Info about the original thanks to the Wayback Machine :o)
Stand back! This pedal has more fuzz than a moldy peach. The Swollen Pickle is a 70's style fuzz that goes from mild crunch to Armageddon! "For truly vulgar, lard-assed fuzz, it's tough to top the Swollen Pickle Jumbo Fuzz. Buzz boxes just don't get much more corpulent than this. It's tone control elicits an insane range of heavily band-pass-filtered tones, all distinguished by remarkable girth and sizzle" Guitar Player Magazine (Sept. '96). Units have loudness, sustain and filter controls.
Video for the reissue but it'll be close enough
For those of you who do want to cheat as Javi mentioned below :o), you can do it like this
Or you could build it exactly as per the IC version, put a socket in for the IC and push the transistors into the IC socket. Then you can wait until you find the ICs at a good price, or just until they arrive, and swap over when they do.
Will try this layout when i get the IC, but in the while, please, no more 21 columns boards!!!!! :P
ReplyDeleteJ.
It was nearly 22 :o)
DeleteMaybe i'll try with 4 2N3904. I really hate to pay 6 euros of shippin' for a 40 cents IC.....As the subs are not used, there will be no problem.
DeleteJ.
Nah! No cheating! :o)
DeleteOne of the better fuzz pedals out there.
ReplyDeleteIt is, but my only problem is when a pedal is extremely mid scooped like this one is, I tend to play it for a bit, then put it away and never think about it again. I just don't think I'm a mid scooped kind of guy.
DeleteFor those like me I would strongly suggest removing the 47n cap at the bottom right and put it on a DPDT on/off/on toggle. So this switch would be like this:
1---4
2---5
3---6
Solder the 47n between pins 1 and 4
Solder a 1n5 between 2 and 5
Solder another 1n5 between 3 and 6
Filter 1 will also connect to switch 2, and switch 5 will connect to ground.
So when the 47n is selected you have Swollen Pickle mode. The capacitance will be slightly more than 47n because the centre 1n5 cap will be in parallel with it, so to be exact try to hand select a cap around 45.5nF. The centre off position will give you a slight mid boost (1n5 in circuit), and the other position will have dead flat mids (3n in circuit).
Thanks. I know what you mean by mid scoopophobia.
DeleteHappened to me with the Univox Superfuzz. Mid scoop mode doesn't make you stay up all night and rock the world.
You must be made out of butter, Mark. Cause you're on a roll, and it's delicious!
ReplyDeleteSomething about the transistor array gets me all excited in a nerdy way. Thanks for the layout and cap switch suggestions
I previously built the modern version with all of the trimpots mounted as pots externally..........
ReplyDeletehttp://johnkvintageguitars.homestead.com/Effects/Fuzz-ODs/SwollenPickle/PhatGherkin-01.jpg
............ but I just might have to build this one too, but i'm really kinda waiting for the Pork Loin vero ;-)
I was looking at that schematic last night and will do it soon. It is going to be a monster though.
Deleteyeah, I know but the original pedal is HUGE, and a lot bigger than a 1590BB, so as long as it fits in a 1590BB were still saving pedal board real estate.
DeleteIt may fit in a 125B, definitely a 1590BB.
DeleteJust wondering, could I switch the 4x 2n3904 for 4x 2n2222 transistors?
ReplyDeleteYes no problem, just watch the pinouts
DeleteOne more thing, why are those 470p caps a light yellow colour while the other ceramic capacitors are dark red?
DeleteThanks for helping!
The 470p is supposed to represent a ceramic cap, the dark red ones are supposed to represent poly. I don't select components based on the pitch, I do it based on the value, and anything below 1nF I will use a ceramic of some description, anything equal or over 1nF I will use polyester (although I do have lots of multilayer ceramics up to 10uF and so will use them sometimes when I want to save space). I have polyesters with a 2.5mm pitch, but it's also easy enough to do it with box caps by just bending back one of the legs and then bending it out again half way to give you the 2.5mm pitch.
DeleteIn all these layouts though, don't let the colours used sway your cap selection. They will all work so just use whatever you've got or whatever your own preference is.
