Staying True to your Tone

Xotic 49a5e772dd9f

I’m stoked to be back and super stoked to do so with this awesome and very popular pedal from our friends at Xotic Effects. I’m sure many of you have had experience with the “Tremendous Trio” that is the BB Preamp, AC Booster, and this here champ of a stompbox the RC Booster. The Reason … Read more

Blue Magic

Blue Magic 3954163620ae

Here’s an overdrive I stumbled across while browsing the Free Information Society site. It was designed by Jake Nagy and was quite popular in the DIY world at while back. Here’s what he had to say about it: Blue Magic is a very low to medium grit, tube-like, overdrive pedal that is based on a … Read more

Run Off Groove Eighteen

ROG Eighteen 3f94c2335e7e

The ROG Eighteen is an overdrive/distortion circuit based on the classic 18watt Marshall amp of the late 60s. It uses JFETs in place of tubes, like many other ROG amp-based drive effects. J201s are specified, but socket and try some other JFETs (2N5457, MPF102, etc.) The Volume control will probably act more like a gain … Read more

EMMA ReezaFRATzitz

EMMA ReezaFRATzitz a40a51617333

The ReezaFRATzitz is a high gain overdrive/distortion circuit based around a CMOS chip, most likely a CD4069N or 74HCU04. This layout reflects a modded version by FreeStompboxes member thn.technik with added Bass and Mids controls. Here’s a link to his schematic and build pics. You might be able to squeeze it into 1590B, but you’d … Read more

WEM Pep Box

WEM Pep Box Germanium 0754ae531fcf

Here’s a cool vintage fuzz circuit from the mid 60s–the WEM Pep Box. It’s probably best known its use by John Lennon during the Revolver sessions. There are two versions of this effect, the first using germanium transistors and the later using silicon. I’ve drawn up layouts for both iterations of the circuit, as there … Read more

Emerson Customs EM-Drive

Emerson Customs E M Drive 1f3ef4353fc1

Here’s a really simple “transparent overdrive” circuit that was a must have a couple years ago. People compared it to the Klon and Timmy drives. Originals use paper in oil caps, which some claim sound better than modern film or ceramic caps. That’s a debate for another time though. I’ve drawn it up so you … Read more