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jugglindan
03-06-2020, 08:00 PM
Just starting to plan this one. A TS-808 on stripboard. Will probably add the two mods from my OD-2 as well. One switch to select between the standard TS mid-range hump (cuts open 6th string by around 20% according to Jack Orman) and a flatter EQ. The other switch will change clipping diodes: standard TS-808 clipping, no clipping (makes it a dirty boost), and a third clipping option. Often this one uses red LEDs, but my experiments with the OD-2 showed that you have to drive the TS very hard before red LEDs start to clip much at all, so a lot of the time they sound the same as the no-clip option unless you run the gain cranked (or have much hotter pickups than I do). So I might do asymmetric clipping with the same 1N4148s that the standard TS uses.

The enclosure will of course be green. I just don't know what to call it.

The Monster
Franken Screamer
Igor's Hump
What Hump?


That last one would be a good label for the EQ switch :) Get it? Huh?

Man, I must be tired. Time to play guitar.

DC

McCreed
04-06-2020, 06:31 AM
When did you start taking custom orders???

Hmmmmm, that other Direct Drive conversion you have going has piqued my interest...

jugglindan
04-06-2020, 07:32 AM
It's not really an official thing, and not something I am looking to turn a profit from (if I charged a half-decent hourly rate for my time these pedals would be just as expensive as real boutique pedals). BD just asked nicely, and the conversion looked like a fun challenge to me. The one for FrankenWashie is in trade for the timber box he is building for my foot drum.

Having said that, if you have something specific in mind I am happy to discuss the possibilities.

jugglindan
04-06-2020, 09:58 PM
Did the 3 knob 2 toggle drilling template in Inkscape, then added a first attempt mock layout:
35473

It's just an idea at this stage, trying to link the TS-808 heritage to the owner.

jugglindan
04-06-2020, 10:00 PM
Given that the EQ switch toggles between the stock TS mid-range hump and a flat response (a Jack Orman mod), I could label it "Hump". Open to other suggestions for control names.

jugglindan
06-06-2020, 05:57 PM
I am still not fond of the pedal name, but that's not important right now. A little bit of progress today getting the enclosure drilled and primed. The new drilling templates I have made in Inkscape are working really well. As a result, these later enclosures are more accurate than the earlier builds this year where I was using generic templates off the internet.
35536

DrNomis_44
06-06-2020, 07:41 PM
I've got a re-issue Ibanez TS-808 Tube Screamer pedal, I can post an audio demo of it if you need something to compare your TS-808 build with.

FrankenWashie
06-06-2020, 08:42 PM
I’m coming up empty on alternative names, I had thought along the lines of Lab Screamer, or Test Tube Screamer but that’s about as far as I got.

jugglindan
06-06-2020, 08:48 PM
I have a BYOC OD-2 which is a modded TS of some vintage, but I haven't compared schematics to work out which variant. It has the same two mods - clipping selection switch and the EQ mod. I built it stock without the mosfet clipping. The sound should be close enough as a guide. But mostly with my pedal builds, as long as the circuit works correctly and reasonable sounds come out, I just assume they are good to go. Due to component tolerances and variations in op amps, I don't expect 100% sound-alike.

Having said that, it will be interesting to see how close it gets.

jugglindan
06-06-2020, 08:55 PM
I’m coming up empty on alternative names, I had thought along the lines of Lab Screamer, or Test Tube Screamer but that’s about as far as I got.

I also thought about FrankenScreamer, The Slab, Igor's Hump, The Lightning Rod, or just plain "Ig0r". There is also the line from Rocky Horror: "So, come up to the lab and see what's on the slab", but that too much text.

Also, Monster Mash, or Abby Normal.

Plenty of time to come up with something good. Gotta get the CDD done first.

I will spray the green tomorrow and let it cure for a bit. I made the mistake once of assembling a pedal while the lacquer is still a bit soft. Marks everywhere.

McCreed
07-06-2020, 06:48 AM
I see you have the in/out jacks at the top of the pedal. Is that due to the circuit layout or just personal preference?

I tend to like the jacks on the side and just the dc input at top, but that's just me.

jugglindan
07-06-2020, 07:25 AM
It's not the circuit, just personal preference. Some kits with PCB mounted jacks or pots can enforce a layout, but all my jacks are wired in, so they can go anywhere they fit.

