I bought a Dude when they first came out and liked it - except that perhaps it has a little bit more compression than I'd like. So I sold it to a friend. Then a few years later I see PedalPCB had a PCB for it called the Abider. So I built that, then remembered that I'd prefer a little less compression. So I built another one, only this time anywhere it has 2 x 1N4148 diodes as clippers I would add a pair of 1N4001 diodes just as the circuit does in the feedback loop of the last gain stage. So all in all there are three sets of clipping diodes; two in loops and one as hard clippers. In my new pedal all three sets of clipping diodes are a pair of 1N4001s in series with a pair of 1N4148s.
I love it! It has done exactly what I wanted. The compression is much lower and the feel is more natural - for me, anyway. Still a clear, creamy drive, just with a broader dynamic range now. I appreciate that not everyone will want less compression but I do, and this very simple mod has worked perfectly for me.
I love it! It has done exactly what I wanted. The compression is much lower and the feel is more natural - for me, anyway. Still a clear, creamy drive, just with a broader dynamic range now. I appreciate that not everyone will want less compression but I do, and this very simple mod has worked perfectly for me.