1
General Questions / Re: PT2399 Tape Stop Effect
« on: September 21, 2022, 08:38:07 PM »
Huh. That’s a neat trick!
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2
Open Discussion / Re: So apparently Fulltone is closing up...
« on: August 30, 2022, 12:05:40 PM »
Honestly, I never liked any of his products and…WOW! What an @sshat! Too bad others have to suffer on his behalf.
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3
Open Discussion / Re: 2021-2022
« on: June 04, 2022, 11:07:07 AM »
Hey guys,
First, thanks for all the congrats! The boys are super health and happy and so is the rest of the fam. That is the positive side of all this. No one is sick and we are all ok.
I have another question (and thanks for the advice so far) how would you value all the prototypes and failed builds. I, at this point, have no shame haha! I have quite a few failed builds and have no clue what it should be valued at! Thoughts?
-Mike-
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First, thanks for all the congrats! The boys are super health and happy and so is the rest of the fam. That is the positive side of all this. No one is sick and we are all ok.
I have another question (and thanks for the advice so far) how would you value all the prototypes and failed builds. I, at this point, have no shame haha! I have quite a few failed builds and have no clue what it should be valued at! Thoughts?
-Mike-
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
4
Open Discussion / 2021-2022
« on: June 01, 2022, 06:58:37 PM »
Hey All,
Been a while and I wanted to update anyone here that cares and ask any of you for a little advice / help if you are so willing.
The past couple years have been full of both exciting and devastating things for me. First I'll start with the traumatic emergency birth of my Twins, Drew and Miles. They were both born at 30 weeks due to a prolapsed umbilical cord on 5/28/21. Then rushed to Tufts Children's Hospital in Boston MA, only about 30 min from where I live. Drew was 3 lbs 6 oz and Miles was 4 lbs 2 oz. Once my wife healed they kicked us out due to COVID and we had commute back and forth to see our sons. But we did what we had to and made it work. 6 weeks later and a few scares later they came home!
That very same week construction started on the house. We had to add at least one bed room and bathroom for this house to work for us. But the noise didn't seem to bother the boys. They lived up to the NICU babies sleep through anything. This puts at just after July 4th of 2021.
I had returned to work and moved into a new position, and then forced into another position i didn't really want. That beside the point, the normal stresses of not being able to not afford child care and not afford my wife to be able to stay home all the time are applied to life. I then start to try and pickup some side hustle business and I get COVID for the 3rd time. even after having the vac and whatnot.
So i decide to sell some gear because hey "I have tendentious in my left wrist / thumb and can't play for more than 2 min anyways" and lets face it...I DO have too much of it...well, had too much of it, *cue disaster*!! The main sewer out from my house collapses and floods my workshop.
Now a little back story. I largely affected by the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merrimack_Valley_gas_explosions. They dug up the ground where my main sewer line goes into the house 2 times during restoration. This was because the "gas company" couldn't locate the gas line...I get it. private contractors sent in from all around to help and all that. I was here I remember, and am VERY grateful for what they did, also bought them pizza on a few occasions to show it.
So, at this point the stucko ceiling is acting like a sprinkler and distributing sewage all over my workshop. "Mike", you might say, "what did you have in your workshop"? I'll list the major things to keep it short:
-Almost all of my guitar gear. except 1 guitar (which I will most likely post for sale here later)
-All of my drum gear (2 drum sets including stands, cymbals, and an extra snare or two
-My 1979 Roland JC120
-ALL of my pedal building and repair equipment (o-scopes, meters, and all that jazz)
-All of my power tools and toolboxes
-My entire woodworking bench including 2 bodies i was going to start working on
-Multiple customer pedals
-Multiple binders and boxes of vintage Magic The Gathering cards <-Nerd alert!!! HAHAHA!
-ETC.
The loss is monumental. I can't even begin to put a dollar value on it. It is in fact so "Big" to me that I honestly don't know / think i will ever bounce back from it. Sure there will be a payout and I could get some new cool gear that will look pretty on my board that doesn't get used...EVER! (sorry for the negativity) But this, to me sounds like a "let's hang it up for a while" kind of turning point. I have Twin Boys, an 8 yo Daughter, an amazing Wife that supports me through EVERYTHING, and a couple of dopes for dogs. I have plenty to keep me busy.