Oh, ok, thanks. Sorry for the stupid questions, I'm just a beginner.
DeleteVery good site though
Did anyone verify this one yet?
ReplyDeleteI'm on the process of doing that, just a few more days ahah
Deletemark...problem...i've build it.tried everything but CAN'T verify it.build it with transistors(3904), but i get nothing at all.i have good voltages at all transistors pins, except c and b of q1 which are very very low..all components tested and all in right place.it seems there is a problem but can't find it.
ReplyDeletemark..could you post a link for the schematic just in case i could help to find the solution
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc196/digi2t/Swollen%20Pickle/earlymemoirs20-20swollen20pickle_.jpg
Deletethanks mate. i've seen this too, but that's the trimmer version. i found this one
ReplyDeletehttp://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=75562.0;prev_next=next
and i'm trying to find differences. there are a few but i'm not sure if i'm right.i'll post them in a few minutes
i think i spot the mistake in the layout mark...if i write something stupid, be nice...
ReplyDeletefrom the schematic i linked above, we can see that the up left link shouldn't be there. it should go somewhere between q1 collector and 470p cap.
and it's in parallel with the 475k resistor which is right to me too.
so...if any expert could take a look it would be great. i'll try the "fixes" and i'll post in a few seconds
"...which is NOT right to me too...".correction for my previous post
ReplyDeletego for it!
ReplyDeletetag it verified!just cut the up left link, make a new one with a wire to the hole between collector of q1 and 470p cap and your on fire.
fantastic sound.all knobs working as they should.
Aah yes the link needs to go up because the collector needs to be on the top row. I'll rejig it. Thanks for verifying mate
Deletemark i've missed your post....sorry...i've already did the fix i've posted and it's fantastic...
ReplyDeletethanks mate for all your work!!!
i'll try some other transistors now...i think i'll go for those ac128 just for fun...!!!and i'll put your mod with the switch to...
Hey,
ReplyDeleteIs the veroboard schematic fixed or I still have to do the fix?
Thanks
it's fixed. go on!!!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteNot working right for me and I can't figure it out (granted, I've only got basic electronics knowledge). Sound is strange and blatty, feels like notes drop off midway and some notes aren't caught at all, especially higher pitched notes, and seems to drop off more and more as the sustain knob is rolled back. There's also some kind of high-pitched whine in the background.
ReplyDeleteUsing 4x 2N3904, measured voltages are:
Q1: C 4.6V, B 0.67V, E 0.029V
Q2: C 2.9V, B 0.69V, E 0.04V
Q3: C 2.9V, B 0.69V, E 0.037V
Q4: C 4.3V, B 1.3V, E 0.7V
Initially built the circuit and forgot the 10k res in top right, powered and tested without it missing if it helps tracing down some issue. Replaced Q4 and poly caps so far but no dice.
Any tips or help on tracking down the issue?
Also, the BMP schematics and the lone Pickle Mk 1 schematic I found have tone/filter as 100k linear. Any particular reason it's 25k here?
hello sebastien. sorry man i didn't saw your post earlier so i could post my voltages and give you a hand. anyway did you manage to make it work? it's one of my favorite fuzzes.
DeleteHaven't gotten it working yet. I'm about to take some resistors out of the clipping stages and measure them, and if that doesn't work, I'll probably just take it apart and forget about it. Already replaced all electro caps and transistors with no improvement.
Deleteyou can sent a photo if you want to take a look. and if i can't see anything, i'll open mine to measure my voltages.
DeleteSure. Here's the top: http://i.imgur.com/uNsaMd4.jpg and the bottom: http://i.imgur.com/8keXBG7.jpg
DeleteI missed this at the time Sebastien because of a family bereavement which took me away from the blog for a while and so I didn't see everything that was posted over the period of a few days. But thanks for the heads up.
Deletefrom this photo i can say that the up leg of 15k resistor under q3 should be one hole down. i don't know if it's the photo that i can't see it clear and it's just over bended. but check it...!! post the bottom photo too, and tomorrow afternoon after work, i'll post my working voltages to compare.
ReplyDeletemine was from the first layout mark posted, witch had some mistakes, so i made the changes on the existed board.
