New member with pedal shootout (riot, zendrive, honeybee and more).

[Richard]

Hey guys!

New member from Sweden here. Came across the site a few weeks back when surfing round for some
DIY builds to tackle for my first pedal builds. Once I came here, and started surfing through the posts I just knew I had struck gold  

And, (a BUNCH of) thanks to Haberdasher's most excellent PCB's I was soon well on my way on my first builds!
First off, I decided to keep all pedals with the same "design" so to speak, clean and simple.
Also opted for slightly larger enclosures, before venturing into "crammed territory" in future builds
(o yeah, more WILL come, I'm hooked!   )  Below are first images, then video!

First off was the Zendrive/Serendipity:



Then came the Riot/Uproar (I guess you see the similarities heh):



And last but not least, the Honeybee/Yellow Shark (here pre-LED):




THEN, came time to shoot some vids. Instead of shooting single vids for each pedal, I decided it would be fun to do a "shootout" of these three builds, as well as two other very cool OD's I had around.
The other two are the "Maestro Antique Revised" by Leqtique Effects of Japan, and the second (funny green one) is a prototype pedal called "Big Smile" by Moonshine effects (from Sweden).

Here is part 1, just the "Raw" pedals, nothing fancy, going through some tones.
Part 2 will be up soon, then I improvise over a longer backingtrack, where I switch between the pedals in turn. But for now, please feel free to view this one!

EDIT: And here is part 2, the impro-video:

And, should you be so inclined, here's my YouTube channel with plenty of more serious vids both home made and from various clinics and workshops I've done across the globe: http://www.youtube.com/fretdance
(and official website: http://www.richardlundmark.com )

cheers guys, and thanks for such a GREAT forum!!!

[shawnee]

That video is outstanding.

[petesz]

Fantastic looking builds, they are so clean! and nice wiring! Pretty darn good job for your first couple pedals!
Sweet demo video too, i like the zendrive clone, which do you prefer?

[nzCdog]

Cool video man, welcome to the forum! 

[Haberdasher]

Richard, that was outstanding! 
I thought they all sounded great.

[crash]

Very nice demo!  Welcome!

I didn't realize you were allowed to turn down the gain on the Uporar (Riot)

What were you using to shoot that video?

[mjcyates]

Very nice building and playing!

[keysandguitars]

Welcome to the forum, you indeed have struck gold. Those are some squeaky clean builds, and they all sounded great. I really enjoyed your chops and phrasing, inspiring stuff on that video and your youtube channel.

[jubal81]

I can't believe you're new to this. I've still never had one come out so clean inside and my first few attempts looked like a volcano of solder erupted on them.
Outstanding work! Count me impressed.

[Richard]

Thanks guys!
I've done more than my fair share of guitar wiring, so my soldering skills
are not "rookie" exactly, and a nice Weller iron with switchable tips helped a lot
with getting clean nice solderings. I do plan to try to cram future pedals into regular "mxr" size enclosures,
if nothing else for the challenge of it!

For this vid I used my old JVC videocam. Usually go for the Canon EOS550D,
but the built in mic of the JVC is actually better. Wanted to mix some of the room sound in.
I close mic'ed the cab at low volume as well with a Senheiser MD421, to get some low-end
and high-end back in the sound that the camera mic cuts out.

For the jam-vid that I will record starting tonight, I'll use the Canon, but then go:
Amp -> Soundcard -> Cabinet impulse responses, to be able to keep it more "album-tone-like".
Can't record on loud enough volumes at home to eliminate room sound coming through, so good
cab impulses has been a life-saver for me (as I do tons of lesson material for Scandinavia, US and Japan).

As for my personal faves, I'd have to go with the Leqtique MAR and the Zendrive for mid gain,
and the Big SMile for hi-gain. The Big SMile is also the pedal that cleans up best at hi gain settings.
Tone-wise though I prefer the "refined TS-tone" of the MAR, really nails that sleek "fusion-tone"
(at least for me).

Any suggestions of builds in the style of Zendrive and the TS_style of MAR would be appreciated guys,
most of the pedals in the list I have never even heard of! That's the main reason I chose these pedals,
because those I actually had some idea of what they would do

Also got a Deep Blue Delay (Seamuncher?) PCB from Haberdasher, so that I'll also have to
make an effort at in the future. This is a busy time of the year though, with the NAMM show around the corner, the financial year closing at the University where ai work (as a financial officer) so more builds are unlikely to even begin until February next year.

[Richard]

Which reminds me... Any guys in here going to NAMM?

[raulduke]

Not going to NAMM but welcome to the forum mate

Nice video and builds.

You should post the builds in the Build Report forum area as well; more people seem to browse that section than here.

That is an interesting idea with Cab Responses. Do you use and Impulse Response reverb loaded with cab responses then? Set 100% wet?

I can only record at low volumes so like the idea of that. I usually add a bit of reverb as well (Audio Damage Eos) when I record stuff.

I love talking about all the techie stuff when it comes to recording!

[Richard]

Not going to NAMM but welcome to the forum mate

Nice video and builds.

You should post the builds in the Build Report forum area as well; more people seem to browse that section than here.

That is an interesting idea with Cab Responses. Do you use and Impulse Response reverb loaded with cab responses then? Set 100% wet?

I can only record at low volumes so like the idea of that. I usually add a bit of reverb as well (Audio Damage Eos) when I record stuff.

I love talking about all the techie stuff when it comes to recording!

Thanks mate! And I posted a thread in the build reports section as well =)

ABout cab responses, yes I do use a reverb (set 100% wet). I most often use either Redwirez impulses loaded in Space Designer in Logic, or Recabinet 3 (which has its own interface). Most of the vids I post online (and lessons) are all recorded in that fashion.

[bigmufffuzzwizz]

Welcome! Those are indeed some great builds and you did a really good job!
It's always good to have more video examples for people just stopping in (and newbs!) to check out.
I encourage you to try other op-amps in the Uproar, there are many choices if your not completely happy with the sound your getting from the suggested stock build! 

[Richard]

Welcome! Those are indeed some great builds and you did a really good job!
It's always good to have more video examples for people just stopping in (and newbs!) to check out.
I encourage you to try other op-amps in the Uproar, there are many choices if your not completely happy with the sound your getting from the suggested stock build! 

I tried to get some JRC4580's to start with, but didn't get hold of em for this build, only the 4558's.
I have some en route now though, so that should help with some clarity and tightness for the uproar.