Tools, Tones and Toys for Guitarists
Per request. A slightly modernized take on a Moog designed Fuzz/compressor hailing back from the 70s. The signal path remains true to the original but the rotary switch has been removed in favour for a variable fuzz control. And the two compressor settings is now fed through a toggle switch. The CD4007AE IC might be … Read more
I was looking at the Diamond Compressor schematic the other day and thought it looked interesting and possibly something that could be simplified – it turns out it can be simplified. Of course, someone had already done this. Jump over to the La Revolution Deux for details, AKA Fred Briggs’ blog. I used a TL074 instead … Read more
The late EH3054C version of the vintage Deluxe Big Muff. Some improvements had to be done like true bypass and common voltage refrence. Schematic is avaiable HERE.
Another day, another compressor layout… This is a Dan Coggins design, the Dinosaural OCT-201 Opticompressor, and the predecessor to the Thorpy Fat General, which was also designed by Dan. Not many of these are around, as it was only made in a short run. Schematic and tracing journal on Aion FX. DINOSAURAL OCT-201 OPTICOMPRESSOR – VERO … Read more
While on a run of compressors, I thought this one looked interesting. ThorpyFX Fat General is an optical compressor with a treble control and a blend function. Schematic can be found on PedalPcb here. It’s said to be a progression of the Dan Coggins designed Lovetone OCT-201 – based on the trace at Aion FX, … Read more
Another compressor for the day – have not built this one yet, but I have tried the Baja LA2A that’s heavily based on this, and it sounds pretty good. Suggest testing the DIY vactrol off-board first to find something that works with the available parts. 5mm yellow LED worked well for me with the Baja version. … Read more
After building a few fuzzes lately, I thought it was time to change. I’ve built a later revision of the Reckless Diode Compressor, and I really liked it. This is the first version, somewhat subtler than the last revision. It has similar characteristics but is a more complicated design with a dual rail power supply. This … Read more
A quite simple old japanese compressor by Univox. For part substitutions (since stock parts is long gone obsolete…) the transistor were a low gain NPN silicon so PN2222 or 2N3903 should work. MD234 were silicon signal diodes so 1N4148s is a near enough sub. The spec of the original vactrol remains unknown so socketing a … Read more
A request by KG who also provided lots of useful information and a schematics for this. A bit more simple version of the DIYRE Tape Saturator circuit using op amps and there is no need for a rack circuitry. The circuit is supposed to run on 16v / -16v so there is an onboard bipolar … Read more
