MXR Custom Badass '78 Distortion (thumbs up)

[Zombiwoof]

Re: MXR Custom Badass '78 Distortion (thumbs up)

Glad to hear the 78 gets the LLL seal of approval!

FWIW, I don't think the DS-1 ever used LEDs for clipping, but the SEM used one to create asymmetrical clipping with one of the silicon diodes IIRC. The original DS-1s were very different, they used a chip that went I think went OOP, so they changed the circuit to use the standard JRC44558 (and similar) opamps.

FWIW, the original chips are still available, but they they aren't compatible with the current circuit so you can't just drop them in. The BYOC Orange Distortion is the original circuit, so if you want the MIJ DS-1 tone, that is the one to get.

https://buildyourownclone.com/collections/distortion/products/orangedist

They used several other SIL opamps after the original Toshiba chip, but never the 4558. The original chip had one less pin than the later ones, that's why you can't drop it into a later version.
Al

 

[devastone]

Re: MXR Custom Badass '78 Distortion (thumbs up)

They used several other SIL opamps after the original Toshiba chip, but never the 4558. The original chip had one less pin than the later ones, that's why you can't drop it into a later version.
Al

It's more than just the number of pins, the pins have to be the same too, there are dual opamps in 8 pin packages that are not pin for pin compatible. FWIW, I'm 99% sure there is a SIL version of the 4558 which is a dual opamp, but the opamp the original used was a single opamp, a Toshiba TA7136P. Years ago we did a side by side with a friend's MIJ DS-1 and my MIT DS-1 with the SEM, the MIJ was warmer and smoother, but if you are using it as a boost, either would work fine, in face the SEM version is a great boost for a crunchy amp. They aren't totally different, but it is noticeable, especially if you are cranking the distortion on the DS-1 and running into a clean amp.

 

[Zombiwoof]

Re: MXR Custom Badass '78 Distortion (thumbs up)

It's more than just the number of pins, the pins have to be the same too, there are dual opamps in 8 pin packages that are not pin for pin compatible. FWIW, I'm 99% sure there is a SIL version of the 4558 which is a dual opamp, but the opamp the original used was a single opamp, a Toshiba TA7136P. Years ago we did a side by side with a friend's MIJ DS-1 and my MIT DS-1 with the SEM, the MIJ was warmer and smoother, but if you are using it as a boost, either would work fine, in face the SEM version is a great boost for a crunchy amp. They aren't totally different, but it is noticeable, especially if you are cranking the distortion on the DS-1 and running into a clean amp.

I'm familiar with all of that, the Toshiba chip was used in the MIJ and early black label MIT DS-1's, which I think sound exactly the same. I mentioned the pins being different on the Toshiba chip as one reason why they can't just be subbed in a later model DS-1. Also, yes there is a SIL version of the 4558, but the DS-1 never used it, people who have tried it didn't think it sounded that great in there. At one point I had every version of the DS-1 with the different chips except one of them. There were very slight differences in the sound of them, but one in particular seemed to have slightly more gain, I think it was the BA chip in a later version but it's been a long time since then so I'm not sure.
Al

 

[smitty302]

Re: MXR Custom Badass '78 Distortion (thumbs up)

How would the 78 work used as an o.d. for a big muff?

 

[LLL]

Re: MXR Custom Badass '78 Distortion (thumbs up)

How would the 78 work used as an o.d. for a big muff?

You'll have to ask someone else; I never gain stack with stomps.

 

[dystrust]

Re: MXR Custom Badass '78 Distortion (thumbs up)

How would the 78 work used as an o.d. for a big muff?

It should be OK as long as you're careful about settings on both pedals. Otherwise the '78 had enough gain / volume on tap to easily send the Big Muff into uncontrollable feedback.

 

[smitty302]

Re: MXR Custom Badass '78 Distortion (thumbs up)

It should be OK as long as you're careful about settings on both pedals. Otherwise the '78 had enough gain / volume on tap to easily send the Big Muff into uncontrollable feedback.

Thanks that's what I was wondering about since I have a 78 on the way. I was hoping I could pair it with my Big muff to get just a little extra gain for Gilmour tones. The big muff sounds awesome but it just doesn't have enough gain for me. It's hard for me to nail his pinch harmonics with just the big muff. I'm hoping the 78, with the gain set low of course, will help me out.

 

[dystrust]

Re: MXR Custom Badass '78 Distortion (thumbs up)

Thanks that's what I was wondering about since I have a 78 on the way. I was hoping I could pair it with my Big muff to get just a little extra gain for Gilmour tones. The big muff sounds awesome but it just doesn't have enough gain for me. It's hard for me to nail his pinch harmonics with just the big muff. I'm hoping the 78, with the gain set low of course, will help me out.

A Big Muff has a boatload of gain, so I really doubt that's the problem. It's more likely that it's just too scooped. David Gilmour runs his Big Muff into a Chandler Tube Driver, but I've never had much luck running it first. When I'm after Gilmour tones I like to boost the Big Muff with a tube screamer and that seems to work pretty well. To start, set the Big Muff as clean as you can get it without sounding horrible; it'll be a bit crunchy, but not over the top. Then set your boost with the level all the way up, and the gain at 9 o'clock or slightly more. With those settings your boost will make up for the gain you took off of the Big Muff and it'll also fill out the mids. Run those into a delay for instant Gilmour solo tone.