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I managed to cram it into a 125BB with top mount jacks! The Chaos Control has been moved to the outside of the box. I took some liberties with the control names.



I had to get a little creative with jack placement. The extra height of the 125BB is definitely required for top mount jacks.



The finish is ink jet on printer paper. I used acrylic as a fixative, then Mod Podge to adhere the print. More acrylic went on after that for the clear coat. The enclosure was quite rough, so I had to do some serious buffing just to get the "distressed" look you see on the sides here.



I wanted a little more chaos, so I substituted a B25k for the recommended B100K pot. It's still more subtle than I had anticipated in some settings. I may also find a way to bypass the resistor in the feedback loop (R27) for even faster swell speeds. I built this initially with a short Belton brick, thinking it would be more versatile. That may be, but the short brick would not self oscillate at all in this circuit.



Some of the larger caps are bent forward to accommodate the jacks. I was having flashbacks to failed 1590A builds as I boxed this! Still, I'm glad I went with a smaller enclosure.

Thanks, DiabloChris666, for making this PCB available.

I'm looking to add a blend control to the Pork Barrel. It looks like the wet and dry signals are mixed before hitting IC1_B. Could I omit R9 and R26 and use a b100K pot in their place?

Red	Lug 1
Green	Lug 2
Blue	Lug 3

Would this be enough resistance to go 100% dry to 100% wet?

Two simple circuits, each with a single transistor: a SHO on the "Thagomizer" side and an Electra distortion on the "Scutes" side, plus an order switch. Each circuit features a single bias control. These circuits sound surprisingly good given how simple they are.



I used 1N34A clipping diodes in the Electra, so there is a fair amount of boost on tap as well. Maybe not great into a clean amp, but it suites my needs.



Were I to build again, I'd probably make both circuits on one board to clean up the ground and power connections.



I used a waterslide over a bare enclosure to get a silk-screen-esque look.

I'm curious what the general opinion is of NTE parts. It's the only brand I can easily source locally, so it would be nice if it was a reliable option. Sometimes all I need is a couple of diodes or a single transistor. I'd rather not have to make such a small mail order.

My hang up is they use a completely different system of part numbers from anyone else. There is a resource for finding the "equivalent" part (http://www.nteinc.com/index.php), but the datasheets are sometimes formatted in such a way that it's difficult for me to tell how comparable a component is. For example, the resource recommends an NTE109 as a work-alike for a 1N60P. It lists VF at IF= 200mA. Every datasheet for 1N60P lists VF at IF=1mA. I'm not sophisticated enough electronically to know how these measurements compare.

Does anyone else have experience with NTE equivalents? Have you found the reference to be reliable, or should I take it with a grain of salt?

I've always loved the sound of my mahogany-topped dreadnought. It records beautifully, but I've never been able to get an amplified sound I was happy with. Over the years I've tried various arrays of piezo pickups and stereo setups. I finally settled on a magnetic sound hole pickup. It still doesn't sound like the guitar, but it has a cool mutant archtop sound that I also like.



I like playing it into an amp, but I also wanted the option of running it straight through a DI. So I decided to build an on-board preamp to avoid loading down the pickup. The circuit is basically an MXR Micro Amp with a Big Muff style tilt EQ. There is an almost imperceptible scoop in the mid range (welcome in this application) and very robust output level.

The external controls are connected by shielded wire (lug one on both of the controls goes to ground anyway). I was originally planning on mounting the controls inside an enclosure, but I couldn't find pots with long enough threads to get through the enclosure and the side of the guitar.





The gain pot is mounted internally.



I used zip ties for strain relief on the external pots. I went with 3.5mm jacks as opposed to 2.5mm because they are more readily available and a little more robust.



Pickup input at the top. Output to strap button jack on the bottom. The battery is wired externally and sits in its own bag: it's easier to change this way. I wanted the whole thing to be fairly modular. I can swap out the pickup or the preamp without having to solder anything this way.





Drilling those holes was one of the most nerve wracking things I've ever done!

First, thanks to Govmnt_Lacky for helping me troubleshoot.