I like the top-mounted jacks for a few reasons. First, having most of the jacks and pots at one end maximises the room I have in the enclosure for the circuit board. Stripboards tend to be a bit larger than the same circuit on a PCB. Second, I like the way a row of top-mounted pedals can sit on a board right next to each other. Even the flattest pancake style patch leads still take up more room. Plus, if adjacent pedals don't have matching side-jack offsets, you need even more space between them. Third, familiarity. Making my own drilling templates has taken a bit of trial and error to get the spacing just right. Now that I have the top-mounted templates just about right, I am not very motivated to make new ones (although it wouldn't be hard TBH). Also, it makes the off-board wiring a familiar process: the same wire lengths, the same wiring pattern (at least for the jacks).

That might be too much detail, but you did ask :)

DC

DrNomis_44
07-06-2020, 07:40 AM
You might find this webpage article interesting:

http://www.geofex.com/article_folders/tstech/tsxtech.htm

jugglindan
07-06-2020, 02:20 PM
You might find this webpage article interesting:

http://www.geofex.com/article_folders/tstech/tsxtech.htm

Thanks, that's a very interesting read. I have read the Electrosmash analysis (https://www.electrosmash.com/tube-screamer-analysis), but R G Keen has a different perspective. One thing I like is how converting to true bypass cuts the complexity in half but retains the sound.

A little more progress today (although mostly focused on getting the Direct Drive finished) painting the enclosure. It's not Tube Screamer green, but it's green enough I hope. It's also the only green I have on hand. What a coincidence!
35559

Andy40
07-06-2020, 03:37 PM
I'm so happy you are doing this build for FW. I was just playing my TS clone today and loving every minute of it.

DrNomis_44
07-06-2020, 04:00 PM
A TS-808 or TS-9 is pretty useful as a booster when fed into an amp that's already being overdriven, the settings I use are as follows:

Drive/Overdrive set to the 11 O Clock position, Tone set to the 12 O Clock position, and Level set to the 1 O Clock position, that gives me some pretty good results.

Bakersdozen
07-06-2020, 05:01 PM
Franken Screamer, Igor Speaks, Artificial Insemination, TubeWash, FS808, The Plight of Igor, My Precious, FrankenStomp, Frank Green, Green Out, GreenScream, LimeInTheCoconut, SquashedFrog, FrogStomp, Driving Miss Frankie, Inanimate Green Box, BonkFrog, Devil's Lettuce

jugglindan
07-06-2020, 05:26 PM
For some reason "Devil's Lettuce" makes me laugh.

And given the frog idea, what about Peace Frog?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22GEvDupWGo

jugglindan
10-06-2020, 09:01 AM
Small progress note: board cut to size, cleaned up, and traces cut.

Did the board for the piezo preamp at the same time. It was small enough that I was able to use the board I ruined last week by not scoring the copper traces, so that was nice. Also need to order another batch of stripboards.

HatchA
10-06-2020, 09:09 AM
The I-Scream(er)..?

Bakersdozen
10-06-2020, 09:12 AM
The I-Scream(er)..?I(gor)-Scream(er)

jugglindan
10-06-2020, 09:21 AM
Franken Screamer, Igor Speaks, Artificial Insemination, TubeWash, FS808, The Plight of Igor, My Precious, FrankenStomp, Frank Green, Green Out, GreenScream, LimeInTheCoconut, SquashedFrog, FrogStomp, Driving Miss Frankie, Inanimate Green Box, BonkFrog, Devil's Lettuce

I missed the FS808 in there. I like it, or maybe the FW-808. Subtle, doesn't try too hard to be witty, and references the original. I like it.

jugglindan
10-06-2020, 09:27 AM
The I-Scream(er)..?

I Scream, you scream, we all scream for I-Scream.

I could also lift the agonised face from the Munch painting

jugglindan
10-06-2020, 09:05 PM
Progress note: links and resistors done. Had to substitute one value but according to the schematic it shouldn't matter. Another value I recreated by soldering two smaller resistors in series. That's pretty slow going for one session, but I did complete the piezo preamp as well.

jugglindan
13-06-2020, 08:40 PM
After my disappointment with the speaker in the Noisy Cricket, I went back to working on this. Got all components soldered onto the main board, and wired up the clipping switch.

