Oomph! Overdrive

[Aleph Null]

This circuit started out as an Electra Distortion. I kept tweaking and adding features until I ended up somewhere very different. I think it works best pushing a dirty amp, but it certainly sounds good on it's own. It's pretty versatile, especially given the low parts count.



The knob placement makes it sound cooler...it also required me to use a mix of 16mm and 9mm pots to get everything placed  properly. I attempted a hydro dip finish and failed...so I moved on to a paint splash finish. The perspicacious among you will notice that the PCB is labeled "Electra Supreme"; I had ordered the PCBs before the name came to me. 



The soldering around the diodes looks a little sloppy because I tested multiple sets before settling on 1N60s. BAT46, 1N60P, and 1N34A also work well.



An input cap blend acts as a pre-gain Lows control. This feeds what was originally the Electra. The bias is set up so that the Gain can be adjusted without scratching. The real innovation here is the Texture control. This blends continuously between symmetric clipping when fully counterclockwise to highly asymmetric clipping when clockwise. This changes the harmonic content of the overdrive in a way that a normal "mids" eq would not. Next is a make-up gain stage with a presence boost around 2kHz. This is followed by a fairly standard passive Highs tone control and then the Volume.

Here's a demo:

As always, I have extra PCBs if anyone is interested in building one.

[gordo]

Very nice! Excellent demo as always.  I enjoy the fact the pedal speaks for itself, and tastey guitar work is a bonus.

[NorthCoast]

Cool! Your demos are always very well done. The way you have the texture control and the clipping set up is very interesting.

[jessenator]

Very nice! I got overexcited when I saw "electra" and thought someone else had tapped the Electra/Nadine's/MystoDysto/etc. dirtbox. Still, pretty awesome Great pentagonal layout, too.

[Aleph Null]

Thanks, guys! I always get a little self conscious of my playing when I make a demo—there's nothing like recording to bring out your limitations as a player! I try to demonstrate the range of the pedal and not my skill as a guitarist, but sometimes I worry that it doesn't make for very interesting viewing. It's encouraging to know the demos are working for the intended audience.

[gordo]

Two things that make for a great demo is being in tune and playing clear deliberate stuff.  Your playing is both and sounds great.

[jimilee]

Two things that make for a great demo is being in tune and playing clear deliberate stuff.  Your playing is both and sounds great.

Oh, so my demos are crap then.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[gordo]

Ha!!!! I think not, but I need to go back over mine and make sure I pass the test.  I think I'm so blown out on girls in underwear and babble chronicles that contain little to no value that demos like this are mind bending in simplicity.