Friday, 14 September 2012

OKKO Diablo - Modded Monster Pot Edition

Request.  A modded version of the Okko Diablo with pots replacing the onboard trimmers and scope for even more!  This will give you an 8 knob version of the Diablo with the Presence and Bass controls external.  If you're feeling particularly brave you could even replace the trimmers on the booster to make an 11 knob Okko Diablo Behemoth, but I'll leave that one up to you! :o)

Includes a switch which will supply the circuits with either 9V or 18V to give you even more versatility in the dynamics and headroom of the effect, and the main effect and boost have been done on separate boards so you can just make the main circuit if you want to, or maybe even add your favourite boost instead of this one.  The main board will fit in a 1590B and there's a prize for the first person to do it with all 7 main board pots! :o)

Tip: I have heard a recommendation that the 100R resistor from Q3 source can be replaced with a 1K trimmer to help bias things up, but again I'll leave that choice to you as to whether you add a trimmer or experiment with resistor values (800 ohms worked for the guy who suggested it).

Info about the original from Okko:

The Diablo is a versatile low to medium gain overdrive with an exceptionally dynamic response. It preserves the character of your instruments and is very sensitive to your playing technique. Thanks to the effective and musical controls, the Diablo works equally well with any kind of guitar, amp or playing style. People use it for so many different sounds, you would hardly believe that they use the same pedal.

Besides the usual Gain, Tone and Level knobs, the Diablo has some more interesting controls:

FEED affects the amount of bass in the input signal. You know the problem: an overdrive sound gets muddy rapidly if the input signal is too bass heavy (that’s why the treble booster was invented).  With the FEED control you can make even the fattest neck humbucker sound clear and transparent or beef up weak pickups a little.

The BODY control takes effect on mids and compression.  Another important feature is the HEADROOM SWITCH. Set to the "HI" position, an internal electronic voltage doubler is activated – the Diablo runs on 18 Volts from a regular 9 V battery or power supply.  The higher voltage gives more dynamic range, more headroom and tighter bass – just try it!

The Diablo comes in two versions: the regular one and the Diablo Gain+ with two footswitchable gain settings.







91 comments:

  1. awesome. thanks Mark! i'm building this one next!

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  2. i just wired it up and tested it. i have tweaked the transistor bias (i used a socket and am running a 100R resistor in it but everything works as it should and even though it's 2:30am here and i can't really crank it to test it properly, it sounds really good. the body control works backwards though, so all you have to do is move the 'body 1' lead over to 'body 3'.

    like the barber LTD silver pedal, the presence control doesn't do that much (but it does more than my barber LTD presence control does). i'll be able to test it better (and adjust the bias) when i can crank it up, but so far, it sounds pretty damn good.

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    1. Excellent John. These pot numbers are starting to get annoying, the last 3 layouts that were wrong actually had the pot numbering on the schematics so you just take it for granted! Aargh! :o)

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    2. Hi mark. i think that you can verify it. i meant to say that i HAVEN'T tweaked (or even checked)the bias (typo above) but it's working very well (i'm using J201's).

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    3. Awesome! Cheers John, that was quicker than I thought it might have been

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  3. Is the ICL7660SCPA equal to this? http://www.musikding.de/Active-parts/Transistors/Voltage-Regulators/ICL7660S::1132.html

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  4. Dumb question time. So are there two separate Level controls? One for normal and one for boost ( boost level indicated by level+ )?

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  5. after playing thru mine for a couple of hours now, i decided to mod mine for use with my basses. the pedal sounds very good stock, but to me, it's very mid heavy sounding (IMO, it sounds kinda like a cranked marshall), but for bass i wanted alot more transparency and low end so i replced quite a few of the coupling caps with higher values and now it sounds awesome with a bass. and BTW, not that it should really matter, but i think that the value of the 100n cap that is in parallel with the 220u in the vero should actually be a 10n. at least it is on all of the schematics of it that i've seen.

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  6. what values and components did you change for use with bass?
    and to mark, thanks as always!

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  7. i'm still dialing it in. i just need to get the tone control to work exactly like the videos on you tube and i'll tell you what changes i made to it.

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  8. BTW, the tone and bass controls are backwards too! they're linear pots so just reverse the leads.

