Messages

Thanks for all the input fellas!  I figured it would do for the stuff I have on my bench, and I've messaged him and waiting back to hear from him.  I'll update if I end up grabbing it. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Found this Telequipment D54 oscilloscope locally and wondering if it would be a good buy for a beginner.  I've never had a scope, but for 30 bucks I'd think it was a decent enough deal.  Would I see a lot of limitations in using this with amp/pedal testing and whatnot?  Thanks!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That test rig is hot. Also, I love the Happy Gilmore reference.

*sigh* I remember when I had this kind of project time available. 

I've been building a lot more this year because I've been getting a steady stream of requests for builds, otherwise my output would be much much less.  In reality, I don't have this kind of project time available, thus my building moniker being "Russ Never Sleeps".

Nice work! Your graphics and etching have a cool signature to them.

Thanks!  Most all the designs are contrasted images stolen from the inside of security envelopes.  I am no graphic designer myself, and I figure security envelopes are public domain.

Love your etches and builds. What are you using as an anvil for stamping? I am having a hard time juggling everything while trying to position and hold the enclosure over my anvil (another hammer face) and strike the stamp.

I use leftover pieces of wood secured in a vise.  I make sure that the wood fits tightly in the enclosure so it doesn't move around when I strike it.  Since the wood is softer than an iron anvil I have to be really careful not to use too much force or else the stamp will crack right through the enclosure.  I would think you could secure the hammer in a vise to keep it steady, but with such a small surface area to strike on I imagine it would be difficult to keep it upright.  Give the wood a shot, and if you have a good harder wood then it may be more forgiving regardless of how much force you use.   

Catch up post of the last few months for me...



Celeste Chorus -  built for a friend who is wanting to get into building, but just didn't have the time to throw himself into getting the projects done.  Etched faceplate by the Haberdasher himself



Testing Rig I made for the same guy using some really cool screw terminals... the bases are ceramic!



Sagan Delay v2 -  happy with how this one came out sonically, but the etch is kind of a mess.  This one was for me and I'm always a little lazier when I build for myself.  If you built the first Sagan and weren't into it do yourself a favor and build the new one... the fidelity is sooooo much better.



Tap tempo switch 🤷🏻‍♂️



Noise Ensemble from Fredrik's layout- I really dig this circuit.  It's super fun and gets really weird, but I think it has more practical applications than it's given credit for.  Built in a 1590g, named after a bit from a comedy bang bang episode I was listening to while I built it.  Again, a super messy thing because it was for me.



Couple of Into the Unknowns from Fredrik - I built one of these a while back for a friend, he loved it and let a friend borrow it.  So then the friend of my friend, says "hey I want to buy this, and can the guy make me a back up."  So these two were for my friend, and the other is the backup.  In the spirit of making sure I'm not cutting in on Fredrik's glory (and income) for designing this awesome circuit I won't be making anymore of these.  But yeah, I think they turned out nice!


Another Sagan - had to wire some of the pots off-board because I wanted the controls further away from the switches on the bottom.  Was a request from the customer to make it "twin peaks themed", so that's the story on the Chevron.  Much happier with how this one turned out, aesthetically, compared to my own!



Another Noise Ensemble - a friend played mine and loved it, wanted to make it more bass friendly so he wanted a blender.  He also wanted to be able to activate it on a momentary as well as latched bypass so I used a VFE board to achieve all that.  Thanks to Gordo for pointing me in the right direction of that switching solution!

That's it for now... working on another Sagan at the moment and then I might take a little siesta from building.  We'll see.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ooooo, didn't realize there was a pcb for this, gonna have to make it now!  Build looks great as always!

Forgot one more....

Jubal'a Schooner in its own box.  1590g with Mammoth's untapped clearance enclosures.  Had some problems making sure the standard size 3pdt wasn't shorting on the backplate, but with a little dremeling we got it worked out. 




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

All this talk of the building community slowing down or whatever got me feeling a little convicted about my lack of participation in what helped me get so interested in the first place.  So here's a bunch of builds I've done recently!

Into the Unknown - my first successful etch!




Little SHO




DiabloChris6's Nasal Cavity aka Sample/Hold side of a Maestro FSH... I have added the CV input since building this and it's a fun little add-on.



Madbean Pepperspray - so this and the next one were builds I did for a guy locally who had wanted to get into building, bought some boards and parts, but ran out of time be able to start it up.  Really pleased with how they turned out.



Madbean Sabertooth - he was a twin peaks fan, thus the chevron pattern



Obviously, these all look very similar, but I've been trying to get things more consistent and recognizable as I have gotten a lot of interest from locals about doing one-off builds and whatnot.  Still trying to fine-tune the process, but I've also really enjoyed etching a lot more than I had.  Using an abstract design takes some of the pressure off when you're trying to get it to look "right". 

And just to comment on the other threads regarding the current state of building... for me, posting to Instagram is just so much easier and more of my musician friends who may be interested in a build will see it there.  Contributing here is important, but it typically falls to the wayside after I've already sent images of a new pedal out into the world via social media.  Regardless, I'd like to be better about being active on here again.  I would probably have given up building a long time ago had it not been for the support of this forum! 



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Awesome idea!  I've been so curious to know how this circuit sounds, and I haven't messed with Fv-1 yet.  Great job!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have always dug the more industrial (natural even?) aesthetic too, nice job!

Love that faceplate!  I have a Dano Tuna Melt Trem that I've been meaning to rehouse but it just doesn't seem like I could rehouse it the way I would want and still get it in a comparably sized enclosure.  And the switching...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Very nice!  Love the Mug Biff.  I've got a mud bunny that's partially pop'd to p19 specs too using Juan's BMP guide... is that what you used?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Great job!  Aesthetics are hard to nail (for me anyways) and yours are great even for an experienced builder.  Keep 'em coming!

All of them are very, very nice.
I really like the green ringer & the Devolter. What is the size of this last one?

The little Devolter box is a 1590LB... a gutshot would have been pretty boring on that one seeing as how it's just a pot and some power jacks.  I really liked how the GR turned out too.  It was my first try with a water slide decal.  Thanks!

Thanks folks!  Yeah, this is definitely about 7 months of building for me.  And I built the Crazy Horse for someone else who was looking for a dirt pedal that was a little different.  I can't say I was wild about it either, but it does what it does well!  I liked it for a fuzz much more than just trying to use it as an overdrive.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hey, it's been a while since I've posted 'round these parts, but my builds are finally things I can be decently proud of, so....

Green Ringer with etched pcb.  I found the layout on here several years ago and had the transfers lying around, so why not? 


Naughty Fish-  the switch tip covers really make a difference IMO.



Broken Arrow OD (AKA Durham Crazy Horse)   This was a pcb I got from Black Horse, it sounds great!  No gutshot, not sure why I didn't take one.


Mangler - I got this board pop'd from someone else on here with a snazzy PPP enclosure. 


Booster - a friend needed a little booster/buffer at the end of his effects chain just as a recovery stage.  It's a CAE Line Booster/Driver on vero.  Layout from tagboard effects. 

CJ's Stutter Trem - sounds grrrrreat!  Got this board pop'd by someone on here too.  Messy wiring.  I made this for someone in exchange for a table saw.


STM800 - finally got this thing done and it's my fave.  Like seriously, my fave.  No gutshot for this one either, but I promise I built it! 



PTP voltage control - Ha.





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk