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I have the burst version built and the black is a work in progress. My Burst MP3 samples are now on Soundclick (see my build report). It will be a while before the Black is finished but I'll upload when complete.

OK Clean and dirty sound samples here

SoundClick artist: Andy Wragg - page with MP3 music downloads

Please excuse my clumsy playing...and its the first time I've recorded and uploaded to soundclick so please be gentle.

Thanks for the links;

I actually found a UK DIY amp kit site yesterday, but for what it would cost me for an 18W DIY kit (complete), I could actually buy the 55w amp I want and still have change, and be confident it isnt going to blow the house fuse board when I plug it in.   

Here's the link to Ampbuilder here in the UK...

http://www.ampmaker.com/

I'm hoping to get a Bugera V55HD. They have a really bad rep, but everyone I've read who has one, swears by them and there's a guy on YT Dingle1 who's done loads of demo's of all the bugera amps, along with MattTuck5150 and the Tone King. I have my heart set on a 333xl but the V55HD is more within my price range at the minute.
They sound Sweet with the stock tubes and even better with a set of branded tubes.

Thanks Rich_S

Next is the Black version, which is already well on the way. Just got to prep the enclosure. Can't make my mind up what to do with it. Whether to leave it natural and polish it up or paint it - Black of course.

I have most of the bits for a Gruntbox, just need an enclosure, jacks and the 100nf caps which have been split from my Farnell order of last week. This will be the Violet Rams Head version.

After that who knows? I could do with a valve amp, and a wah. Both of these are beyond my skills so I'll be buying them.

Try as I might yesterday, I couldnt get a decent video recording of the guitar, as soon as I hit the OD switch and start to strum, the sound from the mic just goes to shit. Granted I am using the webcam and mic built into my netbook, so I didnt expect great results. I do have a better spec system upstairs but this is surrounded by crap from the building work that I still have to tidy up.

OK the pedal is finished and I'm mightyly impressed with the results.

I'll take some pictures tomorrow as is getting late here, and I've only just fixed it. Blasted resin from the solder.

I think I need to get a tube amp as my SPider III 30w seems to be colouring the tone. If I play it through my Zoom G1XN on bypass mode into my small active PC speakers it sounds mint. Through the spider it sounds 'processed'.
I do have a Peavey Bandit 112 to try as well which is upstairs in the junk room. I know that the Zoom sounds so much better through the Bandit than the Spider so I should be OK with that for a while.

I'm chuffed to bits that some I have built sounds so good.

Its Alive.....



Changed the dodgy caps, replaced D5 and R8 still no joy.

Blasted resin..Thank goodness for spikey implements. After a good clean of all the spaces between tracks, I plugs here in and I now have dirt.

I must say I'm chuffed to bits.....

Also, what is the voltage reading between R9 & R10?

1.16v on the track with the triangular joint directly under R9. havent been able to desolder R8 yet. Been on the road today (300 miles round trip) and i'm a bit knackered.

Hey Ed?

You found me out - BUSTED!!

btw, it's Eric... not Ed 

DOH!!!

Well I was 25% correct. Sorry Eric, I should have known after all the time I've spent over at your 'place'

Thanks Brian,

And Thanks again

OK BIt of progress.

I've been over most of the joints with the iron just to make sure and I've also replaced all the electrolytic caps.

I can now hear the guitar tone IF I turn my amp way up. The volume pot is working as I can adjust the level. The drive and tone pots dont seem to make much difference yet. So now I have a very good attenuator.

I'm going to wait until the correct sized caps come and then remove the IC and fit a socket to allow me to swap between the 4558 and the LM1458.

I've also part assembled the Black version, but need some bits from the order I have on the way.

Yep - They are OK

OK done a bit of DVM measuring.

At the 9V input I get 9V on a dry cell, and just over 12v on my multi-effects PSU.

At pin 8 on the IC i get either 2v (dry) or 3v (PSU) which I think is the problem (isnt it?)

I've checked across R8 (330 ohm) and this is where the voltage drop occurs. on the 9v input side of the resistor its as expected. On the IC Pin 8 side its as above. The measurements are taken on the resistor so its not a bad joint - or so i think.

HEELLPPP

Thanks Boom.

Haberdasher (and a bit of my own research) has confirmed that the 5088 is a valid alternative and is actually used in some of the older variants of the project I need it for, so I'll pass on your offer.

Thanks again

Andy