A few new builds: Blue Warbler - Harmonic Perc - Screamin' Baby

[jkokura]

Indeed I am, and it's moving up the chain in terms of getting done. I'll try and keep you guys posted.

Jacob

[das234]

All beautiful builds.  And some ideas for me to try to improve the sound on my Harmonic Perc. 

[Stomptown]

Indeed I am, and it's moving up the chain in terms of getting done. I'll try and keep you guys posted.

Jacob

Nice! I had a feeling this would wet peoples appetite!

[Bret608]

Liking that Percolator! I'll be finishing and testing my build on the board I got from you this week. I'm trying "stock" specs. I'm excited to let you know how it goes.

How do you like 1n4148s with the Albini? I really like that on mine. I haven't tried anything besides 1n695s for the germanium, though. I found some cool blue/black 1n270s at work that could be fun to try.

[Stomptown]

Liking that Percolator! I'll be finishing and testing my build on the board I got from you this week. I'm trying "stock" specs. I'm excited to let you know how it goes.

How do you like 1n4148s with the Albini? I really like that on mine. I haven't tried anything besides 1n695s for the germanium, though. I found some cool blue/black 1n270s at work that could be fun to try.

I prefer the germanuims but they do sound nice as well. Looking forward to seeing your finished build!

I haven't

[lincolnic]

Beautiful builds. The wiring on that Percolator is super classy.

[Hexjibber]

Harmonic Percolator: This is basically an Albini version of the percolator using a PCB I designed.

I'm also (possibly in vain!) trying to change my percolator to a more Albini sounding version, what I've got sounds ok but I'm curious as to how I could change it, it's a bit top end fizzy and only really just gets above unity unless I flick the diodes off. I've heard that amp and guitar plays an equal role in the sound, I'm currently using a Trace Elliot Trident head with Mex 72' Deluxe Tele and it sounds a bit on the thin side, was hoping for a bit more 'body'.

This is the build I did, have you got any tips on how I could modify it to be more like what I'm after, if it's possible? I've noticed that some of my resistor and cap values differ from the Madbean Albini spec, I think mine is the George Giblet specs.

http://pedalparts.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/HarmPerc-New.pdf

Cheers,
Graham

[Bret608]

Hey Hexjibber,

Check out Madbean's "Pepper Spray" build doc. It's listed under discontinued projects on the Projects page. This will make it really easy to walk the "stock" specs (which are quite close to what you used) over to the Albini specs. The main differences are the first three resistors and C3.

Also, if it's barely getting above unity with the diodes on, do you find you have to crank both knobs all the way to get even that? There's one test you can do if so. If you roll back either your guitar's volume knob or the pedal's volume knob more than halfway, does the sound get really quiet or even disappear? If that's the case, you may have your silicon transistor in backward. That's what happened to me when I first built my Albini version. It just sounded like a fizzy, quiet overdrive. I've found when people use the 2n3565, it's easy to get it in backward when the silkscreen image on the PCB is different. Basically, the emitter of your silicon tranny should be connected to the emitter of your germanium tranny via C3. Let us know if this helps!

[Hexjibber]

Hi Bret,

Thanks for the detailed reply man, much appreciated! Yeah I had a look at the Madbean Pepper Spray 'Albini' specs, as far as I could see I have two resistor values and one cap value that's different so am going to try those.

What you're describing regarding the volume sounds bang on, I do have to have both dials cranked to get to just above unity and yes it's kind of a fizzy overdrive sound without much 'oomph'. I will have to try rolling back the guitar volume to confirm but sounds like I should try turning the 2n3565 around, will let you know my results!

Thanks again!
Graham

[Bret608]

Cool! I'll look forward to hearing your results. I would try flipping that transistor first, especially if you used sockets. If you find it's louder and more aggressive, you may not need to go with the Albini resistors if you like the sound. I haven't yet finished my stock version, but I will be really curious to hear the two versions side-by-side.

Cheers,

Bret

[Hexjibber]

I've found two different pin out diagrams for the 2n3565 so not sure which is correct but I flipped it round anyway, not a massive difference tbh but it seems to now have more life and response  to it and isn't as flubby sounding if that makes sense?!

If I were to change the resistor and cap values to match the Madbean Albini spec what kind of difference in sound would I get, in theory at least?

[Bret608]

That makes perfect sense. Are you hitting unity earlier on the dial?

Some people think the stock specs are more of a "crazy fuzz" and the Albini is more of an overdrive. I think they're both off-kilter, fuzzy od/distortion at their heart. My Albini version is a thick, dark distortion with some fuzzy characteristics and edge. With a small tube amp (my Blues Jr.), it hits unity at about noon-1:00 with the ge diodes in and about 10:00 with no diodes. It's got a smooth compression going on as well. I'll let you know how it sounds next to a stock one in a couple of days.

[Hexjibber]

I'm getting a bit more level out of it but not sure I'm at unity with ge diodes on until around 3:00ish? I am only testing it on a crap old 10 watt mosfet practice amp though and it is temperamental even on a good day! Will be interested to hear it through my tube amp and 4x12.

I've also noticed big differences in sound between my Mex 72 Deluxe Tele and Reverend Double Agent, they're both fitted with bridge humbuckers though so was surprised by that even though they are naturally very different sounding guitars. I get the feeling the Rev's pickups are hotter though and this seems to work against the Percolator?

I like the sound of your Albini version though, would be more useful to me as a thicker sounding dark distortion rather than bonkers fuzz!

Am interested in your comparison of the two, keep me posted!

[Bret608]

Just finished populating and wiring up this Percolator...will test tonight. Jon, I found some 1n273s here at work that look just like the 1n276s you used. They have a pretty typical germanium forward voltage drop. Anyway, I stuck one on there along with a 1n695. I did so because, well, I chipped a little of the glass off the other 1n695!    It still had the fv reading it should but who knows what would happen when hit with 9v.

[pickdropper]

I can't believe I missed this thread.

Jon, all of those builds look stellar.  Top notch work.