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OK this isn't about a pedal but check out my first blog.  Upgraded a cheap Tele copy.  Thanks to some advice by some folks here about replacing the neck.   It turned out great.  Plays great.  Sounds great.  Looks like an expensive custom shop guitar.  I love it.

http://rjkmusic.blogspot.com/

I just bought an second amp.  I have a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe and just got MArshall MG50dfx.  Although the Marshall is solid state it sounds great.  It has a very crisp warm clean tone and channel two is crunchy crunchy crunchy.  So I have stereo etc, tc nova mod, tc flashback and a timefactor so I can run stereo.  I was looking for advice, tricks and tips on how to wire this.  I've read about using an an switch and not running stereo,  it can't figure out how to use the same effects in different effects loops.  I've also read that one can run into the front end of one amp then out the loop send and into the pedal board then left out  into the loop return of the first amp and the right out into the loop return of the second amp.   Anyone out there run two amps.  How are you doing it?

Is the low rider tssentially a POG?  How is the tracking on it and is it best for single notes or will it track chords well?

OK so I am revamping my pedalboard.  I started off with a ToneLab LE into a Line6 210, then got rid of the Line 6 amp replacing it with a Fender HR Deluxe, then began making and adding pedals.  I am to the point where I am going all pedals and removing the ToneLab LE from the mix.  My current setup is as follows:

Guitar -> MXR Dynacomp -> TS9 -> Boss SD-1 -> Madbean Glitteratti -> Boss BF-2 -> MXR Phase 90 -> Behringer noise suppressor -> Tonelab LE -> Amp -> Effects Loop out -> Madbean Fat Pants -> Eventide Timefactor -> TC Electronics HOF -> Effect loop in.

I need to additional pedals for modulation (chorus, tremolo, univibe type sounds, rotary speaker), a Wah, volume pedal,  additional delay, and a good distortion.  I have recently purchased a Vox 847, Morley little alligator, a Jekyll and Hyde, and a Flashback delay. 

I am looking at either a MM4 or TC Electronics Nova Mod for modulations.  Also am looking at a good 80's type (think George Lynch, Ratt) type of distortion.   I have been looking at the Wampler Plexi Drive or the Plextortion.

So.... here are my questions.  I could do DIY pedals in place of the MM4/Nova Mod.   
1. What are GREAT sounding chorus, rotary speaker (heard a Tech 21 WOW!), vibe pedals - madbean or otherwise (preferably the MB). 
2. Which is better for that 80s metal tone - the Plexi Drive or the Plextortion (or even the Pinnacle).  What are the DIY/Madbean equivalents of the Wampler?  The Boneyard?

So I have been having some issues with my amp and noise/hum/crackle in the past few months.  Turns out, after several visits to repair that my Fender Hot Rod Deluxe had bad screen filter caps and also needed all the plate load resistors replaced (http://www.justinholton.com/hotrod/plateloads.html).  That fixed my crackling problem and the amp was quiet for a few performances but recently the sound guy says, dude your amp is noisy, it's humming, sounds like the ocean out front.  So, I disconnect all my pedals and connect them one by one in the effects loop narrowing each one down and finding out how noisy each is.  The Dynacomp and Phase 90 are the quietest, but when I plug in the Behringer Echo Machine, it hums like a mother.  The Glittaratti and Fatpants I built also hum like mad.  WOW the Gliteratti actualy hummed extremely LOUD (while the others were humming but 10x less volume).  Here's where I am going with this...

1. I think my build issues are I used plastic enclosed jacks and did not ground the sleeve on input.  If I run wire from sleeve to ground, I think they will be quieter.  Can anyone verify this?
2. I am looking at Power Supplies like a truly isolated pedal board supply like the Voodoo Labs.  Can anyone point me to a less inexpensive, but good pedalboard ps that will eliminate my annoying hum?  Anyone knwo anything about any of these?

http://logsdonaudio.corecommerce.com/Power-Supplies/
http://www.joyoaudio.com/en/product/show_174.html

Thanks!

OK All you builders out there.  I know Brian has a compressor here but I am not looking for an optical.  That said here is my question(s).

1. What is the best DIY compressor out there?  Tonepad?  BYOC? 
2. Seems to be lots of hype about the Keeley comp.  What is so special about Keeleys pedal other than it is true bypass and uses metal film resistors and capacitors? Is it essentially a (say a tonepad) Ross clone but well shielded?  Does it use the CA3080 and that is the trick?  What gives here?
3. Maybe I am wrong and I really want an optical compressor.  Why should I not build another DIY and build the MadBean compressor?


Thanks to all ahead of time for your input.

Okay so I know this is a DIY pedal conversation board but, since we all play guitars through the pedals I thought I would get some opinions.  I am looking to spend a few (notice the word few) dollars to basically build a guitar.  Don't have the bread to buy an American tele or strat so I have been looking at Rondo SX teles and strats as well as the GFS Xaviere brand.  I keep reading good things online but wanted to post here to see if I could some good feedback.  Are the SX ad Xaviere worth buying.  If I get an SX I know I will probably upgrade tuners and pickups.  Maybe the same with the Xaviere, maybe not.  I know that the GFS pickups are the bomb, but have no hands on with any of their guitars.

I currently own a MIM strat (love it), an ESP EC-256 (love it), Schecter Omen-6 (love it), Schecter Deluxe 006 (it's OK), Jay Turser Deluxe tele.  The Jay sounds great but the neck has a lot to be desired.  The frets need to be bigger and there is a lot of fret buzz (I think it may be warped).  I am thinking about getting either an SX tele and upgrading tuners/pickups or Xaviere tele  (XV-820) and upgrading pickups.  So how about it people; anyone own or played any of these brands and what do you think about them.  Would you recommend them, stay clear of them, buy but definitely upgrade parts, what is the good the bad the ugly?

Anyone know what the Marshall JackHammer is schematic-wise - anyone have a schematic?  It looks like it may be a TS clone (or clone of the Boss HM-2).  It has a OD/Dist selector which if I were to guess switches between either soft clipping/hard clipping, i.e. diodes and LEDs for the clipping section?  I ask all this as a friend just obtained one of these and used it in front of a Carvin Vintage tube amp and the clarity of the overdrive was very nice, could distinguish all notes in a chord played while it had sweet singing sustain for solos.  Impressive pedal actually.  Anyone have any info about this pedal, a schematic to make one, what the MadBean equivalent may be?  Anyone?  Anyone? 

Anyone build a tap tremolo and if so which one?  Where did you get the PCB?  Any opinions on which one is the best, Are there multiple choices out there?  Can anyone provide comparisons?  A friend of mine and I were chatting and he has the Boss TR pedal and made a comment that it sure woudl be nice to have a tap temp tremolo, so I said to him let's build one.  Looking for feedback so I can buld a good one.  Can the MadBean tremolo be modded to add a tap tempo?  Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

I am hoping someone can help me out with a schematic and building what I think is a simple pedal but I am having trouble thinking it through.  I believe that I can build a pedal that consists simply of jacks, switches and a few resistors and LEDs to switch between looping two pedals in series or in parallel.   Here is what I am trying to do.  I have two delay pedals and I would like to switch between running them in series or in parallel.  So the chains would be such, as examples, 

Ex1 - Signal from Looper pedal would split the input to two outputs - one going to one delay and the other to the other delay.  The delays would return to the pedal and the combined signal would then go out to other pedals/amp

Guitar -> Overdrive -> Looper|-> Delay1 |
                                        |              | -> Reverb -> Amp
                                        |-> Delay2 |

OR

Ex2  Signal from looper pedal would not be split but would go to delay one and then into delay two so that the first delay cascades into the second.



Guitar -> Overdrive -> Looper|-> Delay1 -> Delay 2 -> Reverb -> Amp

OK - Anyone.  Here is my problem; looking for a DIY pedal or schematic, or hopefully a project (hint Brian!).  I have a Fender Hot Rod, pedals and a Line 6 DL4.  The DL4 likes instrument level, not line level.  The smartest place to put a delay is obviously in the effect loop.  Problem is MOST loops, including the Fender are line level, so.. the volume is too much and I get distortion in the delay when the DL4 is in the effects loop.  If I pay soft, no problem, but any overdriven or normally played notes/chords distort.  I have also read that you can kill the input buffers this way.  Many have suggested using a DI in reverse or a Ebtech Line Level converter, also a Remap, but I am thinking that there must be a way to build on of these myself and save some dough, plus it would be custom.  The Line Level converter takes a signal and converts the voltage from -10dBV to +4dBu and back. 

So, anyone know how to make something like, or have some additional suggestions?

Here is some additional info...
From Line 6 FAQ:
Q: Can I run my Line 6 Modelling pedal in a parallel or series FX loop?

A: Line 6 does not support the use of any Line 6 Four Button modeling pedal in an effect loop as the Line 6 Modeling pedals are designed for instrument level (guitar/bass output) to be inserted between the instrument and the amplifier. The signal strength of a line level signal (i.e. an effect loop) can cause the input buffers to fail.


Q: What if I have a level control on my FX Loop?

A: It is up to the player to determine how to set the effect loop level according to personal taste, but Line 6 does not recommend placing any Line 6 Four Button modeling pedal in an effect loop.  The send would need to be reduced to approximate a guitar level signal (i.e., -22db, 1.5v pp max, etc).  The problem with this is that you rely on the modeling pedal for make up gain, which if you tailored the input would result in higher noise floor.  If a loop is the only desirable way to connect a Line 6 Modeling pedal, you will need a -22db pad on the front end and a +20db buffer on the output to make up the gain.


http://line6.com/community/docs/DOC-3965
http://line6.com/supportarchive/thread/53636

http://www.ebtechaudio.com/llsdes.html
(Ebtech specs...

I would be interested to see a PCB for an overdrive similar to the Lexi  (DMB Pedals).  The description of the pedal is as follows:

The 4 knob Lexi takes the classic Lexi sound one step further with the addition of the Clean knob. The Clean knob uses Class A Mixer technology to split the original signal and the Lexi signal, giving you the option to combine both signals!! The Clean knob function is so much more than your average blend knob, because you have two knobs(Level and Clean) to dial in any mixture you want, not just the boring 50/50 ratio in traditional "blend knob" pedals. The clean knob is absolutely cutting edge.

Does anyone know of an easy way to take say the a Tube Screamer circuit, Glittaratti, SunKing or EgoDriver and add a MIX knob to add back in the clean signal similar to the Lexi?

My second madbean build and third build overall.  This was a pretty easy build except the pedal doesn't work!  UGH!  I think I have a wire crossed somewhere or possibly one of the wires solder to the FAT pot is grounding to the case ( I noticed I had clipped it back enough).  Not really sure but will figure it out tonight.  I wasn't sure how to wire up the LED so I wired everything up, then stuck the board on the LED and soldered the board right to the LED.  Still had to put a 3M pad underneath the board to prevent it from touching the pot underneath.  The other odd thing is that it doesn't work on battery and I am pretty sure that I have it wired in properly.  I never use battery anyway but it bothers me that it doesn't work.

So - any ideas on what I can check as to why this is not working?  I have no sound bypassed or on.  I also am pretty sure that I have the input jack wired right.  I learned from my Glitteratti build which side terminals to wire up on the enclosed Neutrik jack.



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My recently finished Glitteratti.  Second build ever.  First was a GGG ITS8, Tube Screamer clone.  This was a great build.  I made some mistakes but learned a great deal. 

Thank you so much MadBean for your personal email assistance and to all those here in the forum for your help.  Got all the parts from Pedal Parts Plus and used a few xicon caps instead of box caps and MADE them fit!

Working on a FatPants v2 next.

The good
- Sounds awesome
- Great PCB
- Super control over the gain and the tone.

The bad
- Waterslide decal came out foggy;  Any suggestions/feedback?
- Used minwax clear polycrylic - made the decal even foggier.  Did not go on smooth, very bubbly.  Any suggestions/feedback?
- Trashed a blue LED.  Didn't use a 4k7 resistor and fried it.  Won't make that mistake again.
- Used Neutrik jacks.  Make sure you wire to the terminals on the correct side of the stereo (input) jack.  And know the sleeve ring an tip.  First lug closest to the jack input is Sleeve, second is ring and farthest from the input hole is tip.
- Didn't lay out the wiring well and had to splice the 9v lead from the DC jack to the PCB.  Live and learn.  It is getting easier to figure that out.

Kane

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