Here is where, if I could, ask this amazing forum for help. I have questions and was hoping some of you may have unfortunately, suffered something similar to this or know someone. Does anyone have any advice for me? I have contacted a Lawyer and am having a personal adjuster come out and inventory things with me. Any advice, thoughts, comments, suggestions, ect that you think would help please post them. I would like to say DM me but I am so busy right now that checking a thread and reading through it would be easier...sorry. I'll try to post some pictures for family cuteness lol!!
Thanks for reading...or not. This is worthy of TLDR haha
-Mike-
Been a while and I wanted to update anyone here that cares and ask any of you for a little advice / help if you are so willing.
The past couple years have been full of both exciting and devastating things for me. First I'll start with the traumatic emergency birth of my Twins, Drew and Miles. They were both born at 30 weeks due to a prolapsed umbilical cord on 5/28/21. Then rushed to Tufts Children's Hospital in Boston MA, only about 30 min from where I live. Drew was 3 lbs 6 oz and Miles was 4 lbs 2 oz. Once my wife healed they kicked us out due to COVID and we had commute back and forth to see our sons. But we did what we had to and made it work. 6 weeks later and a few scares later they came home!
That very same week construction started on the house. We had to add at least one bed room and bathroom for this house to work for us. But the noise didn't seem to bother the boys. They lived up to the NICU babies sleep through anything. This puts at just after July 4th of 2021.
I had returned to work and moved into a new position, and then forced into another position i didn't really want. That beside the point, the normal stresses of not being able to not afford child care and not afford my wife to be able to stay home all the time are applied to life. I then start to try and pickup some side hustle business and I get COVID for the 3rd time. even after having the vac and whatnot.
So i decide to sell some gear because hey "I have tendentious in my left wrist / thumb and can't play for more than 2 min anyways" and lets face it...I DO have too much of it...well, had too much of it, *cue disaster*!! The main sewer out from my house collapses and floods my workshop.
Now a little back story. I largely affected by the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merrimack_Valley_gas_explosions. They dug up the ground where my main sewer line goes into the house 2 times during restoration. This was because the "gas company" couldn't locate the gas line...I get it. private contractors sent in from all around to help and all that. I was here I remember, and am VERY grateful for what they did, also bought them pizza on a few occasions to show it.
So, at this point the stucko ceiling is acting like a sprinkler and distributing sewage all over my workshop. "Mike", you might say, "what did you have in your workshop"? I'll list the major things to keep it short:
-Almost all of my guitar gear. except 1 guitar (which I will most likely post for sale here later)
-All of my drum gear (2 drum sets including stands, cymbals, and an extra snare or two
-My 1979 Roland JC120
-ALL of my pedal building and repair equipment (o-scopes, meters, and all that jazz)
-All of my power tools and toolboxes
-My entire woodworking bench including 2 bodies i was going to start working on
-Multiple customer pedals
-Multiple binders and boxes of vintage Magic The Gathering cards <-Nerd alert!!! HAHAHA!
-ETC.
The loss is monumental. I can't even begin to put a dollar value on it. It is in fact so "Big" to me that I honestly don't know / think i will ever bounce back from it. Sure there will be a payout and I could get some new cool gear that will look pretty on my board that doesn't get used...EVER! (sorry for the negativity) But this, to me sounds like a "let's hang it up for a while" kind of turning point. I have Twin Boys, an 8 yo Daughter, an amazing Wife that supports me through EVERYTHING, and a couple of dopes for dogs. I have plenty to keep me busy.
Here is where, if I could, ask this amazing forum for help. I have questions and was hoping some of you may have unfortunately, suffered something similar to this or know someone. Does anyone have any advice for me? I have contacted a Lawyer and am having a personal adjuster come out and inventory things with me. Any advice, thoughts, comments, suggestions, ect that you think would help please post them. I would like to say DM me but I am so busy right now that checking a thread and reading through it would be easier...sorry. I'll try to post some pictures for family cuteness lol!!
Thanks for reading...or not. This is worthy of TLDR haha
-Mike-
5
How Do I? Beginner's Paradise. / Re: How to cut stripboard to size
« on: May 07, 2021, 05:52:12 PM »
I’ve done a bunch of vero builds over the years and here is how I cut to size and make drills and jumpers.
Cut to size
I measure one row and column out. So, if it is a 10 x 12 I measure 11 x 13 and cut down the middle of the extra row and column. I use a box cutter and metal ruler and score each side 4 or 5 times. Then I snap it with a pair of pliers and file the edges smooth.
I find that measuring the extra row and column gives me not only a straight line to score with the holes but extra “oops” room...just in case.
