Tools, Tones and Toys for Guitarists
After having played around with some random mic preamps on the breadboard and in LTspice lately, I thought I might go back to basics with a fuzz face derivative – the Zvex Woolly Mammoth. Brother to the Fuzzolo and Mastoron (they all share the same bones). ZVEX WOOLLY MAMMOTH – VERO LAYOUT
The RCA BA-31C would have been found in broadcast consoles of the day (late sixties), as a microphone preamp module. I think it may have been the starting point for the Hudson Broadcast, as they look quite similar and I’ve heard some references made to RCA. If it is what they used, I can … Read more
This is the input amplifier from a Revox A77 reel to reel (circa ~ 1967) – which also happens to be almost identical to the mic preamp in Trident A-Range mixing consoles from the early seventies. So far out of the preamps that I’ve been working on, which is the Neve, RCA and this, I’m … Read more
What more can be said about an opamp Big Muff? ELECTRO-HARMONIX OPAMP BIG MUFF – VERO LAYOUT VIDEO DEMOS
A nice easy one – and it reminds me a little of my Tascam four track cassette recorder days. MID-FI ELECTRONICS DEMO TAPE FUZZ – VERO LAYOUT VIDEO DEMO
The Dinosaural OPA-101 Overdirven preamp is a variation (or improvement) on the Dinosaural Tube Bender. This is has the tone control like the the Aion FX version, but I did leave the output stage as a buffer as per the original. The filter itself is on the original which you can see on the schematic … Read more
While I’m doing Lovetone, I have to do a Big Cheese… this is now the predecessor to the Thorpy Field Marshal Fuzz, now that Dan Coggins is helping out on the design side of things there. The schematic can be found at Aion Fx, and this version includes a bit of extra boost at the … Read more
Lovetone effects pedals are pretty legendary, and I have meaning to get around to some layouts for a while now. I thought I might start with the Brown Sauce, which is the least challenging. You can find the schematic here on Aion FX – also check out the rest of the Lovetone line that they’ve traced too, as … Read more
So not strictly Vox, but perhaps it’s the easiest way to label this one. It’s variation of the Jext Telez White Pedal done by Frank_NH on Freestompboxes, which is really the brilliant channel of a Vox Supreme. Frank made a few changes to keep the feel, while simplifying the design. running at 9v no wah … Read more
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