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mjg
25-04-2017, 12:24 PM
Seeing as we have a brand spanking new area for pedal stuff, might as well post my efforts.

http://graybloomfield.com/guitar/category/pedals/

I think my favourite is the 'Ducky von Quackenstein' - it still makes me laugh when I look at it. :D

Andy40
25-04-2017, 04:36 PM
Wow Matt, they look sensational. I look forward to obtains as much info from you as I can!

Simon Barden
25-04-2017, 05:24 PM
I think the 'Ducky von Quackenstein' is my favourite too!

stan
25-04-2017, 07:24 PM
So Matt the Brutalist pedal looks awesome and I want one...
I was thinking you might get a more consistent and result if you used a Hebel block - they cut with handsaws and I bet you could use a router on them... you'd have to toss the bit of course

D.K
25-04-2017, 07:30 PM
You showed me these the other day and I'm with Simon I love the duck heads on the Ducky Von Quackenstein.

DrNomis_44
25-04-2017, 11:25 PM
Cool looking pedals, I like the one that looks like it's casing is made from concrete (Brutalist), and that one in a clear case looks cool too.


Those pedals are a great example of what you can achieve by building DIY pedals, each one is unique, I think it's a great way to personalize your FX pedal board.

mjg
26-04-2017, 05:53 AM
So Matt the Brutalist pedal looks awesome and I want one...
I was thinking you might get a more consistent and result if you used a Hebel block - they cut with handsaws and I bet you could use a router on them... you'd have to toss the bit of course

I did think about that sort of approach, but then decided to go the full DIY on it, and pour it with concrete. It was a bit of a nightmare, and took more than one attempt. But I had fun.

mjg
26-04-2017, 05:56 AM
Cool looking pedals, I like the one that looks like it's casing is made from concrete (Brutalist), and that one in a clear case looks cool too.



The clear cases were a few of my early efforts - a word of warning though, if you use a case that isn't metal, you might want to put shielding inside, and make sure any metal switches and pots are grounded. That plastic case pedal I built picks up the local radio station when you touch the switches. ;)

stan
26-04-2017, 06:57 AM
I did think about that sort of approach, but then decided to go the full DIY on it, and pour it with concrete. It was a bit of a nightmare, and took more than one attempt. But I had fun.

For sure, which is why we do any of this, they are cool

DrNomis_44
26-04-2017, 07:39 AM
I did think about that sort of approach, but then decided to go the full DIY on it, and pour it with concrete. It was a bit of a nightmare, and took more than one attempt. But I had fun.


Which is what doing any kind of DIY stuff is really all about, fun, that's the main reason why I got into it in the first place, the other reason is that I seem to learn new skills better/easier just by doing it myself.

mjg
03-05-2017, 07:39 AM
Today's finished pedal - a Slow Gear clone.

http://graybloomfield.com/guitar/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/P5039686-1024x768.jpg

http://graybloomfield.com/guitar/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/P5039699-1024x768.jpg

stan
03-05-2017, 08:12 AM
Now that is totally awesome - love it!!!

DrNomis_44
03-05-2017, 11:36 AM
Very cool, I like those gear wheels that encircle the footswitch, nice touch.

Fretworn
03-05-2017, 11:51 AM
Even if it didn't work, I'd love that slow gear. How does it sound?

mjg
03-05-2017, 12:49 PM
It sounds good! A bit freaky actually - very much like a violin bow effect as you play the notes. Works better with a slower tempo (or more gaps between notes, so it has time to fade up and down). You can adjust the attack so that it works quicker, but it sounds better on the slow setting I think.

Also works with the bass guitar, which is a bonus.

Andy40
03-05-2017, 01:02 PM
Nice work Matt? Where's the pcb from? And is the pbc mounted on the pots?

mjg
04-05-2017, 05:57 AM
The PCB I got as a gift on the madbean forum...they have a big Xmas gifting session and I got one. It looks like it came from an oshpark project I think.

Yeah the board is mounted on the pots. I used some cut off resistor legs to solder the pots to the board, so the whole thing supports itself.

mjg
07-05-2017, 05:14 PM
Today's pedal. This was a tin of vanilla fudge that someone gave me, I've turned it into a bass fuzz for my partner, she plays bass.

