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Monday, 5 July 2010

Guitar and Bass Paralooper

From Moosapotamus:

The ParaLooper is something every effects-using Bass player should have, because it will 'Bassify' any bottom sucking, high-passing guitar pedal out there. And, it's pretty simple to build, too. Instead of just an effect loop pedal, this is actually a little mixer that blends your straight signal with whatever effect (or chain of effects) you plug into the send & return jacks. There are controls for wet/dry balance and overal output level (boost & cut).

Experimenting with parallel effects chains a snap, in mono or stereo. For example, you can plug whatever effect(s) you have connected to the send into a second amplifier or mixer/recorder channel. It can also be used just like a two-channel mixer itself by plugging a second source into the return jack. There is also a low-pass filter (capacitor to ground) on the clean signal that can be switched in for even more low end.

Pots are 100K lin for Blend and 100K log for Volume.

Full Range version

 

Bass version


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60 comments:

  1. monkeyxx30 April 2011 at 19:54

    I'd be interested in this but what IC is that??

    ReplyDelete
  2. IvIark30 April 2011 at 20:22

    Something like the TL074 would be perfect for it

    ReplyDelete
  3. johnk10 August 2012 at 23:44

    does it use 100K pots?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. IvIark10 August 2012 at 23:55

      Doh! Yes linear for Blend, log for Volume. I'd better put a note in the post.

      Delete
    2. mirosol11 August 2012 at 00:02

      Unverified tag rules!
      +m

      Delete
    3. johnk11 August 2012 at 00:22

      cool. i haven't started building it yet, but i ntend to in about a week or so.

      Delete
    4. johnk4 September 2012 at 09:18

      to make it even more versatile, i'd like to add a phase reverse switch for pedals like the Marshall Guv'nor and others that reverse the signal's phase. i know that the xotic b.blender and the guitarpcb.com 'paramix' (of which this vero is very similar to), both have phase reverse switches. i'm just wondering how to incorporate one into this vero?

      here's the schematic for the paramix:
      http://www.guitarpcb.com/PDF%20Files/ParaMix.pdf

      Delete
  4. mirosol8 October 2012 at 20:39

    Looks to be ok, but i'm not dead sure:
    http://mirosol.kapsi.fi/varasto/boxes_other/paralooper_gtr_bass_switch.png

    If those two changes on the two versions are the only ones, then that should make the full range version switchable to bass version with single 3 pole switch..

    I'm contemplating about building this with simple transformer DI at the output... Now if i just had the time to do everything i wanted :)
    +m

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. IvIark8 October 2012 at 21:38

      Yes if you omit both parts and the link that would be it exactly. The full range version is just supposed to be the same but with that low pass filter removed.

      Delete
    2. Hannibal Lecter19 November 2015 at 12:51

      Is that possible to also add a indicator LED to the bass/guitar switch? Can I do that using the 3PDT or I will need a 4PDT? Thanks.

      Delete
  5. Ross15 October 2012 at 01:20

    I need to buy more vero. Once I do that, I'll have a crack at the bass version. This will be useful for my chorus, which does some really nasty things to the low end.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Olav29 November 2012 at 16:59

    Still unverified?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. mirosol29 November 2012 at 18:09

      Yup. I thought about building this, but couldn't find any use for it... Maybe someday.
      +m

      Delete
    2. Olav7 December 2012 at 14:37

      I'll be getting to it, one of the following days. One question (be prepared, this might be the stupidest question you've ever had); will there be a problem using a 16 pin socket for a 14 pin IC? I will be placing the socket one row up and placing the TL074 according to the layout, so not using the two uppermost socketholes. Make sense?

      Delete
    3. IvIark7 December 2012 at 15:10

      No problem at all

      Delete
    4. Olav7 December 2012 at 17:07

      That answer saves me a lot of re ordering. On the other hand... I'm running out of excuses fast... I need to heat that iron.

      Delete
  7. Olav13 December 2012 at 13:18

    Just put this together and I'm getting nothing but hum. I've uploaded some pics to Photobucket for anyone that cares to take a look.
    The whole shebang; [IMG]http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj138/saintOlav/Guitars%20and%20stuff/Rehousing%20Ibanez%20FL5/20121213_135929.jpg[/IMG]
    The board; [IMG]http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj138/saintOlav/Guitars%20and%20stuff/Rehousing%20Ibanez%20FL5/20121213_135929.jpg[/IMG]
    TL074 for IC. 100KA for Volume and 100KB for blend. I have Volume lug 2 on tip.
    I'm not seeing what went wrong...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Olav13 December 2012 at 13:20

      Hit enter too soon.

      I'm not seeing where I went wrong... Any help would be much appreciated.