Jumpers
Save the first few leads that you cut off from the resistors or caps. These make great jumpers for the non copper side of the boards. They are nice and small and sit pretty flat on the board.
I find that wire is sometimes too bulky and gets in the way if you want a nice clean pcb. Also sometimes the stripped wire is a little too thick after you tin the wire for the jumper. At least you know the trimmed leads fit through the holes.
Drills / cuts
I honestly use a drill bit to make these. I do it by hand and usually test both sides of the trace with a multimeter. This is tedious but it’s how I first started doing cuts on vero. Plus it give you a nice even circular cut. I don’t go all the way through, just enough to cut the trace.
Other tips and tricks
Vero can be VERY frustrating if you don’t take your time and pay attention to detail. It is easy to connect traces and not even know it. Make sure that the ends of the runs are not touching at the edge of the board. Also it’s a good idea to run your razor (box cutter) down the space in between the copper runs. I do this a few times to make sure there are no unwanted solder bridges. I also run the tip of my iron down the same space just in case. One more thing...the less solder the better. Big globs are never your friend. If you do have a big glob on there it’s better to use you solder wick or pump and pull all the excess of and then reapply a little dab. Trust me, take the time it will save you many head aches.
Anyway hope my long winded, misspelled reply helps. ;-)
-Mike-
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Cut to size
I measure one row and column out. So, if it is a 10 x 12 I measure 11 x 13 and cut down the middle of the extra row and column. I use a box cutter and metal ruler and score each side 4 or 5 times. Then I snap it with a pair of pliers and file the edges smooth.
I find that measuring the extra row and column gives me not only a straight line to score with the holes but extra “oops” room...just in case.
Jumpers
Save the first few leads that you cut off from the resistors or caps. These make great jumpers for the non copper side of the boards. They are nice and small and sit pretty flat on the board.
I find that wire is sometimes too bulky and gets in the way if you want a nice clean pcb. Also sometimes the stripped wire is a little too thick after you tin the wire for the jumper. At least you know the trimmed leads fit through the holes.
Drills / cuts
I honestly use a drill bit to make these. I do it by hand and usually test both sides of the trace with a multimeter. This is tedious but it’s how I first started doing cuts on vero. Plus it give you a nice even circular cut. I don’t go all the way through, just enough to cut the trace.
Other tips and tricks
Vero can be VERY frustrating if you don’t take your time and pay attention to detail. It is easy to connect traces and not even know it. Make sure that the ends of the runs are not touching at the edge of the board. Also it’s a good idea to run your razor (box cutter) down the space in between the copper runs. I do this a few times to make sure there are no unwanted solder bridges. I also run the tip of my iron down the same space just in case. One more thing...the less solder the better. Big globs are never your friend. If you do have a big glob on there it’s better to use you solder wick or pump and pull all the excess of and then reapply a little dab. Trust me, take the time it will save you many head aches.
Anyway hope my long winded, misspelled reply helps. ;-)
-Mike-
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6
Open Discussion / Re: SP8T Miniature Rotary Switch
« on: March 24, 2021, 07:08:01 PM »
Hey,
If these are the same that Drolo used in a couple of his projects I might have a couple kicking around. Also i thought that Delyk had them in his store too. Let me know and i can get a couple sent your way.
-Mike-
If these are the same that Drolo used in a couple of his projects I might have a couple kicking around. Also i thought that Delyk had them in his store too. Let me know and i can get a couple sent your way.
-Mike-
7
Open Discussion / Re: New Boss/Sola Sound Pedal
« on: March 01, 2021, 12:59:23 PM »
I’m not surprised this costs $350. Look at all the other “Waza” stuff that boss released. It’s a money grab. When I saw that this was going to be released I pretty much wrote it off. Just like the Zvex / Chase Bliss pedal. Nothing against those guys but their prices are WAY too high and I will never own one of their pedals because of it.
-Mike-
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-Mike-
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8
Open Discussion / Re: Let's make suggestions on the next Giveaway
« on: February 13, 2021, 06:56:55 PM »Color me boring but....I really like this idea. We all love fuzz and overdrives but maybe something like this would help other people discover other fx they like to build!
What about a JFET test rig? Something that could be used to match JFETs for a Phase AND.... for Idss, etc. Something slick and useful in Madbean fashion.
This way when the many questions about JFETs are posted, anyone can point to the project and say "Build this and ye shall find the way!"
