Aquaboy: Old board

[TNblueshawk]

Ok, after a lot of frustration I have this thing working...mostly.

I just spent an hour trying to get a delay signal, anything distortion or otherwise. Finally something came in after some ear splitting amp speaker blowing Godawful noise among other weird sounds. I think the problem is that I have 5 trimmers and trying to get them in sync is something else.

I know Bean knows this set up but in case someone else is jumping in what I have is the old PCB, a modulation daughter board and a double delay board. The PCB has bias, clock and cancel trimmers. The DD board has bias and cancel trimmers. I was sort of guessing how to bias all this. No scope or signal probe.

Anyhoo, can someone explain to me what the "cancel" trimmer is designed to do?

Second question and I am not going to assume anything at this point. Right now it is almost unusable as the feedback causes oscillation no matter what setting I have it on and it is the old goes on forever but get louder and louder. The old build docs say to control this pop some "back to back" diodes between lugs 1 and 2. By back to back I assume that we are talking in parallel and each in opposite direction..as normal? Just want to be 100% sure before I solder them on.

Hey Josh, if you read this I got the mod board on this working great so thanks again.

[gtr2]

Glad you got the mod board up!

I'm guessing no signal probe means no audio probe...

You can build one in about 5 min if you don't have one.  Having one will make the process much easier.

1st just adjust the clock trim somewhere in the middle to 3/4 up.  Set the feedback pot fully counterclockwise so you only get one repeat.

Then with an audio probe you need to place it on either output if the first BBD (pins 3or 4)  FYI: You will also hear the whining clock noise .  Thats OK

Then slowly turn the bias trim until you get the cleanest delay.  Then move on to the 2nd BBD and do the same thing.

Put both the cancel trims at 12'oclock

Hook the pedal up normally guitar/signal generator device > aquaboy > amp

Adjust the time pot to fully clockwise and the clock trim to fully clockwise.  You'll hear a whine...that's OK.

Slowly turn the clock trim counterclockwise until the whine disappears.  That's your max delay time without clock noise.

Readjust the clock trim again after placing in an enclosure.  You'll be able to get a little more delay time with the added shielding.

Josh

[gtr2]

http://diy-fever.com/misc/audio-probe/

Audio probe linky

[gtr2]

Forgot to mention.  When using the probe things will be loud so you'll have to adjust volume accordingly.  Unless... you want to annoy you wife or kill small rodents.

It's also easier to do if someone else plays a single quarter note type thing while you probe and adjust.  I just use a recorded note from a jamman.

Josh

[pickdropper]

Just an FYI on the audio probe thing.

I recently built a new one using a pogo pin for the probe tip and I like it WAY better.  With the pogo, you can apply a bit more pressure and it holds in place without damaging the part or solder joint.  You can get pogo pins from Mouser.

[TNblueshawk]

Awesome info Josh. Thanks for the process as I didn't really know the best way to do it.

So I'm sort of embarrassed I guess. I have an audio probe. Use it all the time to debug. I thought a "signal" probe was something else    My mind said audio = hear and signal = see.

I will get after this tonight then and dial it in. Can't wait to work om another build as I'm tired of looking at this thing  

Hey Pick, thanks for the pogo tip.