Get to the Choppa! - Chop Shop

[BuddytheReow]

Update: See post #20 for updated build.

I can't contribute much more than what's already been said about this one. Most of my recent PPCB orders have been based on the hype created by all of you rather than the rest of the internet.

Anyways, here's a stock Chop Shop. Looking at the schematic I saw that first coupling capacitor and thought to myself "there's no way this will have any bottom end. It's only a 10n box cap." Boy, was I surprised! Considering the simplicity of the circuit I should have tried it out on the breadboard first, but I got lazy. This got built in an afternoon (I think it was on Thanksgiving before heading out for all the munchie festivities) and was super happy about it. I had no idea how to bias the JFETs, so I started at 5V. Looking around the build reports I then upped it to 6.7-ish volts.

By itself, this is an "ok" pedal at best IMO. No tone knob, and not super happy with the SAG control on it since it doesn't do a whole lot to my ears. I just keep it CCW. It's a loud pedal and the GAIN control is pretty responsive. This really shines when you stack it into another effect. Dealer's choice here. On a whim I decided to try it out on bass and was surprised even more!!! It doesn't have as much dirt as on guitar, but it's still pretty sweet. A great pedal for both instruments.

Bare enclosure for now, but I'm gonna go with a green theme (if you can't tell.) I do have one or two ideas for artwork. More on that later.

 

[GizzWizzKing]

In a way it's nice to hear a review of this that doesn't sing its praises. But that won't stop me from trying for myself. I will definitely try it on bass too since you seemed to enjoy that. Lately I have really enjoyed pushing my bass signal with all my boost and dirty boost pedals to see the difference. This is one more for the test.

 

[BuddytheReow]

In a way it's nice to hear a review of this that doesn't sing its praises. But that won't stop me from trying for myself. I will definitely try it on bass too since you seemed to enjoy that. Lately I have really enjoyed pushing my bass signal with all my boost and dirty boost pedals to see the difference. This is one more for the test.

Like I said, by itself its ok. Going into another pedal is better.

 

[Mentaltossflycoon]

I've used it on bass quite a bit. Definitely my favorite "smidge of dirt" pedal in the ppcb store. I also use it first when stacking.

 

[BuddytheReow]

Definitely my favorite "smidge of dirt"

^^^THIS

 

[LukeFRC]

The sag should def work - turn it all the way CCW, set the bias on the J201 and then when you turn it down it starves them of power... and changes the character. Def worth playing with.
Did you find the post about getting LDSS of the J201 in certain ranges?

I love mine, I then built a copy of a SS/BS mini - very similar circuit to this (closer to the v2 barbershop where sag is only on one stage rather than them all) - but sounds very very different in a good way.

 

[BuddytheReow]

The sag should def work - turn it all the way CCW, set the bias on the J201 and then when you turn it down it starves them of power... and changes the character. Def worth playing with.

SAG works, but is more subtle that I want it to be. Most noticeable difference is volume drop. I can't really explain what else is happening. The link from ears to brain to typing fingers ain't so good...

 

[LukeFRC]

check your biasing of the jFets - it shouldn't be subtle

 

[mdc]

You can always increase the value of the starve pot to increase the effect.

 

[BuddytheReow]

So, the SAG control does a lot more that I originally thought.

First and foremost, volume drop.
Secondly, compression. Compression IMO is always a "subtle" effect, but I definitely hear it.

 

[LukeFRC]

I had no idea how to bias the JFETs, so I started at 5V. Looking around the build reports I then upped it to 6.7-ish volts.

Try sag control fully CCW and then bias to 4.5-5v
Then try the sag control

 

[Feral Feline]

This thread makes me regret not snagging a bunch of the boards when they were discounted recently.

I have a board for myself, to compare to my Fairfield Barbershop, but I could build a few in one go and gift to friends.
That's alright, I'll gift them something else.

 

[jwyles90]

Yeah, I'd echo what others have said; the SAG isn't very subtle in all the builds of this I've done (I've made three over the last couple of years). Oddly enough, I was able to try out a 'real' one at a local shop a little while back and found that I much preferred the way the clones I've made sounded to the Fairfield one. Dunno if I've been biasing mine incorrectly or what, but I did notice that the sag was a lot more subtle on theirs than on any of the builds I've done.

 

[HamishR]

That's exactly what I found. Well, at least as far as the sag control is concerned. My versions have sounded very similar to an original I put side by side with mine. I also agree that the Barbershop is one of the best "smidge of dirt" pedals I have heard. It sounds great on the neck pickup of my 335. It really sounds like I've pushed a clean amp just enough to bite.

 

[kweefthief]

To me, turning up the sag makes the drive sound more compressed but also denser. I guess those kinda go hand in hand. When fully CCW it sounds like the clipping is happening more sparsely on mild settings.
I agree with it shining as a stacked pedal. I like running it full CCW with mild gain (3 o' clock) with a soft clipper in front like the pro-10 blue side.

 

[Locrian99]

This thread makes me regret not snagging a bunch of the boards when they were discounted recently.

I have a board for myself, to compare to my Fairfield Barbershop, but I could build a few in one go and gift to friends.
That's alright, I'll gift them something else.

The new revision will be out with the tone switch is the only reason I didn’t. This is almost an always on for me I really dig it, looking forward to building a few of the “millennium” editions.

 

[LukeFRC]

Yeah, I'd echo what others have said; the SAG isn't very subtle in all the builds of this I've done (I've made three over the last couple of years). Oddly enough, I was able to try out a 'real' one at a local shop a little while back and found that I much preferred the way the clones I've made sounded to the Fairfield one. Dunno if I've been biasing mine incorrectly or what, but I did notice that the sag was a lot more subtle on theirs than on any of the builds I've done.

The v1 (big box) and v2 (1590b size) Fairfield barbershops I think have different layouts - v1 which is what the ppcb chop shop is used the sag to starve Q1-3
V2 from what I’ve seen uses sag to starve just Q2 - similar to the ss/bs mini
So it doesn’t surprise me it’s more subtle on their v2

 

[Ale_jellybelly]

I looooove my Chop Shop, lots of great sounds inside. I love to play with the dynamics. I almost never turn it off
I did have to add a 10k resistor on the output as a pulldown resistor because it was popping, and I had to bias it around 6.5v to solve some oscillation

 

[SYLV9ST9R]

I looooove my Chop Shop, lots of great sounds inside. I love to play with the dynamics. I almost never turn it off

I never do (well I can’t, it’s a Modèle B )
FWIW, I have quite a usable and discernable range on the SAG, turning CCW makes it more compressed and less shiny, especially if the gain is over noon.

 

[BuddytheReow]

Here's the finished enclosure. Once I put this back together I decided to rebias everything by ear. Moving the SAG knob caused oscillation, so I did the best I could with finding a sweet spot to dial everything in. It sounds soooooooo much better than before and I biased the JFETs with too much voltage before.

Hand painted acrylic for the artwork. I'm kinda proud of this one. It makes me LOL. I do have some more cream trash can knobs on the way which will replace the green ones.