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  9. okay, here's the caps that i changed to give it some real low end for use with a bass, and gives it a more transparent top end (it was a little dull up top for me). i also corrected the wiring for the tone and bass controls so they work in the right direction:

    http://johnkvintageguitars.homestead.com/Effects/Fuzz-ODs/OKKODIABLO/Okko_Diablo_Modded_for_bass_w-text.png

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  10. soooo tempted to try fit this in a tayda 1590BB box and making the boost board pots external = 11 pots. im just not sure if it will look that good really, will be a mess to say the least. not sure if i have electrolytics rated for more then 16V of all the values tho.. think it could work fitting all of it?

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    1. The boards will easily fit in a 1590BB, it's just whether you can get the pot arrangement looking good. Personally if I was going to do it I'd mount the box sideways so that it gave you more width for the pots at the top, and good separation for the footswitches. And I'd use those 9mm green pots to do it, 6 + 5. That'd fit in no problem.

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    2. yeah using 9mm pots will def make it easier, just don't have any of them right now. also using smaller knobs would make it look a lot better. guess i need to buy some more pots haha.
      meanwhile, cheack out my comment on your page for the green russian muff ;)

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  11. Do I just exclude the connections to the boost board to do the main board alone?

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    Replies
    1. Yes just ignore the Boost V+ and Boost V/2 wires.

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  12. i justed finished my diablo (modded for bass use). i also added a blend circuit to it so i can blend the clean with the dirt if i want to. IMO, this is an awesome sounding pedal. i didn't find the needd for the extra boost circuit ('Diablo Boost+') or the extra gain+ control ('Diablo Gain+'). here's a couple of pics of it:

    http://johnkvintageguitars.homestead.com/Effects/Fuzz-ODs/OKKODIABLO/DiabloBass-01.jpg

    http://johnkvintageguitars.homestead.com/Effects/Fuzz-ODs/OKKODIABLO/DiabloBass-02.jpg

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    1. That looks excellent John, glad you're liking it

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  13. Thanks for the photographs. Big big addition for the noobs like me. ;)

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    1. after tuning it for my basses and playing thru it for a while now, it one of my favorite OD/Fuzz pedals (and that's out of the 70 different other ones that i own!).

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  14. Have you changed value for the cap on the second row? I saved the pic before you updated the design and it says 100n, but now it's 10n. Which one is correct?

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    1. If you read the comments John pointed out that it is a 10n in the schematic, not 100n. The truth is though that this is going to make no difference whatsoever. People sometimes put a lower value cap in parallel with the main power supply filter cap because it can deal better with noise at higher frequencies. Lovepedal do it in all their pedals with a 100n cap. In reality in a low voltage circuit like this it's just not going to make any difference at all and I only included it really because there was space to do so and so I kept it true to the original. If including it meant I would have had to add an additional column then I would have left it out.

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  15. Am I blind, or is the output not pointed out? I can't figure it out.

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    Replies
    1. It says in the notes at the bottom right hand side

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    2. Then I'm obviously blind. Thanks for your patience.

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  16. If I Understand clearly, Boost V+ and Boost V/2 are used to link the two boards?

    Seven pots + 3 internal pots?

    I'm finishing that board, but those information were not clear for me.

    Kind Regards
    David

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    Replies
    1. Hi Dudave

      There are 8 pots, 7 for the main board + 1 for the boost along with 3 trim pots on the boost board.

      James

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  17. Just finished this one, it's sounding really good, i had lots of problems with the boost side though getting low volume and when the boost level knob was past 2:00 it started to introduce lots of hiss and squeals !!! I tried J201's, MPF102's and 2N5457's without any success, so i pulled the boost board and built a Red Rooster using an AC176 with the range as an on-board trimmer.

    Now it sounds great and boosts like a bad un !!

    http://ubuntuone.com/29NqUtfkVSrgUlNjVUFqCk

    James

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    Replies
    1. Thabks for your answer, the v+ and v/2 are used to link the boost the board i think...
      I've drilled my enclosure...and waiting for the components ;)

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    2. Can i use this kind of switch on my pedal http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/kaspri/kaspri1104/kaspri110400038/9394909-red-power-switch-in-on-off-position-isolated-macro-closeup.jpg ?

