Sanity check: Current Lover settings Gilmour/Summers

[kothoma]

Any ideas on how these classic settings

http://www.metzgerralf.de/elekt/stomp/mistress/settings.shtml#mildFlanging
http://www.metzgerralf.de/elekt/stomp/mistress/settings.shtml#mediumFlanging

would translate to settings on the Current Lover?

I have to commit: my current lover is populated (I guess more than a year ago) but not testet yet (but I remember to roughly calibrate it), I just need to find it in the chaos... I'm tinkering with the idea to somehow have some presets. Switching 4 poles would be all it takes.

(I guess I'm more into phase shifters, but I really need to finally finish this one...)

[gordo]

Just too many variables here.  Using a tele, strat...?  Amp?  On the whole though, the CL settings are pretty darn close to the EM that I had.  I would highly recommend running it at the higher voltage to get the original sound.  There really isn't any way to fake the SAD1024 sound (this is only my opinion) but the CL is a close as you're likely to get.

[kothoma]

[...] On the whole though, the CL settings are pretty darn close to the EM that I had. [...]

You had a Deluxe Electric Mistress or any of the older versions?

[lars]

There really isn't any way to fake the SAD1024 sound (this is only my opinion)

I agree. The SAD1024 was unique. A lot of 70's effects ran it in parrallel-multiplex mode at 512 stages, like the electric mistress for example.

[kothoma]

There really isn't any way to fake the SAD1024 sound (this is only my opinion)

I agree. The SAD1024 was unique. A lot of 70's effects ran it in parrallel-multiplex mode at 512 stages, like the electric mistress for example.

I'd never doubt that.

But let's stick with what's possible. Back to my initial question. The two links show settings on different versions of EMs. I'd like to know what the corresponding settings on a CL would be.

Maybe I should restate my question: which of the many different control sets of the classic EM versions is the CL based on?

That answer would allow me to eventually verify my build is working correctly (and probably estimate resistor values for presets).

[kothoma]

OK, I think I have the answer now.

After looking through all the different schematics I think it is clear that the CL (as the initial 9V EM from Markus W. and the conversion by Thomeeque) is more or less based on the Deluxe Electric Mistress from 1981 as for the LFO.

Comparing with Deluxes, the audio path was completly redesigned, not just a SAD1024 to MN3007 conversion got applied. The in and out buffering (added), pre- and post-filtering (omited, at least quite simplified) is different from all Deluxes. In fact the input side resembles more the non-Deluxe versions from 76-80 and the filtering in the second opamp is from the non-Deluxe of 81.

So I'm confident that the RATE and RANGE control work like in the Deluxe EMs. Only the COLOR knob could behave a little bit differently, but probably not or not much.

[RobA]

OK, I think I have the answer now.

After looking through all the different schematics I think it is clear that the CL (as the initial 9V EM from Markus W. and the conversion by Thomeeque) is more or less based on the Deluxe Electric Mistress from 1981 as for the LFO.

Comparing with Deluxes, the audio path was completly redesigned, not just a SAD1024 to MN3007 conversion got applied. The in and out buffering (added), pre- and post-filtering (omited, at least quite simplified) is different from all Deluxes. In fact the input side resembles more the non-Deluxe versions from 76-80 and the filtering in the second opamp is from the non-Deluxe of 81.

So I'm confident that the RATE and RANGE control work like in the Deluxe EMs. Only the COLOR knob could behave a little bit differently, but probably not or not much.

I think Scruffie just mentioned in another thread that the CL is based on the 9V Electric Mistress? That would be the 1981 Electric Mistress V6 in that chart. I was looking at the schematics of those two and that looks reasonable to me. Like you mentioned, the output buffers are different, but the input filtering and the filter on feedback path look close. The LFO is a match.

The section on setting up the various tones suggest that the V6 sits between a V5 and a Deluxe, closer to the Deluxe. The pot values for the feedback are the same too. That could be a good starting point.

Edit: The thread is here http://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=17514.0.

[kothoma]

I think Scruffie just mentioned in another thread that the CL is based on the 9V Electric Mistress? That would be the 1981 Electric Mistress V6 in that chart. I was looking at the schematics of those two and that looks reasonable to me. Like you mentioned, the output buffers are different, but the input filtering and the filter on feedback path look close. The LFO is a match.

Maybe I skipped V6 initially comparing the LFO sections? (Maybe because it's not refered to on the settings page?)

You're right, all in all, that's the closest match. But a few Rs are scaled differently in V6 compared to the Deluxe LFOs. The CL has the values of the Deluxes. Probably no big deal.

The section on setting up the various tones suggest that the V6 sits between a V5 and a Deluxe, closer to the Deluxe.

Hm. Not sure about that. V6 isn't mentioned on the settings page, or is it? I still think setting wise it is comparable to the Deluxe.

[RobA]

[...]
Hm. Not sure about that. V6 isn't mentioned on the settings page, or is it? I still think setting wise it is comparable to the Deluxe.

It's in the last sentence of the paragraph just below the "Settings" heading. The quote is,

Please note that the Electric Mistress V6 must be set inbetween the Electric Mistress V5 and the Deluxe Electric Mistress, closer to the Deluxe.

From that and looking at the schematics, I'd think it was pretty safe to start with the Deluxe settings and tune by ear. It seems to me that it's only the feedback setting that would need to be adjusted much.

[kothoma]

[...]
Hm. Not sure about that. V6 isn't mentioned on the settings page, or is it? I still think setting wise it is comparable to the Deluxe.

It's in the last sentence of the paragraph just below the "Settings" heading. The quote is,

Please note that the Electric Mistress V6 must be set inbetween the Electric Mistress V5 and the Deluxe Electric Mistress, closer to the Deluxe.

Oh my, now that you cite it, I instantly remember having read that line. But today it escaped me several times! Time to have my eyesight checked? Sorry for causing any confusion.

From that and looking at the schematics, I'd think it was pretty safe to start with the Deluxe settings and tune by ear. It seems to me that it's only the feedback setting that would need to be adjusted much.

Yes, that's sound advice.

Perhaps a bit more on the preset idea. I always have a hard time finding/remembering good flanger settings...
A 4P3T switch would allow for three set of controls (but no indicator LEDs).
Now I wonder if it would be better to have them all external and variable, or hide two sets inside, with fixed values (either fixed resistors or trim pots)?

[RobA]

I like the idea of the presets. I'm still half asleep though, so let me see if I'm following correctly. The 4P3T is going to let you setup the two variable resistor like controls (Rate and Range) with two of the poles and then the other two poles are going to select between the Color settings? You can get two that are done as hidden presets and one that is set with the exposed normal pots. That's clever! I think I'd do it that way, two settings as internal trim pots and then one as the normal pots.

[kothoma]

Exactly, that's the idea. Having all knobs on the panel would turn it into a true knob monster...