The Fatcomp (mixed bean content)

[GermanCdn]

Alright, so I've been slacking it something fierce in the build report department, partially because I've been way too busy in normal life, and partially cause I've been in a little bit of a building funk as of late.  But time to correct both.

Originally, this pedal was supposed to be an Afterlife/Bloviator/Fatpants combo, however, it didn't go that way because a) I didn't have a Bloviator board kicking around b) since both the Bloviator and Fatpants are coming out as baby boards, I figured it would be an easier build with three small boards and c) because of the build funk I was in (building way too many circuits which I ended up not liking at all), I needed to really build a pedal that really made me want to play.

In the last Fatpants combo I built, it was pretty much a clean strat fattener with the Bloviator in front, I figured this would be an evolution of that.  I was wrong.  In a good way.  More on that later.

So, to the details.







I wired up the Afterlife first in the circuit.  The sustain pot is mounted to the outside (the lower single chicken head).  I ran the volume wiring to a small piece of vero with a trim pot - I didn't really see the point in having two volume knobs on the same pedal.  There's no discrete bypass for the comp or the boost, they're both on all the time.  Did this to keep the overall layout simple, and glad I did.

The output of the Afterlife is then run through an effects loop (the stereo 1/4" jacks at the top of the pedal), with the intent of being able to put an EQ/Autowah/OD in between the Afterlife and the Fatpants if I wanted to.

The Fatpants is wired post fx loop (the fx loop bypasses if no cables are plugged in).  Controls for the Fatpants are stock, and the Body switch is wired to the footswitch on the left with a dual colour LED.

I freaking love this pedal.  You can get a shimmery straight clean comp sound with the Fat at 11 oclock, the Level at 2 oclock, at the Sustain at 1 oclock, but I doubt I'll ever use it for that.  Crank up the Fat all the way, and you could almost rename the Sustain pot the "throat" pot, as the more you crank in up, the more SRV like the tone gets.  And having the Body switch on a footswitch allows you to push the tubes at will.  I was even nailing the Ty Tabor Gretchen Goes to Nebraska tone on the bridge pickup with all the controls cranked (played Over My Head for about an hour, which is about how long the live version goes lol).

I am really looking forward to putting this pedal through its paces at volume, which I haven't been able to do as the wife has had chinook migraines all week, and doesn't consider my playing the appropriate serenade.

Anyway, a great combo of effects which in the end is more than just the sum of its parts.

[eldanko]

I did an Afterlife/Fatpants combo a few months ago, and it hasn't left my pedalboard since!  Killer idea with the effects loop... I didn't even notice the extra jacks at first glance. These circuits complement each other so well. Great build!

[midwayfair]

Fantastic ideas ... the Fx loop especially to put envelope effects pre-boost.

[thesameage]

Can someone explain how to do the efx loop? I'm very interested in putting one of these together.

[GermanCdn]

Sure I can explain the FX loop.  You need to use two jacks similar to a Neutrik NYS212 (I think I used the stereo version thereof in this one, only because I had it in stock).  You run the output from the Afterlife to the tip contact lug (the one that comes into contact with the tip of the plug).  There is a corresponding lug on the other side of the jack leaf which is an intermittent connection - when there is no plug inserted, the tip leaf makes contact with the other side of the switch, connecting the other lug.  When there is a plug inserted, the leaf is lifted off the lug contacter, and the signal to that lug is interuppted.  You connect the intermittent lug of the send jack to the intermittent lug of the return jack, and then connect the input from the Fatpants to the tip contact lug of the Return Jack.  You do the same for the grounds, making sure they are all connected, as they are plastic jacks and won't ground to the enclosure.

[thesameage]

Thanks for that explanation! This thread has actually helped me to crystallize/clarify what I want for a bass pedal build. I'd like to make a general tone/presence pedal for bass that is a go-to-always-on kind of thing.

I'm thinking of doing Afterlife>effects loop>1776 6 shooter>Fatpants.

I'd love to add an OD or Fuzz, but as everyone's tastes always seem to change on that subject, I'm thinking that if I have the effects loop I can just insert whatever Muff or OD I'm into and then eq it with the 1776 to be more bass friendly.

What do you think of that plan?

[GermanCdn]

Sound good, but the 6 shooter takes up a lot of space, so if you're going to build a three in one, you're probably going to end up with a DD enclosure or larger.  If you're using an enclosure that large, you might as well put an FX loop between the 6 shooter and the FP as well, it's only going to cost another couple of bucks.

Also, if you tweak the frequencies right, you can use the six shooter as an overdrive.  I use mine as an OD for my teles, with the 800 Hz frequency dimed and all other pots adjusted to suit.  Bass would clearly be different, and if you're using a SS amp, it won't work as well.

If you really wanted to get cute, you could put a clean blend on one of the FX loops (like the JMK Panner) where you intend to put a Fuzz/OD, then you could dial in a blended OD/Fuzz, which works well for bass, and build up a separate dirt pedal, either Jacob's Big Bass Drive, Josh's Sucker Punch, or get Keefe to etch you a Sabertooth.

[thesameage]

I'm totally planning on a DD box. Can't see any way around it. That's fine with me.

Two effects loops? Now you're getting crazy! 

Though, a clean blend on one of them sounds like a good idea. I'll have to see if I can pull that off.

I do have an SS bass amp, so I'm not going to be able to pull off overdriving it via the eq.

[thesameage]

PCB's ordered! Now to find a cheap DD enclosure-- Orange preferred.