MKII Tonebender - Silicon

[culturejam]

Man this thing RIPS!!!!   

This is my slight tweak on the classic Tonebender MKII. I switched to NPN silicon trannies (with smoothing caps to make it softer like germanium) for negative ground operation, and I added two trimmers (Q2 and Q3) to really get a hold of the bias.

This might just be my favorite fuzz/distortion build ever. And that's a bold statement coming from me.

Finish is my third try at alcohol inks + Mod Podge. I tried some new stuff this time around. Came out pretty neat. I didn't even bother finishing the sides or the back, because let's face it: nobody gives a shit about the sides.   

The drilling is quite atrocious. I used one larger knob to offset to visual appearance of the pot shafts not be properly centered. But not even the fun finish takes your eye away from how far off the LED/bezel hole is.   

I don't normally do the jacks on top, but I figured what the hell.

[nzCdog]

Dang!  It looks like petrified wood or some kind of fossil!  Love your finishing with those inks...

This might just be my favorite fuzz/distortion build ever. And that's a bold statement coming from me

Don't make me beg... I wanna hear this!

[GhostofJohnToad]

I agree I really want to hear this!

[hoodoo]

Great build mate, love the look of those alcohol inks, might have to try it one day. What are the trannies you used? all the best, Matt.

[lincolnic]

I like the wiring a lot - kind of looks like the guts are all being suspended from the jacks.

[octa805]

Fried eggs on a boulder

Jam on the side

[Cortexturizer]

perfect looking pedal, and I would like to hear a soundclip too!

[angrykoko]

That looks really cool.  Never heard of alchohal ink before, I'll have to look that up.
I'd like to hear this too (given your endosement  )

Looks great!

[Parra]

it's awesome! that paint job, yup...

[slimtriggers]

That looks great!  Reminds me of a California roll-yummy!

I just bought some alcohol inks the other day.  Looking forward to trying them out.

[Bret608]

It's timely that you've been busting out the mod podge lately. My daughter made a mother's day gift at school for my wife, kind of a small ceramic plaque. Her teacher had helped her clearcoat it. I liked the texture and asked what it was, and it was mod podge with a layer of some regular clear on top. My brain was already trying to work out how that would look on a pedal. So thanks! This looks awesome.

I'm curious how it sounds too. Is it picky on the transistors?

[culturejam]

What are the trannies you used?

SS9013. They are new-production but with vintage gains (100 -120). And they are dirt cheap!!

Get 'em while you can. They are EOL at Mouser:
http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Fairchild-Semiconductor/SS9013FBU/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMshyDBzk1%2fWi0Pyg81nwhXJRpxizVPcA8Q%3d

But just to be clear, I'm not suggesting there is anything magical/mojofied about these trannies. It's just that their gain tends to play well with vintage fuzz circuits without requiring major reworking of the bias.

[jalmonsalmon]

What are the trannies you used?

SS9013. They are new-production but with vintage gains (100 -120). And they are dirt cheap!!

Get 'em while you can. They are EOL at Mouser:
http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Fairchild-Semiconductor/SS9013FBU/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMshyDBzk1%2fWi0Pyg81nwhXJRpxizVPcA8Q%3d

But just to be clear, I'm not suggesting there is anything magical/mojofied about these trannies. It's just that their gain tends to play well with vintage fuzz circuits without requiring major reworking of the bias.

I am going to try some of these in a Si Mangler, a meathead and also my chilicon to see how the are

thanks!

[jalmonsalmon]

Get 'em while you can. They are EOL at Mouser:
http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Fairchild-Semiconductor/SS9013FBU/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMshyDBzk1%2fWi0Pyg81nwhXJRpxizVPcA8Q%3d
But just to be clear, I'm not suggesting there is anything magical/mojofied about these trannies. It's just that their gain tends to play well with vintage fuzz circuits without requiring major reworking of the bias.

I tried these on the chilicon (hot silicon fuzz) and they work pretty good... low gain for that pedal however, would be magical in front of a plexi.
I also tried them in a mangler with no success. I sort of think for a mangler you may have to put a pot on the collector of Q1 and find the sweet spot....
I am going to try that later to see what I come up with.  Stock NPN mangler with those transistors did not have any dirt at all...