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What diodes? Mammoth is the worst and smallbear is great but expensive

 

You may want to look into Russian germanium diodes. I have a lot of them in bulk and you can get them really cheap for big quantities. There are lots of different types, the ones that I have sound really good but I don't know the model #

 

 

Sure thing! For the Rangemasters I'm doing adjustable range and a charge pump so you can daisy chain. No new ideas really, but the components and quality will put it in the "next level" over the usual boutique offerings. I will also be doing a couple one knobbers, with a tasteful "always good" fixed range. The plan for the one knobbers is battery only with point to point construction

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Jeff! I've been thinking about you. How are you?!

 

Sure thing I'll let you know when I have some built. Currently working out the powdercoating details with my buddy. After that is worked out it should move pretty fast

Excellent, I'm really looking forward to getting one of them.

 

I've been good, working a lot and bought a house so I have very little time to play or relax. Plus the girlfriend is pushing for a ring... You know how that is.

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I'm moving over to the dark side...

 

e289db0fb3f9ae88c118c6ae3c7dcd0b.png

 

Did a massive overhaul on my Sig 800 layout. I absolutely hate internal trimmers, but with 5 internal bias trimmers for the JFET's, I didn't have enough room on the outside of the box for 5 extra pots + knobs. So I went into Google Sketchup and came up with this...

 

254b3beccf99100243e432e1042723c2.png

 

That's right...I converted my entire layout to PCB-mounted pots so that I can use those tiny threadless plastic shaft pots that lots of manufacturers use, as external bias trimmers. It will also Drastically decrease build time, as it cuts out about 90% of the wires that I have to solder (between pot lugs, and from pots to board).

 

There are a lot of mixed opinions on the internet about PCB-mounted pots...some people claim there's a reliability issue. My ZVex Super Duper 2-in-1 uses the same PCB-mounted pots; I've never had an issue with it. My friend's Boss DS-1 uses regular solder lug pots, and it's constantly having issues (directly related to the pots). Reliability is entirely dependent on the care and attention the builder takes in soldering.

 

Also added a variable CLR to let people choose how bright their LED.

 

The only things I won't PCB-mount are the footswitch, input/output jacks and the DC jack. Too much stress in those areas.

 

-Ryan

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Nice. I'm not a fan of external bias controls, but switching to board mounted pots is a good move

 

Are you using the 9mm alphas?

 

Yeah, the metal ones for the 6 main controls and the black plastic ones for the trimmers. As far as the bias controls go...while tweaking the circuit, I've found so many nice tones from playing with those trimmers, but when they're internal, you're stuck with one setting without removing the back.

 

With the trimmers the pedal can go from low-gain, high headroom to compressed high-gain and even full-on fuzz...if you don't want to bother with them, don't touch them. They're shorter than the knobs and the footswitch, so they won't get accidentally knocked.

 

-Ryan

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I just think those little threadless pots are too fiddly, and I don't expect random people to bias circuits that I am an expert on as well as me, so I prefer to do it myself. Once all 5 of those pots get out of whack, it's gonna be a lot harder for the user to get it back to where it was.

 

It will be cool for some people, annoying for others

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I just think those little threadless pots are too fiddly, and I don't expect random people to bias circuits that I am an expert on as well as me, so I prefer to do it myself. Once all 5 of those pots get out of whack, it's gonna be a lot harder for the user to get it back to where it was.

 

It will be cool for some people, annoying for others

 

I'll add marks where the original bias points are, so they can always go back to where I initially set them.

 

Also, I don't consider myself an expert on biasing circuits. I bias by ear first, then check my voltages for reference later. Anybody can turn a knob until it sounds good.

 

-Ryan

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Don't get me wrong Ryan, personally, I would have a great time twiddling those knobs. I know a lot of musicians that would be kinda overwhelmed though. But that's probably not your target audience anyway haha

 

Keep doing what you're doing. I like following the evolution of the pedal

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Color is done!

 

9C6189F6-DA4C-4FA4-9EFC-CAA104F51ACC_zpsemqvnknm.jpg

 

 

Mmmmm... lovely copper! What's the plan? Chrome or black hardware? Black or white plastic? Or something out of the norm? Gonna look great regardless I think - and unique. [thumbup]

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First can of clean coat is done. Now I'll let it sit for a week, then a minor wet sanding and then another can of clear.

 

I will use the stock plastics which are white or I should say used to be white, they look aged compared to the white primer.

 

The guitar still has some dings here and there I fixed about 90% of them but it got tedious. Also the guitar has age to it and the fingerboard shows it so it'll be good to have a finish that is not too polished.

 

I am also adding white humbucker rings.

 

I have a set of BBPros that will go in this one, I have an unoriented A5 magnet for the bridge and A3 for the neck.

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Riffster! You're teasing us so bad with that one pic!

 

That looks amazing. I think you get the DIYer of the month award lol

 

 

 

I just recieved the transistors I will be using for the Rangemasters. They're the black glass Mullards on the left. These have a rare marking on them (Mullard MEI Great Britain) that nobody has any info about on the internet. To be honest I kinda feel bad using them up because I probably won't ever find more, but they sound great and I paid too much for them to just sit in a bag haha.

 

When I test them on my analyzer they have pretty much the same exact specs as the Mullard OC44 in the perfect hfe range for Rangemasters. As I popped one into my proto build I was very pleased indeed.. I'm getting just about zero additional noise with the boost at max. Clarity is impeccable, boost is loud, range control let's you hit the transistor a little harder and get some very cool breakup out of it. These are exactly what I was looking for, but maybe better haha.

 

F87D62D3-696D-4F4E-A843-2B3C03A62130_zpsc9xay8t9.jpg

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Been doing lots and lots of PCB designing over the past couple days...after converting the Sig 800 to PCB mounted pots, I figured I'd do the same to my next effect...and make myself a little 3PDT board to make offboard wiring less messy.

 

3PDT board, nice and simple. Included a ground for the effect board and each jack.

 

thumb_i.png

 

And my next effect...reverb! Decay, Mix, Volume and Tone with a Dry Kill switch and a wet-only effects loop.

 

i.png

 

-Ryan

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Maybe a MKII Tonebender with a buncha old bad a$$ components - including the OC81D. That's like the holy grail for TOnebenders, isn't it? [thumbup]

Yep you pretty much hit the nail on the head! What do you win?

 

It's a MKII Tone Bender with the original stripboard layout and vintage Mullard Mustard caps and germanium transistors. Two Mullard OC81 and one Mullard OC81D. Electros are new Sprague and Roederstein. Resistors are new 1/2W carbon composition.

 

This is a pretty extra special build that I'm really excited about. I may not ever get closer than this to owning the original :P

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