If you want it exactly like the original, you can omit the charge pump and associated components and take 9V directly to where VSw 3 connects to the board. Then use a 4PDT toggle instead of two SPDT and one DPDT for switches 1 to 3.
Info about Catalinbread's original:
Introducing the new Dirty Little Secret from Catalinbread. The Dirty Little Secret has earned itself a well-deserved reputation for replicating the sound and feel of a classic era Marshall amplifier, supplying one of the most iconic guitar sounds in music. Able to clean up with a flick of your guitar's volume control, or go from mild crunch to full kerrang with your pick attack, the Dirty Little Secret has seen the inside of arenas and bedrooms alike, providing great overdriven sounds to clean backlines, low-wattage amps, and even direct applications. When the JFETs used as the base for the Dirty Little Secret were discontinued, and as our stock of them began to dwindle we knew we had to find ones still being manufactured. However, rather than simply re-voicing around these new JFETs, we decided to push the envelope and provide an amazingly robust feature-set, from ever evolving listening and circuit skills, and pure power of intention. This isn't just 'a' Marshall in a box, it's the most versatile and dynamic Marshall-style overdrive out there!
What's new in the Dirty Little Secret:
• The DLS now offers two distinct voicings, "Super Lead" and "Super Bass" switchable via an internal slider switch.
• Completely redesigned full three-knob treble-middle-bass tone control complement that reconfigures for each mode setting.
• We've also added an internal presence trimmer that allows you to fine-tune the presence of the pedal precisely to your guitar and amp combination.
• The gain range is much wider and even more responsive to pickup types, playing dynamics and instrument volume knob!
The "Super Lead" mode expands the range of the DLS MkII with more gain available and more control over your tone sculpting with the addition of the midrange control without losing any of the touch-sensitive dynamic qualities that made the MkII so great to play - in fact, those qualities have been enhanced. The gain range now goes from classic plexi all the way to modified JCM800 levels and can get even more raw and open than any previous DLS. This mode was voiced specifically to make humbucker-equipped guitars really rock with clean to scream all from the twist of your guitar's volume knob.
The "Super Bass" mode is a new voicing that gives you the tone and gain structure of a Marshall Super Bass (which is very similar to a JTM45 or JTM50/100). This mode was voiced to really hone in on that elusive in-between "not quite clean, not quite dirty" response that old tube amps were so good at getting. And it was specifically voiced to make fuzz pedals sound great (especially two-transistor based fuzzes like the fuzz face). Plug a Strat into a Fuzz Face into the new DLS in SB mode and you'll see what we mean!
Single voltage only version. This was requested but it only saved one row, so I don't think I'd omit it for a bit of extra versatility. But here it is if you just want to power it using a single supply. [smaller version added]
Video of Geiri's build:
Nice! I want to make this!
ReplyDeleteOh hell yes! I'm making this one asap!
ReplyDeleteI just got back from work and saw this, very happy this has been done. It's definitely getting built, probably not tonight though so I'll await your vid to make sure it's as awesome as I expect it to be.
DeleteHad a feeling Geri would be on this one!!
DeleteOh I've been waiting for this one ever since the day PGS posted the first video of it on YouTube. I bet it's gonna land on my pedalboard and stay there.
DeleteI just realised that I'm out of DPDT. I've only got SPDT switches. eBay here I come! .. I might get a few 4PDT as well.
I've just ordered a bunch of switches since I need them. I also ordered some 4PDTs as footswitches. I don't see why you should bend down to flip a switch to go between Super Bass and Super Lead. Just step on the switch and you've got a different tone! The only thing about that is that you can't put an LED with it. Well, it'll still be worth it!
DeleteWhat transistors did you use? :)
Deletecool build!
I gotta build this one soon! thanks for posting it.
ReplyDeleteI own the real deal -- its a great pedal, lots of lovely warmness. I might have to build this and compare side by side.
ReplyDeleteI want this pedal but I know I'll hate myself once it comes down to wiring it up.
ReplyDeleteOk, built this up - great work mark!
ReplyDeleteNoticed the tone controls were reversed and having compared to the schematic I've come up with the following that seems to match and work great
Mids 1 to ground, so change from mids3 to mids1 on board connection
Mids 3 is connected to bass 3&2
Bass 1 is connected to bass 2&1 marked wire on board
Treble 1 connected to bass 1
Treble 3 connected to sw3-2
Sounds great!
