Tools, Tones and Toys for Guitarists
Given I’ve done a few Sunn Model T layouts recently, I thought the next obvious step would be an Earthquaker Devices Life pedal layout. This is from the PedalPCB Parentheses Fuzz schematic, which has an additional clipping mode on a rotary switch. I’m sure you can work out how to drop it back to a … Read more
The Marshall Shredmaster is a somewhat classic distortion, even if it has a cringe worthy name. I don’t think I would have even looked at this back in the day as a result of the name. Shredding is not my thing. I think it’s fair to say that Radiohead using the Shredmaster has certainly helped … Read more
The Voodoo Labs Super Fuzz is a Boss Tone (Nashville version) with some serious tweaks – nothing to do with the better know Univox Super Fuzz. I’d suggest maybe breadboarding the Boss Tone section first before completing the full build. There’s certainly enough room on the board for a bit of experimentation if you don’t have a breadboard. VOODOO LABS SUPER … Read more
I found this one sitting in a folder from a while back, so I thought I would post it on the off-chance that anyone is interested. It’s very similar to an Ibanez SD-9. Vertex market the T Drive as a Trainwreck amp in a box – which is a massive stretch of the imagination. VERTEX … Read more
This is a nice easy one – think it might have been my first IC-based guitar pedal builds. The Earthquaker Devices Acapulco Gold is quite the beast. So loud… the 22k resistor going to volume 3 helps pull the level down a bit. It could even be a bit bigger or not there at … Read more
The Inventions 1981 DRV is a modded Rat, and it’s a pretty nice one. If you wanted a more ‘hi-fi’ Rat, this would be it. It runs at 18v, which undoubtedly helps with the more open sound/dynamics compared to an original Proco Rat. There’s also a slight boost before the main op-amp, where the … Read more
The humble Proco Rat – a staple of distortion throughout the 80s, and then later rediscovered by people that couldn’t afford expensive pedals or just liked the sound. By the way, I refuse to acknowledge the Rat as a fuzz pedal. Others may, but not me… Excellent analysis on Electrosmash if you have somehow missed it – link here The … Read more
I did a point to point layout for this some time ago, which was actually my first post for this blog. Full description via the link above. The Colorsound Tone Bender Distortion is more distortion than bender – there are zero similarities between a MKI, MKII or MKIII bender and this circuit. COLORSOUND TONE BENDER DISTORTION – … Read more
This is my first layout for a PT2399 based delay. The Earthquaker Devices Disaster Transport Jr. It’s a pretty cool delay, with some very usable sounds – the addition of the tone control certainly helps, especially if you like something a little lo-fi sounding, or just as a method to filter out noise on longer delay … Read more
This is a simplified version of a Pete Cornish ST-2 (based on the Colorsound Overdriver). I did the full layout, and it it kind of large, and double buffers are not for everyone. So no buffers, and the power supply filtering is simpler. I’m sure the proper Pete Cornish version is probably better, but if you prefer something smaller and simpler, … Read more