My other thought is maybe a stripped down version of the Cave Dweller. Maybe a fixed level and tone and just have the time and fdbk as pots.
-Mike-
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9
Build Reports / Re: Aion Super Fuzz
« on: January 17, 2021, 04:34:07 PM »
Love the Beast graphic! Great job!
-Mike-
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-Mike-
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10
Open Discussion / Re: Gibson Announces Acquisition of Mesa/Boogie
« on: January 08, 2021, 06:54:31 PM »I'm sure this means that Pre-Gibson Mesa prices are going to be going upYup they are going to me even more over priced than they were...looks like if I ever want one I’ll need to take out a second mortgage on my house.
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11
Open Discussion / Re: Your Preferred Pedal Amp
« on: November 19, 2020, 03:10:21 PM »
I use a Fishman Loudbox Mini as my bench amp. Then when I actually have a few min and get to play a few songs I use a Peavey Prowler. The Peavey is a 45 watt tube amp and the Fishman is a 60watt solid state. They both work well for pedals. I love the clean and lead channels of the Prowler.
-Mike-
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-Mike-
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12
Open Discussion / Re: Mouser Xicon Resistors — New MOQ of 200
« on: November 14, 2020, 04:09:59 PM »You can get Newark's house brand (Multicomp Pro) for pretty cheap with no minimum order quantity. I'd say it's on par with Xicon.I've used these for numerous projects they are great quality.
Here's a link: https://www.newark.com/w/c/passive-components/resistors-fixed-value/through-hole-resistors?brand=multicomp-pro&resistance=1kohm&power-rating=250mw&resistance-tolerance=posneg-1pc
-Mike-
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13
Open Discussion / Re: Anybody use Pedal Parts Plus anymore???
« on: November 06, 2020, 12:52:12 PM »
They sold the company a few years back and the new owners seem to only want to do enclosures now...and for a very high cost I might add. They only do 25 count minimum on enclosures and they’re more expensive than anyone else. I miss the days of Connie, she was great!
-Mike-
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-Mike-
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14
Open Discussion / Re: Custom PCB Work Questions
« on: November 03, 2020, 07:41:12 PM »It doesn't matter that you've already put the time into making the PCB for yourself, they need to come to you to get it.Solid advice!
If they are getting the gerbers: Charge $50 an hour for the time you originally spent making the board, or a flat rate per placed component.
If they are just getting the boards: Price the boards according to similar projects but give them a bulk discount of like 10%.
Let them negotiate if they want from there.
You’ve all given me very good idea of what I should charge. As most of you that have commented know, I’ve been at this “racket” for a while now. I’m not as experienced as most of those that have commented and I’m glad that you have all done so.
So you have all asked some really good questions. They will not be getting the Gerber files. Those I’ll keep. I’m assuming they have an idea of what they want to pay and have been very transparent in the “exchange” so far. These would only be in a short run of pedals and the boards would not be sold individually.
After being in the fx industry for a while and purchasing WAY more than my fair share of boards and even having one layout of my sold by a 3rd party (LoveMySwitches Whammoth) I have an idea of what they sell for at a retail level.
My main question was, is / should there be a discount for the “bulk” buy? From most of the comments and posts it looks like yes but don’t under sell myself. So for a board that would sell for $7 each, maybe a 15-20% discount for the 30 customized boards sounds decent. Maybe that is too much considering what people sell short runs / custom builds for now a days. Thoughts?
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15
Open Discussion / Custom PCB Work Questions
« on: November 02, 2020, 08:26:19 PM »
Hey Guys,
I had someone reach out to me and asked if I could do a layout for them. I already have the PCB designed. I really just need to move a few things around and put their name on it. I was wondering if anyone here has had experience with this and what you would charge for something like this? They would be buying a quantity of 20-30 boards. I already have pricing from the FAB house (for 30 boards). My cost, shipped to me is about $1.25 per board. So, should I break it down to come out to cost per board, and how much would one charge for something like this? Thanks in advance for ANY advice you can give me.
-Mike-
I had someone reach out to me and asked if I could do a layout for them. I already have the PCB designed. I really just need to move a few things around and put their name on it. I was wondering if anyone here has had experience with this and what you would charge for something like this? They would be buying a quantity of 20-30 boards. I already have pricing from the FAB house (for 30 boards). My cost, shipped to me is about $1.25 per board. So, should I break it down to come out to cost per board, and how much would one charge for something like this? Thanks in advance for ANY advice you can give me.
-Mike-