Mike
Awesome thanks Mike, I'll make the corrections. I got all the pin numberings off the scheme too!
DeleteOne thing I noticed that I put a 22n at Q1 drain instead of 2n2, did you spot that change?
I got the layout this morning and I have 2n2 there so I think I'm all good from that respect
ReplyDeleteCool. Is the charge pump a worthwhile addition then?
DeleteI'd say so, not much extra space or component count and has a noticeable effect on headroom. Compression, dynamics - all that stuff TGP guys cream themselves about
DeleteShortScaleMike, wich fets did you put in there? 2n5457?
ReplyDeleteJ201s!
Deleteand can anyone elaborate on how to put a 4pdt in there?
ReplyDeleteJust wire it up exactly as shown but on the 4PDT instead, it doesn't matter which poles you use. Like this:
Delete1--1--1--4
2--2--2--5
3--3--3--6
but this will include the 9v/18v switching, right? if I want to hardwire it in 18v, a 3pdt will do the job?
DeleteYou'll still need a separate SPDT for the supply switch
Deletenevermind, just realized there's 2 spdt and 1 dpdt in there
DeleteOr yes if you just want 18V, take the 9V supply straight to where VSw1 connects and omit the switch and VSw3 wire
Deletewell, dumb questions apart, thank you for the layout! I'll order the switches and 250k pots and do it! I love those Catalinbread pedals, and just don't understand why they aren't very popular here in Brasil... go figure!
DeleteThey are to pricey here "meu camarada" Guilherme.
DeleteSo basically with the single voltage version, you can still use a 9V adapter OR a 18V adapter? You just can't switch between the two from the pedal? I don't really understand what the switch does
DeleteWhat would you label the 3 switches as? SW1 is the Rawk switch but what of the other spdt and dpdt?
ReplyDeleteI think the other spdt is the 9v/18v, adn the dpdt is super lead/super bass.
DeleteAnyone???
Switch 1, 2 and 3 all go to make up the Super Lead/Super Bass switch. So you could switch them all together with a 4PDT toggle, or switch the options individually as shown in the layout. As far as a description goes you could label the 3 together as Super Lead one side, and Super Bass the other. Or see how each affects the sound to your ears and label them individually as you see it.
DeleteSo the 4pdt will correspond with the other three switches like this, right?
Delete1 - 1 - 1 - 4
2 - 2 - 2 - 5
3 - 3 - 3 - 6
(sw1) (sw2) (sw3)
Yes
DeleteI just completed mine using the latest layout and have been testing it. I tried it with both 2N5457's and J201's. every control works as it should and IMO, the J201's sound better but I think this pedal sounds way too dark (muddy) and bassy (and that's coming from a bass player!). for some reason mine doesn't sound like a Marshall amp. IMO, the distortion is kinda ugly and the low end is very loose. I ordered some MPF4393's for it so maybe that'll get it where it should be.
ReplyDeletealso tried it with MPF102's and it sucked. i had really high hopes for the DLS MKIII and it's not Mark's fault at all (since he got the schemo and a working layout correct), but i'm disappointed in this one so far. I really think that it needs the correct trannies (MPF4393's) to sound right.
ReplyDeleteOdd. I have an original too and my build sounds like the original to me with J201s from what I can remember (my Catalinbread pedal is at my rehearsal space). I'd be interested in your findings with the hard to find transistors, I can't source them anywhere here in the UK or Europe.
DeleteBTW the original has LOADS of bass, I always run the bass control between off and about 9 o clock.
In fact in the instructions they recommend you start with all EQ at zero and add as you need it - seems to work for me.
Did you build post my fixes to the EQ wiring etc?
I built it according to the latest corrected layout. I realize that the original does have a TON of low end, but I think that it would sound better with more mids and top end than it has right now. IMO, the distortion isn't all that 'pretty' either. I built my own 'marshall in box' about a month ago and to me, it sounds a lot better (and more like a marshall amp) than my DLS MKIII build does right now, so i'm hoping that the MPF4393's improve it.
DeleteBTW, i'm running the bass control anywhere from off to 9 o'clock on mine too. any higher than that and IMO, it's just way too muddy.
Hello John, strangely i´ve got the same results the you describe with my build of Catalinbread Rah... Muddy, ugly clipping and etc... and the components on mine are all the same in the layout... so i gess that the cause is not a component change.