35767

Instead of clipping diodes soldered directly to the board, this switch is wired in instead. One position selects the stock 1N4148 diodes (well, the original used 1N914 but they're the same really). The other position is socketed. At the moment it's fitted with a pre-soldered 3mm red LED clipping pair but because of the socket they can be swapped out for any combination of diodes. Two diodes that are the same, soldered in opposite directions will give different flavours of symmetric clipping. Different diodes mixed together, or uneven numbers of diodes on each side give various forms of asymmetric clipping. You can even just put a single diode in, or leave them out all together. Leaving the diodes out removes the clipping completely, turning the pedal into more of a dirty boost.

On my own Tube Screamer I have a red LED paired with a 1N4001 silicon rectifier diode.

In the current setup, the 1N4148 gives the stock sound while the red LEDs have a higher forward voltage, giving a more open, less compressed sound with a bit more volume.

If you wanted to go completely crazy a rotary switch could be used with all the clipping options under the sun. Fortunately I don't have a rotary switch...

Bakersdozen
13-06-2020, 09:19 PM
Great idea to socket that side. Frankie, just don't tell Igor there are sockets in your new tube screamer. He won't be able to help himself [emoji298]

jugglindan
14-06-2020, 08:52 PM
Didn't get as far as I planned tonight. Partly because I find the offboard wiring quite boring, and partly because I am trying to make this one a bit neater than my usual rat's nest of wires. Obligatory progress photo:
35840

jugglindan
15-06-2020, 10:00 PM
Slowly getting there:
35915

It's not as messy as it looks. This time I am actually cutting wires quite close to the suitable length. All the wires have intended routes along the sides of the box, but I have pulled them all out for access to the pots which sit under the jacks. Just one more pot to wire up and then a test before I solder the DC jack as it's the only hardware that commits the circuit to the enclosure. This time around I plan to use a dab of hot glue to hold the LED in place.

Also, the wire I bought from Jaycar is a slightly thicker gauge than the stuff from PPA, which makes for an inconsistent appearance :(

Simon Barden
15-06-2020, 10:07 PM
Your OCD hasn't led you to sand down the insulation until they're the same size, has it? ;)

jugglindan
16-06-2020, 08:02 AM
Oddly, no. I prefer to accidentally melt through the insulation with the side of the soldering iron. That always helps make it a bit thinner.

jugglindan
16-06-2020, 07:43 PM
This is one of those good news, bad news moments.

First, the good news: the pedal sounds like a tube screamer. No weird noises, bypass works, all knobs do what they should (and in the right direction - not making that mistake twice!). With the gain rolled all the way down it works as a very nice cleanish boost. With the gain rolled all the way up it's not as saturated as my OD-2 which is mostly a tube screamer. I might try a couple of op amps and see if that changes things. It probably won't, but I did have a dodgy opamp last week so worth testing a couple.

The slightly disappointing news: the clipping diode selector switch works, but the effect is not nearly as audible as the same diode combos on my OD-2. I might solder up an asymmetric diode pair to test. I was hoping for a larger sonic difference in the two diode positions.

The bad news: the flat EQ mod (http://www.muzique.com/lab/fatt.htm) sounds bad, at least with my amp. Makes the pedal sound kind of farty. I think it's letting way too much bass through. The mod is a switch that shorts out a 47nF capacitor in a high pass filter that dumps frequencies below 720Hz to ground (or to Vr actually), helping give the circuit its famous mid-hump. Jack's analysis gives a table showing the corner frequency for different cap values. He also suggests a mod that shorts the cap completely, allowing the full frequency range. That's what I have done, but it doesn't sound good in the shorted position.

But wait, there's more good news!

I used a DPDT on-on switch because that's all I had, which means I can mod the mod. Instead of the stock cap and a shorted cap, I can change it so the switch selects between the stock cap and a different cap value. Maybe the same socket idea I used on the diodes will allow swappable caps to tune the bass response of the modded position (with the stock value hard-wired in).

But I am tired now, and I have some Coopers Extra Stout to finish, so modding the mod can wait until tomorrow.

Almost forgot, the disemboweled but fully functional FS-808:
35957

jugglindan
16-06-2020, 07:45 PM
Finally time to finish the decal design as well as I need to get this applied and the clear coat on before I can finish assembly. Those cursed DC jacks don't screw in like all the sensible hardware. No, they are entitled and need to be soldered into the enclosure. Selfish custards.

FrankenWashie
16-06-2020, 08:39 PM
Ahem..<clears throat> Mwa Ha ha ha ha HA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
IT’S ALIVE!!!!!

jugglindan
16-06-2020, 08:46 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qNeGSJaQ9Q

jugglindan
17-06-2020, 06:11 PM
Some new enclosure ideas...

359953599635997

My favourite is the full Frankie face, but unfortunately I have already drilled the enclosure so I can't move the LED, and Clown-nose Frankie is too sad.

Simon Barden
17-06-2020, 06:43 PM
Maybe use a different colour LED?

JohnH
17-06-2020, 07:03 PM
All good options - I don't even mind the clown nose, though Simon's idea is excellent.

I actually think the middle is my fav of the three

jugglindan
17-06-2020, 08:03 PM
Good idea about the LED colour. I have already soldered a mini board with a RED led, but I can clip that off and use it on another pedal. I have some green ones (although they look slightly yellowish when on) that might reduce the clown nose effect. Here are the updated mock ups:
359993600036001

I definitely prefer the first still, although the one with Frankie wooing (chasing?) The Bride is growing on me. I am definitely going to swap the LED for green after seeing these new images.

I will wait for FrankenWashie to cast a vote, seeing as he will be the one looking at the pedal.

jugglindan
17-06-2020, 08:10 PM
Also, the modded EQ mod worked a charm. I rewired the switch and added sockets to one side, leaving the other side as an open circuit. I didn't want to disturb the board so I left the 47nF cap in place. Since parallel caps are additive, this gives me the stock setting on one side, and the higher capacitance setting on the other. I tested about 4 different values from 68nF to 1uF and they all sound good, and noticeably fatter than stock. The 1uF cap would probably make this pedal work for bass. It pushed the little speakers on my THR10c a little too hard.

I will send FrankenWashie a collection of caps to experiment with.

And what I like about the mod now is that the original shorted-cap mod is still available, just replace the socketed cap with a link or zero ohm resistor.

Also, does anyone use drive pedals for bass?

Didn't get to experiment with different clipping diode combos because I was having too much fun testing the pedal. It sounds good, even if I do say so myself :cool:

Simon Barden
17-06-2020, 09:37 PM
People do use bass drive pedals, but it tend to be on the more aggressive styles. One of those situations where you really want to bypass the low frequencies around the overdrive part of the circuit and just drive the higher frequencies.

jugglindan
17-06-2020, 09:48 PM
The stock TS tone filters on the feedback loop roll off the open 6th string by around 20%. The different cap values all sounded good with guitar, just different from stock. Going too high on the cap starts to get woolly and muddy though. So you are right, this is why most dirt pedals filter extreme highs and lows in the gain stages (to avoid mud and/or grating upper harmonics and fizz). It is nice to have different sonic options on tap at the flick of a switch though.

jugglindan
18-06-2020, 05:07 AM
People do use bass drive pedals, but it tend to be on the more aggressive styles. One of those situations where you really want to bypass the low frequencies around the overdrive part of the circuit and just drive the higher frequencies.I reread that this morning. I see, so that's very different to what the ts does. It rolls off the low end but doesn't mix it back in. You're describing something more like the Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive, that let's you mix the clean and distorted signals.

Thanks, that makes sense.

Sent from my moto g(7) using Tapatalk

Simon Barden
18-06-2020, 05:18 AM
Well, keep the low end clean but drive the mids and upper frequencies. Some bass chorus and phaser units do a similar thing, and some bass compressors split the frequency range and have separate compressors for lows and highs.

You could also look at different combinations of LPF/HPF frequency adjustment and clean/drive mix circuits to tune things even further, but sometimes you can overdo the adjustment thing to no real benefit. However, it is something you could quickly set up in a DAW to test things, where you've got easy access to filters and overdrive pedal emulations etc. You can then easily set up parallel paths and see what frequency splits and mixing clean/and dirty levels does to the sound without having to solder anything at all.

jugglindan
18-06-2020, 02:07 PM
Fortunately I am neither building or designing a bass drive pedal :)

But my order of 1N34 Ge diodes arrived today, so I have even more options to experiment with for TS clipping diodes. Can't wait to try them out tonight.

jugglindan
18-06-2020, 08:29 PM
OK, so I got the LED swapped for a green one, and applied a decal to the enclosure. I am not happy with the new decal paper. The stuff from Dr Decal and Mr Hyde was great. I could apply a large decal and it would adhere well and wasn't prone to wrinkles or bubbles. Unfortunately I have used it all up, and this was the first use of a different brand. I thought it would all be sort of the same, like printer paper. But this stuff doesn't seem to adhere quite so well, and wrinkles every time I even look sideways at it.