It's bent, the legs for the 15k are fine as per the diagram. I don't stand up resistors much, I prefer to bend the legs under. Same for the 470p caps too. I already posted the bottom photo, check the second link in that message. Thanks.
Deletehere are my working voltages
Deletei've just opened mine
man you have to make it work! it's really great.
from what i see you MAY have a problem at q2 and q3 base.
hope someone more experienced could take a look too...
q1
c 4.24
b 0.64
e 0.03
q2
c 4,68
b 0.67
e 0.03
q3
c 3.96
e 0.66
b 0.03
q4
c 4.3
b 1.34
e 0.77
i wanted to say collector not base...sorry.
Deletemaybe a solder bridge?
cause it's strange that you have the same voltage 2.9 volts...i don't know man...
hope you'll find it
Hello,
DeleteYou have a problem on Q2 & Q3 +V rails. Voltages on Q2 and Q3 are between 4 and 4,5v, ,but never so low as 2,9.
So check all components surrounding the Q2 and Q3 collectors, and why they get so low voltage.
J.
Yes, I figured I have a problem there. I don't know why they are so low voltage, I checked the resistor values and they all look fine, I measured for continuity and there doesn't seem to be any bridges. I'll get a fresh exacto and cut between the traces anyway, make sure my cuts are completely clean. After that I'll pulls the resistors out and see, and maybe just give up and go on to the next pedal on my list. I really liked the sound of this pedal in videos, but if I can't make it work, maybe I'll try another layout someday (like the one for the dirty donny edition).
DeleteCan someone explain the fix a little better to me. It works but the notes cut out about half as soon as they should. I tripple checked my work but can't figure it out.
ReplyDeleteWhat are your voltages? I might be a bias problem, but hard to tell without knowing the voltages.
DeleteOk. I got it! Change the filter pot to 100k linear! But otherwise followed the vero exact. Sounds fantastic! Consider it verified!
ReplyDeleteNice one Jim. I think I looked at R25 when I was putting in the values and took it as a 25K pot :o)
DeleteGot this together yesterday. I have several pedals under my belt but it seems that every Muff style build goes wrong for me.It works and has fuzz..but it sounds terrible. Probing netted some strange voltages. Q1 c 4.04 b .60 c .29. , Q2 c 3.99 b 1.55 c .99 , Q3 c 2.99 b.66 e.33, Q4 c 2.62 b .67 e .34. The only thing I subbed was 470k for the 475k's and different similar diodes (1n4 somethings). Where should I start to get the voltages in check? Its a transistor build btw.
ReplyDeleteI just got this one done and it's pretty gated with almost no sweep on the volume pot. I used the transistor layout and added a DPDT switch for mid shift. I also used 12k and 2.7k resistors in series instead of 15k (didn't have any on hand). Any ideas on what the problem could be?
ReplyDeleteHi guys, do you know if it is possible to add a gate mod to this pedal, simillar with what you have in the wooly mammoth or fuzz factory? I love this beast but I would love it even more if I had this option so I could save some space in my board.
ReplyDeleteRegards
first pedal build! and it nearly works lol.. don't know if anyone can help but I'm getting no response from filter pot.. just slight wobble in tone half way.. thanks
ReplyDeleteIs there a 5 or 6 pot layout for this? I found one from FSB, but I'm not sure it's good to go. I saw John K built one, That's what Id like to go after. Thanks
ReplyDeleteIs there an error with the layout? The layout itself works but the Kit Rae schematic has a 100nf connected to D1 and D2. My build was extremely gated until I switched the 1uf to 100nf. It's still a little gated bit sounds great.
ReplyDeleteDoes any one know how to build this with the scoop and crunch pots?
ReplyDeleteBased on kit rae's schematic, shouldn't the clipping cap for D3 and D4 be 100nf instead of 1uf?
ReplyDeleteNope, schematic on that site shows a 1uf cap after D3 and D4
DeleteI built this and it sounds great! Luckily I didn't have any problems with this build, but I did do the 1nf to 100nf capacitor substitution suggested as I was getting a gated note decay. But yeah, it's a gnarly fat fuzz!
ReplyDelete