Lovetone pedals have always been a fascination, although sometimes a pretty too touch for live use. Let alone the real estate they take up on a typical pedalboard. Still...very cool stuff. I already had a few builds from a few sources and a Dminner etched enclosure for one of them (previously posted) so I thought I'd add to the family with a few of Aion's new boards:
Spectron (Meatball). I'd already built the Music PCB board but never really bonded with it. This one nailed it and it's likely due to LDR/LED selection as well. For whatever reason this is likely the best triggered filter I've made. Close second is the Madbean Flunkee, due to it's dead simple operation, but good sound. Laser'd powdercoat for the graphics. I'll never remember what the jacks do on the back. Didn't have room for front graphics, and if I ever need to get weird or expressive I'll just have to dig up the docs.
(https://www.gordomusic.com/Madbean/Spectron01.jpg)
(https://www.gordomusic.com/Madbean/Spectron02.jpg)
(https://www.gordomusic.com/Madbean/Spectron03.jpg)
Next up is the Monolith (Big Cheeze) and the Obelisk (Brown Source). I've never played either of these, which is strange considering I'm old as Moses. Very nice pedals without being typical "out there" Lovetones. Again, laser'd powdercoat.
(https://www.gordomusic.com/Madbean/Lovetone03.jpg)
And finally a few old builds with fresh knobs. The Doppelganger and ?Flanger
(https://www.gordomusic.com/Madbean/Lovetone01.jpg)
(https://www.gordomusic.com/Madbean/Lovetone02.jpg)
Those look amazing! I really like the laser cut look.
I built a big cheese a while back and it's quickly become my favorite, might have to delve further into the rabbit hole
Well that flanger is about the best thing I've ever seen.
Edit: best thing. Wowwie I like that
Wow! Killer builds.
That laser is serving you well, they look super pro. My fave is the Spectron. It looks spacey but still has a nod to the original. I've got that PCB in my stash, glad to hear you like it. I'm right there with you on the Flunkee.
This is kinda funny. Once I checked this post again I noticed I never soldered the header pins on the rotary switches. It makes the build easier if you drop the daughter boards onto the pins once the main board is tightened down. The fit is so tight that it worked anyway but I went back and soldered them.
Nice, you just need the Lovetone tremolo now!
Quote from: alanp on August 26, 2021, 02:47:06 AM
Nice, you just need the Lovetone tremolo now!
AND... the Ring Stinger 8)
nice to see some of the new ones in field
Nice, lovefest indeed.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Alanp and G_L, I seem to be obsessed with completing the "set" so I found the Ring Stinger and Wobulator over at Deadend FX. I found the OEP1200 transformers over at Newark for the Wobulator. Does anyone have any idea where I can find the LT44 transformers for the Ring Stinger in the US??
Looks like the Hammond 145P at 20k primary: 1k CT secondary might do the trick. Most places have them for $22 each. Ouch. I don't even like ring modulators, I just like Lovetone stuff.
Just looks glorious! Lovetone is not for everyone and I am starting to believe I am not one of them. Too big, kinda hard to dial in and option paralysis.
Quote from: jjjimi84 on August 28, 2021, 01:31:33 PMToo big, kinda hard to dial in and option paralysis.
That should have been their mantra. Normally any one of those would drive me crazy but for some reason I find it kinda fascinating on these. When I was young I toured with an ARP Avatar (which is likely why all my hair is gone) so it must be triggering some sort of underlying masochistic tendency.
Think I nailed the transformers. I found Hammond 145p's at Powell Electronics in NJ for 18.83 a pop. Crazy for a tiny little audio trans that likely cost a couple of bucks to make. Gotta pay to play I guess.
Incredible work, your builds look amazing! I really need to get more Lovetone in my life, I put together a ? Flanger out of sheer curiosity and now I'd really like to round out the collection.
Quote from: gordo on August 28, 2021, 01:19:24 PM
Alanp and G_L, I seem to be obsessed with completing the "set" so I found the Ring Stinger and Wobulator over at Deadend FX. I found the OEP1200 transformers over at Newark for the Wobulator. Does anyone have any idea where I can find the LT44 transformers for the Ring Stinger in the US??
Looks like the Hammond 145P at 20k primary: 1k CT secondary might do the trick. Most places have them for $22 each. Ouch. I don't even like ring modulators, I just like Lovetone stuff.
Do you like octave up fuzz? Its awesome for that too.
Does some crazy gated tremolo also.
Id say unless you go balls to the wall, the blend knob is a godsend and in that sense its a great "background texture machine"
Quote from: gordo on August 28, 2021, 03:09:13 PM
Think I nailed the transformers. I found Hammond 145p's at Powell Electronics in NJ for 18.83 a pop. Crazy for a tiny little audio trans that likely cost a couple of bucks to make. Gotta pay to play I guess.
