madbeanpedals::forum

Projects => Build Reports => Topic started by: pickdropper on October 10, 2018, 12:03:59 PM

Title: Year of the Dragon
Post by: pickdropper on October 10, 2018, 12:03:59 PM
This was a commissioned build for a local player.  He wanted a Muff/Klon/Zen/Riot in one enclosure, but each circuit needed to have it's own I/O so that he could use an external switcher on his board.  I elected to go with shorting jacks, so they can be wired individually or you can just use the two outside jacks and have it be a multi.  Because of the 8 enclosed jacks, I had to use a slightly taller enclosure than I usually would have.  I made some shorting boards to simplify the wiring a bit.  It's not my neatest gutwork, but I ended up having to take it apart a few times because I had to both make changes to the faceplate and ream out the holes in the box a little bit.  I also decided to wire the shorting jacks above the fray, which doesn't look quite as nice, but has a functional advantage in this case.

Photographs were a bit challenging because the plate is so reflective.

(https://i.imgur.com/eap66UR.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/zmhudSM.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/RjThMyH.jpg)

Title: Re: Year of the Dragon
Post by: drog_trog on October 10, 2018, 12:06:51 PM
Wow Super cool and super tidy! Great job
Title: Re: Year of the Dragon
Post by: sjaustin on October 10, 2018, 12:33:28 PM
This is amazing work. I always enjoy your builds.

The shorting jacks is an interesting idea. I didn't know there was such a thing but have often wondered about ways to put a loop inside a multi without having to connect it with a patch cable when it's not in use. Perhaps this is the solution. Got a store link? The only ones I'm getting from Google are not from my trusted vendors.
Title: Re: Year of the Dragon
Post by: pickdropper on October 10, 2018, 12:49:20 PM
Quote from: sjaustin on October 10, 2018, 12:33:28 PM
This is amazing work. I always enjoy your builds.

The shorting jacks is an interesting idea. I didn't know there was such a thing but have often wondered about ways to put a loop inside a multi without having to connect it with a patch cable when it's not in use. Perhaps this is the solution. Got a store link? The only ones I'm getting from Google are not from my trusted vendors.

There are LOTS of options, I usually go with Neutrik or Amphenol.  I used narrow footprint jacks on these, but you can use the wider ones just fine as well.  Here are a couple I keep around:

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Amphenol-Audio/ACJM-MHDRM?qs=%2fha2pyFaduioDc2dmENTOVHiL9cFKYOTfdr4QPDFo8BjGC4WjzuuPg%3d%3d

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Neutrik/NMJ4HCD2?qs=%2fha2pyFadugs9GczV%2fdqJQUgl1peQhSIeb5aYoO4Dkg%3d

These are PCB mount, but you can get solder tab.  These are also mono, but you can get them in stereo as well.  Both Neutrik and Amphenol have catalogs that help you choose the options you are looking for fairly easily.
Title: Re: Year of the Dragon
Post by: chongmagic on October 10, 2018, 01:01:27 PM

Awesome job, I think the gutwork looks great.

The dragon plate is amazing.
Title: Re: Year of the Dragon
Post by: Ekimneets on October 10, 2018, 02:51:00 PM
That is amazing


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Title: Re: Year of the Dragon
Post by: jimilee on October 10, 2018, 03:12:36 PM
Wow, that's very impressive man. You've topped yourself.


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Title: Re: Year of the Dragon
Post by: Bio77 on October 10, 2018, 05:29:04 PM
Super cool, that plate is beautiful!
Title: Re: Year of the Dragon
Post by: m-Kresol on October 10, 2018, 05:51:07 PM
Wow, that's a georgeous build! And I was just briefly believing you about messy wiring, then I remembered who you are and wasn't dissapointed once I scrolled down to the gut shot. That muff board is also pleasingly symmetrical :)

Any reason you still use 3pdt and not optical or relay bypass?
Title: Re: Year of the Dragon
Post by: culturejam on October 10, 2018, 06:07:35 PM
For god's sake, Dave, clean up that wiring.  :P
Title: Re: Year of the Dragon
Post by: TGP39 on October 10, 2018, 09:20:52 PM
Absolutely stunning!
Title: Re: Year of the Dragon
Post by: nzCdog on October 10, 2018, 09:48:28 PM
Beautiful inside and out! ♥
Title: Re: Year of the Dragon
Post by: diablochris6 on October 10, 2018, 09:54:07 PM
Quote from: pickdropper on October 10, 2018, 12:03:59 PM
It's not my neatest gutwork

HAHAHAHAHA

Looks slick.
Title: Re: Year of the Dragon
Post by: Willybomb on October 10, 2018, 10:36:22 PM
That is a thing of beauty right there.
Title: Re: Year of the Dragon
Post by: cooder on October 10, 2018, 10:53:55 PM
I can see a finger print on the second photo.... rock shock horror...