I think I got it sorted in the end, and some of the issues in the photo are from the poor nighttime lighting, but I won't really know until the morning when it has dried. It also appears to be positioned slightly high, but the stuff is so fragile and hard to get flat that I couldn't move it any further. And this was the second attempt!

Best case it will be fine. Worst case it will fail to adhere or just look terrible. In that case I will have to soak it off and come up with a new plan, probably one involving ordering more decal paper from Dr Decal and Mr Hyde.

36043

Bakersdozen
18-06-2020, 08:37 PM
Looking very sweet! I've had mixed results with waterslide decal paper too from different suppliers. The first batch I got, I didn't know standard practice was to add some clear over the top before applying it, and it worked really well without having to do that. And no winkles and easy to work with. Then I learnt very quickly not all paper is created equal. I really struggled today with the MXR pedal decal. Took me a few goes, usually I get it in one. Maybe the colder weather plays a part?? I didn't use warm water either.

jugglindan
18-06-2020, 08:48 PM
This is the first time I have needed to use one of the spare decals too (I usually fill the page with repeats just in case). I didn't know about clear on first. Did that on the tele because I didn't want water going into the wood, but with acrylic lacquer I thought that any lacquer would provide much the same surface.

Anyway, I will see how it looks in the morning when I use an exacto knife to cut the holes.

It's times like this that I think learning to screen print would be a good idea.

Bakersdozen
18-06-2020, 08:58 PM
Sorry, yes definately a couple clear coats on wood prior to applying decal. No need to clear coat the pedal tho, as it's already a shiny solid painted colour.

But what I meant was that this particular batch of paper I have, the ink disintegrates in the water unless it's been cleared and dried first. It needs to lock the ink in. Whereas the previous batch I had didn't need to be clear coated prior to application. It just went straight on happily after printing. Sorry for confusion...

jugglindan
18-06-2020, 09:04 PM
Gotcha, thanks.

I am using laser printer paper with, well, with a laser printer. Fortunately the toner seemed to adhere well. If I wasn't stuck working from home I would have access to the work colour laser printer which would allow more options design-wise. But for now, it's all monochrome baby :cool:

Bakersdozen
18-06-2020, 09:10 PM
Screen printing would be super sweet. But for pedals, you'd need a plotter to cut the stencil

jugglindan
18-06-2020, 09:25 PM
I had visions of cutting the stencil by hand, but that would probably only work for simple shapes.

Bakersdozen
18-06-2020, 09:28 PM
Yeah, words and labels would be a nightmare to do. Unless you went totally retro.

JohnH
19-06-2020, 05:38 AM
Screen printing would be super sweet. But for pedals, you'd need a plotter to cut the stencil

You can photo expose* stencils easily at home, but you'd need to DIY a UV rig. It's super easy though, and pretty standard for screenprinters who don't have access or cash for communal facilities. I have a friend who uses the sun, but that's a bit trickier and you'd probably need to have had some experience before so you didn't waste a tonne of time faffing about.

I've helped heaps of people set up their own, and I've been meaning to make an instruction manual specific to pedals for ages. Maybe I should finally get on it

*For those who don't know, photo exposure let's you put an image of very fine detail onto a screen - so fine lines, small font text, photos that have been turned into a halftone first, etc... You can get digital quality prints with the right gear, but for pedals you wouldn't need anything very fancy, just a screen with a good mesh count and a UV unit

McCreed
19-06-2020, 06:30 AM
JohnH, I look forward to your upcoming tutorial! Sounds interesting.

I have also had mixed results with waterslide paper and didn't know "not all paper is created equal". Like most things, I guess you get what you pay for... and my first inclination (usually) is to spend the lowest amount possible. :o

Have you tried a bit of white vinegar in your water?

The last few enclosures I did, I cheated and used vinyl print "paper" then clear coated them. It's easy to use but has its limitations design-wise.
I've also used clear label making material, but again, not a perfect solution as the stuff is waaaay thicker than waterslide.
All those pedals were for my own use, so I wasn't that fussed about getting them perfect and was happy enough with the result. I would feel differently if I was doing one for someone else though.

jugglindan
19-06-2020, 07:33 AM
You can photo expose* stencils easily at home, but you'd need to DIY a UV rig ... SNIP ... for pedals you wouldn't need anything very fancy, just a screen with a good mesh count and a UV unit

That sounds great. The screen and associated tools are readily available, and UV LED lamps should make a DIY UV unit quite plausible. I would be very interested in a guide or even some tips on how to get started.