Did you get these already? If not let me know. I can pass along a link to a reputable source that will send (2) LT44 transformers.
Cool thanks. Hoping these don't show up and look like output transformers for an Ampeg...
I seem to be going thru some sort of mini-chicken head knob phase. I'll replace the top row as soon as my grey aluminum's get here. In the meantime no mini-chickens were harmed during the building of this pedal.
This thing is just sick. Another one of those "how the hell am I going to use THIS?" pedals but I've already spent a few hours having a blast with it on the bench so I guess I have my answer. The build was pretty simple but lots of offboard wiring to the switches. I made little attempt to keep it neat, I was more interested in keeping it short and direct to avoid any LFO ticking. In drilling out the enclosure I completely forgot there was a center post (this has 6 screws) so had to do some creative filing. Much needlessly foul language was involved. The transformers I used were Hammonds and while they're way too big to fit on the daughter-board the leads were long enough that I could mount them on the side walls with little issue.
The enclosure is painted in Rustoleum "Cement" which attempts to look like concrete but to me looks more like a matte metallic grey. I like it and shot the inside and outside of it, water-slide decals, and then matte clear. I need to tweak the trimmers yet, so that's likely going to eat another few hours of playing it.
(https://www.gordomusic.com/Madbean/RingSting03.jpg)
(https://www.gordomusic.com/Madbean/RingSting02.jpg)
(https://www.gordomusic.com/Madbean/RingSting01.jpg)
Thats a nice build there!
That is the one board I really wish DEFX would have located the wiring closer to the stomps like all their other PCBs.
Are you having any issues with knob collisions? Looks like the spacing is quite close :o
That pedal is crazy. And crazy fun :)
Quote from: Govmnt_Lacky on September 16, 2021, 07:26:05 PM
Are you having any issues with knob collisions? Looks like the spacing is quite close :o
Big time. You sort of have to turn them in unison :-) I'm going to switch out the top row to the smaller grey aluminums that I used on the Dopple Ganger. I thought about hiding the wiring underneath the board but especially when using ribbon cable (and I'm not a fan because it's too hard to see if you've stressed or snapped a connection) I decided it would be a troubleshooting nightmare. I've built enough boards that I shouldn't be surprised but I was surprised to have it come up without any troubleshooting. I remembered to solder in the rotary switches and THEN solder in the pots (which puts the ends of the lugs about even with the pcb). My only major faux pas was the center column for the screw hole. Not a big deal. A worse deal was painting it in a really cool looking Behr (never used it before) green, getting the decal set, and then shooting clear only to find out that the Rustoleum and Behr were incompatible. Newb level mistake and I watched the entire enclosure wrinkle into a crackled mess. TBH I like this grey better anyway. That's what I'm saying thru the tears anyway...
Greg, good call on the ringer. I'm really not a ring mod fan but this is, as Alan notes, too fun.
everyone needs a ring stinger in their life. the blend control is your best friend with it
Quote from: Govmnt_Lacky on September 16, 2021, 07:26:05 PM
Thats a nice build there!
That is the one board I really wish DEFX would have located the wiring closer to the stomps like all their other PCBs.
Are you having any issues with knob collisions? Looks like the spacing is quite close :o
Easier said than done Greg. Although that was laid out some time ago, perhaps I'll revisit it and see if I can improve it
Quote from: PMowdes2 on September 19, 2021, 02:36:54 PM
Quote from: Govmnt_Lacky on September 16, 2021, 07:26:05 PM
That is the one board I really wish DEFX would have located the wiring closer to the stomps like all their other PCBs.
Easier said than done Greg. Although that was laid out some time ago, perhaps I'll revisit it and see if I can improve it
I do not doubt that it is a big ask. You guys keep pushing the boundaries on good projects. It is what it is and it doesn't stop them from being awesome! ;)
And the last of the bunch: The Wobulator
Very slick tremolo. I butchered the paint job but this photo looks good so I'll run with it.
(https://www.gordomusic.com/Madbean/Wobulator01.jpg)
Daaaaaaammmmnnnn
8) 8)
We need gutshots of that trem!
Very nice work!
Quote from: alanp on October 03, 2021, 05:12:03 AM
8) 8)
We need gutshots of that trem!
Very nice work!
i imagine its the dead end PCB
Alan, this really does need a gut shot. I was able to find the original transformers and although the wiring started off as under the board it took a turn for the worse when I figured out I had all the external jacks backward and had to start from scratch. This is a crazy pedal for "just" being a tremolo.
The flying wire is a chassis ground and there was no way I was taking out a footswitch again to use a grounding washer so it was plan "B".
(https://www.gordomusic.com/Madbean/Wobulator04.jpg)
(https://www.gordomusic.com/Madbean/Wobulator03.jpg)