GGG Brass Master Ge - Si Diode switch, will this work?

[DuctTapeRiot]

I am building a GGG Maestro Brass Master kit (http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/projects/14-bass-effects/62-brass-master) for a friend, and I want to lift the diode clipping section onto a toggle switch to switch between Ge and Si diodes. I am planning on using 1N4001 for the Si and some NOS Ge "work-alike for 1N34a and others" from Small Bear for the Ge.  I am thinking of using a 4PDT toggle switch wired as below.  Will this work? Am I missing something obvious?  I am a bit of a noob still, especially in terms of going "off script". All help is appreciated.

EDIT: I realized a really obvious and stupid error in the first drawing, this is the corrected one

[bigmufffuzzwizz]

The way you have it setup looks correct. I imagine its gonna a pain to get the 1n4001's fat lead and a 1n34a through the same hole 

[DuctTapeRiot]

The way you have it setup looks correct. I imagine its gonna a pain to get the 1n4001's fat lead and a 1n34a through the same hole 

Thanks!  I will actually do it on a small chunk of vero, I just drew it like that to get it straight in my head.

[jkokura]

I will have to double check, but I don't think that will work...

I will get back to you.

Jacob

[DuctTapeRiot]

I will have to double check, but I don't think that will work...

I will get back to you.

Jacob

Thanks, I appreciate all help.  I feel like it "should" work, but I just cant quite get my head around it.

[DuctTapeRiot]

Ok, lets try that again.  The above drawing had a pretty obvious error (i've edited it so that the correct one is there now), this is what I meant to draw:

[jkokura]

Yeah, that looks better. What I was realizing is that if you put the diodes that way it would circumvent the switch entirely. Electricity flows through the easiest path right? So whatever way you switched the switch it would go through the middle common lugs and then out the wire without ever going through a Diode.

However, I've looked up the GGG schematic for the Brass Master. I've not seen that clipping arrangement before - are we sure that the diodes are for clipping? I wonder if you'll actually hear a difference in that situation. Perhaps breadboarding it before doing the mod it would be helpful?

Jacob

[mgwhit]

Yeah, I think those diodes are being used as a rectifier of some sort, not as signal clippers.

[Om_Audio]

Hi there,
My friend has a Maleko version of a Brass Master and I love it. I am considering the GGG kit just to get er done. Did you complete yours and if so how did you like it? Did the Si/Ge mod work and if so was it worth it? Looks like there was question as to whether they were for clipping at all.
Thanks!
Clifford

[alanp]

Depending on how you angle them, you could call this a V-8 Brass Master 

[DuctTapeRiot]

Hiya, yes I did complete the GGG Brassmaster, and it is really good!  I gave it to a friend who is a pro bassist and he loves it.  I ended up figuring out that mgwhit (and a few others) were right and the diodes are acting as a rectifier, so switching them had almost no effect at all. 

A few notes about the GGG kit itself:  The BB enclosure the kit comes with is way too small, it was a total nightmare to get the 2 audio jacks, dc jacks, knobs and switches all crammed into that one end of the enclosure. I would totally recommend getting a "taller" enclosure like the BB tall at mammoth.  Also, the taper and value of the "Sensitivity" control needs adjusting.  All the useful range of that knob is in like 15 degrees of rotation.  I haven't  been able to get the one I built back from the bassist to play around with to figure out what would work.

Other than that it is great, an amazing fuzz for bass as you can blend the clean signal back in.

[Om_Audio]

Cool, thanks!
Also, this might work for you- jkokura suggested a method for finding and adjusting trimpot mod on Macheen- might work for your sensitivity knob adjustment:
http://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=3941.msg35278#msg35278
C

Also, the taper and value of the "Sensitivity" control needs adjusting.  All the useful range of that knob is in like 15 degrees of rotation.  I haven't  been able to get the one I built back from the bassist to play around with to figure out what would work.