sure if all these will play well together, is it safe to share a power supply?

Here is what I'm thinking.

  • Cornish buffer
  • BMP(Mudbunny... which version, can't decide, thinking a P-19, or maybe a triangle with a sonic screwdriver on a switch)
  • Small Clone, tonepad, with road rage @15V
  • Univibe, Harbinger One, with road rage @15V
  • Phase 90, tonepad... or maybe a stage fright... doh! can't decide here either.
  • Multiplex Echo Machine.... or maybe a DBD at @15V?... my last two MN3005 ?
  • Reverb... rub-a-dub, tenebrion, or prismatic... can't decide

All with opto-trons of course.

Anyway, I expect it will cost me, and take some time... so I better start building now!
#25
Build Reports / Harbinger One
September 21, 2013, 07:53:12 PM
Just wanted to show off my harbinger one.  I need to add some graphics, but its been rocked, and boxed, and it sounds amazing.

First off the light sheild.  I found some rubber 3/4" chair leg tips at the hardware store and some reflective tape.  Combined they made a pretty good light shield.



The pedal work the first time I powered it up, all credit goes to Brians excellent pcb and documentation.

Now I was originally planning on using the four holes to "wire down" the shield, but I came up with a better idea, that worked out perfectly.  I went with a shallower box, and used a light plate to hold the light shield in place.  I drilled a 7/8" hole in the light plate and the light shield went right in.  It actually presses the light shield right up against the board too.  Also the added benefit was I could easily take the shield off while twiddling with the trimmer, which I did a lot of.

Here is the shield mounter in the plate


and here it is on the board/enclosure.


You cant tell from the picture, but I mounted the light shield to leave just a hair of a gap between the enclosure.  This way when I fasten the bottom plate on I know I'm pressing the light shield right against the pcb.



Needs graphics and a sound clip.  In the meantime let me just say its a great pedal once dialed in.  With chorus off and the vintage buffer on, it goes from a nice smooth vibrato to an energetic one.  Flip on the chorus, and it gets lusher and more warbly.  Flipping on the modern buffer really intensifies the effect to where I can get a really swishy and warbly sound our of it, with everything jacked up it sounds like a lush rotary.

I'll be in Dublin this week, so hopefully I have time when I get back home to do the graphics and a clip to enter this is the monthly contest.

Very rewarding build.
#26
Tech Help - Projects Page / Sharkfin opamp substitution
September 13, 2013, 02:13:38 AM
Is it safe to replace the lm741 opamps with lm741 op amps?

#27
Open Discussion / crystalthore11
September 12, 2013, 04:06:22 PM
Anyone else getting offers privately via email from "crystalthore11"

User has not posts and just registered today.  Ceems a little suspicious.
#28
Tech Help - Projects Page / rotary encoder question
August 13, 2013, 02:58:54 PM
I'm trying to figure out what type of rotary encoder this is.(does it put out grey code, 2-bit or 3-bit)

I'm looking at the Alps EC11B and Alps EC11E.

http://www.alps.com/WebObjects/catalog.woa/E/HTML/Encoder/Incremental/EC11/EC11_list.html

Kind of a long story, I'd be happy to provide more details if someone thinks they can assist.
#29
General Questions / Visio or Omni shapes/stencils
July 13, 2013, 04:38:26 PM
I'm trying to find s good set of shapes for a document I'm putting together.  Basically I need shapes like in Brians wiring diagrams, or Beavis wiring diagrams, 1/2" jacks, 9V jacks, pots, battery snaps, 3PDTs etc.

I have not been able to find a good set out there, does anyone know if such a thing exists?

The best I could is for guitar, it has pots, but not most of the other parts.
https://sites.google.com/site/guitarstencilsproject/how-to-use-this-wiki



#30
Open Discussion / EHX is read my mind
July 12, 2013, 09:00:13 PM
My dig Dug 2 was going to look exactly like this.

http://www.electroharmonix.com/products/8-step-program-foot-controller
#31
General Questions / Electric Mistress w/SAD1024
July 05, 2013, 03:27:19 PM
well, I just purchased a SAD1024 so I can finally build one of these.

I found what appears to be a great, but large layout over at GGG, and I'm just wondering if anyone knows of any others, before I decide to etch this one.

Plans are for a Road Rage powering it at 15V.
#32
General Questions / Kingslayer volume.
June 30, 2013, 10:41:51 PM
I've built a couple of kingslayers, and they sound great.  I've noticed something weird about them though.

When plugged in to a solid state amp, they volume is loud, but not out of hand, can actually get it to unity with some good gain dialed in. 

When plugged in to a tube amp the gain is out of hand.  Its like this with any amount of gain dialed in.  Reducing the volume does not do enough.  This is for my build and one I built for a friend.

