Question about blend pot VS switch

radam84

radam84

Active member
So I plan on building a RAT and have a turbo RAT layout I was going to follow. I decided that I was going to use a switch for different clipping options, but then thought about a pot and if that would work. So would a pot work for blending in-between differnt diode pairs? If someone tells me that it would work Im sure I can figure out how to wire it up myself, I guess Im also curious if it would a good idea or bad idea as in functionally as well. What I'm hoping I guess is that at zero Id have just LED clipping and then at full CW I have something else(not sure what diodes Id use yet) and then everything in-between would be something A-symmetrical. Do I have that right? I havent actually built anything yet so still researching and learning whats possible.
 
That's an interesting idea. I'm not sure how useful it would be but who knows?

If it was in a typical Rat then the clipping diodes go to ground. So I would guess that you would wired pin 2 of a pot to ground, pin 1 to the end of one set of clippers and pin 3 to the end of another set of clippers. The other end of the clipping diodes would connect to where clipping diodes connect in a Rat. I have no idea what value pot to use. I'd start with B100K I guess. The pot value would have to allow one set of diodes to dominate but still let the other set gradually fade in, so maybe a 100K might work too much like a switch? I dunno!
 
Jack Orman describes exactly this on his website: https://www.muzique.com/lab/warp.htm

warp9.gif
 
I was thinking about this again last night, didnt really research it or anything when I guess I should just do that, but Im going to ask here anyways. Will the resistance of the pot affect the clipping and if so, how? If the Jack Orman link from above explains this, disregard this question. Im gonna go check that link out right now. Cheers.
 
HamishR said:
That's an interesting idea. I'm not sure how useful it would be but who knows?

If it was in a typical Rat then the clipping diodes go to ground. So I would guess that you would wired pin 2 of a pot to ground, pin 1 to the end of one set of clippers and pin 3 to the end of another set of clippers. The other end of the clipping diodes would connect to where clipping diodes connect in a Rat. I have no idea what value pot to use. I'd start with B100K I guess. The pot value would have to allow one set of diodes to dominate but still let the other set gradually fade in, so maybe a 100K might work too much like a switch? I dunno!
Click to expand...
somehow I missed your post last time I checked this, my bad. Thank you for your explantion eh. Yea I started wondering about how resistance would effect things. I know what the components in a circuit are and know what most of them do, but as to how they all work together is where I get a bit lost lol. Guess Ill just have to give it a go and see what happens, in my head it seamed to make sense and seemed to be an interesting way of doing things. The link Robert shared Im sure will give me more insight into the idea, still have to read that. Unfortunately after my message saying I was going to read it right away, I got distracted.
 
Ha! In the Jack Orman he does exactly what I suggested except the other way around. I guess the odds are 50/50.
 
HamishR said:
Ha! In the Jack Orman he does exactly what I suggested except the other way around. I guess the odds are 50/50.
Click to expand...
Yea that was a good read. The picture Robert shared is what was in my head as the idea but after reading that page I kinda like the idea of this: 1709293910074.png
 
I did exactly this on a rat build awhile back. One side of the pot is led and the other side is asym silicon. Works great. I love the added flavor I can dial in.
 
@radam84 did you ever implement this? I'm curious about it but not sure how to wire it. I'm guessing like @HamishR posted above, middle lug to ground, 1 lug of pot to diode(s) to the one side of diode hole on the PCB. The other side of the pot to the diode(s) to the other side of the hole in the PCB?
 
VanWhy said:
@radam84 did you ever implement this? I'm curious about it but not sure how to wire it. I'm guessing like @HamishR posted above, middle lug to ground, 1 lug of pot to diode(s) to the one side of diode hole on the PCB. The other side of the pot to the diode(s) to the other side of the hole in the PCB?
Click to expand...
I never did use the idea, yet. But yea I think you've got the right idea from what you typed. If you do it let me know how it goes eh.
 
The Fromel Phuz Si which is, I believe based of the bjfe folk fuzz, has a knob that blends between I transistors only and diodes. Mine sounds like germanium diodes. The schematic I’ve seen of the folk fuzz has diodes and led pairs I believe but on a switch.

Chuck did a boneyard version https://forum.pedalpcb.com/threads/bjfe-folk-fuzz-deluxe.6100/

Either way-I scored a v1 Phuz Si for cheap and there is a blend knob for the clipping. Tone circuit just cuts the highs. It sounds great and is really versatile though. May even be a clone of Chucks Deluxe but with the pot instead of switch. I’m sure @Chuck D. Bones knows about it.
 
VFE did a lot of the diode-blend type dealio, so check out Madbean's VFE-schematics for

  • Alpha Dog The Scream
  • Blues King
  • Distortion³
  • Dragon
  • DragonHound
  • Fiery Red Horse
  • Pale Horse
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

DailyDovetails
Carcass fuzz demhe/hali/mode switch to pot
Replies
2
Views
310
Ale_jellybelly
Ale_jellybelly
J
Combine order switching + one more connection in a 3 way switch
Replies
0
Views
104
jcpst
J
T
Replacing Pandora's Box Switches with a Pot
Replies
1
Views
177
Feral Feline
Feral Feline
cthilley1
Toggling to a 2nd Output Volume Pot in Overdrives?
Replies
8
Views
954
CR0SSBL4DE
CR0SSBL4DE
Locrian99
Madbeans pastyface volume pot change
Replies
1
Views
199
Feral Feline
Feral Feline
Back
Top