JohnH, I look forward to your upcoming tutorial! Sounds interesting.

I have also had mixed results with waterslide paper and didn't know "not all paper is created equal". Like most things, I guess you get what you pay for... and my first inclination (usually) is to spend the lowest amount possible. :o

Have you tried a bit of white vinegar in your water?

The last few enclosures I did, I cheated and used vinyl print "paper" then clear coated them. It's easy to use but has its limitations design-wise.
I've also used clear label making material, but again, not a perfect solution as the stuff is waaaay thicker than waterslide.
All those pedals were for my own use, so I wasn't that fussed about getting them perfect and was happy enough with the result. I would feel differently if I was doing one for someone else though.

I lived with the below pedal for 7 years, so clearly I am not too fussed with my own pedals.

What does the white vinegar claim to do? I haven't tried it.

Fortunately the decal I applied last night seems to have settled down quite well while drying. I suspect a lot of the difference is that the new stuff is much thinner, leading to all the application issues I had. But that means the edges are much less prominent which is nice. It's good enough that I will do the clear coat today and final pedal assembly over the weekend.

36045

jugglindan
19-06-2020, 07:40 AM
Forgot to mention that in this circuit, with my amp and ears, the Ge diodes sound the same as the stock silicon diodes. Asymmetric clipping with a single rectifier diode (1N4001) sounded nice though, so I will add that to the soldered red LED pair and the half-dozen tone caps for FrankenWashie to play with.

JohnH
19-06-2020, 07:51 AM
That sounds great. The screen and associated tools are readily available, and UV LED lamps should make a DIY UV unit quite plausible. I would be very interested in a guide or even some tips on how to get started.

When Megalo opens back up I should take you in so you can check out their set up. It's pretty amazing, and if you become a member and do a half hour induction you can access their gear.

Doing it at home is nice though

Bakersdozen
19-06-2020, 09:01 AM
The white vinegar is rumoured to help dissolve the edges of your decal a little. Something along the lines of the product called decalsol

McCreed
19-06-2020, 09:17 AM
What does the white vinegar claim to do? I haven't tried it.

It works as a softening agent. Apparently you can buy specialised softener [Decalsol as BD mentioned] but vinegar is heaps cheaper and allegedly works just as well.

The softening agent literally softens the decal material making it more flexible to conform to uneven surfaces (think models) and the extra pliability helps with wrinkling and bubbles.

I tried it a few years ago and it did make a difference, but I don't think I used enough vinegar. There are varying recipes online ranging from a few cap-fulls vinegar in a small bowl of water; to 1/3 vinegar to 2/3 water.

Note: I had replied earlier, but computer froze and had to reboot :mad:

jugglindan
19-06-2020, 09:27 AM
Sounds good. I have quite a few left over decals (I always print spares) that I can practice and compare with. Hard visible edges on the decals really annoy me.

If my current decal paper was more flexible it might become unusable. Time to test.

jugglindan
19-06-2020, 05:54 PM
I was within a hair's breadth of soaking the decal off and trying one of the spare spares (first spare is already on) using the vinegar trick. I am glad I didn't because things seemed to come up nicely with the clear coat. It gives a nice gloss to the otherwise matte toner.

36072

The clear is still wet here, and I had an overhead light on making it hard to take a photo without reflections. I will give it until Sunday night to dry before boxing up the FS-808.

This will be completed pedal #7 for the year (not counting the two unboxed circuits in progress as part of the mini amp). And I am already planning a Barber GC and a Mad Professor Deep Blue Delay for myself. Time to sell the Caline Pure Sky (Timmy clone), the Joyo Sweet Baby (Mad Professor Sweet Honey clone), and the Aroma Acoustic simulator. Or time to build a bigger pedal board :)

McCreed
19-06-2020, 06:31 PM
Looks good!

jugglindan
19-06-2020, 06:47 PM
Looks good!

