Should I mod my TR-2 or my GE-7?

[BlackhawkRise]

I got these two pedals for fairly cheap as part of a trade and I thought it would be pretty cool to learn to mod them since I don't really use tremolos or equalizers all that much.

Monte Allums has mods for both of them that look pretty cool, but I don't know exactly how much a change the mods can make given that both of these pedals don't seem like there's all that much you can do to improve them. The additional volume knob looks pretty slick though.

Any other sources of mods for these pedals out there?

 

[GuitarStv]

Check first if they're the new SMT or old through hole. The through hole ones are easy to mod. The SMT ones are very difficult, and probably not worth the time unless you've got the special tools necessary for the work already.

 

[NegativeEase]

the $55 Analog Man GE-7 mod is worth it

​​​​​​https://www.analogman.com/boss.htm

 

[BlackhawkRise]

The GE-7 can't be modded, the TR-2 can.

 

[dave74]

Tremolo is a weird niche effect IMO.I personally would not use it enough to warrant modding. The EQ mod would be cool though, if it wasn't smt.

 

[NegativeEase]

The GE-7 can't be modded, the TR-2 can.

Yes they can, it just has to be pre SMT changeover -meaning all Japanese made, some Taiwanwese made until fairly recently

 

[beaubrummels]

When I read the thread title, all I could think of was this:

and this

 

[Chistopher]

When I read the thread title, all I could think of was this:

and this

Heh, even got the colors right.


As far as mods, theres not really too much to do in a TR-2. You can remove C7 to make it a little bit brighter or replace R19 with a smaller value to alter the waveform (I'm actually going to experiment with this myself when I get some free time). If you want the pedal to stutter really quickly, removing C4 and lowering R31 can make it do some funny things.

 

[dave74]

Yes they can, it just has to be pre SMT changeover -meaning all Japanese made, some Taiwanwese made until fairly recently

That is what the OP is saying. He checked and his TR-2 is older but this EQ is SMT.

 

[NegativeEase]

That is what the OP is saying. He checked and his TR-2 is older but this EQ is SMT.

Gotcha -I missed that

 

[BlackhawkRise]

Does anyone know how I would modify it so that the waveform is skewed, ie the pedal rises in volume slowly but cuts off quickly?

 

[GuitarStv]

Does anyone know how I would modify it so that the waveform is skewed, ie the pedal rises in volume slowly but cuts off quickly?

Do the Reverb.com mod:
- list pedal on reverb and sell it
- use proceeds to buy a tremolo pedal that allows you to change the shape of the waveform (something like a Diamond trem, ZCat Q-Trem, or Catalinbread Sempahore will all get you there).

 

[BlackhawkRise]

Do the Reverb.com mod:
- list pedal on reverb and sell it
- use proceeds to buy a tremolo pedal that allows you to change the shape of the waveform (something like a Diamond trem, ZCat Q-Trem, or Catalinbread Sempahore will all get you there).

I've actually already performed the Own A Strymon Flint mod, but for now I'm more interested in using it to learn about circuits.

 

[Aceman]

Check first if they're the new SMT or old through hole. The through hole ones are easy to mod. The SMT ones are very difficult, and probably not worth the time unless you've got the special tools necessary for the work already.

This. Odds are good the Tremolo, if made after 2006, is just fine. How would you mod it if there was no volume drop anyway - just make it more expensive for fun?

 

[Aceman]

Does anyone know how I would modify it so that the waveform is skewed, ie the pedal rises in volume slowly but cuts off quickly?

A Bias knob...and no, don't know how. But I have half a dozen tremolos that do that.

 

[Chistopher]

Does anyone know how I would modify it so that the waveform is skewed, ie the pedal rises in volume slowly but cuts off quickly?

R31 partially controls the waveform. if you change it to one pot with a diode one direction on the first lug and the other direction on the other lug with a resistor in series with each, that's a good way to start.

There are probably a decent number of diagrams out there for it.

 

[El Dunco]

If I were to mod a tremolo, I’d install a switch to have it emulate a bias trem or even a crazy scattered trem sound. Boss pedals are great to mod. I modded my ODB-3 for fatter, less fizzy gain. Makes a great bass preamp and almost approaches Darkglass type sounds now.

It wasn’t unusable before but it got nasty fast with too much gain and the mod exposes how thin the blended overdrive was before and I didn’t want to take down the treble knob when I liked where it was for the blended clean sound just to smooth it.