DeleteBTW I made some mods to open the sound of mine, but the result still sounds very different from the demos on net and i use it as a "slight dirt" booster with almost no gain and level maxed (its very, very nice this way)
John, where did you source the MPF4393 from? Can't seem to find any on Ebay.
ReplyDeletemouser
DeleteIt maybe worth checking out the Duncan Tonestack Calculator to try to fine tune things to your liking and tame the bass a bit:
ReplyDeletehttp://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j6/IvIark_2006/DIY/DLSMKIIItonestack.png
yeah. I use that frequently. I've actually already got mine to sound better with a couple of mods. now i'm working on getting the lead mode to have a bit less gain to begin with, since the super bass mode sounds pretty great right now.
Deletei got it ALOT better (at least to me it is) now. I replaced the 1K resistor on Q1 with a 50R, replaced the 2n2 with a 220n, and am using 2N5457's for Q1 & Q2 and J201's for rest of them.
ReplyDeleteCertainly a lot of Bass, but I just have the Bass turned down Low. I also connected OutPut to Vol 2 which I could not see on the Diagram. I used 2N5457's and am happy with the dark tone. I also guess you are not suppose to switch from 9V to 18V while the pedal is on. I get a weird high pitched sound at the start after doing this. I also decided to add a Presence Knob rather than a Trimmer but now understand why they decided on a trimmer to get the sweet spot. A worthwhile Build. Thanks again Mark. Great Stuff.
ReplyDeleteI like mine with a bass so much better on 18V that i'm not even going to install a 9V/18V. i'll just run it at 18V all the time.
ReplyDeleteI've not used a charge pump before so I have a few questions. The IC is only needed if I want the charge pump and 18V, correct? I'm having trouble finding this IC at my normal sources (tayda, smallbear) so is there a substitute I could use from those sites to avoid additional shipping from a third source?
ReplyDeleteYes you could use a MAX1044 or LT1054, but you could probably buy 10 x ICL7660S from eBay for less money. If you do opt for the eBay route, make sure you get the ICL7660S and not the ICL7660. The S is important.
DeleteOk, thanks Mark. Are these 7660s used for any charge pump mentioned in your layouts or are they fairly specific to this build?
DeleteYes I always use the ICL7660S because they're so cheap and do an excellent job. So anything on here than uses one to either generate 18V from a 9V supply, or as a voltage inverter so you can daisy chain positive ground pedals, can always use that IC.
Deleteis the TC1044SCPA also a compatible charge pump? They are only $.96 from digikey
DeleteI've also been using the LT1054's with excellent results. the only advantage of about the 1054's is that they can take a higher input voltage (up to 15V) than the 7660's max input of 12V.
ReplyDeleteYes I bought a few of the LT1054's too, because they can handle 100mA which I thought may be useful for some things in the future.
DeleteI also snagged 10 x ICL7662 as well which can take a 20V input because I thought it could be useful with some tube based effects like the Boob Tube to cascade a ICL7660 into it and get around 35V in a compact layout.
I've been modding my DLS MKIII build lately. if you want to remove the mud & wooliness, and actually be able to USE the bass control, instead of rolling it almost all the way off, the easiest way is to just replace the 100n cap (low pass filter) at the output with a 22n. IMO, it really opens the mids and highs up. i'm running five 2N5457's in mine now, and replaced the two 1K resistors that connect the drain to source on Q1 & Q2, and Q3 & Q4 with jumpers to reduce the gain in the circuit (of which it still has more than enough). to me, its distortion sounds ALOT better and more focused without those two 1K resistors.
ReplyDeleteThanks John for that information. I always value and look at the modifications you make in the Pedals you build for improvements. Much Appreciated.
DeleteBTW, I used sockets for all of my mods so I can put it back to the stock schematic once the 2N4393's get here (tomorrow). catalinbread states that they 'revoiced it' around the different transistors so i'll be able see if it doesn't need the mods once I try them in it.
ReplyDeletemy MPF4393's just arrived so I put the circuit back to stock and installed the new trannys. they do sound different (a bit brighter) than the J201s and the 2N5457's, but the the pedal went back to being a big mudball with ugly & sloppy sounding distortion, so i'm going to mod it now with the new transistors in it and see what I come up with.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't get the low end clipping to sound good with the 4393's so I went back to the 2N5457's. i'm running a 1K resistor on the source of Q4 (instead of the 560R), put a 1K back on the drain to source from Q1 to Q2 and put a 560R on the drain to source of Q3 to Q4. i'm running a 47n instead of the 100n and a 220n instead of the 2n2. I modded the lead setting with a 4.7m resistor in series with a 10n cap to SW1-3 with the other end connected to a lead that enters the circuit board the row just above the green input lead (row 15) that connects to the drain of Q1. so far, the pedal sounds best to me with those mods.
