Recent content by HamishR

A 1N3906 is a bizarre rare PNP diode. Not very popular because nobody knows how to work it.

I'm sure it's my weird personal taste because the Klon and KoT are hugely popular, but they don't do it for me! I like a big chunky sound and the Klon and KoT are more high-end focussed. They probably sit in a mix better but I do like some low-end punch. :)

I heard of him through Ask Zac, also on Youtube. And like you, I have had quite a few periods of not building this year because I figure I can't get any better than what I have. That changed kinda when my friend brought around his Tim for me to try and I discovered just how much better than a...

These are much better stories than any of mine. My most exciting guitar stories are generally I look for the guitar I want online and buy it.

I am fortunate in having two electronics suppliers nearby. Each have their own type of Vero board. One sells the plain brown one which has shiny copper traces and the other store has brown material printed with white lines on one side and dull copper traces on the other. I prefer the look of the...

I guess it's because the original Lunar Module was built with BC109Cs that they are the spec. I have used BC549Cs and they've sounded much the same. They are the same transistor spec but updated for the plastic housing and lower noise, as pointed out above. BC109Bs won't have the right hfe. You...

I always check the value of a resistor before using it even though I don't think I have ever found one out of spec. But I do it in case I have mis-read the value or just in case the wrong value is in the bag. It has saved me a few times that way. :) I haven't used Tayda for as long as some of...

Some of the old Menatone Jfet ODs were pretty good - The King Of The Britains was good. But I suspect that what a lot of players think of as a Marshall sound is a long way removed from what playing a Marshall plexi is really like. I tried a Revival Drive and it was kinda meh. Still, some guys...

Hey Mrvibes85: It depends on the sound you're shooting for, but the last 1987 I built had two 50/50 can caps on the chassis and a 32/32 on the board and it sounds incredible! The filters will alter the feel more than the sound. If you use all 50/50s it can get very hard rock, but the differences...

I'd have to go back and look at the schematics, but yes, the "mids" control is just the normal TS tone control. Other than the Mids pot they are virtually identical. In the BB it's as if the tone pot is fully up (I think). It's either up or down! So turning the pot one way or the other should...

Well maybe when I get a bit older I can hold my balls between my knees but just now they don't reach.

Tayda has been the one reliable source for me in all of this. Because they go from Thailand to Perth with (usually) DHL they get here within the week every time. Mouser too - they ship to me from HK. Both are faster than getting something from Sydney or Melbourne. There is a street two blocks...

I have built two of these now - it's a great pedal! Sorry - my computer has decided it doesn't like photoshop so I can't post pics right now, so just imagine a texture-black box with silver knobs on it. I built the first one completely stock and it's brilliant. It has that old-school treble...

I've had similar experiences - something arrives in Australia in excellent time then spend weeks in Sydney. I just bought a guitar from Wildwood in Colorado. I spent all day at home because Fedex said it was to be delivered today before 5.00pm. Then when it didn't arrive I tracked it and it's...

As I live in the most isolated capital city in the world I rely a lot on shipping. I have been buying stuff online from all over the world for over 15 years I guess - maybe longer. I very rarely have a problem. Even Ge transistors from deepest Siberia show up in timely fashion - Russian time of...