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    3. Yes V+ and V/2 are just the links to the boost, and you could certainly use a switch that look like that, the important thing is that the contact arrangement is 2 position single pole double throw

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    4. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  18. Hi, i've some issues with my Okko Diablo Gain+ Clone,
    i've some doubts with the wiring of the 3PDT switches.

    I've received by mistake a 2PDT switch on/on,
    i cut one line of 3 pins and used like this :
    1 (4)
    2 (5)
    3 (6) I guess, that'is a possible way?

    Actually using that method(SPDT switch), i've got no sound...


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    Replies
    1. Hi i've ordered a switch on/on 2 positions,
      but should I have sound without switch?

      Kind Regards
      Dave

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    2. No it won't. The switch selects either 9V or 18V for the main circuit. If you want to test it put 9V at the Sw2 connection.

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  19. Input from main board and input from boost have to be connected into the same pin on 3pdt switch?

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    Replies
    1. The effect has two stomps, one for the main board, and one for the boost

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  20. Failllll!!! I have forgotten that!
    Why this version have 8 pots and original Diablo Plus have 6 pots?

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    Replies
    1. From the post, "A modded version of the Okko Diablo with pots replacing the onboard trimmers". Basically the Presence and Bass control were internal trimmers but I wanted to make this fully controllable externally. It just makes it a bit more versatile and you're going to be using a 1590BB anyway with two stomps and 6 pots, so why not have the other 2 external as well was my way of thinking.

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    2. Ok, and Level+ pot should be 100k log also?
      And Body 1 is not used?

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    3. The boost must have an error, I mounted an other boost (the pot i used for this boost is a 100k log but apparently that's wrong)

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  21. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  22. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  23. Hi there,
    a dumb question maybe...
    The two inputs from the main and boost board come both from the input jack, and the two outputs go both to the output jack? So, this is a "parallel" connection of the two circuits, and each one has its own 3PDT switch, external wiring, LED, etc?
    Thanks!

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  24. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  25. HEllo,

    Just finisked mine and i really like it !
    I just have something that suprises me : everything is working right but it looks like both of my volume pots are working all the time (when i'm on the "normal" switch position, the "level+" knob has a effect on the sound volume. Is it normal, should the 2 level knob be completely independant ?

    Thanks !

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  26. I have to use this wiring?

    http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T8OdqPmP_2Q/UG3WZyt28aI/AAAAAAAAC5U/lTz0RyZXAG8/s1600/!Offboard+wiring+-+dual.png

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    Replies
    1. You can use this one if you want to have two separated effects (Boost/Od),
      I think this one matches too with the pedal : http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J3EhMIZQLck/UH6a8ZnzSFI/AAAAAAAADHE/ewTfTXuvTYA/s1600/!Offboard+Wiring+with+switchable+pre-effect+booster.png

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  27. Hello,
    Sorry to insist but could anyone who did build this pedal explain me how "Level" and "Level+" work ?
    My build works perfectly but i just can't figure out how those two knobs work :
    - Is "Level" supposed to work when the boost is of and then the "level+" is disabled, and the opposite when the boost in on ?
    - Are they working togetehr all the time ?

    In my case, watever position i am on the boost, both pots increase the volume just as if they were doing the same thing. One pot on 0 and i've got no sound no matter if the boost in on or off.

    I'm not sure it's problem, though, the boost works fine, i just don't understand how those two pots work. Could someone explain to me ?

    Thanks gain !

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    Replies
    1. Level is the volume control for the main distortion circuit, Level+ is the volume control for the boost section. If the boost section is bypassed then the Level+ pot is also out of circuit and so will have no effect.

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  28. So i must have a mistake on my wiring, i'm going to check that !
    Thanks a lot !

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  29. Well, i think i found my mistake.... i thought (and i wired the pedal this way) that the stomp was for the effect activation ans the spdt swith for choosing between "normal" and "boost".

    Aren't there two stomps ? One for on/off, one for the boost AND a spdt just to switch between 9 and 18V ?



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  30. And if so, what should be the best way to do it : wiring the overdrive before the boost or the opposite (to get even more gain) ?

    Thanks !

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  31. Mmm, funny shit.... At 9 volts, everything works fine even with Gain fully clockwise.

