Made another pedal. Custom overdrive

[Chickenwings]

This one is based on a tube screamer, but i used LED's instead of normal diodes for less dirt and less compression. The opamp is a Burr Brown and the switch on it allows me to let thru more bass, or tighten things up for when im using an archtop and dont want the lows to cause feedback. The LEds are really cool - when the back is off you can see them glowing when they clip.

I recorded this vid cos i was enjoying the sound so much. The pedal is on the whole time with the extra bass switch on. You can hear how clear it is unless i dig in. The amp is a princeton II set completely clean. I didint make if to play this kind of stuff, it really built to get a nice thick jazzy boost for leads on my 175, or for a fat low gain overdrive for more rock style rhythm thru a twin. This just seemed to be a good tune to show how articulate and responsive it is to nuance.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Made another pedal. Custom overdrive

Amazing stuff, but I would like to hear an on/off demo, too.

 

[Surgeon]

Re: Made another pedal. Custom overdrive

Nice job!

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Made another pedal. Custom overdrive

Amazing stuff, but I would like to hear an on/off demo, too.

yeh i prolly should. I guess it wasn't really a nuts and bolts pedal demo and its really just a variation on a tube screamer. Suffice to say that it has more low end (if i want it) and less compression than a fulldrive or tubescreamer. It is very natural and tube like in its breakup. I guess the mods from a tube screamer are pretty easy if anyone wants to try it. Leds for clipping, burr brown opamp and a switch between a .047 and a .1 uf cap for C3 in the tone stack.

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: Made another pedal. Custom overdrive

Gorgeous. Was entranced. Very like Spanish Classical , Rodrigo or Albenez..technicality is all important, but the soul must be there, and it is! Beuatiful..just beuatiful. Nice sweet tone. Man, get a classical, if you aint got one I'll send you one.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Made another pedal. Custom overdrive

thanks jerry. its actually a Brazilian tune by a fella called Villa-Lobos. I did not play it like its written (plus its full of slips as well), but then again i'm pretty sure electric guitars and bigsbys were not what Heitor villa-lobos had in mind either.
I do have a really nice classical axe. I just don't play it much anymore unless i get a wedding ceremony kind of booking and they ask specifically but i appreciate your offer.

 

[Laughing Kookaburra]

Re: Made another pedal. Custom overdrive

Sweet, what a handy skill to have!

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Made another pedal. Custom overdrive

edit: i have changed one cap in the low end switching section. Now the .1uf is the trimmed sound (originally the bass boost) and an .22uf cap gives and even fatter low end. I tried completely bypassing the low end caps but it got too wooly. I think .22 is a good value. The bass still feels really fat and has plenty of thump but it is still defined enough to simulate a big fender amp when its overdriving. It is very natural sounding. I tried a .33uf as well but it did not give much extra low end compared to the .22 and it got kinda loose and flabby. Ive been testing the sounds out with both a princeton II and a twin reverb which is pretty unforgiving on pedals.

 

[Kam]

Re: Made another pedal. Custom overdrive

Those are some fine chops you have there, sir.

 

[Surgeon]

Re: Made another pedal. Custom overdrive

So, the "bass" switch basically toggles between input caps to vary the bass going through right? I may have read wrong but what were the choices you have there (values)?
Also, when you say tighten up, do you just mean "less bass" or is there something else at play?

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Made another pedal. Custom overdrive

yeh. it just switches between caps.
.22 and .1uf

 

[Surgeon]

Re: Made another pedal. Custom overdrive

yeh. it just switches between caps.
.22 and .1uf

Thanks for answering, that's an easy way to vary a pedal's bass response... Very cool!