Cardinal Tremolo - 2013 version

[lars]

Here is a build of the older version of the Cardinal Tremolo. I've had the pcb sitting around for over a year, and I don't know why I didn't build this sooner, because it is a great effect!
I used 2N5458s for the JFets since J201s and 2N5457s are getting hard to come by these days. The 2N5458s work great once they're biased in, so it's a good alternative with very low noise (probably better than J201s).
I also used the generic KE-10720 LDRs from Tayda coupled with green LEDs in place of the VTL5C1 vactrols, and it worked out well, with a just a few changes to the resistor values in that part of the circuit.
It was actually a little tighter of a squeeze than I expected to get everything in there, but I really wanted to make sure this could run off a 9v battery. I had to dremel down a little bit of the lip on the bottom plate to get everything to fit.
This pedal can produce some really choppy to very subtle tremolo sounds. The circuit is an all-around outstanding design by Jon Patton.

[Coda-effects]

Wow !!
Love your design, the faceplate is absolutely gorgeous!

Well done!

[m-Kresol]

I agree, looks absolutely pro

[storyboardist]

Love the faceplate/hammertone finish. Great work!

[Leevibe]

That looks truly beautiful. Tell me about the faceplate. The word "depth" looks engraved. It looks like the plate from a piece of industrial machinery, and the engraved part would be a serial number. Really cool man.

[Boba7]

Very classy!!

[midwayfair]

Looks really nice.

I'm very surprised you were able to get the Tayda photocells to work; I've never been able to get anything but the VTL5C1 to work in either version for the full-range side. (The Tayda cells should work just fine in the treble side of the old version, but I didn't want to confuse people.)

[lars]

Thanks for all the nice comments. I think it's pretty obvious I "borrowed" the look of the old DeArmond Tremolo Control for the design. The faceplate is actually all sticker material:  Avery shipping label stock and a stick-on aluminum sign I cut for the backing. I wish it was silkscreened and etched like old machinery labels, but who has the equipment to do that?
The knobs were interesting. They started as the typical clear/black speed knobs with white numbers. I found that brake cleaner easily removes all the paint to make them completely clear. Then I poured in some polyurethane to fill the gaps and get rid of the angled part of the plastic, now they look more like a solid piece. It also gave them a vintage yellowed tint.

I'm very surprised you were able to get the Tayda photocells to work; I've never been able to get anything but the VTL5C1 to work in either version for the full-range side. (The Tayda cells should work just fine in the treble side of the old version, but I didn't want to confuse people.)

I'm sure mine sounds a little different than what a VTL5C1 sounds like in there, but I really like it in this configuration. Maybe if I ever get some VTL5C1's, I'll try that and compare.
Here's a quick sound clip (a lot easier than lugging around a Lowrey organ)
[soundcloud]http://soundcloud.com/larsjm/cardinal-harmonic-tremolo[/soundcloud]

[stringsthings]

Looks great and sounds great !

[Orbis_Ignis]

That looks great! I really need to pull the trigger on the cardinal. It's been calling my name

[nzCdog]

that's hot!