Tools, Tones and Toys for Guitarists
Zero information around about this circuit. The schematic is signed by Alquinta, and the design looks really nice. Only info i could easily find was the little note on the bottom schematic file: “Bass overdrive with a dirty edge (Low to Med Gain)” The transistors (Q1-Q3) can be 2N5089, BC549C or similar. John’s modded layout: … Read more
From Masaru Kubota: Konnichi-Wa! I-kaga-desu-ka? Here is The Punk Panther. Behold the beauty of the circuit. Revel in the simplicity. Bask in the warmth of the glow of the tubes of your amplifier because this circuit is just plain annoying. You know, battlefield type o’ stuff. Anyway, this circuit is my personal tribute to Kurt Cobain. … Read more
Big Daddy and Grace circuits have this at the end of their document page: The two circuits are very similar and it may be possible to use a switching system to alternate between the buffer and the gain stage versions. (ROG) Now did i really have a choice? 🙂 Instead of using some monstrous 4PDT switch, … Read more
Continuing Grace Overdrive article at ROG: During the testing of this circuit design (meaning the Grace Overdrive), the thought occurred to try a Jfet gain stage before the 386, instead of the buffer. The impedance would still be high and the 386 would see more signal and clip harder. The result is a pleasing grind and … Read more
From ROG: A few months ago, Aron Nelson released the Smash Drive. The circuit ingeniously used an LM386 audio power amp chip to produce great distortion sounds. Aron based his work on that of Tim Escobedo. Tim’s Stupidity Box was another great sounding unit and beautifully simplistic. The Smokey Amp by Bruce Zinky was another design … Read more
If i recall correctly, someone requested this a while ago. I think that’s enough for today 🙂 Runoffgroove’s current take on emulating the classic Marshall 100W Super Lead. Read the complete description and history of the circuit from ROG.
Simplified Tube Screamer workalike. ROG soundclips and info about the circuit: The first incarnation of the Tube Reamer was developed as a stripped-down, yet edgier version of the classic Ibanez Tube Screamer. We removed the input and output buffers as well as the tone control stage, plus implemented a different gain control. Many builders enjoyed … Read more
I can’t exactly remember how i ran into this schematic. It is pretty old design and once again i’m having trouble finding more information about it. Anyway. I drew it up and built it. Made some slight changes to the original, such as adding the gain knob and one more 1n cap to tame its … Read more
Note that in the layout, the 33pf cap was only marked as 33 and so not completely identified. Someone suggested a 33n, someone else thought the 33p was more appropriate, so I suggest socketing that cap and seeing which works best. Info about the original: Introducing the Gain Stage Black™. Stripped clean and pure. The … Read more