... just kiddin'. Most excellent of course. What else could I add while my jaw is on the floor...?
Title: Re: Year of the Dragon
Post by: EBK on October 10, 2018, 11:26:59 PM
Quote from: cooder on October 10, 2018, 10:53:55 PM
I can see a finger print on the second photo.... rock shock horror...



... just kiddin'. Most excellent of course. What else could I add while my jaw is on the floor...?
He does, however, look very serious in that pic, with that brow-creased focus.  ;)
Title: Re: Year of the Dragon
Post by: matmosphere on October 11, 2018, 12:04:07 AM
Wow, that is great looking. And a very cool solution for the ins/outs.

I know you're happy at your day job, but you could make a good little business if you wanted to. Pretty much everything about your stuff screams high end.
Title: Re: Year of the Dragon
Post by: pickdropper on October 11, 2018, 11:36:04 AM
Quote from: m-Kresol on October 10, 2018, 05:51:07 PM
Wow, that's a georgeous build! And I was just briefly believing you about messy wiring, then I remembered who you are and wasn't dissapointed once I scrolled down to the gut shot. That muff board is also pleasingly symmetrical :)

Any reason you still use 3pdt and not optical or relay bypass?

It's a good question.  I have had very few failures with 3PDT switches over the years, so the switch to optical wasn't really worth it to me.  I do prefer relay bypass (we use it in all the FFX pedals) and will likely start using it more in larger builds.  This particular build is almost never going to use the built in switches (it will use an external switcher on the board) so it wouldn't have been worth the added cost for the person who commissioned it.

With the mini builds I do, I'd really like to find a non-click momentary footswitch in the same form factor as a standard vertical footswitch.  The ones we use for FFX are like the Carling style, which won't fit with the full size jacks I use in my 1590A builds.  I'm not a fan of the momentaries with a click (like the Alpha 2PDT and similar).  I suspect the right switch is out there, but I haven't dug very deep.
Title: Re: Year of the Dragon
Post by: Govmnt_Lacky on October 11, 2018, 01:12:24 PM
Quote from: pickdropper on October 11, 2018, 11:36:04 AM
I'm not a fan of the momentaries with a click (like the Alpha 2PDT and similar).

I have had at least 5 of these fail on me in builds from BLMS. Funny thing is that when they failed, they failed as latching (no momentary movement)

I do like the tactile response from the momentary click but, just wish I could find more reliable alternatives.
Title: Re: Year of the Dragon
Post by: pickdropper on October 11, 2018, 01:21:44 PM
Quote from: Govmnt_Lacky on October 11, 2018, 01:12:24 PM
Quote from: pickdropper on October 11, 2018, 11:36:04 AM
I'm not a fan of the momentaries with a click (like the Alpha 2PDT and similar).

I have had at least 5 of these fail on me in builds from BLMS. Funny thing is that when they failed, they failed as latching (no momentary movement)

I do like the tactile response from the momentary click but, just wish I could find more reliable alternatives.

Have you tried the Alpha brand ones from Small Bear?  The knock-off ones I've seen aren't built quite as well.
Title: Re: Year of the Dragon
Post by: p_wats on October 11, 2018, 04:28:35 PM
Quote from: pickdropper on October 10, 2018, 12:03:59 PM
It's not my neatest gutwork

:o
Title: Re: Year of the Dragon
Post by: playpunk on October 11, 2018, 07:12:30 PM
Quote from: pickdropper on October 11, 2018, 11:36:04 AM
Quote from: m-Kresol on October 10, 2018, 05:51:07 PM
Wow, that's a georgeous build! And I was just briefly believing you about messy wiring, then I remembered who you are and wasn't dissapointed once I scrolled down to the gut shot. That muff board is also pleasingly symmetrical :)

Any reason you still use 3pdt and not optical or relay bypass?

It's a good question.  I have had very few failures with 3PDT switches over the years, so the switch to optical wasn't really worth it to me.  I do prefer relay bypass (we use it in all the FFX pedals) and will likely start using it more in larger builds.  This particular build is almost never going to use the built in switches (it will use an external switcher on the board) so it wouldn't have been worth the added cost for the person who commissioned it.