ReplyDeleteokay, I finally got mine where I want it. all 2N5457's. two 220R's on the drain to source from Q1 to Q2 and drain to source of Q3 to Q4. 1K replaces the 560R on the source of Q4. 220n in place of the 2n2, 22n in place of the 100n, and modded the lead setting as described above. i'm also mounting presence control externally. IMO, it sounds really good now.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info John
DeleteJust built mine and I'm getting the bassy wooliness that John mentioned. Sounds more like a wooly mammoth. :) I'm going to try John's mods tomorrow.
DeleteJohn: with your mods, are you running 2 220Rs (for a total of 440R) on the drain to the source from Q1 to Q2 and drain to source of Q3 to Q4 (again 2 220Rs for total of 440R), or are you only running one 220R for each drain to source connection?
Deletejust one 220R on each drain, plus the other cap mods.
Deleteany chance you drew up your layout john?
Deleteunfortunately I didn't. I just socketed some of the components and modded it after I built it.
DeleteReplacing that 2n2 Cap with 220n certainly makes a very big difference to this pedal. It gets rid of as John described the "mud & wooliness" or to me booming Bass. Does anyone think there could be an error on the schematic used?
ReplyDeleteApologies Mark. I just looked at the single 9V diagram and realised you have to make changes to use the ICL7660SCPA for 18 Volts. You do a Great Job, reason I build your pedals with confidence.
DeleteWas thinking the same thing. But can not quite work out what schematic was used to check it? Would it be possible to post the schematic?
DeletePersonally, I dont have a schematic and I could not find any anywhere on the net. You have to ask Mark? I own a couple Catalinbread original pedals ie. RAH & SFT. This build does seem to have too much Bass and I don't think Catalinbread would sell a pedal with so much Bass. I then thought because I built the 18V version that may be causing it. But maybe not since you can switch to 9V and I guess this circuit must be the same as the 9V version. That is why I was thinking a typo may have been made somewhere on the reproduced Schematic which is easily done.
Deletehttp://freestompboxes.org/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=4668&start=320
DeleteYou'll need to be a member
TNKS. Could not find the right schematic in this topic. The other ones where missing the 2n2 cap.
DeleteI did it based on this one:
Deletehttp://freestompboxes.org/download/file.php?id=21218&mode=view
What 2n2 cap?
C4. The schematic further on in that topic only has the SL circuit.
DeleteThat's why I used Matt's schematic, the later Eagle scheme didn't include any of the switching requirements.
DeleteCheers...I understand now. Hope to get the components this afternoon to get started. This is my design:
Deletehttps://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-n12Qkug1GU4/UYOSuYumwuI/AAAAAAAAAi0/upRzl6GezDI/s720/ontw_dls.jpg
Very cool
Delete@Ad de Bruin: Is it your DLS-clone I saw for sale on 'Marktplaats'? Only €50,-?
DeleteBTW. How important is it to get the right drain voltage with this design? And if so...what would the ideally be?
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't worry about that too much, it seems that JFETs in this muamp configuration aren't as sensitive to biasing. We now know of three completely different types that all worked.
DeleteTNKS for the reply Ivlark!. The build will start this weekend
DeleteJust finished boxing up mine. I ended up modding it to my taste, and alos added a footswitch to switch between superbass and superlead:
ReplyDeletehttp://johnkvintageguitars.homestead.com/Effects/Fuzz-ODs/DLS/DLSMKIII-01.jpg
gut shot:
http://johnkvintageguitars.homestead.com/Effects/Fuzz-ODs/DLS/DLSMKIII-02.jpg
Very nice John!
DeleteVery nice and neat indeed!. How did you Thought about using a foot switch for switching between SL and SB mode but could not figure it out. Now I think I know!
DeleteI know you've probably been asked this before, but how did you make those stickers? Are they all individual stickers for each knob?
DeleteHey mate... Lurkers first post...
DeleteDid you change the 680n cap of Sw2-3 on the left of the board. Doesn't look like a 680n in your gut shot. I realise looks can be deceiving, but it looks too small to be a 680n. I'd love to build this thing, with your mods, but want to make sure I've got all the values right. :D
I don't have it in front of me but IIRC it is a 680n. I often use the tiny multilayered TDK ceramic caps for some of the high value ones (like 470n, 680n and 1u) to save space.