    At 18v... if both the overdrive and the boost are engaged, it sounds really fine,, but if i disengage the boost (just the overdrive running), I get a horrible whine until I lower gain at 9 o'clock.

    I think it would be more "usual" to get a whine with both overdrive + boost maxed.... but it seems that is the boost the one that tames the overdrive.

    Can't really understand, any hint?

    BR

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  32. Gonna build this with 11 pots :)
    Question: Are the 3 pots, which replace the boost trimmers, log or lin ?
    5k log, 100k lin and 100k lin (Gain+ Bass+ Tone+), is this right ?

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  33. Finished my 11 Pot version today.
    Everything works fine, except the Presence Control, it does not really make a big different in sound ?!
    Gonna check the wiring again now...

    Do not click !
    https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/35754713/Noisezone/OkundWa/DSCN2954.JPG

    :-D

    the naked truth:

    https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/35754713/Noisezone/OkundWa/DSCN2928.JPG

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  34. Hi lvlark,
    Is it possible to post a wiring schema how the body,gain feed,level and the rest is wired to the board? I mean are the gain feed,level and the rest wired to each other?


    Thank you.

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    1. I don't understand, the instructions are in the layout, and all based on the pot lug numbering here: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Eu1vuXVH3UM/TzGNIkeLuAI/AAAAAAAAAlM/h7re0CGH6A8/s1600/Pot20numbering.jpg

      Where one pot's lug needs connecting to another it's explained in the notes at the bottom

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    2. He,
      You are right offcourse. I can not figure out were level 2 is on the mainboard (it say level 2 to output).

      Are Sw1, SW 2 and SW3 for the "+" or "GO" switch, as shown on the picture?

      thanks.

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  35. I forgot to ask.....
    Is the switch (SW1,2 and 3) used to go from 9 to 18 volts? or is it to activate the boost?
    If it is used to activate the boost, do I then I require another footswitch??
    One to activate the effect, one to switch from 9 to 18 v, and one to activate the boost.

    Thanks.

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  36. I'm afraid that this is the first effect that I have to surrender. Can't get off this fucling squeal when turning the switch to 18v.

    It stays the same: nice on 9v, nice on 18v with booster or main board+ booster engaged, but extremely loud squeal when just main board engaged at 18v.....

    After modding two wahs this morning I'm not really in the mood to build another one, too many pots, i'll have to admit defeat :P

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  37. Mark, check this layout, it doesn't work for me, so, can't be verified!

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  38. Is there a connection for lug #1 on the Body control/potentiometer?

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  39. JaviCAP, I agree, this layout must be checked seriously,
    I've triied to build it 3 times, the third time It worked, but I had the squeal...
    I bet the original one doesn't have this squeal...

    I've had the squeal at 9v too

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  40. Mine is working, here are the voltages if you want to troubleshoot yours.

    ICL7660SCPA (same for 9 and 18 V)
    1 8.35
    2 4.08
    3 0
    4 0.13
    5 0.29
    6 4.2
    7 3.7
    8 8.35

    J201s for 8 V

    Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6 Q7
    D 4.1 8.18 4.13 8.18 8.18 4.31 8.18
    S 0.3 4.4 0.04 4.16 1.88 0.4 4.5
    G 0 2.7 0 2.78 1.67 0 2.77

    and for 18 V

    Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6 Q7
    D 7.95 15.86 7.85 15.86 15.86 8.15 15.86
    S 0.3 8.25 0.05 8.5 3.28 0.4 8.34
    G 0 5.38 0 5.4 3.22 0 5.38

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  42. It sounds awesome :)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kN3ieHk7xx0&list=UU-P7s6-sy2EyKJedjgI90Qw

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    1. Nice job, thanks for sharing the vid

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    2. Thanks! Here is an inside gut shot

      http://hgecontraptions.blogspot.ro/2014/11/okko-diablo-boost-clone-with-2-extra.html

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    3. I built another one , heh! http://hgecontraptions.blogspot.ro/2015/06/another-okko-diablo-boost-clone.html

