Messages

I should note that I've been talking with Blake quite a bit. He's always been very quick to respond, much like the people at PPP and Smallbear always have been for me.

Blake's making an effort to reduce costs for shipping for us international builders. He's added the option for First Class shipping, which is a big savings for us. I think packages at around 1lb can be shipped for less than $6, which is quite a bit better than it used to be. Now, you can get a few parts, maybe a couple knobs you forgot, or some chips, and shipping will be in the $2-3 range, which really helps.

It should be noted that First class shipping CAN BE SLOW. Don't use it if you want parts fast. Make sure you truly are ready to wait for your order. Sometimes it's faster, but more often than not I wait 2-4 weeks here in Canada. Be prepared for that, and don't complain to Blake until you're at that 4 week mark. Even then, keep waiting.

I don't know how many times I've emailed someone I've purchased from (it's been 25 days!) and then the next day the package arrives.

Mammoth has stepped up, and seems to be getting to the point where they compete with Smallbear, PPP, and the like.

Jacob

I didn't have the cash for that phaser when Brian was selling it...

Keep me in mind if you ever want to unload it Rej.

Jacob

Audio probe. It's a helpful debugging tool.

I would agree, IC2 may be a problem. Whenever Phasers are phasing for me, it usually has something to do with the pot, the trannies, or the ICs.

Jacob

First of all - pristine work! I'm impressed with your PCB work. Well done.

Yes, it looks like q4 is the culprite. I don't have the schem handy at the moment, but you should be getting similar readings to q2 and 3 I think. So the emitter needs to be connecting to ground better, and if it isn't that's the place I'd start looking.

Check the parts attached to q4 (looking at the schem) for continuity. The audio probe helped find the problem, your DMM will help solve it.

Also, look for wrong values and bad solder joints around there.

Jacob

It looks like frozen water on the enclosure... well done.

Jacob

I think I agree - if this is going to be an occasional effect, only for showmanship really, I'd rather have the spinning element visually available, outside the enclosure.

Hearing that record idea, I wonder if it's feasible to take one of those old school, battery operated, kids record players. The ones that used to operate with a plastic disc? Repurpose the whole enclosure, then you don't even need to work about the motor for spinning or the material for spinning discs. Then we just need to find a way to fill the circuitry into the equation.

Jacob

Free shipping and 2.45 for 3PDT right now at Mammoth. Figured now was a good time to get a wah shell over there with free shipping and all 

Thats what I want to do!

I'm loaded with 3PDTs right now, got some from Tayda, but boy oh boy it's hard to ignore a good sale...

I heard this quote from one of those 'get out of debt' tv shows. This woman would just buy clothes all the time, and never wear them. She had a pair of closets full of stuff. The advice they gave her?

"There will always be a sale, but you don't have to participate in every one."

Don't know what that came to mind but...

Also, I think I'm leading Brian in posts now. Bean, you gotta step it up.

Jacob

I liked the feature that allowed you to switch the direction of the disc's rotation based on the direction of the switch. On-off-on... cool idea indeed. Too simple of an effect, and not practical for a guitarist's board, but I'd totally be down with help in development.

Jacob

It's close to the wire button. You'll find it.

If you're using wire to connect your schematic, you also need to use the junction tool each time you want to connect two wires. If you use Net, junctions are included automatically.

For the record, I tried DIY layout, and I couldn't stand it. Eagle has way more features, is much more comprehensive, and allows you to do all the things you can do in DIY layout with much more available. Eagle all the way.

Jacob

It's a bit incredible how big the drama at TGP can get, especially over the Klon, but it's not as insane as that HC forum...

But the Centaur is, in my opinion, a pretty cool concept. I think it's fairly distinct as a design, and I personally really enjoy the versions I've built. Brian's mentioned that it uses way to many parts, and that some of the circuit features are unnecessary, but I feel that there's something that works in it for me.

So, I'm not surprised there's clamour, or drama, but it's a little bit silly at this point. The designer guy has played his cards wrong at times, and the silliness has led to an industry of DIYers turned Boutiquers, literally dozens of them including myself. If he had been smarter, he would have contacted Brian about using his layout, and never had to go into this whole mess.

Jacob

Ah, but if those flightcase peeps can do it, so can you. DIY?

Jacob

3"x4"x6" boxes with bubble wrap. I bought stuff like that for shipping, but it would work well for storage. Each box can be labeled and carried in a box, or stored on a shelf/in a drawer.

Jacob

You can wire a DPDT switch to switch polarity.

Jacob

I'm fairly certain there is, just that you won't be able to use an LED when you do so. The backwards power may burn it out.

Jacob

Yes, that's how it would work.

Yes, tap the 9V with a CLR to the LED. The CLR can come after the LED too.

Yes, another wire from the DC jack will do the job.

Jacob