Miscellaneous pedal projects

[jugglindan]

Is that a straight Valvecaster build, or something based on Dr Nomis's mods in another thread? Is the sound worth the hassle over opamp or FET-based drive pedals? I know that's subjective, but I am interested in your thoughts.

[JohnH]

It's just the straight valvecaster, no mods.

Good question, and I would probably say no (though I've only played around with it for an hour or two). Like all these things it depends on what you want I guess - I enjoyed building it, and it sounds good. It was much more fiddly and expensive than an op-amp or FET based build, and for the small amount of noodling around I do it doesn't add anything groundbreaking. I like it though, particularly with the gain all the way up. I really dig the Purgatory one from the other thread (which I built without Doc's mods), and would definitely recommend it.

[jugglindan]

Thanks for the info. I am pausing my pedal building efforts for the moment while I finish the blueycaster, but I have started planning some new builds. First will probably be the Deep Blue Delay and then more drive pedals of some sort

[JohnH]

I'm keen to see how you go with the delay.

I really need to take a break from pedals too. I have an exhibition in November and I'm wholly unprepared, but when I get home from work the guitars and pedals are kind of fun whereas preping for a show feels like work lol. Once I get some paint down and can see the show start to come together I'll be into it, but it's pretty tedious when it's just putting gesso on paper.

[jugglindan]

Ah, the old Procrastination as a Productivity Tool (for other things) strategy. otherwise known as getting things done while avoiding doing that other thing I really should be doing

I do a fair bit of that. I built 8 or 9 pedals while avoiding finishing my tele because the guitar build is much further out of my comfort zone.

Is your exhibition going to be in Canberra?

[JohnH]

Ha ha, yeah, that is exactly what it is.

The exhibition will be in Goulburn, at the regional gallery. They have a small project space at the front, so it's not actually that big an exhibition. Maybe 12 - 20 small paintings.

I'm painting my collection of vacuum tubes, so it will at least be tangentially related to electronics

[Simon Barden]

I really don't like that exposed valve from a H&S point of view. I know it's got a screening can around it, but it's just soft aluminium and I still wouldn't consider it safe from misplaced feet.

[WeirdBits]

Maybe a U Bolt of some sort as protection? If you can get one tall enough to still allow removal of the tube when needed.

[JohnH]

I really don't like that exposed valve from a H&S point of view. I know it's got a screening can around it, but it's just soft aluminium and I still wouldn't consider it safe from misplaced feet.

Yeah, I agree. I figured for this one it wouldn't matter, given it's not likely to be in high use and I don't gig.

I think I'm likely to use the one from the other thread quite a bit more, so I'm planning on putting the socket inside the box, though I still need to think a bit about how to tackle it. My brother showed me a tube pedal that had a neat acrylic window so you could still see the tube, which I'm tempted to try.

It's a pity because I do enjoy seeing the tube poking out the top, but it's a bit different if it's a stereo preamp or something sitting on a shelf.

[Simon Barden]

A U-bolt either side would probably do it, though the extra weight high-up would make the pedal less balanced.

Acrylic windows look nice but don't really add anything, and certainly not ventilation. A lot of that sort of pedal use lower voltages for the valve and use a red LED to obtain the valve 'glow' for show.