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  43. Hey all,
    and first of all hello from germany and congratulations for this great site! I read for a long time and recently started to try some builds...
    Regarding myself still as a beginner, I tried to build the diablo and am having problems - hopefully someone can help me.
    For an easy start I skipped the booster and used a standard wiring scheme as described here:
    http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k5Sh68yVU18/TzGRFKbiALI/AAAAAAAAAlk/CbfaaduUjYQ/s1600/%21Offboard+wiring.png

    However, the effect does not what it should. In bypass everything is fine, when the effect is engaged I hear the guitar and the controls are working (level changes volume, bass, tone, body and presence change the sound, feed also affects loudness...) but there is NO distortion, only a slight background noise. I tried both battery (fresh) and (good!) 9V adapter but nothing. Result: frustration :-)

    Here the voltages I measured:

    IC (same for 9 and 18V mode):
    1 9.31 8 9.31
    2 4.53 7 4.92
    3 0 6 7.24 (!)
    4 0.15 5 0.33

    Transitors (18V/9V mode):
    Q1 / Q2 / Q3 / Q4 / Q5
    D 8.6/4.3 17.5/9.0 8.1/3.9 17.5/9.0 17.5/9.0
    S 0.5/0.4 9.1/4.8 0.1/0.1 9.1/4.8 6.2/3.5
    G 0/0 8.4/4.3 0/0 8.4/4.3 6.5/3.5

    Pretty close to what Kostis wrote, but some (I think) significant differences:
    IC 6 is a bit high (higher than 7)
    and in Q2 and 5 G is almost equivalent to S...

    So I hope someone has an idea what could be wrong!
    If any more info is needed I'll provide it of course...!

    Thanks!

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  44. I've got mine working. It sounds almost OK, but when I kick it up to 18 volts, it just barely passes signal and farts out. Here are my voltages. I don't know where to look. I've gone over it and over it Q 1G 8.87, S 4.80, D 4.22, Q2 G 4.43 S .35 D 0 Q3 G 8.86 S 4.46 D 4.21 Q4 2.82 S .07 D .08 Q5 G 8.84 S 2.63 D 2.78

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    Replies
    1. there is definitely a problem in your build.
      with a quick look, you should get the same voltages at all drains of q2 q4 q5.
      post hi resolution photos of both sides of your board

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  45. Would like to see a layout of the orginal too. With 6 pots + 2 internal trimmers and all on one board.

    Also the "non +"-version would be nice.

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  46. Heh, built my third one, this time the Gain+ (the other two were Boost+). Ironically, this has 0 squeal/whine at ANY setting!! It's amazing.The other two (boost+) had this, identically. Couldn't help but wonder if the fact the booster mounted at the input for Gain+ does something being there . Really nice pedal!

    http://hgecontraptions.blogspot.ro/2016/04/finished-okko-diablo-gain-third-one.html

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    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    2. (might be the fact that my J201 transistors were more matched than previous sets)

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  47. Although I built three of these, I wan to tweak the third one a little more. The circuit confuses me....How would one go around on biasing all the 5 J201 fets on this? Where should I measure?
    I'm asking because the Drains of Q2, Q4, Q5 are all on the same strip wired to 9 V...isn't the drain supposed to have 4.5 V? How would you guys go about and bias all the transistors, use Source as a refference? I would really appreciate the input :)

    Thanks!

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    Replies
    1. A detailed input on where exactly to put trimpots...On the source on all? Modify the drain, measure the source? Etc.

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  48. Dumb question: I understand v+ links voltage to boost board, but what does exactly the v2 link? Trying to sort out boost switching connection and pre/post drive configuration.

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  49. if i just want to use this boost with other pedals can i ignore the boost/v2 wire i'd be using it built in front of a different distortion

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  50. Hi everyone!
    I wanted to build this one since a long time; finally I did it with the boost side
    Works and sounds great!!
    First, I had an issue like JaviCap :
    Huge squeal when using only the main board with boost disengaged; weird!
    But after wiring it properly with two footswitches it's working perfectly
    I used Sabrotone's wiring diagram:
    http://www.sabrotone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/2in1_series_tb.png

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  51. For anyone who is having problems with Squeal. Link Body 3 with Gan 3. Then connect Body 2 to the board instead of Gain 3.

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  52. Hello,
    Is it possible to modify some component values for the boost for more gain?
    Boost the Boost :)

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