VFE – Choral Reef

[Bio77]

This was a fun build.  I had to do some part bending and modification to get it in a 125B with top mount jacks.  I also had to file the lip off one side of the enclosure lid to get it to close over the jacks.  But it works!

I biased the BBD by ear.  First pass, sound pretty good.  I'd like to dial it in with a scope, but I'm not quite sure how to set the pedal controls to get the best view of the BBD output.  I plan to play some more with it. 

This was my first VFE build. It's kind of lame to admit, but my favorite thing is the trimmer for the LED brightness.  Very cool solution, no more burnt retinas! 

[gordo]

Oh man...Lumberg's to the rescue :-)

[Bret608]

Looks great! I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on this vs. other choruses you've built. I know you have several successful BBD builds under your belt, so was wondering which you like the best...I've really just done the Pork Barrel but have been putting off doing a flanger or another chorus.

[Bio77]

Looks great! I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on this vs. other choruses you've built. I know you have several successful BBD builds under your belt, so was wondering which you like the best...I've really just done the Pork Barrel but have been putting off doing a flanger or another chorus.

Oh man, that's a lot of pressure 

So, this one, I'd like to be satisfied with the biasing and then I'll try it out with the band. 

I play bass in my band and my goal is to have a completely DIY pedal board.  Right now, I have a Boss BF-2 (gasp!) and a EHX Small Clone that are the last two to knock off.  That's why I've been building so many BBDs.  I'm hoping this one will replace the Small Clone.  I like the A/DA Flanger I built.  I have that one on my board too, but I still like the BF-2 for some things and haven't found a suitable replacement.   

So, the A/DA would be my favorite, although, it was also my most challenging build to date. 

[somnif]

Looks great! I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on this vs. other choruses you've built. I know you have several successful BBD builds under your belt, so was wondering which you like the best...I've really just done the Pork Barrel but have been putting off doing a flanger or another chorus.

I've actually built 2 Choral Reefs, this version and the newer board he put out through Patreon (though I only have one mn3008 so I can only use one at a time...), along with a boat load of other choruses and flangers.

So far, my favorite Chorus is either the A/DA flanger (if you don't mind spending half your life twiddling knobs), or the Dimension C (if you're playing it in stereo).

The Choral Reef's are great devices, but at their core they're a very basic chorus (It started out as a Small Clone.. clone) with more tweakability. The problem is a lot of that tweakability takes you into fairly unpleasant aural spaces, so its usefulness is questionable. The places it works, it works a treat, and its a lovely little box. Otherwise you'll be reaching for the dramamine. Its not as lush or deep as the A/DA (or even the electric mistress), and not as steady and smooth as the DC-2, but it has its own sound that can be exactly what you want... if its what you want.

All that said, there are some fun, if odd, sounds the Reef can make I can't think of how to reproduce with any other device, so that may be your cup of tea. Weirdly robotic 12 string things, almost vocalization-like squeaks, that sorta thing.

[Bio77]

+1 on the Dimension C.  I forgot about that one, sounds great on guitar.

[Bret608]

Thanks to you both! That helps a lot...I've heard more than one person mention that the A/DA can do the best chorus they've heard...

[Boba7]

That's a very impressive build. And beautiful too.

I had an original by VFE a while ago, and though I liked it I agree the base sound was not what I wanted and the various options didn't do it for me. I eventually sold it. On his phaser though the options were amazing and very useful!!

[Bio77]

That's a very impressive build. And beautiful too.

I had an original by VFE a while ago, and though I liked it I agree the base sound was not what I wanted and the various options didn't do it for me. I eventually sold it. On his phaser though the options were amazing and very useful!!

Thank you. Great news, the next VFE in my queue is the phaser.

[somnif]

Thanks to you both! That helps a lot...I've heard more than one person mention that the A/DA can do the best chorus they've heard...

The A/DA is an astonishing piece of engineering and can make more sounds than you'd think possible. But it really does mean spending hours fiddling with the knobs. The controls interact in such a way that you can't really just move one, you have to adjust everything all the time. My phone is full of pictures of the pedal just so I can remember settings that sounded interesting.

In terms of simple, plug-and-play choruses, the CE-2 works just fine. This will make very little sense and is probably all in my head but I think the CE-2 sounds more "80's" while the small clone sounds more "90's". The former a bit smoother and darker, the later a bit rougher and brighter. The clone plays better with distortion, but gets a bit thumpy and swelly after the first third of the knob.

I do wish someone out there still did a DIY Small Clone pcb for sale, Stomptown is the only dude I know who used to and he's stopped selling pcbs these days.

[Bio77]

In terms of simple, plug-and-play choruses, the CE-2 works just fine. This will make very little sense and is probably all in my head but I think the CE-2 sounds more "80's" while the small clone sounds more "90's". The former a bit smoother and darker, the later a bit rougher and brighter. The clone plays better with distortion, but gets a bit thumpy and swelly after the first third of the knob.

My favorite chorus on guitar is the Ibanez CS-9.  I always found the CE-2 too subtle in band mix.  I've read one post here for that PCB, forget who. 

I do wish someone out there still did a DIY Small Clone pcb for sale, Stomptown is the only dude I know who used to and he's stopped selling pcbs these days.

There is one listed in the Etcher's Paradise.  I've never tried etching, but might be time to give it a shot.

[Bret608]

I always liked the CS-9 a bit better too, but at the time I did my CE-2 there wasn't a DIY CS-9 out there. It was diablochris who did a version a while back, the Aquanet I believe. It had some added switches and mods that looked pretty cool. But I agree, the CE-2 probably has my needs covered for the time being. Sounds like the A/DA may still be the way to go for a future next step. I appreciate the experience you two have shared from your builds!

[somnif]

I always liked the CS-9 a bit better too, but at the time I did my CE-2 there wasn't a DIY CS-9 out there. It was diablochris who did a version a while back, the Aquanet I believe. It had some added switches and mods that looked pretty cool. But I agree, the CE-2 probably has my needs covered for the time being. Sounds like the A/DA may still be the way to go for a future next step. I appreciate the experience you two have shared from your builds!

One piece of advice, if you make the a/da, splurge and get small footprint 25 10 turn trimmers.

[gordo]

+1 on the trimmers.  I forgot all about those and if memory serves (seldom lately) I think SB had just started carrying them when I was ordering parts.

[somnif]

+1 on the trimmers.  I forgot all about those and if memory serves (seldom lately) I think SB had just started carrying them when I was ordering parts.

Yeah he carries 10-turn trimmers that fit the same pads. A bit taller than standard trims, but only ~0.1mm wider so they fit. There are also 25 turn trimmers out there but they're a bit too wide to fit the normal "square" footprint. (Mouser also carries them but 5$ each vs 95 cents a pop through smallbear).

Calibrating the A/DA is a twitchy nightmare with normal trims (IMO), but the multi-turn gives you a lot more precision.