Lovetone Brown Source 1:1 clone

[LaceSensor]

Hi

Got a request from a working musician who sold his original Cheese Source but missed the Brown side a bit too much
A while back I traced this out and by coincidence another forum member recently built one!

Sounds great, and amused myself and the client with the play on words.

[dawson]

Cool!
The enclosure is awesome and I really like the way the trace looks on the PCB- I certainly enjoy looking at the populated side of boards also but what you've done here is a neat change from the norm'.

Great job matching the lettering too!

[LaceSensor]

Cool!
The enclosure is awesome and I really like the way the trace looks on the PCB- I certainly enjoy looking at the populated side of boards also but what you've done here is a neat change from the norm'.

Great job matching the lettering too!

You have to build it this way round because of the one-sided board, and its how the real ones are constructed.

My etch wasnt perfect, had to do a jumper on the right hand side as you look at it, but considering its my first etch in about 6 or 7 years I am happy with it

[dawson]

My etch wasnt perfect, had to do a jumper on the right hand side as you look at it, but considering its my first etch in about 6 or 7 years I am happy with it

Oh wow- from the picture I can't tell that it's a DIY etch, so yeah, be happy with it!
I'm sure your client is doubly stoked to have his tone back too.

[mjg]

That’s a DIY etch?  Holy crap, nice work.  I love the name as well. 😂

[LaceSensor]

That’s a DIY etch?  Holy crap, nice work.  I love the name as well. 😂

It’s not a patch on Haberdashers etching work to be fair
But I’m quite happy with it. Had to run a jumper over a trace but other than that it’s good

[Bio77]

Really incredible!  I always love your builds, next level. 

[Strategy]

Gotta plug this one as I just built it from Lacensensor's trace, and it is really a keeper...First of all it sounds very different than the earlier Brown Source version that floated around DIYSB and FSB ~10 or so years ago. I built that back then and did not like it. The Brown Source has some trash talked about it online in the endless overdrive wars, but I don't see why, really -- it's just as deeply musical and responsive as any of the other Lovetones. I don't use overdrive a lot, and lean towards projects in the Red Llama family when I do, but this provides a totally different flavor.
Strategy

[LaceSensor]

Really incredible!  I always love your builds, next level.

very kind of you to say so
theres plenty folk here who are many levels above me

[LaceSensor]

Gotta plug this one as I just built it from Lacensensor's trace, and it is really a keeper...First of all it sounds very different than the earlier Brown Source version that floated around DIYSB and FSB ~10 or so years ago. I built that back then and did not like it. The Brown Source has some trash talked about it online in the endless overdrive wars, but I don't see why, really -- it's just as deeply musical and responsive as any of the other Lovetones. I don't use overdrive a lot, and lean towards projects in the Red Llama family when I do, but this provides a totally different flavor.
Strategy

I wouldnt mind betting that half the trash talked about the Brown Source is by people who never played one, never applied it in the intended fashion, or played a clone with the incorrect parts values.

Did you manage to swap out those 22nf for 220nf?

Regards, LS

[Strategy]

Not done the 220nF swap yet, Thursday looks like soonest "soldering nite"

Strategy

[TFZ]

I wouldnt mind betting that half the trash talked about the Brown Source is by people who never played one, never applied it in the intended fashion, or played a clone with the incorrect parts values.

I doubt this is the case here, the correct values have been known for quite some time, verified by yourself. At the same time, I wouldn't dismiss the possibility of the other values being used in another version of the pedal. Switching those two 22n to 220n will only make a real difference in the particular switch position.  The later 22n in conjunction with the 330k forms highpass of 22Hz, so already two octaves below the guitar. Changing that to 220n for a highpass of 2Hz doesn't do anything to the sound.
The pedal really only works as a booster, playing it into a clean amp is a fizzling annoyance. The fact that it doesn't get much praise among players is no surprise to me, it doesn't do anything special most other overdrives can't do as well, but they also have the possibility to properly distort the signal. It is the very opposite of all the other Lovetone pedals: very limited sound possibilites, very limited scope.

[Strategy]

I play this into a solid state Polytone Taurus amp with only clean channels and it sounds awesome! More "textural" than my Red Llama for lack of a better way to describe it. If I can pull the time together I'll try and post some samples but I'm reluctant to make forum members suffer through my guitar "playing" though
- Strategy

[LaceSensor]

I wouldnt mind betting that half the trash talked about the Brown Source is by people who never played one, never applied it in the intended fashion, or played a clone with the incorrect parts values.

I doubt this is the case here, the correct values have been known for quite some time, verified by yourself. At the same time, I wouldn't dismiss the possibility of the other values being used in another version of the pedal. Switching those two 22n to 220n will only make a real difference in the particular switch position.  The later 22n in conjunction with the 330k forms highpass of 22Hz, so already two octaves below the guitar. Changing that to 220n for a highpass of 2Hz doesn't do anything to the sound.
The pedal really only works as a booster, playing it into a clean amp is a fizzling annoyance. The fact that it doesn't get much praise among players is no surprise to me, it doesn't do anything special most other overdrives can't do as well, but they also have the possibility to properly distort the signal. It is the very opposite of all the other Lovetone pedals: very limited sound possibilites, very limited scope.

Heh, you may be right 

And yes the intended application is as a booster.
Pardon me if I question the breadth of application and sound possibilities from pretty much every other boutique booster on the market...
At least the brown source has a cool name and a tone selector for some options going for it

You are correct it is the least adventurous of the Lovetones
I prefer it to the Klon centaur circuit personally for those applications - which is most peoples holy grail - but admit to never playing a real one.

[crash]

I built one of these about 10 years ago on a vero board.  I think of it a more of a boost pedal with some eq with the mid scoop/ flat/ mid boost switch.

I found a great use for it that may not be many other people's cup of tea.  I use it as a mid boost into a Zen drive.  That nails the Iron Maiden 7th son tone.