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Just to clarify, my concern with Rej was merely one of encouragement to communicate clearly. I have no issues with DIYers selling pedals with PCBs I make, IF they talk to me about it first. Just send me a message, no biggie.

Jacob

What you're talking about is more about copyright, not about circuits. You're talking about a graphic representation of a circuit, the arrangement of the schematic components. As long as it's a schematic you've done yourself, either using software or by hand, it's yours. Even if it looks like someone elses drawing, it's still yours because you did it. Could someone else sue you? Possibly, but the effort likely wouldn't be worth it.

However, what you're intimating is the concept of circuits themselves. If you built a Big Muff, using identical values to the original, you've built a clone. Nothing is yours in that instance. If you changed the values slightly, and arguement could be made that it's yours, but chances are high that not many would really believe you.

But if you changed values drastically, and created/hybrided something somewhat original, then the circuit is yours. It's not so much the end result as it's the method in this instance. Your purpose was to create something, not to copy something. If you've copied it, obviously it's not yours. If you've created something, it's yours.

Chances are high that few boutiquers have truly come up with something very original. Really, original isn't important though - a Timmy is a Dual Op Amp overdrive with soft clipping in the first gain stage feedback loop, which is not terribly original. However, the Timmy uses a very interesting and unique (to the boutique world) method of adjusting the tone of the drive. It's original not because of it's foundational pieces (dual op amp, etc.), but because of it's designer's creative use of innovative techniques to get to the end result.

Jacob

I got red kryptonite once and it looked awesome.

No help on the purple though. Connie or Heather would probably help answer any questions you might have.

Jacob

First thing I'd do is replace that cap. It's necessary, so it sounds like it isn't making connection to ground somehow.

Jacob

Some guys would see that as incentive to keep playing at loud volumes...

Jacob

I've had similar problems, and usually it relates to a broken trace or a bad connection.  Check your soldering, check your pot wiring...

Jacob

On my larivee, which was originally a super strat type of high gain thing, I went with stacked single coils for the neck and middle, and a humbucker in the bridge - which was what it was originally - built by Tom Anderson. They're vintage levels though. Anyway, I talked to Tom a lot about wiring, and he recommended I get a Super Switch, which has 4 poles, which would allow me some pretty cool wiring options. So I have the 'add bridge' option, which gives me the ability to go with all three pickups, or the neck/bridge option. I actually find myself using those two settings a lot, which surprised and excited me. A second mod I have done is the series/parallel switch for the bridge 'bucker. Interesting that I like both sounds. So all told, I have 14 sound options with two extra toggle switches. I'm using 500K pots, which is what tom recommended, and it's single volume, single tone.

If I were you, I'd look into the super switch, and try the 'add bridge' switch in place of one of the tone knobs.

Jacob

I've thought seriously about doing a PCB with a switch to go from 90 to 45. Problem is, that I haven't been able to make it work on a breadboard. Until that happens, it's probably not going to happen.

Likely, it's a symptom of the circuits being too specific, or just my lack of knowledge about how the phase is actually happening. Gain circuits I understand better. PT2399's I'm starting to get better with too. But Phase...

Jacob

I know rebuilding them is gonna be fun and all...

But I have a bunch of stuff I can donate to you if you want.

Jacob

This could be a whole thread ala Foxworthy...

If all your top sites in Safari are sites like BYOC, Madbean, OshPark, and Tayda, you might be addicted to building pedals...

Jacob

Well... not having built the honey dripper, I can't give you specific advice but...
Definitely use a proper audio probe.... without the cap on the end of the test lead you'll risk DC bias getting into your pickups, and if that happens they may well just die.

Connect the output of the pedal to the amp, and your audio probe to the guitar, and start testing for signal going through.  Start at the output on the pcb with your probe and work your way backwards, part by part towards the input...

I think that's why I actually advocate using a test oscillator. You don't need to worry about a guitar or any issues with frying it.

And actually, I would recommend you go the other way - plug the guitar/oscillatory into the inpup of the effect, then use a probe that's connected to your amp. So the disconnect is at the ouptut of the effect. Still start at the output, and work your way to the front. So you go from no sound at all to sound.

Jacob

Clean guts. I like.

Jacob

Big Muff Pi. Originally made by Electro Harmonix (EHX). Commonly cloned guitar pedal.

Jacob

I built one. Super overdrive, I like it a lot.

I opted for internal. I didn't regret it.

Jacob

Weird. I thought i got my 3080's from Polida and they were great...

Jacob