Harmonic Energizer / Karate Shop

[rps-10]

I've been after a "Harmonic Energizer" clone type thing for a while but there are not many about without the extra Fuzz circuits added in.
So much like many peeps on this site that have built their own pedals, I set about building my first pedal.

I thought I'd cheat a bit and get a PCB and found one here on this site. I will go all hardcore and veroboard on next pedal build  :lol:
Took around four hours I think, in between school runs, making cups of tea and a trip to McDs for lunch.


Things learn't.. solder leads on the board/PCB first, not to the pots and jacks/switch, makes life easier when nearly complete and a neater install.

The rather fitting 70s colour scheme was a total accident. I had ordered a yellow LED as none of the pedals I have, have a yellow LED and brown knobs as I quite fancied something different.
Case was meant to be red Hammerite (smooth) as I have enough of that stuff to paint a cruise liner for one reason or another, then I found the can of Metallic Copper Shiny Spray at the back of the shed and used that instead and came up with this:



Best thing about it is it worked first bloody time!! So no gut shots as I'm not taking it apart incase it never works again although do need to sort out proper labeling etc so it may come apart sometime soon. May even redo it completely but the copper/brown is growing on me.

Only really tested it with my dirt pedals, some its better in front of, others behind. One supprise was it works really well with a Green Ringer. Like I said it works fine but depending on wher eit is in the chain you can sometimes hear a big "pop" when it's turned on /off.




All this..


into this..


Made the mistake of buying a DPDT switch instead of a 3 way one, so made up the "Buffered" version.
Not so clever soldering leads on this way first, should have done PCB end first.

[spy590]

Congrats man! I dig the copper/70's theme--simple and to the point. I did some BYOC builds initially to get my feet wet. Small things like soldering to the board first are not necessarily apparent in the beginning. The BYOC instructions are very detailed and I learned quite a bit just from their documents.

It's not a build report without gut shots though 

[rps-10]

Thanks, I'll try and get some gut shots up tomorrow or at least sometime this week.  It's not pretty though 

[rps-10]

Finally a "gut shot"



Bit embarrassed by the huge Silver mica Cap but I got a little confused over the 2n in the parts listing and by the time I realised that 2000pF was the same I ordered what I could get on the current order from that particular supplier.

If anyone asks, it's my secret M@J@ part 

[rps-10]

With a bit of meddling and swearing, I have now addedan Expression pedal bypass jack to it and re-housed it in a larger case.

[nzCdog]

That silver mica is oozing mojo...
Nice job, well done on the build... they get easier every time from here

[rps-10]

Finally finished it this evening, no more bodgeing for this one. 

Painted,decal applied and lacquered.




More stuff learnt... Clear sticky inject paper is the stickiest stuff on the planet!!once it's on it isn't going to come back off cleanly.
Once lacquered, the decal looks a million times better and clearer - if that makes sense.

[gtr2]

Thanks for the update.

Lookin good!

Josh

[rps-10]

Yet more evolution, can't leave this one alone.

Added in a Buffer or no buffer (true bypass) toggle switch.
Supprised to find  I can actually hear a slight difference in tone between the two.

[nzCdog]

Must... keep... tweaking...

[rps-10]

Ok one last tweak......









Went to see ZPZ last night and meet Dweezil before the show, had the opportunity for him to sign it  


guess I'll have to clear coat it again now lol   plus he kind of got the naming of it!

[wolfingsworth]

This is the first time I have seen this post, and I must say it is fun to watch the evolution! It turned out to be a really nice looking build, congrats! A nice bonus getting a signature on it to boot  Can't wait to see some more!

[pickdropper]

Yeah, very cool first build and the evolution was interesting to see.

[rps-10]

This is the first time I have seen this post, and I must say it is fun to watch the evolution! It turned out to be a really nice looking build, congrats! A nice bonus getting a signature on it to boot  Can't wait to see some more!

Yeah, very cool first build and the evolution was interesting to see.

Thanks, I never noticed your replies before now. Second build is here: http://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=5131.0 a real mess of wiring that one!

[Guitarmageddon]

I've been watching this one too.
Very nice build, and a Zappa signiture is a perfect (...final?) addition.