Pizza Rat (Aion Helios)

[Timko]

The winter build season is winding down for me as warm months, outdoors, and disc golf are calling my name.  My friend who asked for the Muff I posted earlier in March has a friend who works at the same guitar store.  He just bought a Peavy T-60 and a Peavy Deuce.  He wants the most 80s pedal for distortion he could think of.  I hadn't planned on any more builds this winter so I could focus on a somewhat original design that has unfortunately not worked out as expected, but I had a Rat board in my collection and agreed to do the build for him to take my mind off of the other circuit debacle.

Aion board with LEDs in the 2nd clipping diode option.  I also used a TH Custom Opto Bypass board.  Thanks to Matmosphere for hooking up the metal can LM308.  I know they don't sound that different than the plastic ones.  They just look so cool.  Your jacks are in the mail today (sorry about getting them to you so late).

I looked long and hard for a theme for the artwork.  I had originally thought of focusing on cheese words, but I stumbled back onto the Pizza Rat meme late one night and decided to run with it.  It's also the first time I've ever used hammered paint (I did on the sides).  This stuff is impossible to mess up!

This will probably be it for me for a little bit.  As mentioned, I'm working on some concept around a clean and treble boost pedal that hasn't quite panned out.  I also ordered one of the DeadEndFX Mutron BiPhase boards which will sure be an undertaking.  And once Madbeans restocks the Rustbucket I will have my personal summer big build queue filled!

[alanp]

Pizza Rat? Is there a story I don't know about, with regard to a rat with a strong interest in pizza? (Besides, of course, food safety authorities closing down pizza shops.)

Nice work, and the art is nicely grimy

[somnif]

Pizza Rat? Is there a story I don't know about, with regard to a rat with a strong interest in pizza? (Besides, of course, food safety authorities closing down pizza shops.)

Nice work, and the art is nicely grimy

I'm assuming its a reference from a minor meme from a few years back:


https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/pizza-rat

[Timko]

It's a meme of a rat carrying a piece of pizza down some stairs to a NYC subway.  The guy tells the rat to "live your best life" in the short video clip.

The etch didn't set as deep as I wanted which means some of the lines didn't come out as clean, but I think that look fits the sound of the pedal.

[Yahoo67]

Hahaha you guys should listen to this episode of the reply all podcast

https://www.gimletmedia.com/reply-all/zardulu

Its the episode about the great Zardulu the women/modern artist? Who made the pizza rat meme ^^ plus reply all is one of the best podcast out there !

[Timko]

Just when I was ready to give this to my friend, we discovered that the pedal oscillates when you turn down the volume on the guitar.  I'm going to re-position and re-wire the power/ground configuration to see if it's some sort of issue with the supply finding it's way to other components.  Hopefully it's an easy fix!

[Timko]

I ended up taking the opto bypass out and replacing it with a standard 3pdt and all is better now.