DeleteHmmm...not working jet. in 9V mode the voltage on the Q4 drain is around 1,9V? Is that correct?
ReplyDeleteIt's working now!!!
DeleteIt was a problem with the fet in Q4. I'm using the 2N5457's now. Will tray out J201's later.
Question: Is there really that large a volume difference between the lead and bass channel?
Build is completed. Works fine. I'm using it with a Fender Blues deluxe and made it with the 2n2 cap in C4. (mod for 220n was suggested above). In home conditions it works to my liking. The Bass is very controllable for me (run the amp with the bass around 5). The presence ain't doing that much.
ReplyDeletePlenty of gain for me. In both modes. When using higher gain setting there is a volume de- increase when changing from super lead tot super bass.
The 9 or 18V option is brilliant and makes all the difference. On 9V the gain kicks in almost immediately. On 18V there is more headroom and, imo, the pedal is responding better on dynamic picking.
Overall...nice pedal
In- and outside
ReplyDeletehttps://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-lqtWUelddC0/UYYcSdm9FxI/AAAAAAAAAjU/mK_GTnLHJDw/s720/DLS3.jpg
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--baCFqWVA4o/UYYcScKTfDI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/RR5NLbQhT5U/s720/DLS1.jpg
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-0d4RvKc1SXo/UYYcR60gbdI/AAAAAAAAAjE/-NaaxAlG95U/s720/DLS2.jpg
hahaha...the treble works fine in SB mode, but reverse in SL mode ;-)
ReplyDeleteAnyone else got the same problem?
I would double check your wiring of all EQ controls and the switch...
DeleteYes, will do that in time. It's not a probleme at this time. I'm waiting for some components to arive (cap en resistor mods you did) and will correct the treble at the same time.
Delete@Mike: Nice result!
@Ivark: Tanks for the layout indeed!
The 22n cap from the mid tone was not in the right hole.....problem fixed. Totaly different pedal ;-)
DeleteNIce job, thanks for the pics
ReplyDeleteFinished mine. Fixed the 820 (to 1k) and 560 (to 680) resistors after comments on FSB about the traced values. 2n5457s - also included John's two cap mods. Sounds good!
ReplyDeletehttp://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x374/MadeByMikePedals/null_zps54d9ef8a.jpg
http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x374/MadeByMikePedals/null_zps10d647ae.jpg
http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x374/MadeByMikePedals/29463dae-8783-425c-8659-1e1dea9f7cac_zpsc5ff654f.jpg
Nice layout Mark!
Built this by substituting the values as recommended by John. Now it sounds pretty awesome. I feel John's mods on this one is indispensable. Thanks Mark and thanks John.
ReplyDeleteglad to hear that you found the mods useful! ;-).
ReplyDeleteJust wondering if I built the single voltage version and wanted to try with 18volt, can I just use 18volts I o the 9volt input or would other mods be required.
ReplyDeletethe 4pdt in the original circuit is the super lead and super bass control? and what the dpdt switch does?
ReplyDeletethe 6th knob on the video demo are presence control?
i'm wating for this layout long time thanks a LOT!!!
I managed to stuff this one into a 125B, I was surprised. It sounds great, but now I see that there are changes since I built it, gonna have to try them. I used LT1054, 7660SCPA had high pitch whine in 9V for some reason, but not with LT1054. Wish I had room to add an external presence control, it is very responsive and makes a huge difference in tone.
ReplyDeleteOne thing - what exactly does each switch do? I did it with all the separate switches, though now I kind of wish I just did the 4PDT because most of them I don't notice a huge difference besides SW1.
On mine everything was working fine, but after boxing the Voltage switch has no effect. Its the same level on both settings. I removed the switch and added another but suddenly the voltage switch stopped working. The other switch I am using a 4pdt. What could be causing it? any ideas?
ReplyDeleteHow difficult is it to put the SB/SL footswitch on a 4pdt switch, and have a bi-color led as an indicator for which mode? Also, I'm a little confused about the 18/9V switch, is it necessary or is it a mod from the original?
ReplyDeletethe 9v/18v is not in the original. technically, you'd need a 5PDT if you want led indication with a super bass/superlead footswitch.
ReplyDeletedamn, i was hoping to have a do it so it would make it really easy to tell which mode i was in. john, how did you add the 2nd led for the stomp switch on the left. i assume its to switch from super bass to superlead.
Deletei didn't have the added SB/SL foot switch do all of the switching that the orginal's 4PDT or the three separate ones on Mark's layout do (2 spdt & 1 DPDT). i hard wired the least effective one in my preferred setting (the 270p/470p selector) and wired the others to the footswitch and used the extra pole for the led.
Deleteahh, was the the wiring for sw3-1 and sw3-3? btw, does having the 9v/18v switch make much of a difference in the sound of the pedal? cause i would think that if a pedal was like an amp, the it would increase headroom, so you'd have to push it more to breakup, or am i missing something?
DeleteI wired the Sw3-3 directly to the treble pot and then wired all of the others to a 4PDT footswitch.
Delete18V gives it more headroom and less distortion than running it at 9V.
Well, you could do it with a 4PDT, but you'd also need a DPDT relay to effectively turn the 4PDT into a 5PDT, because I'm almost certain that if such a switch exists(5PDT that is), it is very expensive.
DeleteI am in the process of building this and am a little confused on the switching. This is what I understand:
ReplyDeleteVSw - 9v/18v operation, DPDT
Sw1 - ?, SPDT
Sw2 - ?, SPDT
Sw3 - SL/ SB, SPDT
So what are Sw1 and Sw2 switches toggling between? What do they do? Thanks for any help!
VSw does indeed switch between 9V and 18V operation. In the original it used a 4PDT toggle for the Super Lead/Super Bass switch. What I did here was split that down individually in the 3 areas that the original toggle altered. This just gives you a bit more versatility allowing you to switch each section independently to get a greater range of sounds. If you wanted it exactly the same as the original though, just use a 4PDT on/on toggle instead of the two SPDT and one DPDT that I used for switches 1 to 3.
Deletewhere does the output get wired? Not seeing it labeled on the layout.
Deletevolume 2 goes to output.
DeleteWell, got it all built up, but I have no gain. I mean zero. Voltage switch works and passing sound. I wired up using the 4pdt. I've checked my joints, switch wiring and tranny orientation. All knobs except gain work like I anticipated. The gain knob just seems to boost the volume a little. I'm stumped.
ReplyDeleteHmmm, doing some checking and the only way I am getting any distortion is by removing Q1 and Q2. but then it sounds a little harsh and its still not much gain even when maxed.
ReplyDeleteWhat is doing the left footswitch? And what is doing a small switch in the middle? Please tell me ASAP
ReplyDeleteso with the single voltage version I can still use 18v as long as my electrolytic caps are rated + 18V (they're all 25V or 50V) ?
ReplyDeleteNo luck getting signal for me yet :( I've gotten pretty decent at problem solving and trouble shooting, but this one's got me stumped!! Gonna walk away for a bit as I've been at it for a few hours. Found some mistakes that I'd made, but the fixes didn't help.
ReplyDeleteThanks to all those who put this together. Looking forward to see how my build compares to my MkIII pedal.
Ok, figured it all out. Pretty much using all of John Kallas' recommendations w/ the 2N5457s. Sounds pretty damn close to my original pedal.
DeleteBut I would like to get less gain at the minimum setting and a more useable (less bass) range in the bass knob.
I tried putting jumpers in place of the 220R resistors at Q1-Q2 and Q3-Q4, but still just a bit too much gain for what I'd like to get.
Any tips would be great. Thanks again!
Hey do you know how to get rid off the high pitch when the gain is full? It really annoys me. Please help me.
ReplyDeleteKeep your cables as short as possible and try shielded cable for your input and output wires. That often sorts out the high pitch squeals.
DeleteI find a 500k pot for the bass to be more tolerable, though I believe the intent of the massive amount of bass is to allow a full stack sound from even a tiny practice amp, which it does in spades.
ReplyDeleteFor a panel mounted presence, I find a 5K reverse audio taper to have a much more useful sweep and makes it easier to dial in.
Just a short information for all the builders of that device.
ReplyDeletethe 1M 2n2 around Q1 is absolute nonsense. The Resistor (1M) reduces the gain of the muamp with local nfb -> the higher the resistance, the higher the gain of the first muamp stage. the 2n2 has a near infinite resistance at really low frequencies. this makes the combination effectively have full gain at 16Hz, a frequency completely useless for any musical instrument. it should always be substituted with at least 22n. The gain of the input stage can be tailored by using different resistance values and capacitors, but here you want to keep the product of resistance*capacitance always above the 1*22 MOhm*nF.
cheers,
Max
Hi!
