2016 Wrap-Up and Announcement

[madbean]

We're quickly coming to the end of 2016 so I thought I'd do a quick summary of where MBP is at and what to look forward to in the coming year.

I was able to get a couple of major project categories launched this year with the 1590G set and the Tapanatorator. Really happy to see those finally see the light of day. The Etcher's Paradise also launched and while I have not put up quite as many projects as I expected to this year, it will grow in the coming months. I plan to spend some time on it the last week of December. The Timelapse is obviously a little behind but I hope to have the project finalized in a few days which would allow time for it to be released this month. Also, the 2016 Build of the Year Contest and the annual PIF Party are both happening now so be sure to check those out if you haven't. They'll over before you know it!

For 2017, the two biggest categories of projects I want to dig into are tube-based pedals and some fun noise-makers. I've worked on quite of few designs on the down-low in the past couple of years so I think it's time for those to start coming out. I'd also like to revisit some FV-1 projects by mid-year.

The Big Announcement

There's also another category of project coming in 2017 and it's not madbeanpedals. I'm pleased to announce that MBP will soon be distributing PCB projects for the VFE product line. Most of you are probably familiar with VFE to some degree but maybe less so with its owner, Peter. Peter has been a prolific designer and released a large array of pedals over the last few years. In 2016, he decided to go full time into education and much of the original VFE line-up was discontinued. A good portion of that discontinued line-up will be available to the DIY community to build very soon. These are actual production PCBs used to build his products...they are not my design.

This is a pretty incredible opportunity that Peter has given MBP and to you as well. I don't think there is any precedent for it, really. So, a big thanks goes to him and to VFE for making this happen. If you want to acknowledge him, please give VFE a "like" on Facebook and let him know that his generosity to the DIY community is appreciated. He's pretty much a hell of a guy Details on exactly which VFE pedal projects are available will be released in the coming weeks so I cannot yet answer anything about a specific pedal project or circuit.

Notes:
-Right now I have to inventory things and get a sense of what is going to be involved in getting this going. Here's what I can tell you now - the PCBs will be for sale in the near future in the MBP store. Each project will have a document like the MBP docs which I will be putting together. Many of these projects will include mods that Peter has developed over the years for improvements to the original circuits.

-Most of these projects will require two boards - the main circuit and his switching circuit (which will also be made available). Some projects may involve specialized components that are custom made.

-There will be a new section of the MBP forum dedicated specifically to these projects. All technical support will be routed through there. VFE will not be providing any hands-on in this process. So, I will be the go-to on these projects and there are a couple of other forumites that have offered to lend a hand now and then. This also means I will need time to build all of these projects myself! So, most likely the releases will be staggered over a couple of months.

-There are thousands of PCBs, no joke. Should be plenty to go around for the foreseeable future. I expect them to be priced commensurate with my own projects so don't anticipate any big surprises there. The point of all this is to get them out for you to build, which is what Peter wants. And, MBP happens to be his choice to allow that to happen 

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Finally, this is been a helluva year for a lot of people. I think 2016 is going down as a pretty tumultuous year with all the music legends passing and the crazy political climate we are experiencing in the US. All good things do come to an end, eventually, but the bad never lasts. I hope all of you have a wonderful holiday and thanks for being part of MBP this year, and all the years before. Merry Christmas!

[icecycle66]

Oh man.  I love Peter's stuff. 

[Ralfg]

All of this sounds freaking sweet!

[playpunk]

Wow! Tube based and noisemakers sound fun too- I'm enjoying building gain after a layoff.

[Aristatertotle]

Right on! Thanks so much for all of your work! I know all of us really appreciate everything you do for this community.

Super awesome that Peter is setting loose that many projects! If there aren't at least 10 RUP build reports within a month of that board being released I'll be surpised.

Bring on 2017!

[darrenw6000]

Sounds good. You doing free delivery this year on your own projects?

[nzCdog]

Too much awesome!  Woo!

[matmosphere]

Excellent! This is all great news.

Brian, you really helped make 2016 a great year for the DIY community. Thanks for all your hard work.

All I can say, Noisemakers!!! Sweet

[warriorpoet]

VFE STUFF?!?!?

YOU ARE MY FAVORITE PERSON EVER!

YES!!!

[Jmilla]

Wow this is amazing. I really like his take a the classics as well as his build quality. Will definitively need to build a few old favorites.

[vizcities]

Ooooooh... any Triumvirates in that stack o' PCBs?

[jposega]

So excited for the VFE boards, really hoping for the Woodchipper!

[warriorpoet]

For real, I will buy one of each VFE board. Every. Single. One.

[flanagan0718]

Brian,
Thank you for all of your hard work and allowing us to be a part of all this. The VFE thing is huge, but none of it would be possible if you weren't providing us the place to share all of this awesome stuff. Congrats on all of the accomplishments and thanks again! Looking forward to another amazing year at the MBP forum!

-Mike-


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[beneharris]

This is so awesome, of both you and Peter. He has put out some of the most awesome, and inventive circuits that I can think of recently. I have loved all my VFE's I've had so far. The Ice Scream is by far my favorite. I'm looking forward to this one!