Gudday all. I'm looking for a chimey low-medium gain drive in the vein of the English Gent to pair up with a high gainer.
Why not just make an English Gent you say? Well... I have. 3 times, and none of my builds have worked. Two I've built from PIF'd PCBs from Coppanchino, and one I built from I\/Iark's vero layout. The PCBs had an extremely low volume with no dirt in both cases, and the vero just doesn't work. I've decided that this circuit and I are just not meant to be.
So, any suggestions on a similar thing with minimal parts and controls?
You could try my subtlety drive pcb. It is oshpark shared so you would have to buy min of 3.
It is a modded rog peppermill. Low/med gain, chimey, and easy to build. Might fit the bill for you.
Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk
Did you trouble shoot them? The EM drive is low parts and not too gainy.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Barber LTD is a pretty good circuit for that. There were a few DIY projects floating around for it a while back. I recall Bean did a version waaaaaay back called The Silver Fox (I think) as an etched project.
Can you post some pics of your build which isn't working? You should hear gain, and you should hear clipping.
Thanks guys, I'm going to check all those out.
Here's the funny thing. I went and plugged the 2nd coppachino pcb in, and it worked in that it seemed to have volume, and some low level farty distortion. As I was using an BC549C (and have plenty of those, or did..) , I thought I would switch it around and see if that made a difference. Annnnd, no.. didn't work at all. Swapped a new one in around the proper way (reverse to the silkscreen) and was back at the low volume no dirt result.
I have one more Coppachino board to try. He tells me it's verified. I'm sure it is, I should try and get hold of the proper 2n5008 I guess. I have a 2n2222 kicking around.
No proper troubleshooting really beyond "that's all in the right spot and there's no solder bridges".
Laughing at the EM-drive. Five components, 2 pots. Pretty certain I've got all the parts for it here.
Start with the DC voltages at the transistor pins. Sounds like something is not biased right.
In regards to the English Gent: Testing the transistor on the PCB:
C: 8.35
B: 0
E: 0
On the vero
C: .01
B: .53
E: .01
Built the EM-Drive off this layout here:
http://johnkvintageguitars.homestead.com/Effects/Fuzz-ODs/Emerson/Em-Drive-with-trimmer.png
Pretty rough and quick build. Used a 2n2222, 20k trimmer and a 2.2m resistor, only had 500k pots so I shoved a 470k across pins 1 and 3 on both. Took longer to wire the offboard than it did to find, populate, and solder the vero. Lots better with a buffer in front, farty fuzz when the gain is maxed, probably better when the guitar volume is down a bit, and still a bit bassy. Might look at a proper 2meg resistor or lower gain transistor.
What is funny is how well it will do pinch harmonics when the gain is flat out.
The voltage difference between B to E should be at 0.6V-0.7V or you won't get any current running through a silicon transistor. Are your voltages with or without the transistor in place? You should not be getting 0V at B.
I agree with CJ about the Barber LTD and would add a modded bluesbreaker like the JHS Morning glory has always fit the bill for my low gain needs.
Cody
Quote from: selfdestroyer on February 26, 2016, 06:26:41 PM
I agree with CJ about the Barber LTD and would add a modded bluesbreaker like the JHS Morning glory has always fit the bill for my low gain needs.
Cody
I REALLY love my 'barber-esque' Madbean Sparkplug (http://www.madbeanpedals.com/projects/Sparkplug/Sparkplug_rev1.pdf)... I see it's just been discontinued, but the projext doc has an etchable layout
Quote from: nzCdog on February 26, 2016, 06:44:04 PM
Quote from: selfdestroyer on February 26, 2016, 06:26:41 PM
I agree with CJ about the Barber LTD and would add a modded bluesbreaker like the JHS Morning glory has always fit the bill for my low gain needs.
Cody
I REALLY love my 'barber-esque' Madbean Sparkplug (http://www.madbeanpedals.com/projects/Sparkplug/Sparkplug_rev1.pdf)... I see it's just been discontinued, but the projext doc has an etchable layout
Also here is that Silverfox layout CJ was talking about:
http://www.madbeanpedals.com/projects/Silverfox/docs/Silverfox_ver3.pdf (http://www.madbeanpedals.com/projects/Silverfox/docs/Silverfox_ver3.pdf)
Cody
I love the sparkplug. It is my favorite drive
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
QuoteAre your voltages with or without the transistor in place? You should not be getting 0V at B.
That's with the tranny in place and measuring each leg.