Thanks. I am particularly happy with it given how much pain the decal caused. It is definitely thinner than my last batch of decal paper so it is less prone to prominent edges. I think it might be easier to use cutting it into small decals applied separately. Harder to align but easier to manage. I used a single decal for the whole top of the pedal here.

McCreed
19-06-2020, 07:03 PM
I used a single decal for the whole top of the pedal here.

That's been my preferred method. I think it makes for a tidier finish, but it does have its challenges with such a large area susceptible to bubbles or wrinkles.

jugglindan
21-06-2020, 09:01 AM
A bit of a delay on final assembly. I wasn't happy with the clear on the sides, so I lightly sanded and put another 2 light coats on. This will set back assembly by a day or two.

Also, I need more SCA clear. Doesn't seem possible to have enough ever!

Sent from my moto g(7) using Tapatalk

jugglindan
24-06-2020, 08:40 PM
Final assembly tonight. Seemed to take much longer than I expected, and I really need to get better at making the wiring neater. I put a fair bit of effort on the wiring for this one, and I still end up with a rat's nest. I realise another reason the Barber pedals use short lengths of solid tinned wire. Not only do they hold things in the right location, they don't take up too much space. Unlike insulated wires everywhere. Well, at least it works. That should count for something right?
3614736148

Simon Barden
24-06-2020, 09:02 PM
Why, yes! Yes it does!

Simon Barden
24-06-2020, 09:03 PM
I trust it was hoisted to the top of the tower in a thunderstorm before it worked?

jugglindan
24-06-2020, 09:12 PM
Sorry, I forgot:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VkrUG3OrPc

JohnH
25-06-2020, 05:24 AM
Looks great!

Bakersdozen
25-06-2020, 05:41 AM
Looks pimp! Especially love how you tied in the green highlights on the knobs too

McCreed
25-06-2020, 06:57 AM
Good job!
And once that board is squished down in there and the bottom screwed on, you'll never see it.

Well, until someone opens it up again...

jugglindan
25-06-2020, 07:59 AM
Looks pimp! Especially love how you tied in the green highlights on the knobs too

Thanks. I prefer larger knobs, but on this one I really wanted to use the ones with the green indicator. Plus larger diameter would obscure the text. They are a very tight fit though, so I hope they don't have to come off any time soon! Now that I have discovered how good Tayda prices on pots and knobs are, I will mostly use round pot shafts and knobs with set screws. Much easier to work with.


Good job!
And once that board is squished down in there and the bottom screwed on, you'll never see it.

Well, until someone opens it up again...

There is that. I do find that the tension of the wires helps keep the board in place. But on the next build I am going to try using short runs of tinned solid core wire where I can (maybe with heatshrink tubing) to see if I can get things tidier.

Also, I am definitely going to explore screen printing. I am growing frustrated with acrylic lacquer. Even though I am using etch primer which should give good adhesion, I still find the finish annoyingly fragile. On this one my pliers slipped while tightening the lock nut on the jack, and chipped the paint. I put some green sharpie on to make it less obvious, but very annoying. I think that screen printing over powdercoated enclosures should be more resilient (and more professional looking).
36154

McCreed
25-06-2020, 08:13 AM
On this one my pliers slipped while tightening the lock nut on the jack...

What do you see wrong with this statement???
:p

jugglindan
25-06-2020, 08:26 AM
What do you see wrong with this statement???
:p
I know, I should be using a socket wrench.

Bakersdozen
25-06-2020, 08:40 AM
I know, I should be using a socket wrench.Meh - shoulda, coulda, woulda pliers are always available and handy haha I don't blame ya

Andy40
26-06-2020, 03:54 PM
Damn, That looks rad Juggers. I know how frustrating that small chip is. I don't really know how to get a cost effective powder coating thingy going. I really can't paint any more pedals, it never seems to work out for me.

DarkMark
05-07-2020, 05:14 AM
I know, I should be using a socket wrench.

Igor would of used pliers. All the stuff inside goes over my head but a great looking pedal. I imagine FW would be pretty happy.

McCreed
05-07-2020, 06:34 AM
I imagine FW would be pretty happy.

Yes, has Frank posted a review that I missed? A sound clip would be even better ;)

jugglindan
05-07-2020, 06:59 AM
Yes, has Frank posted a review that I missed? A sound clip would be even better ;)I have a review in a PM. It's up to Igor and FW if they want to post anything here. All I will repeat are the words "telecaster, blues, monster". And something about growling, but I think that was Igor's stomach.



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