ReplyDeleteI built mine some day ago now.
The overall volume is lower than in bypass mode. What to do?
Best regards
Dario
I have the same issue, did you manage to fix it? P
DeleteHello, I have a few questions about this build. First, I cannot hear any difference in sound with the two positions of SW3. I have checked that it is correctly wired and working. What should I expect to hear or is there any consistency check that I could do?. Second, When going from 18V to 9V I can hear a noise descending in frequency for a few seconds. I believe it should be the 7660 lowering its frequency from the moment it is disconnected, should I be hearing this?. Also, the volume pot seems to work in the first part of its lenght very quickly and then it stays more or less at maximum volume for most of the range. I imagine that a logarithmic pot would make things even worse, so with these 3 things together I believe there is something wrong with my build, but I cannot find it if this is the case. Could someone explain to me the precise effect of SW3 so I could at least start here? thanks
ReplyDeleteMiguel
DeleteWas just reading some comments and saw this. I'll have to open mine up when I get home, but we're probably talking about the same switch. It's a pretty subtle difference. It seems to add a bit more bottom end on one side of the switch. You really don't notice unless you're playing while you switch it, and are playing on the bass strings. Try switching while you're playing the bass strings with some hair on it - if you still don't notice a slight bass shift, then maybe you have an issue.
I didn't build the switchable voltage version so I can't comment there.
Thanks, timkercreak, now that you say it, I have tried this and it actually adds some bottom end and changes the eq slightly, thanks for commenting this.
DeleteCool. Glad that helped. I actually leave that switch engaged most of the time for that little bit of oomph.
DeleteJust built mine and it sounds great. I can understand that some people find the gain ugly and woolly and had doubts about the effect. It is a somewhat strange and in a way 'imperfect' sound but I think that this is intended and to me it has the 'messy' and dark fuzzy qualities of a lot of guitar sounds from the sixties and seventies while still being an overdrive instead of a fuzz.
ReplyDeleteZick
DeleteI'm with you. This is still one of my favorites. One of the few that really adds nuts to my Strats. The darkness of the pedal really fattens up the single coils and I seldom crank the gain all the way up.
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ReplyDeleteAlmost finishing mine but I just have a question about adding a led on the 4dpdt switch like John K?
ReplyDeleteIf I hard wired sw3-3 to treble 3 where is going sw3-1?
Sorry if it's a noob question :)
Really impatient to plug this one!
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHello Rob
ReplyDeletewould you give us please the schématic with your transformations.
I can't find mpf4393.
Many thanks
Nad
Hi guys, just a question: could the voltage change (back and forth from 9v to 18v) damage the transistors in the circuit, in the long run?
ReplyDeleteHi guys, just a question: could the voltage change (back and forth from 9v to 18v) damage the transistors in the circuit, in the long run?
ReplyDeleteWhere the output signal? Vol-2? It's my first project, sorry...
ReplyDeleteI understood. Output - Vol-2
ReplyDeleteIf no output connection noted on the board and no Vol 2 connection i presume it will be. Not built this but now i have had a look i might build it. Hope it works.
DeleteHi guys, do you think that switching the voltage (back and forth from 9v to 18v), and thus switching on and off the charge pump, could damage the charge pump in the long run?
ReplyDeleteFinished this up today, with John K suggestions.
ReplyDeleteSounds awesome!
A bit noisy with my AC adapter, so I added Kinsky's Huminator 2 (in the forums) and it's nice a quiet now.
I do get a wind down noise when switching from 18v to 9v, but I'm assuming that's expected the way the 9v/18v switching is applied on this one. My guess is it's wired this way to save on battery power in 9v mode.
Thanks JohnK and Kinsky!
Sorry, and thanks to IvIark too of course!!!
ReplyDeleteI build the pedal But when I put the gain at most it is with a noise like a whistle
ReplyDeleteWhen I put the gain in half it for a bit
I should put FETS married ?
I am running with 18v
Please help me thank you
I had a similar problem when building the sft v2.
DeleteI found shortening wire runs and using an isolated pedal supply fixed the problem. It only happened for me on a onespot wall wart
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteCan anyone advise how to boost the output on this pedal? is it the 2m2 or the 4k7 to Vol1 that I would change?
ReplyDeleteCheers
Elbee
Or is it the case that volume isn't supposed to be much over unity on this pedal?
