JMK Paralyzer *EXTREME* (now with series bypass)

[dawson]

This is a build of the JMK Paralyzer PCB, which splits your signal into two separate loops that are then blended back together via. the knob before mono output.
It's a great little utility circuit!

I've been using an older JMK Paralyzer build in a particular song to gradually switch between a choppy tremolo and a slow, sweeping phasor- turning the massive knob with my foot. It's been working great so far- here's a link to the build report if you're curious: https://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=33855.msg325177#msg325177

Anyhow, since I've been getting so much value out of my first Paralyzer, I decided it'd be worth upgrading it by adding a true bypass switch that arranges the two parallel loops in series. I tried and tried to think of a way to do this using a smaller switch, but if there is indeed a solution, I didn't find it. I had to go 6PDT, which means I spent $18 on that super awesome switch.. totally worth it!

Here it is:



Now I can run phasor into tremolo!
*I also feel much safer working the knob with my foot now that there's true-bypass. If when I eventually demolish the potentiometer in the middle of a live set, I'll just flip the switch and finish-up in series, rather than being hard-wired through a busted circuit.

That 3d-printed bracket anchors the PCB/POT assembly to the switch so that they don't spin around in there if the nut comes loose.

Here it is mounted:


*I posted the glamor shots first to hide the fact that my etch is way off-center  :


If you're wondering WTF is wrong with this guy who thinks it's okay to build upside-down pedals with no pants on, this thread may answer a question or two:
https://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=32053.30

Thanks for reading!

[jimilee]

Fantastic! The bar has been raised.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jessenator]

HOLY KNOB

That's wonderful stuff, sir. "A 10 gauge load of BLEND, my good man!" I've always wanted a build to do something with a big ol' f*#k-offer knob, and this is wonderful!

[dawson]

Fantastic! The bar has been raised.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hey, thanks-
Glad you dig it!

HOLY KNOB

That's wonderful stuff, sir. "A 10 gauge load of BLEND, my good man!" I've always wanted a build to do something with a big ol' f*#k-offer knob, and this is wonderful!

Thanks a lot!
Everybody loves a massive knob, am I right?
Here it is next to my last Paralyzer build just for fun:

[Thewintersoldier]

That's a massive knob and switch and the etch is so clean. I'm not sure exactly how I would even use a pedal like this, I'm gonna have to look up uses. Great job again.

[jkokura]

I'm glad you got this thing going Jesse!

Jacob

[dawson]

That's a massive knob and switch and the etch is so clean. I'm not sure exactly how I would even use a pedal like this, I'm gonna have to look up uses. Great job again.

I should've listed some uses in the write-up but like most utility circuits, there are many possibilities.
Originally I built one because I wrote a song that begins with a lead riff of Fuzz > Reverb > choppy Tremolo going, "JA-JA-JA-JA-JA-JA-JA-JA-JA-JA-JA-JA-JA-JA-JA-JA-" but after the intro, I need make a clean transition into a part that's more strumming into a slow, sweeping phaser going, "Weeeee-Waah-Wooooo  Wah-We-Wah, Woo Wah-We-Wah."
Just turning off the tremolo sounds horribly jarring but I certainly can't just leave it on the entire song- so what I do is wire the MBP WaveLord Tremolo in one loop of the Paralyzer and the PedalPCB Phase II in the other loop, then after the Tremolo intro, I use my foot to gradually usher the tremolo out of my signal while replacing it with the phasor- it's exactly the sound I need there.

Anyhow- for me, it's a performance utility but others have reported great results blending between two complementary pedals in a multi-build, for example it's been recommended to blend a "wall-of-sound" fuzz with a more "focused" fuzz to get the best of both worlds (thanks Betty Wont!)

*I'm currently wired to blend between delay & reverb as well, but the results I'm getting from that experiment aren't worth the extra foot-work: