madbeanpedals::forum

Projects => Build Reports => Topic started by: JakeFuzz on December 19, 2012, 07:03:24 AM

Title: Mictester silicon tonebender - Beejive PCB!
Post by: JakeFuzz on December 19, 2012, 07:03:24 AM
Here is my Si Tonebender built on Jimmy's excellent PCB. I believe he plans to do a run of these in the near future...

This is an improved MKII design from Mictester over at FSB. It is really an optimized MKII with a simple tone control and output buffer. There is also an input capacitor switch to put in a big (10uf) cap for added awesomeness. My build uses BC108 and BC109 transistors. This is a Rustoleum hammertone finish with mini chickenheads. I used a Tayda 1590b which has really steep sides (almost zero draft angle) and Tayda pcb mount jacks which stick out really far.

This thing sounds awesome. Great sustain on high gain settings. Low gain is more of a unique benderish overdrive. Very happy with the volume knob roll off of this circuit, not completely clean but nice useable drive that doesn't dull out. You can pull great regular MKII tones out of it too. Overall a very versatile effect, I could see it covering the area of several other circuits.

(http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv299/pnordeen/20121218_224216.jpg)

(http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv299/pnordeen/20121218_224322.jpg)

First takes  ::). The guitar goes slightly out of tune toward the end (new strings), sorry!  :)
Title: Re: Mictester silicon tonebender - Beejive PCB!
Post by: MattOcaster on December 19, 2012, 07:32:48 AM
Great stuff!
Been on my to do list for a while.
Title: Re: Mictester silicon tonebender - Beejive PCB!
Post by: nzCdog on December 19, 2012, 09:26:30 AM
Dang!  Great build and demo Paul! 8)
Title: Re: Mictester silicon tonebender - Beejive PCB!
Post by: raulduke on December 19, 2012, 10:06:40 AM
Nice build dude.

Nice PCB layout as well!
Title: Re: Mictester silicon tonebender - Beejive PCB!
Post by: gtr2 on December 19, 2012, 11:44:47 AM
Quote from: raulduke on December 19, 2012, 10:06:40 AM
Nice PCB layout as well!

lol, that's the first thing I checked out too.


Cool build!

Josh
Title: Re: Mictester silicon tonebender - Beejive PCB!
Post by: cajone5 on December 19, 2012, 02:25:34 PM
This thing sounds incredible -- definitely want to build one for myself!

Who/what should I be looking out for if a run of PCBs is ever done? Definitely don't want to miss this.
Title: Re: Mictester silicon tonebender - Beejive PCB!
Post by: jimmybjj on December 19, 2012, 03:29:17 PM
Wow Paul, sounds really great, nice playing! Nice looking build to.
Title: Re: Mictester silicon tonebender - Beejive PCB!
Post by: jimmybjj on December 19, 2012, 03:35:40 PM
Quote from: cajone5 on December 19, 2012, 02:25:34 PM
This thing sounds incredible -- definitely want to build one for myself!

Who/what should I be looking out for if a run of PCBs is ever done? Definitely don't want to miss this.

Hi, I am will be doing a run of these. I am just going to do one more proto before releasing it. This what the pcb will look like, sorry for the crappy photo.

Jimmy
BeeJive Pedals

(http://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-LDl4NYBK5js/UKrfc2Lf27I/AAAAAAAAJO0/oGQHGVmiG4U/s1024/IMAGE_D79886CD-6BBE-496C-BD17-B557F6A9CE1B.JPG)
Title: Re: Mictester silicon tonebender - Beejive PCB!
Post by: njkke on December 19, 2012, 04:15:18 PM
Great pedal, great playing and great floydian medley! ;D
Title: Re: Mictester silicon tonebender - Beejive PCB!
Post by: JakeFuzz on December 19, 2012, 04:22:39 PM
Thanks guys! This circuit really reminds me of a mashup between a MKII and a Lunar Module the more I play around with it. It has the best of both circuits. It has the grittiness and character of the MKII but the sustain and even violin like smoothness of the LM at high gain. 
Title: Re: Mictester silicon tonebender - Beejive PCB!
Post by: snz728 on December 19, 2012, 04:27:26 PM
I built one on vero and like it but if it wasnt called a tonebender I dont know if I would know, it has a lot of sounds in it. I didnt put in the cap switch though.  If you go to FSB the thread has more mods to make it more aggressive if that is what you like.
Title: Re: Mictester silicon tonebender - Beejive PCB!
Post by: DutchMF on December 19, 2012, 04:36:57 PM
Cool stuff JakeFuzz, both the build and the demo! Is that one of the Banzai bezels on there? And man I like those mini chickenheads, where did you source those?

Paul
Title: Re: Mictester silicon tonebender - Beejive PCB!
Post by: JakeFuzz on December 19, 2012, 04:45:33 PM
Quote from: DutchMF on December 19, 2012, 04:36:57 PM
Cool stuff JakeFuzz, both the build and the demo! Is that one of the Banzai bezels on there? And man I like those mini chickenheads, where did you source those?

Paul

Hey Paul. Yep it is a Banzai bezel! Thanks to you I have a small stockpile of these. Without question my favorite bezels. They look like flying saucers  :D . The mini chicken heads are from small bear, these are my favorite knobs. Classic look in a smaller package. With normal sized chicken heads I can only get 1 row of knobs before I am off the sides of the enclosure.


Quote from: snz728 on December 19, 2012, 04:27:26 PM
I built one on vero and like it but if it wasnt called a tonebender I dont know if I would know, it has a lot of sounds in it. I didnt put in the cap switch though.  If you go to FSB the thread has more mods to make it more aggressive if that is what you like.

Yes! I tried some of those gain mods on this circuit actually. The emitter bypass makes it totally ridiculous. Could be cool but it just had so much gain to be really useable. The cap switch is nice. It adds a bit of oomf to the sound that you miss in a regular MKII; it does mud it up a bit so it is nice to have the other setting as well.
Title: Re: Mictester silicon tonebender - Beejive PCB!
Post by: mjcyates on December 19, 2012, 05:18:01 PM
Pedal sounds great! I would definitely like to build one.
Title: Re: Mictester silicon tonebender - Beejive PCB!
Post by: fendman on December 19, 2012, 08:03:55 PM
Like you say this is a versatile pedal..sounds great I like it. I would definately like one of these boards or the chance to etch one.

The build looks good....the playing......................very nice, I enjoyed it.
Title: Re: Mictester silicon tonebender - Beejive PCB!
Post by: eldanko on December 19, 2012, 08:30:54 PM
Why don't I already have a pedal with an "abuse" knob?!?  That's just lovely.
Title: Re: Mictester silicon tonebender - Beejive PCB!
Post by: jtn191 on December 23, 2012, 01:52:12 AM
sounds awesome! more articulate than my germ MKII--I'm definitely interested in doing one of these sometime