I started 2018 with high aspirations when it came to pedal building. I had 10 or so things I had lined up to build, but I realized in March or so my heart just wasn't in it. After building 40 or so pedals in a couple years, this hobby was starting to feel like work in that I was frustrated with every little thing I didn't do perfectly. So I decided to take a sabbatical from building and focus my energy elsewhere.
As fall arrived, I started to get that itch again. I had built 5 or so boards that I handing boxed before my break, and I decided to try to finish Alanp's pub based on the ElectricStorm clone of the Lovetone Flanger with No Name. After putting the basic circuit in the box, I was...underwhelmed by the effect. I had seen videos on YouTube that show this pedal creating all kinds of crazy sounds, and mine sounded kind of dull. So I started working my way through the circuit, seeing if I missed something. I replaced the LDRs. The LEDs. Some of the transistors. And I just couldn't get the sounds I wanted. After conversing with Alanp as well as some others who have had successful builds, Aristatertotle suggested I look at RG Keen's article on how wet and dry phaser sounds are mixed. This ended up being the key for this pedal, ad all of those whacky sounds are there in spades. I may still do some component tweaking to get both the Time and Space effects balanced right, but that should be no problem.
This pedal has stereo out as well as the FX loop and expression pedal mod. If you're looking for a challenging build, this is one to try.
Big thanks to Alanp, LaceSensor, and Aristatertotle for helping me so much with troubleshooting. They gave me some great ideas, and a sounding board as I worked through it.
More things to come in 2019. Merry Christmas!
As fall arrived, I started to get that itch again. I had built 5 or so boards that I handing boxed before my break, and I decided to try to finish Alanp's pub based on the ElectricStorm clone of the Lovetone Flanger with No Name. After putting the basic circuit in the box, I was...underwhelmed by the effect. I had seen videos on YouTube that show this pedal creating all kinds of crazy sounds, and mine sounded kind of dull. So I started working my way through the circuit, seeing if I missed something. I replaced the LDRs. The LEDs. Some of the transistors. And I just couldn't get the sounds I wanted. After conversing with Alanp as well as some others who have had successful builds, Aristatertotle suggested I look at RG Keen's article on how wet and dry phaser sounds are mixed. This ended up being the key for this pedal, ad all of those whacky sounds are there in spades. I may still do some component tweaking to get both the Time and Space effects balanced right, but that should be no problem.
This pedal has stereo out as well as the FX loop and expression pedal mod. If you're looking for a challenging build, this is one to try.
Big thanks to Alanp, LaceSensor, and Aristatertotle for helping me so much with troubleshooting. They gave me some great ideas, and a sounding board as I worked through it.
More things to come in 2019. Merry Christmas!