      Delete
    2. Olav13 December 2012 at 13:42

      Nothing seems to be working for me today... Pasted the same image code twice...
      Here's the board wired up;
      [IMG]http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj138/saintOlav/Guitars%20and%20stuff/Rehousing%20Ibanez%20FL5/20121213_140000.jpg[/IMG]

      Delete
    3. IvIark13 December 2012 at 14:31

      The 100u cap is the wrong way round, and you missed out the 10u at Blend 3

      Delete
    4. Olav13 December 2012 at 15:08

      Thanks for that ultra quick reply Mark! I don't think I have to tell you I feel like a complete clown at the moment... Been staring at it for an hour. You'd think I'd at least have seen the missing elco...
      I'll fix that tomorrow, probably will have to change out that reversed elco?

      Now, to get me a pair of glasses I go... :(

      Delete
    5. IvIark13 December 2012 at 17:27

      Probably. Electrolytics don't usually like having the polarity reversed, but just add the 10u first and see, you may have been lucky

      Delete
    6. Olav14 December 2012 at 10:12

      Changed 100u for a new one, right polarity this time. 10u is in. Still nothing.
      I decided to redo the grounding as it looked a bit raggety. No change.
      New 074. No change.

      My amp reacts to me touching the guitar strings. But that's about it.

      Here's my soldering; [IMG]http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj138/saintOlav/Guitars%20and%20stuff/Rehousing%20Ibanez%20FL5/20121214_100818.jpg[/IMG]
      Not too hideous is it? I cut between tracks before, during and after soldering. I checked the cuts with a DMM. They were all good.

      Here's the board as it sits now; [IMG]http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj138/saintOlav/Guitars%20and%20stuff/Rehousing%20Ibanez%20FL5/20121214_100930.jpg[/IMG]

      Delete
    7. IvIark14 December 2012 at 10:41

      Can you measure the voltages you're getting at all the IC pins. There is always the chance that reversing the polarity has damaged one or more of the other electrolytics but the voltages should give us a clue where the issue is.

      Delete
    8. johnk14 December 2012 at 10:44

      i'd run an exacto saw in between the rows. look at this pic:

      http://johnkvintageguitars.homestead.com/Effects/misc/20121214_100818.jpg

      Delete
    9. Olav14 December 2012 at 11:05

      Here goes;
      source is a battery, measured at 9.0V
      01; 0
      02; 0
      03; 2.4 (thereabout)
      04; 9
      05; 0
      06; 4.5 slowly dropping to 0
      07; 0
      08; 4.5
      09; 4.5
      10; 2.2 (thereabout)
      11; 0
      12; 1.8
      13; 4.5
      14; 4.5

      These lower results @ 3, 10 & 12 are all shakey on the DMM, going up and down.

      Delete
    10. Olav14 December 2012 at 11:08

      Thanks John, I've cut between row before, during and after soldering. The issues you point at are bent leads (too long perhaps, need better clippers) but I don't believe they short the tracks. I will however run a sawblade through there to make ab-so-lute-ly sure.

      Delete
    11. Olav14 December 2012 at 12:32

      I did find one short. Desoldered, cleaned up and resoldered the parts. No change.

      Delete
    12. Olav14 December 2012 at 12:49

      =sigh= I'll just solder in the two tiny links underneath the IC on pins 1&2 and 6&7 shall I?

      Delete
    13. Olav14 December 2012 at 13:07

      No change.

      I am now at the point where I'll start a completely new board.
      Not until I've built something else though. Need a little distance between me and this project...

      Delete
    14. Olav14 December 2012 at 16:43

      I'll probably rebuild it in a week or so. Right now I'm frustrated with myself. Wrong polarity on elco, leaving out another elco, leaving out two links, a short... That's 5 issues in this build... I need to slow down first.
      Thanks to Mark and John for jumping in right away and offering their assistance. Kudos to you gentlemen, sorry for wasting your time. Next build I promise to take better care.

      Delete
  8. Buzz23 May 2013 at 05:12

    Hi guys, putting this one on the breadboard before committing it to vero. I have some 1uf film caps but they are freaking huge. I want to use electros as I have a healthy supply of 1uf ( polar ), but I'm getting confused as how to work out the polarity from the vero. I'm thinking you knowledgeable ones ( grovel ) might just take one look and be able to tell me which way to put them. Cheers, Buzz.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Buzz24 May 2013 at 12:57

      Well I bread-boarded this and it didn't work. I could have made a stuff-up. It's happened before ;)

      I got essentially the same result as stated above. Amp just responds to me touching the strings. Like a ground noise.

      I used 470 nf film caps instead of 1 uf on the four appropriate caps, I don't think that would stop it from functioning.

      I plugged a (known to work} 2N2222 fuzz board into the send/return loop. The 2N2222 fuzz is definitely there, when I turn both knobs up full it makes a horrible strobing noise, just like it did when I had it in a box. The blend knob has no effect on this.

      No guitar signal whatsoever, but the ground must be attached to react to my fingers touching the strings. I'm going to double check the BB layout tomorrow or sunday. Will post again then.

      Delete
    2. Buzz25 May 2013 at 01:46

      Can't find anything wrong with breadboard layout, maybe the chips I used. Found a confirmed layout elsewhere with a schematic attached going to go with that.

      Delete
  9. Unknown6 September 2013 at 03:15

    "There is also a low-pass filter (capacitor to ground) on the clean signal that can be switched in for even more low end."