With the mini builds I do, I'd really like to find a non-click momentary footswitch in the same form factor as a standard vertical footswitch.  The ones we use for FFX are like the Carling style, which won't fit with the full size jacks I use in my 1590A builds.  I'm not a fan of the momentaries with a click (like the Alpha 2PDT and similar).  I suspect the right switch is out there, but I haven't dug very deep.

paging Pickdropper:

https://lovemyswitches.com/super-premium-spdt-momentary-foot-switch-soft-click/

I'm gonna need a little wiring board with Relay Bypass to have the most expensive switching option possible :)
Title: Re: Year of the Dragon
Post by: Ekimneets on October 11, 2018, 07:16:03 PM
Quote from: playpunk on October 11, 2018, 07:12:30 PM
Quote from: pickdropper on October 11, 2018, 11:36:04 AM
Quote from: m-Kresol on October 10, 2018, 05:51:07 PM
Wow, that's a georgeous build! And I was just briefly believing you about messy wiring, then I remembered who you are and wasn't dissapointed once I scrolled down to the gut shot. That muff board is also pleasingly symmetrical :)

Any reason you still use 3pdt and not optical or relay bypass?

It's a good question.  I have had very few failures with 3PDT switches over the years, so the switch to optical wasn't really worth it to me.  I do prefer relay bypass (we use it in all the FFX pedals) and will likely start using it more in larger builds.  This particular build is almost never going to use the built in switches (it will use an external switcher on the board) so it wouldn't have been worth the added cost for the person who commissioned it.

With the mini builds I do, I'd really like to find a non-click momentary footswitch in the same form factor as a standard vertical footswitch.  The ones we use for FFX are like the Carling style, which won't fit with the full size jacks I use in my 1590A builds.  I'm not a fan of the momentaries with a click (like the Alpha 2PDT and similar).  I suspect the right switch is out there, but I haven't dug very deep.

paging Pickdropper:

https://lovemyswitches.com/super-premium-spdt-momentary-foot-switch-soft-click/

I'm gonna need a little wiring board with Relay Bypass to have the most expensive switching option possible :)
Ha!


Typo'd from my iphone
Title: Re: Year of the Dragon
Post by: pickdropper on October 11, 2018, 07:39:06 PM
Quote from: playpunk on October 11, 2018, 07:12:30 PM
Quote from: pickdropper on October 11, 2018, 11:36:04 AM
Quote from: m-Kresol on October 10, 2018, 05:51:07 PM
Wow, that's a georgeous build! And I was just briefly believing you about messy wiring, then I remembered who you are and wasn't dissapointed once I scrolled down to the gut shot. That muff board is also pleasingly symmetrical :)

Any reason you still use 3pdt and not optical or relay bypass?

It's a good question.  I have had very few failures with 3PDT switches over the years, so the switch to optical wasn't really worth it to me.  I do prefer relay bypass (we use it in all the FFX pedals) and will likely start using it more in larger builds.  This particular build is almost never going to use the built in switches (it will use an external switcher on the board) so it wouldn't have been worth the added cost for the person who commissioned it.

With the mini builds I do, I'd really like to find a non-click momentary footswitch in the same form factor as a standard vertical footswitch.  The ones we use for FFX are like the Carling style, which won't fit with the full size jacks I use in my 1590A builds.  I'm not a fan of the momentaries with a click (like the Alpha 2PDT and similar).  I suspect the right switch is out there, but I haven't dug very deep.

paging Pickdropper:

https://lovemyswitches.com/super-premium-spdt-momentary-foot-switch-soft-click/

I'm gonna need a little wiring board with Relay Bypass to have the most expensive switching option possible :)

I wish there was a less expensive option, but I will probabaly give that a shot.
Title: Re: Year of the Dragon
Post by: Leevibe on October 12, 2018, 04:44:29 PM
Dang, Dave. You just keep bringin' the heat! We've pretty much run out of superlatives for your builds. This is just beautiful. It's just a beautiful thing to look at, and smartly done too. I like your solution for the switching jacks. I may steal that page from your book. It's much cleaner than open frame tip shunting jacks and all the associated wiring.
Title: Re: Year of the Dragon
Post by: MJ_Sound_Cubed on October 12, 2018, 06:04:49 PM
That is a really cool idea :) I really like the way the pots are laid out parallel to each switch :)