This is a "viola pink" enclosure from Tayda. The fan graphic is actually printed monochrome red and the lettering cyan. I definitely had to use my color science to calculate the result. I used a mixture of water and Mod Podge under the decal. I would recommend this approach to everyone as it eliminates silvering and allows more time for placement.



There are some minor modifications on this build, but nothing too revolutionary. I opted for an external "gain" control because I like to use tremolo to drive fuzz pedals, and the extra knob gives me a little more flexibility for that. The "chop" control is a B500k pot that pans between the two wave forms (sine and square); clockwise is square, thus more chop. The "rate" control has been replaced with a C100k pot as I felt this makes more of the range of the control usable (it's easier to tune the faster settings). No "rate" indicator because I find them distracting during performance.



The LED is actually fuchia!



...and, of course, a white DC jack for a little extra panache.

Clari(not) built stock on vero. If you haven't heard one of these yet, go listen to some demos! It's a really fun circuit.



I'm really pleased with this enclosure. The knob arrangement is tight, but I think it makes a statement.





I tried to refine CultureJam's Mod Podge finishing method with this build (detailed here: http://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=25132.msg244698#msg244698) I purchased the enclosure powder coated. The graphic is a water-slide decal that I adhered using Mod Podge to prevent silvering. I used a 4:1 Pogde:water mixture that I put down as I wet the decal. This way the decal could slide over the wet Mod Podge. I let it dry for 24 hours. The clear coat is also Mod Podge. I basically followed the directions here: six thin coats with a fine brush, 15–20 minutes in between coats. I let it dry for a day or two, then sanded: first with 400 grit paper, then with #0000 steal wool. Mod podge recommends wet sanding, but unless the stuff is fully cured (four weeks!), I would avoid this as it can rehydrate and start to peel. To get a semi-gloss finish, I did a final coat with the 4:1 mixture, them buffed with Scratch X (an automotive compound).



This looks sloppy, but the slack in the wire makes it much easier troubleshoot and install.

I'm planning to build an Electric Boogaloo and I purchased a P-LFO board at the same time for some undetermined future project. It just occurred to me that I might be able to use the P-LFO to modulate the rate or depth of the tremolo.

Has anyone used the P-LFO board for anything other than delay? How'd it work out? Are there any pitfalls to be aware of?

This is a stock Fat Pant Jr. in vero.



No need for labels with just one control. I wasn't feeling inspired with regards to graphics and the winter weather wouldn't have allowed for reasonable dry times anyway.



I'm not going to win any tidiness awards with this build—or with any vero build, probably. Clearance between the output jack and trim pot is just above zero. I was more concerned with how well it will fit on a board.



I don't mind building into 1590As, but I've found the small from factor keeps them from mounting securely to a pedal board. The 1590B allows for more Velcro contact.



The wide format allows for top-mounted-jacks, which are a must for me. You could also turn it sideways and it would still take up less space than the standard 1590B jack arrangement.

This was my first time working with vero, so it seemed like a good idea to start simple. This is a straight up Earth Quaker Devices clone...which is their take on the venerable Electra distortion. I used a 10k pot and bridged lug 1 and 2 with a 10k resistor because I forgot to order a 5k pot.  The taper works just fine, but a linear taper would probably be ideal.



This circuit would easily fit in a 1590A enclosure, but I am incompatible with those. Also, I needed a bigger box to accommodate the giant knob!  This is the most compact jack arrangement I could think of on a 1590B and it allows for more Velcro surface area, which means greater stability once on a pedal board.



I arrived at this arrangement after much deliberation. A wide 1590B enclosure still takes up less width than two 125B enclosures side by side. I'm still reaping the space-saving benefits of top-mounted jacks, and a 1590B fits nicely on one rail of a Pedal Train board.



I generally don't like unlabeled controls; however, with just one control, it didn't really feel necessary.



I purchased this enclosure powder coated from Mammoth Electronics. I've given up on spray-paint/polyurethane  finishes, because I haven't found them to be very durable.

So far, I'm pleased with the sound of this circuit. Warm, but not dull. Just enough grit. A little boost in the lows and a modest, but noticeable boost in volume. I may try running this after delay and reverb for that wall-of-sound thing.