Drilling holes in thin, curved, bendy metal with flowers embossed on it isn't fun. :-)

The circuit is a 'Bazz Fuss' from Run of Groove. I've put in a switch to change between a 914 diode and a 270 diode, for different amounts of fuzz.

http://graybloomfield.com/guitar/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/P5079719-1024x768.jpg

http://graybloomfield.com/guitar/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/P5069717-1024x768.jpg

http://graybloomfield.com/guitar/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/P5079720-1024x768.jpg

mjg
07-05-2017, 05:15 PM
And the back...

http://graybloomfield.com/guitar/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/P5079718-1024x768.jpg

stan
07-05-2017, 05:23 PM
That is insane - so very cool, even my wife loves it and she glazes over when i talk guitar - love the allergy advice

DrNomis_44
07-05-2017, 05:28 PM
Very cool looking pedal you have there mjg, I really like the idea of recycling empty confectionary boxes as enclosures for pedals, gives them a unique look, cheers for posting the pics, you should do a demo recording of it so we can hear what it sounds like.

Simon Barden
07-05-2017, 07:47 PM
Love the pedal and the lettering. mjg. Very well done.

Andy40
09-05-2017, 04:10 AM
how sturdy is the tin for a stomp box? It looks cool.

I wanted to build a Bazz Fuzz too on vero, but again when i breadboarded it ....it sounded very farty. so its on my pile of things to do...:confused:

mjg
09-05-2017, 06:21 AM
Sturdiness is ok... I wouldn't want to jump on it, but it's fine for pressing the switch with your foot. I put the stomp switch near the bottom, so it has the side walls close for support. If it was in the middle then yeah, the whole top would flex when pressing.

Dedman
09-05-2017, 12:48 PM
Man these pedals are things of awesomeness

Zandit75
09-05-2017, 02:20 PM
I wanted to build a Bazz Fuzz too on vero, but again when i breadboarded it ....it sounded very farty. so its on my pile of things to do...:confused:

Just for laughs, I'd love to hear a sound clip of this!!
Nothing funnier than fart noises!!

mjg
02-08-2017, 04:25 PM
One that I finished off recently. It does theremin sounds that track your guitar, also fuzz, and I put in a custom echo as well.

Video demo here: http://graybloomfield.com/guitar/2017/07/31/the-mothership/mothership-480/

The theremin effect is this PCB: http://www.parasitstudio.se/store/p37/Theremin_Fuzz_PCB.html

http://graybloomfield.com/guitar/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/P7290008-1024x768.jpg

http://graybloomfield.com/guitar/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/P7289972-1024x768.jpg

wokkaboy
02-08-2017, 04:37 PM
wow MJG that is such a cool pedal, how does the theremin effect work - is it like it gets louder the closer you are to an object like a real one or is it based on the settings ?
I'd be interested buying one of these pedals, how much do you think the parts, casing and PCB's would cost ?

mjg
02-08-2017, 04:54 PM
What it does is try to work out the frequency of the note you are playing on the guitar, then produce a sound at that frequency but with a tone that sounds like a theremin. The tracking is a bit temperamental, so it makes a few 'woo woo' noises as well, but that adds to it I think. It can only do single notes at a time, and works best with a neck pickup and highest strings. Not so good with bass notes. Also not good with fast playing, slow songs are best to let the tracking work.

The PCB is 8 euros I think, plus a bit of shipping. Parts weren't too expensive, it has a few ICs, but they are common ones you can get from Jaycar or RS or similar. Check out the link for the PCB, it has a build document that will list the parts. I can't remember the details but I'm guessing less than $20 parts?

The echo is something I put together special, so it has a few buttons to warp the sound, etc, but you can probably get an echo PCB from most places that sell diy pedals. Or just leave off the echo, just do the theremin fuzz by itself.

The case is an old Apple Airport base station (wifi router). Not sure where you can find one of them - the one I found was down the back of my parents' filing cabinet. It's probably about 15 years old.

Really the 'expensive' bit of building something like this is your time.

If you wanted a pre built one, the guy who makes the PCB also sells them finished (but in a more traditional enclosure). I think he also has kits with all the parts included - check out his site?

Sonic Mountain
02-08-2017, 05:42 PM
These are amazing. Great fun.

wokkaboy
02-08-2017, 06:58 PM
cool thanks Matt I had a quick look at the build parts for the basic Theremin pedal. To build one is way above my electronics ability so might look at building a more simple pedal from a kit.

mjg
03-08-2017, 04:43 PM
I'd recommend one of the fuzz pedals or basic distortion pedals to start with, they have minimal parts and are pretty easy to build.

There are some good beginner ones at diyguitarpedals.com.au, but unfortunately he has had to close his shop at the moment due to family commitments. So one of the overseas suppliers will have to do for now.

mjg
06-08-2017, 08:26 AM
Hey wokkaboy, Paul has reopened his shop at diyguitarpedals.com.au, so might be a good time to get a beginner kit? This one would be a good place to start: http://www.diyguitarpedals.com.au/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=31

You can get it with all the parts included, and there's a video on the page showing how to build it.

wokkaboy
06-08-2017, 09:09 AM
ok cheers for the heads up Matt