DeadEndFX Hooke (Spaceman Orion) Spring Reverb

iamjackslackof

Well-known member
Build Rating
5.00 star(s)
Howdy fellow builders,

I just finished up a DeadEndFX Hooke true spring reverb, which is clone of the Spaceman Effects Orion. There are some other build reports on the forum that cover it in good detail, so I won't go too much into it. I will say I this is one of the most satisfying builds I've done yet, for a few reasons. One, from purchase to completion was forever in pedal time, several months. This was mainly due to how long it took to source parts, and some awful-no-pedal-building-time vacations. There are a couple of relatively hard to find parts, like the TLP222G and the TDA7052B. Both I managed to get off Ebay, and both were legit and actually worked. And note it MUST be a TDA7052B and not A or C, etc. Luckily the MCU for the Coda-style relay switching was included from DEFX. I did get a bogus BS250 JFET (Jameco I think), but realized after a J201 works fine, and it fired right up after the swap.

Another reason it was so satisfying is that it is a rather complex build, relative to a standard PPCB drive pedal. This was the first stacked build I've done, and the first involving a real reverb tank. I had to make a quick run to the hardware store after I realized the standoff I had were too big for the mounting holes, but it gave me the chance to find some nylon bolts, nuts, and standoffs, which I assume is better than a conductive metal.

Build-wise, I had planned on doing the whole mount the tank to the backplate with springs thing, but I discovered through some highly scientific experimental slapping of the pedal, the tank really didn't crash much unless I was very intentional and forceful. So I just Velcro'd it to the underside of the enclosure top. It will sit on a pedalboard, and I'm not likely to need to intentionally make it crash, so it's much simpler and quicker the Velcro way.

Also I discovered I didn't have the proper headers for connecting the upper and lower boards, so I finally had an opportunity to use my new wire ferrule crimper set, and it turned out great.

As you can see in one of the pics, I have it following my newly acquired T-Rex Replicator Jr tape delay, and the combination of tape into springs is simply heavenly :)

A final request: does anyone know how to up the intensity of the reverb a bit? I've read of mods to the Dwell section, and I might need to get a longer delay tank. I don't use super long heavy reverb ordinarily, but I'd like to have it on tap.

Thanks for reading!
 

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Thanks for the build report, I've got one ready to be boxed and your mounting notes will be useful!

I followed some recommendations on how to improve the Dwell knob from this thread. I'll have to check my notes and see exactly what I did, but it definitely delivers a more intense reverb sound.

BTW, you can defo cut those ferrules shorter so they don't stick out that much. They may try and wiggle themselves out with so much ferrule sticking out.
 
Thanks for the build report, I've got one ready to be boxed and your mounting notes will be useful!

I followed some recommendations on how to improve the Dwell knob from this thread. I'll have to check my notes and see exactly what I did, but it definitely delivers a more intense reverb sound.

BTW, you can defo cut those ferrules shorter so they don't stick out that much. They may try and wiggle themselves out with so much ferrule sticking out.
Thanks! And I hope it does help, the pics in the provided build doc weren't super clear, and I was sorta flying by the seat of my pants.
And good call on trimming the ferrules, it was my first time getting to use them and I hadn't considered them wiggling out.
 
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