Multiplex JR and Bearhug

[Jabulani Jonny]

I've been sitting on this Multiplex Jr build for a while, but finally got around to it over the weekend.  I actually finished up the box in December, along with a few other enclosures.  Doing them in batches sure makes things easier.

I typically run two delays on my board, one set for short, very slight slapback, which is always on and a second delay for more ambient stuff.  I was really excited about adding this to the pedal board for the ambient stuff, and it does not disappoint.  Great sounding delay and the modulation can get pretty crazy.  No mods, just socketed C13 & C15 to dial back the modulation if I ever need to.  Although I don't see myself doing that at this point.  Great board & great BOM.

I wasted about 1/4" of space at the top on the front, but I would've run into problems with the DC jack if I'd moved everything up.  With board mounted pots, I should've either gotten the ones with longer lugs or drilled the DC jack closer to the bottom of the enclosure.  Live & learn.





And here's the Bearhug I've been working on since last April.  Man, talk about a comedy of errors on this one.  I built version 1 of the Bearhug and could get it working on the test rig, but couldn't get it to work when boxed.  I set it aside and then decided to build version 2 when Jon put out some changes.  Again, got it to work on the test rig, did have to change Q3 to a J201 instead of the 5457 he calls for, still not sure about that, but I couldn't get the thing to work when I boxed it.  Very frustrating.  As I was building the Multiplex I accidentally cut the ground jumper between lugs 2 & 3 on the switch and didn't figure it out until the pedal wouldn't work.  That sparked a thought that maybe I hadn't put the jumper on those lugs for the Bearhug.  Sure enough, it wasn't there.  I know the Madbeans wiring diagram calls for it, and now I understand why.  However, I guess I got used to building pedals which have the LED incorporated into the board, so the ground circuit is routed slightly different at the switch. 

At any rate, I got this thing working full tilt and it is a great sounding little compressor.  I'm going to buy a batch of 5457's from Smallbear and see if it's just a bad batch that I got from Mammoth previously.  Hopefully that will get this thing sounding exactly as Jon intended.  Big thanks to him for helping me troubleshoot this.

[rullywowr]

Nice clean builds!  They look great, well done.

[jkokura]

I do like those builds!

Jacob

[bcalla]

Excellent work, I love them both.

[jimilee]

Really sweet builds

[selfdestroyer]

Very cool builds. Love the toggle switch placement on the MP jr.

[gtr2]

Excellent work on the graphics and clean guts to boot.

Josh

[pickdropper]

Both look great.  Very cool.

[midwayfair]

Great looking builds -- and knowing how much time you spent on the Bearhug, I'm really glad you like the sound of it after all the issues.

[richard_mcg]

Sweet builds bro!! 

[DutchMF]

Dude, those are amazing!!! You should have entered the MPjr in the build-of-the-year contest, just sayin'.......

Paul

[Gledison]

Nice choice of colours on the MP jr.
That was a powder coated?
Cheers

[Jabulani Jonny]

Thanks for the gracious compliments guys. 

@Gledison:  No, not powder coated, just a typical paint coat from Mammoth.  I've gotten lazy on painting/finishing enclosures, so I'm just ordering them finished now.  The extra $5 saves a ton of time. 

@DutchMF:  Now that truly is gracious.  I had planned on entering the Bearhug, way back when, and ultimately the MP Jr, really just to balance the scale to the other end...you know, to show the "also ran" side of the amazing builds that were being posted each month.  Alas, life really got crazy for the last half of the year and I could not dedicate any building time.  Thanks for the compliment though!

[GrindCustoms]

Those 2 do look really good!

Totally forgot that i had a Bearhug PCB, gotta get at it... and got a try the MultiplexJr... is big brother being so nice.

[Cortexturizer]

Great work as others have stated, keep em coming I wanna see more. Always nice reading about a builders thought process and struggles, that's always cool, thanks for that.