dbreslauer Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 i was reading how the original Bluesbreaker pedal is much better than the more recent incarnation, but of course long discontinued. on the Bay, they appear to be quite expensive if you can even find them (and odds are John Mayer has bought them all by now.) :) so i built my own yesterday. i got this schematic from tonepad.com, parts all from Small Bear. i used the iron transfer method for this PCB, as the layout is more complex than other fuzz circuits. all drilled. the traces are a lot neater than the freehand way. i still enlarge the pads a bit though. board populated: i used a larger enclosure this time... room to breathe! :) wired up with a 3PDT switch, for true bypass and LED indicator: now on to the hard part: painting! Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimbabig Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 What color paint design are you going for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbreslauer Posted March 5, 2011 Author Share Posted March 5, 2011 What color paint design are you going for? i'm priming now, while i think about it. i got those cream colored knobs for a vintage feel, and the LED is amber. maybe a brown or hammered metal look? suggestions? :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimbabig Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 sounds like the knobs and led would look good with an aged yellow look, your choice though man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbreslauer Posted March 7, 2011 Author Share Posted March 7, 2011 i went with a hammered look paint, and used an aged white/cream color. i am a horrible painter, but this does have an old vintage feel too it. it probably needs another coat or two, but i've learned that sandpaper and hammered finish paint do not get along well at all... the finish also bubbled up around the switch: need to flatten that out when i break it down for the sealer coats. i ordered some waterslide decal sheets to try some labelling and lettering before the sealer. i LOVE the sound of this pedal. very warm drive, not biting or harsh at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icantbuyafender Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 between you and our friend andy, the forum could open up a custom shop for guitars AND pedals. you are a mad man! what was the cost of parts and components? Very excellent job, sir. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Gosh, it looks great. Good job!! But, more importantly, how does it Sound??! CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbreslauer Posted March 7, 2011 Author Share Posted March 7, 2011 between you and our friend andy, the forum could open up a custom shop for guitars AND pedals. you are a mad man! what was the cost of parts and components? Very excellent job, sir. just under $40 for everything, not including the shipping costs and the paint. thanks! Gosh, it looks great. Good job!! But, more importantly, how does it Sound??! CB thanks! i like this drive sound a LOT. very warm with the tone rolled back, and then brighter with it up a bit. crank up the gain and it breaks up into a distortion, but again not harshly. think Clapton with John Mayall... i'm very pleased with the sound (moreso than the paint!) :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vourot Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Here's my British Blues Overdrive I built from a BYOC kit( based on the original Marshall Blues Breaker. $69.00 I think shipping was 8 bucks. Great pedal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon S. Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 i went with a hammered look paint, and used an aged white/cream color. i am a horrible painter, but this does have an old vintage feel too it. it probably needs another coat or two, but i've learned that sandpaper and hammered finish paint do not get along well at all... the finish also bubbled up around the switch: need to flatten that out when i break it down for the sealer coats. i ordered some waterslide decal sheets to try some labelling and lettering before the sealer. i LOVE the sound of this pedal. very warm drive, not biting or harsh at all. Looks great!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Californiaman Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 I like the hammered metal look. I have a copper/pepper switcher that I use. How do you achieve that effect? I'd like to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbreslauer Posted March 8, 2011 Author Share Posted March 8, 2011 I like the hammered metal look. I have a copper/pepper switcher that I use. How do you achieve that effect? I'd like to know. Rustoleum makes several different styles of "hammered look" spray paint. the hard part is keeping it even, but you just spray it on and it dries like that. that copper pedal looks awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbreslauer Posted March 10, 2011 Author Share Posted March 10, 2011 i made my first water slide decal label for this pedal. in hindsight, i would do the knob labels separately, and i'm also guessing these decals work better on non-textured surfaces. but overall i'm pleased with the outcome. i have to do some fine sanding on the case and then seal it some more with coats of poly. then, all done. :) i like the orange LED a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rico Deluxe Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 That is absolutely beautiful. Congrats Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Californiaman Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 That's great! How's it sound? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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