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Messages - dwstanford

#31
Open Discussion / Re: Recording/DAW advice
March 17, 2012, 04:41:18 AM
That sounds like a pretty kick ass first rig if you ask me.  He'll be able to crank out some pretty decent recordings right off the bat. 

There are some great resources on youtube, etc on recording techniques.

I like to listen to podcasts on my way to work like:
Sound On Sound Podcast
Pensado's Place (also has a you tube channel)
Inside Home Recording
Home Recording Show
Simply Recording Podcast

Also, Tape Op magazine is a good resource (and it's free)


He'll learn the most by doing things himself, but these resources give some great tips on how to make your recordings more profesional without spending alot of money on unnecessary stuff.
#32
Build Reports / Re: Mangler
March 14, 2012, 02:51:02 PM
Beautiful pedal.  I love those pedal enclosures enclosures. 
#33
Open Discussion / Re: Recording/DAW advice
March 14, 2012, 04:52:38 AM
If i were in your position, i would do this:

Software- Reaper- $60 (full featured daw, 60 bucks instead of 600)

I've used pro tools for years and i recently switched to reaper instead of upgrading to pro tools 10.  It's much lighter on your cpu and does pretty much everything pro tools can do.

Interface- $300 there are tons of good ones, including some mentioned earlier, but definitely get one with four good pre's on it. also look at the m-audio, focusrite, and motu stuff.   I'd spend about 300 or more on the interface/pre's and skip the 16 track recorder.  The converters on a good interface will kick the crap out of the converters on the multitrack, plus multitracks are pretty much going the way of the dodo.  Their only real strenght is portability, which is arguable considering most laptop setups these days. 

Mics-  $200  start him out with a few sm57's.  The unidyne is pretty much a 57 if you want to throw that in, but you can get 57's on ebay for 75 bucks used all day long.  Four can get you a really good drum sound.

Spend an extra fifty or so on a few cables.  Don't have to be the best.  Get four 20 footer's.

Eventually he will want some better overheads, room treatment, etc.  but he can get some great recordings with what ive mentioned.  I had alot less starting out and i was quite impressed with what came out of it.  It's really easy to get wrapped up in gear, but what matters is how you use it.  No matter what you have,
#34
Build Reports / Re: DARK ZAG... the Lowrider Octaver
March 02, 2012, 08:31:48 PM
Wicked looking pedal.  He did a fantastic job.  That looks like a convertible drill car at the bottom left.  Sweet!
#35
Ive had some with lower leakage read as zero hfe on some testers, but chances are if all are reading zero consistantly, you may have silicons.
#36
General Questions / Re: Bumble Bee Bias
February 04, 2012, 05:35:30 AM
Woo hoo!
#37
General Questions / Re: Bumble Bee Bias
February 04, 2012, 02:09:21 AM
Most of the small bear sets are either black glass with red dot on collector or metal can with tab on emitter. 

The fuzz trails are a bias issue.  With even one of the transistors off bias, you will get some weird gating and sputtery nastyness.   I would breadboard it with the transistors and see if you may need to sub some of the resistors to get the proper bias.  If youre getting very different voltages than i listed, make changes as needed.  Having to sub resistors to suit specific transistors is not uncommon on fuzz builds, especially the three transistor ones. 
#38
General Questions / Re: Bumble Bee Bias
February 03, 2012, 07:48:26 PM
Yeah, looking back through my notes, you want to get between -4 and -5v on collectors of Q1 and Q2.  Q3 is a bit tricky and you just have to use your ears.  Higher leakage (300+) is better for this transistor to give it more of the gnarlyness associated with the buzzaround.    Depending on the levels of the balance and sustain controls, you should get between 0 and -4v on Q3.  I had to test it out on a breadboard for about a week to get the right sound out of it, but it finally came together and sounded great.
#39
General Questions / Re: Bumble Bee Bias
February 03, 2012, 07:28:43 PM
after looking at my notes, apparently the leakage is a bit more important.  You dont want transistors with low leakage.  Something in the 300 range for each should be good though.  I experimented with several transistors and settled on Q1: 57, 270. Q2: 72, 360. Q3: 122, 226.  This circuit isnt as picky about gains as some, but anything in that range should work.  The tb sets that small bear sells sound pretty good.
#40
General Questions / Re: Bumble Bee Bias
February 03, 2012, 07:18:39 PM
What types of transistors are you using and what are the gains and leakages?  Its been a while since ive done one, but i believe the gains for transistors sounded best as follows.  Q1: 50-70, Q2: 60-80, and Q3: 100-140.  I'll look back through my notes on it, but i think the leakages a less of an issue, but should be around 300 or less.
#41
Mods / Re: Sabertooth Impedance Control
January 30, 2012, 10:49:23 PM
The 68n should be connected to the center lugs of the switch with the connections to each pot so that it is always in the circuit.  That's the way it is on the mastotron anyway.  I would test it out with a few different values to see what you like though.  You may find some values more useful than the stock values.
#42
Build Reports / Re: Funk for Dessert - LowRider
January 22, 2012, 05:05:32 PM
That looks delicious!!! :o  I want to eat it!!! :o    B&J should do a Paral-Mint Chunckadelic flavor. :)
#43
Isn't c5 the same as c3? (47u). For good mojo electrolytics, look for sprague, ero, vishay, Mallory, bc, Kemet, etc.  All good choices.  There are some pretty decent prices on ebay.  The mojo parts will probably make zero sound difference, but they'll make you feel better.  ;D
#44
Its gotta be fuzz for me.  Mostly ge fuzz.  I bet i've built a hundred of them.  I will probably build a hundred more.
#45
great mod.  i'll have to try that. i'm getting about 500ms on mine.  great clips.  that fuzz sounds great also.