DeleteThe reason I ask is that in this video, it doesnt seem like (almost) full volume is unity. what do you reckon? compare 10secs in (clean) to 31 secs (volume at 4 o'clock)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyfiEl_tPNs
What transistors you used? Next, swap the volume pot for linear taper (B250K). Then you could try to tweak Q1 & Q4 source-to-ground resistors (1k & 680r).
Delete+m
Cheers for that mirosol.
DeleteI used the 2n5457s but gonna try out some j201s later this week.
Would you raise or lower the values of those 2 resistors?
Lower value = more gain. And vice versa.
DeleteSince you're getting over unity, the circuit may not be at fault at all. The linear taper for volume might be enough to fix the feel of the control.
How's your guitar? My guess would be that you're sporting modern high output pickups?
+m
Thanks again mirosol. I'll try and pick up a linear pot at some point this week and give that a try.
DeleteIf I get the chance I'll also film the pedal to show the difference between the bypassed and effected signal at full.
My guitar is just an Epiphone Les Paul with standard pickups. Nothing particular high output.
I'll let you know how I get on.
Cheers
Elbee
Hi mirosol
DeleteJust looking at the layout and the volume pot is already a 250k linear pot or am I missing something?
Cheers
Elbee
Ah. You're correct. I don't know how i looked it wrong. Sorry...
Delete+m
No probs mate. No harm done :)
DeleteI've recorded the readings on each 5487.
DeleteCould someone have a look and see if they seem right?
Q1
D 4.5
S 2.7
G 0
Q2
D 9.1
S 7.25
G 3.04
Q3
D 9.11
S 7.11
G 3.05
Q4
D 3.35
S 2.55
G 0
Q5
D 9.12
S 7.5
G 2.16
Cheers
Elbee
Forgot to add, my power supply reads 9.11v
DeleteHi all,
DeleteIn case it helps anyone that might experience the issue above, I swapped out all the 5457s for J201s and the volume issue went.
I then swapped in the 5457s one position at a time from Q1 upwards and hit a problem at Q4 when putting the 5457s in there so I ended up leaving the J201 there.
Gonna give it a proper test this weekend with a bit more volume but I think it's sorted. If it's all ok I'm gonna source some PN4393s and try those out too.
Cheers to Mirosol for the assistance
How are these connected? Sorry this will be my first build, I know electronics but I cannot decipher which one to solder with what. Please help.
ReplyDeleteI built this pedal as per the original layout and it worked fine. I then modded it according to earlier post from Johnk and it was definitely brighter however when turning up the gain it starts to squeal like a pig. Turn it down and it's okay... but i want some gain! Any Ideas.
ReplyDeleteI believe the presence cap should be 10nf, which would give a upper frequency rolloff range from about 1.5kHz. And around a 3kHz rolloff with the trimmer set in the middle.
ReplyDeleteThe 100nf cap has a rolloff starting at 159Hz, and 318Hz with the trimmer set in the middle. IMO too low for a presence control.
Hello! does it work, has anyone tested it? I can't seem to get this to work. I checked everything and checked again. everything is right. Tried transistors J201 and PN4393. There is sound, but little distortion. Also the sound is quiet. at maximum Gain. If Gain is lowered, there is almost no sound. If you remove Q4, then no changes occur. If you remove Q5, then the sound becomes loud, but there is also little distortion. What could be the problem? Voltage doubler version. This version works, is it tested? What could be the problem? I will be grateful for any help.
ReplyDeleteHey man. I built this a long time ago now but it definitely works. I ended up using J201 transistors instead of the 5457s too. Sorry I can't be more help
DeleteThanks! at least i know it works
DeleteHello friends! tell me how to reduce the gain level in super lead mode? changing the resistor from the 47k gain potentiometer to ground just reduces the volume. how to reduce distortion?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteisn't 22u super bass?
DeleteYes, I'm sorry, you are correct. Disregard previous post which I will delete.
ReplyDeleteYou can try increasing the 1k by Q2. Try something like 2k2 to see what that does, then tweak from there if its getting closer to your liking. You can also try adjusting the 680R.
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ReplyDeleteIt did not help. it seems that the distortion has become even more.
ReplyDeletereplaced the 1k resistor with a jumper from q3 to q4. this gave a slightly better result, but the gain is still too high. minimal gain in super lead mode is similar to AC/DC - Highway to hell. it's pretty high. Any ideas?