    Is this low-pass filter actually in this version? I'm not sure what I'm looking for to identify it. I'm interested in a blender with a low-pass. any ideas on how to make it switchable?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. laky28 October 2013 at 02:54

      In the bass version, the 2k2 resistor followed by 47n cap to ground is the low-pass filter. In the full range version, this RC combination is bypassed with a jumper. You can use a DPDT switch to switch between the R-C combo and the jumper.

      Delete
  10. laky28 October 2013 at 02:51

    I have built the bass version according to your vero. Works so tag it.
    I am finding some clipping on stronger attack on the clean signal though. Maybe a charge pump to 18V might help.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Mark4 June 2014 at 10:09

    Has anyone else ever built this successfully? Is there any consensus if it needs 18v or not?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Unknown5 June 2014 at 13:21

    Been ages since I've built a pedal. How does the volume pot. wire up?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. IvIark5 June 2014 at 13:45

      Volume 1 to ground, volume 2 to output

      Delete
    2. Unknown16 June 2014 at 22:31

      Cheers. Another question would this layout work? http://m.imgur.com/CRlUu7h
      It's combining this circuit with the Eric Johnson fuzz face circuit.

      Delete
  13. Unknown28 June 2014 at 16:14

    Getting ready to build this but had a question. Can someone please verify the value of the Electrolytic caps? Is it in mfds?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. mirosol28 June 2014 at 17:50

      On all layouts, the electrolytic values are in µF, micro Farads.
      +m

      Delete
  14. Unknown28 June 2014 at 18:22

    Thank you mirosol. Could you verify one more thing? The layout shows the electrolytic caps having a grey stripe, is that the negative or positive side?

    ReplyDelete
  15. Unknown22 August 2014 at 21:20

    What's the cut of frequency of the lowpass? Could I replace the 2k2 to ground with a (ie 10K) pot to have control over this cutoff frequency?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Unknown23 August 2014 at 11:00

      Never mind, already found it

      Delete
    2. Vicarioux22 September 2015 at 23:19

      I wanna know too. How to do this?

      Delete
    3. Unknown13 February 2016 at 01:44

      Did the pot work?
      I'm also interested in installing a HPF on the effected (return) path.

      Delete
    4. Unknown27 July 2018 at 15:23

      Hmm, just found this back while researching a lowpassable clean blend .. never built this back then though.

      Delete
  16. brotherleech20 November 2015 at 13:29

    I built this last night and it works but it seems to distort the clean signal when engaged. Could this just be the chip? I'm running it after a meathead so I wondered if the input volume could also be affecting it?

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  17. FabGTO129 November 2015 at 11:01

    Hi,
    When i was trying to add a phase inverter to it with LTSpice, I saw that the TL074 have a limited output around 3V with a 0-9V power supply. So if your componants are enought rated you can try a higher Power supply. Or you can try to reduce the output stage gain by decreasing the 100K resistor til it stop clipping.
    I didn't built mine yet and i can not verify it, so I'm not 100% sure that it will work...

    Fab

    ReplyDelete
  18. Diskovolos16 May 2016 at 02:03

    Hello ! Thanks for sharing this schematic ! it works perfect for blending dry-wet signals and i also get a good amount of boost. this is my dirt cheap version of this pedal housed ina seafood tin ! haha

    http://tinyurl.com/goq8wru

    http://tinyurl.com/joc6g9d

    Connecting an expression pedal to control the blend pot would be a great inspiration for expirementation. just connect the cables from the board to the blend pot on a 1/4 jack like this. http://www.taydaelectronics.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/500x500/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/a/-/a-1123.jpg

    when no expression pedal is connected the signal just passes through to the pot. otherwise, you can use the expression pedal to control your blend.

    wonder how this would sound ? awesome ! Check this russian fellow !
    watch?v=gXK6U2aR97E

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ZanBon16 May 2016 at 15:39

      Now you can actually "fine-tuna" your tone, lol!
      Ωραίος!

      Delete
    2. Unknown10 June 2017 at 11:39

      Thanks for the nice compliment and for bringing your post


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  19. Unknown11 December 2016 at 01:58

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  20. karycatura10 January 2017 at 20:46

    Hello, thanks for sharing this layout.
    I made this (with a DPDT to switch between both of them) and works ok, but when the blend pot is min or max I hear noises like whistles, very annoying. Is there a way to avoid this? Is there some bad component?
    thanks for your help.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Unknown10 June 2017 at 11:40

    It's great! Thanks for all your efforts that you have put in this.


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    ReplyDelete
  22. masonsjax28 December 2018 at 13:39

    I have built a couple of these and they work but... like some others have commented, there is distortion on the clean signal. I socketed the 100k resistor and tried smaller values, but all that does is reduce the overall volume, the distortion is still there. I have also swapped out the 1uf caps for smaller values and still the distortion is there. Does anyone have other suggestions? This is perfect for my needs, but the unwanted distortion is quite annoying. Thanks

    ReplyDelete