Rangemaster with some mods and Roadrage

[timbo_93631]

Here is my latest build...  The decal didn't come out so well, I have been having issues with the edges wanting to curl up, I dunno if it is too much clear coat or what, but it is an inkjet waterslide decal.  The circuit has the standard Treble Middle mod using a .005uf TRW polystyrene cap for the input paralleled with a .0047uf Philips Mustard cap.  Output caps are greenies, .01uf and .022uf on a switch that is marked Fat or Tight on the decal.  Then there is a simple clipping section that uses 1n914's and diffused green LED's and has an on off on switch.  I find it to be useful when you are using a rangemaster for a slight boost to get a bit more grit, and alternately to expand the dirt capabilities of a cranked RM.  I tried the velcro method of mounting the PCB's, a 125B was just the right size to keep things pretty neat and still have room for a battery.  I went for a ground bus too, too many grounds to use the jack lugs...

[Sigesmundninja]

IMO that decal just made it look awsome!

[nzCdog]

Very nice build there man... such a cool sounding pedal too!

[jkokura]

Great setup with the mods. I like it.

Jacob

[bigmufffuzzwizz]

I too like the look of the decal, even all worn like that.
This must sound awesome with all those mods. Did you try different transistors before settling on your choice?

[dwstanford]

Great looking pedal.  Lots of mojo going on.  I would like to try the clippinig mod.  How do you like the oc71?

[timbo_93631]

I got the transistor for this build from an ebay seller in the UK that test them for leakage and gain.  http://stores.ebay.com/Interesting-Electronics?_trksid=p4340.l2563
I bought one that had Hfe = 51 and 190uA leakage, right in the ballpark of what OC71's have worked well in the past.  The last RM I built before this one had a metal can OC71 from mammoth which took some work to get biased properly because it was pretty leaky, but still useable.  I have also built others using a 10k pot and CV7003 and OC44's, but I prefer using a 25k boost pot and OC71's.  The clipping mod is good and simple, you can try anything you like there but with germanium diodes it is pretty subtle, I think the clipping is so similar to the cranked RM that it sounds like the RM on it's own just clipping at a lower volume.  LED's or Si diodes produce more of an overdrive crunch.  One thing I hadn't noticed at first was the red dot on a glass package OC71 denotes the collector, not the emitter like the metal tab on a TO-5 package OC44, so it is good to be aware of that.  Thanks for the compliments, gonna try it out at church tomorrow morning...