Has anyone else seen this?  Is there anything I can do about it?  I want the gain cranked, but the corresponding boost to the volume is just too much.
#33
Open Discussion / Worth a tenner?
June 14, 2013, 09:12:09 PM
This guys has some pretty neat stuff for sale.

What do you guys think of this?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/11-ways-Guitar-Effect-effector-Pedal-Power-Supply-converter-Distribution-ADAPTER-/400480354690?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item5d3e7d4182

Might be worthwhile if backed by a decent power supply.
#34
Open Discussion / How do you decide?
June 05, 2013, 11:14:49 PM
I'm simply running out o room here!

#35
Requests / Boss MT-2
May 28, 2013, 09:18:03 PM
Anyone have a good layout for the MT-2?  I have a friend who is really in to metal and wants one of these.  I found schematics and a very complicated layout here... seems like it would be hard getting this in to an enclosure.

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=91333.0;prev_next=next

Anyone know of a simpler layout?

#36
Are tubes more sensitive than solid state amps?

I recently went from a line-6 spider to an egnater amp, and I'm noticing it seems much more sensitive.  Here are a few examples.

My Kingslayer seems to boost my amp even at low volume.  I made one for a friend and he had a similar problem, but when he plugged it in to his eleven rack, no issue, on my line-6 amp, I did not see so much boost either. 

Also, my phase 90, seems to have some ticking now, I'm sure its the LFO, and I'll debug it, but it definitely was not noticeable on my line-6

Finally, my aqua puss has a small whine when the delay is turned past 12'o clock.  Its clock noise, again, I just did not hear it before. I'll have to re-bias it.

I'm going to fix all this, but I'm curious is there is some kind of attenuation on solid state amps that does not exist on tube amps that would explain all this?
#37
Open Discussion / New gear for my bday
May 25, 2013, 11:49:50 AM
:D

Well I'm turning 40 this weekend, and I thought I should get myself something special.  That coupled with a gift certificate at guitar center, and a 25% coupon... and a trade in.

I traded up my spider IV 120 for this.


Other than my firefly amp, this is my first real tube amp.  I have to say I'm pretty pleased with it.  Seems to really nail some tones that I wanted,  I find I'm preferring the EL84 over the 6V6...bit I've only had it for a day.  I would have preferred a combo amp, but this is what they has in stock, and frankly its easier to carry.

Suprisingly loud too for something so small.... love new toys.
#38
General Questions / ABDX Modulation LED
May 08, 2013, 02:37:17 PM
I noticed the modulation on my ABDX is mild compared to the ZPSDX(which is just crazy)  I was wondering if this is correct?  Also when the wave switch is in the middle position, meaning modulation off, it still pulses... is that correct?

Just in case this is a factor.  I modded my ABDX slightly by using a water clear blue(ultra bright) LED for the modulation indicator and power indicator.

I put the positive lead to the board, but the negative lead to the GND lug on my 3PDT, so when the pedal is off, the modulation LED goes out as well.

I had to put a 22k resistor in front of the LED, it was simply blinding.
#39
Build Reports / My Sonic Screwdriver
May 03, 2013, 08:34:06 PM
I was really intimidated, but I liked the challenge as well, so I figured why not take a shot at it.  This is my first SMT project, and right now I'm just bouncing off the walls cause it worked, the first time I fired it up.  It is a damn versatile pedal too.

I took my time and tried to be methodical.  No where near as clean as the masters work, but I'm still satisfied.

First I did the resistors, they were the smallest components, so I figured if I could do these, the rest would work out.


Then the capacitors


and the rest, here is a pic to give you some scale.


I made some little pot mounts from strip board, like in Brians build doc, very handy.


I really took my time drilling, one hole at a time, eventually I got it wired up, and put in that one last tranny.


I have to decide on which knobs I will use on the sides, big ones or small ones?  Right now I'm leaning towards the smalls.




I have to get it labeled, but it all fits nice... I have a lot of boxes in need of graphics right now.

Thanks Dave for the inspiration and the great board.
#40
As I build more and more pedals, I'm finding I'm surprised by the effects that I really love.  Compressors for example... so boring, but so awesome.  Reverb... I have really taken this one for granted, but I'm so blown away by my rub-a-dub.  I'm building a tenebrion reverb now too.

After looking at the schematics on the Belton brick I have a question.  What is the difference between common and ground?  I'm looking at the schematics here http://www.accutronicsreverb.com

I'm pretty sure there is a difference and I've reviewed the schematics for the rub-a-dub and the tenebrion reverb.  On the rub-a-dub, it looks like common is "close to GND" there is a 10k resistor between VCC and common.  Is that simply GND on a conditioned supply?  On the tenebrion, I see a Vb, also not GND, but I'm not clear on what it is.

Both examples make it clear I'm not understanding the difference between common and ground on the accutronics schematics.  What is the difference?