I have a few 1590A builds that I'm trying to integrate into my main board. Even with industrial strength velcro, I can't get them to adhere to my board securely. Their position is unstable with normal use. I'm using a Pedal Train Jr. with the strongest velcro I can find. Is this the nature of the 1590A? Should I be using zip ties as well? Should I rehouse everything into 1590Bs for increased velcro surface area? How do you 1590A enthusiasts keep everything locked down during a gig?

I'm looking for a circuit that will provide a non-clean boost. I want a little color and grit, but not so much that it could be classified as an overdrive or distortion. The fewer knobs the better. What projects should I be looking at?

Have you ever purchased a commercial pedal that you loved the sound of, but couldn't stand the look of? Did you repaint it, rehouse it, or just decide to live with it?



I recently purchased a Morley Twin Mix (I was too lazy to build something myself). The pedal is well built and works wonderfully, but the graphic design is atrocious. I actually think it makes it harder to use.

Please share your thoughts. Or pictures of ugly ducklings!

This is my Grind Customs FX Tenebrion reverb with some additions. I used a long Belton Brick. All other values are stock.



The "swell" switch momentarily bypasses the R11 in the feedback loop and maxes the "dwell" control by shorting the 2 and 3 legs to create self oscillation. The speed of the swell is highly dependent on the "reverb" knob, so I didn't feel the need to add an additional control. I may eventually add an internal trim pot to fine tune the response of the "reverb" knob in "swell" mode.



I would have preferred to make these connections to the bottom of the board, but the Belton brick covers them.



The scarab ended up looking a little distressed due to my poor application technique, but I actually like the end result; it looks more like an Egyption relic this way.



Around nine o' clock on the "reverb" knob infinite sustain starts (with "swell" engaged). Anything past one or two o' clock gets out of hand pretty fast. The "tone" knob can have a surprising effect on the quality of the self oscillation. "Tone" all way up and "reverb" low creates a passable shimmer effect. "Tone" down and "reverb" up sounds like a runaway delay.

Red Llama into a Maestro MFZ-1, using BYOC 1590A boards.





This project was ornery and fought me the whole way; I finished the enclosure 4 times before getting it "good enough". The water-slide isn't my best work, but I wasn't going to fight this project any more. It started in a 125B with a different PCB for the Red Llama side of the circuit, but it was too cramped for troubleshooting when it didn't work.



I also had to replace a 3PDT after moving to the new PCB and larger enclosure. The last insult was a stripped knob. I bored it out and fit it with a larger grub screw.

Built from a BYOC Analog Flanger kit. This was my first time working with a water-slide decal. I'm surprised at how well it came out. It did take a couple of attempts to find a shade of yellow that would show up over the pistachio green.



I socketed some parts for future tweaking in the second delay line. I also swapped the B line MN3207 for a MN3208, increasing the delay time. This allows for dual-voice chorusing in "lush" mode.

Do you have a preference? Why?

In my experience top-mounted jacks translate to space savings on the pedal board. Has anyone had any noise issues with certain circuits and jack arrangements?

[PSA:]

Built a double pedal trem/verb for a friend. I used BYOC micro pedal boards because I knew they would fit easily and sound good.  I added an order switch; verb into trem is traditional, but I love the sound of trem into verb. I was surprised at how good the reverb sounded—smooth, lush, plenty of range, though maybe a little bright for some.







I used acrylic paint and clear coat with an oil-based marker and stencils for the lettering.

PSA: Rest-Oleum brand paint stinks out loud! It doesn't want to adhere to metal. I had to finish this enclosure twice and touch it up even after that.

I've built the Tenebrion stock with a long brick. I love that I can get it to just barely self oscillate. I would like to add a momentary foot switch to allow me to push it into self oscillation, but I'm not quite sure how to implement it. Would it be as simple as shorting past R11, or from L3 of the "feedback" pot past R11?

Here's the schematic for reference:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/28586266/GCFX%20Build%20Docs/TenebrionBuildDoc.pdf.