Recent posts

#1

Open Discussion / Re: The transition.

Last post by jessenator - Today at 12:43:46 AM

Change is the only constant, right?

Man, I can't even fathom that next move myself. Kudos to rolling with it all, Gordo.

I have a few fond memories of visiting friends in chi-town, but you're a braver man to take the urban bull by the horns.

#2

Open Discussion / Re: The transition.

Last post by gordo - Today at 12:04:46 AM

Thanks Brian.  It's been a wild ride and most days I still enjoy the work so will hopefully keep my brains from turning to mush.  Repairs and pedals are a nice reset to the work week.

#3

Global Annoucements / Re: Forum issues

Last post by culturejam - May 13, 2024, 11:34:18 PM

Finally got logged in. I had to manually delete the old cookies and refresh.

#4

Open Discussion / Re: wish me luck

Last post by jessenator - May 13, 2024, 08:48:16 PM

Well I think it was a success. Small class, which was nice. Even had one guy stick around after to witness live breadboard debugging

Definitely got lots to improve (the other guitar teacher wants me to come in in the Fall...), but overall it was fun, and they mostly enjoyed it.

#5

Open Discussion / Re: The transition.

Last post by madbean - May 13, 2024, 03:59:56 AM

Buddy, my hope for you at 66 is that the only thing in your path forward is enjoying your life to the fullest. You've earned it.

Also, I'd love to lifve in DT Chicago for a bit!

#6

Open Discussion / Re: wish me luck

Last post by jessenator - May 13, 2024, 01:03:28 AM

I wouldn't worry at all about that since you're really there to display pedal building. Have a screwdriver on hand to open your pedals up to show the inner workings. Have some schematics printed off to show what's going on. Maybe you could even bring a pcb and demonstrate soldering a few components in. That will be educational.
If they wanted guitar playing, some dude with an acoustic could just sit there and play some boring scales really fast. Anybody can see that. Show them the stuff they don't get to see.

Thanks for the insights. I completely spaced actually talking about those details of pedal building. Definitely going to go over a simple -ish circuit in schematic form and maybe I'll bring a breadboard and some parts to play with.

I have a load of empty, bad (designed) PCBs I'll give out just for kicks, since I don't have surplus picks, and they might have some already.

#7

Open Discussion / The transition.

Last post by gordo - May 13, 2024, 12:40:43 AM

Nothing really pedal related here but after 66 years of living in the burbs I've made the transition to living in downtown Chicago (condo in the West Loop to be exact).  Upside is that I'm now 2.5 miles from work.  Downside is that my workbench is now 40 miles from home as opposed to 40 feet.  I do the repairs for a music store in Fox River Grove so they've graciously allowed me to move all my crap to their store.

I predict my output will be dramatically lower, but the upside is that I'll appreciate the time I get at the bench.  I've been doing a lot of guitar electronics lately and seem to be Marshall focused as well (lots of blowed up output transformers for some reason).


Was eyeing Orange County, CA as my next repair stomping ground but will have to put it off for a few years while I ride out revised retirement plans.  Subject to change at the drop of a hat of course.

Sucks to work, but good to be needed, so very little to complain about.

#8

Open Discussion / Re: wish me luck

Last post by lars - May 12, 2024, 06:35:49 PM

Never mind that some of those kids likely play better than me...  I'm excited and nervous.

I wouldn't worry at all about that since you're really there to display pedal building. Have a screwdriver on hand to open your pedals up to show the inner workings. Have some schematics printed off to show what's going on. Maybe you could even bring a pcb and demonstrate soldering a few components in. That will be educational.
If they wanted guitar playing, some dude with an acoustic could just sit there and play some boring scales really fast. Anybody can see that. Show them the stuff they don't get to see.

#9

Open Discussion / wish me luck

Last post by jessenator - May 12, 2024, 04:15:41 PM

My neighbor heard from my bragging wife that I make guitar pedals and after months of dragging my feet (and recovering from illness and surgery), I'm finally accepting his invite to demo for his high school guitar class. tomorrow

Never mind that some of those kids likely play better than me...  I'm excited and nervous.



(Amp)--------|
|---------(git)

Degenerator; Glass Hole; Fraudhacker; Pork Barrel
Runt; Mudbunny; Sardine Tin; Bumblebee

It may but be a surprise, but this is the first time I've set up a pedal board. Borrowed the physical board from a friend, along with a few pedals that I didn't have ready (Pork Barrel, Runt, and Mudbunny). I've got a good assortment, I think. about all I can fit! I wanted to put a Moodring after the Degenerator and a cupcake at the front...

Hopefully the signal chain is what it should be. I'll welcome any feedback that may come in the next 12 hours 

#10

Build Reports / Re: One Chip Pony — Comparator...

Last post by Aleph Null - May 10, 2024, 03:27:07 PM

I love big knobs.
I love unruly fuzz.
I love this.
Great job and congrats on the first layout working out.
Should've dimed it in the demo though
I've been meaning to build one of these up. Breadboard one a few years back and loved it. This circuit has a bit more going on than the parasit layout. Was that you or inspiration from elsewhere?
Great job!

I wasn't aware of Parasit circuit. I did look at Anderton's comparator fuzz, but this circuit is different from that one as well.