A MadBean Wavelord for my SCHMORG (now with CV clocking)

[dawson]

I just posted this report on another website.
It may be my narcissism talking, but I thought you might want to see it over here as well.
Anyhow, here it is copied and pasted:

I'm super excited to finally present my newly completed MadBean Wavelord tremolo:

I say "finally" because I really wanted to finish this build to enter into last year's Madbean BOTY contest..months ago..but I'm glad I didn't rush it.
This is one of my favorite DIY circuits and this build deserves all the extra attention I gave it because I know it's going to be in my board indefinitely.

The graphic is a layout of the different wave-forms that I basically traced from the build doc's then embellished to fit my design. It's etched into a 1590BB bottom-plate with ferric chloride.
Did I add the external LFO jack? Of course I did. This is my second Wavelord, so I know it plays great with at-least the Parasit Studio 0415 Guitar Synthesizer *I haven't tried anything else.

Where I strayed from stock:
- I did some extra off-board wiring to enlarge the format from 125B to 1590BB. I like my pedals to sit right next to each-other, so with that as a rule, the only way to get extra toe room is to enlarge the enclosure.
- I used a version 3 VFE switching board to add optional momentary switching. It's mounted underneath the main PCB with a 3d-printed bracket, which was a tight fit, but the version 3 boards are great to work with.
- Just for fun I added a toggle switch to change the way the LED's work: In the 1st position, a large Red LED acts as a status indicator, while 2 small Teal LED's flash the rate underneath it, always on.
This is neat, but if I get tired of constant blinking, I can toggle to the 2nd position, where all 3 LED's work as non-blinking status indicators.

^I guess I didn't get a good picture of the final bracket before I put everything together, but here are a couple pictures of a prototype.
The final build had an extra couple fingers on it to hold this strip-board that trims my excessive LED arrangement, pictured here:

If you're wondering WTF is wrong with this guy who thinks it's okay to build upside-down pedals with no pants on, this thread may answer a question or two:
SCHMORG
I'll add some photos with the Wavelord in rack-context very soon- I finished it this afternoon and have only had time to test it outside of a box so far.

 

[fig]

SCHMORG!

 

[Harry Klippton]

Hnnnggggggggggg

 

[Bricksnbeatles]

I mentioned in the light booth thread, but that’s really brilliant using the vfe board on a non-VFE project. I need to give that a try since it’s really great. That graphic is really gorgeous, and I love the idea you used to represent the 16 waveforms— I’ve been trying to figure out how to implement the waveforms in my own TapLFO projects. Very nice!

 

[dawson]

SCHMORG!

Thanks for stopping in, Fig- stay tuned for..a tuner!

Your etches always kill me, so clean. I've been sitting on this board since release. I got all the parts I just need to get my shit together and build it. Fantastic inside and out

Thanks dude- that's high praise. I coulda' sworn I saw a Wavelord of yours but I suppose not? I haven't played many tremolo pedals, but this circuit is my favorite- DIY or otherwise. I highly recommend it.

I'm not sure how much PCB designers hate me for moving the knobs/switches around and bastardizing their perfect layouts, but regardless, I've seen you mention your large-foot/small-pedal dilemma more than once so you may want to consider building it wide like this.

It's just a little extra off-board wiring..

Hnnnggggggggggg

..then we all got pinkeye because Harry Klippton won't stop looking at build reports on the toilet!

I mentioned in the light booth thread, but that’s really brilliant using the vfe board on a non-VFE project. I need to give that a try since it’s really great. That graphic is really gorgeous, and I love the idea you used to represent the 16 waveforms— I’ve been trying to figure out how to implement the waveforms in my own TapLFO projects. Very nice!

Thanks a lot, I can't really take a ton of credit for the graphic- this one more than others seemed to make itself once I saw the wave-forms drawn out in the build-doc's. I just stylized stuff a bit and made sure to *add graduations to the rate knob- super useful little feature, even though it's got tap-tempo.

 

[Paradox916]

Nice build man! I love the thought you put into your mod’s

 

[dawson]

I can't stop using this light-box!

Super-clear picture of the beer my buddy spilled the other afternoon..

 

[Diynot]

F*****ck! I keep trying to get out and then these righteous af circuits/builds keep popping up to pull me back in. Fantastic build! Now…..To the MB shop!

 

[SYLV9ST9R]

This is great. I love your whole approach on this modular pedalboard and it’s nice to see new additions. Your designs always pop up with a great layout and clean lines (which I personally like on etched enclosures).

I’m finalizing a vero build, and boy do I hate doing outboard wiring, so muchos kudos to you!

 

[dawson]

This is great. I love your whole approach on this modular pedalboard and it’s nice to see new additions. Your designs always pop up with a great layout and clean lines (which I personally like on etched enclosures).

I’m finalizing a vero build, and boy do I hate doing outboard wiring, so muchos kudos to you!

Thanks for looking!

I've been etching for awhile and I've done my best to learn its' limitations and work within them, and the biggest lesson I learned is the importance of line-weight: both positive and negative. I can get good results if nothing is thinner than the paint brush I use to touch-up the toner transfers- so about 2pt is the thinnest I can go, only allowing pointy edges to go thinner.

The biggest lesson I've learned about offboard wiring: TWEEZERS!

 

[jeffwhitfield]

Great job! Very professional looking. You could sell copies of this pedal.

 

[Username123]

I wonder if this pedal would handle line level signal decently. It sure would be fun with my minilouge.

 

[dawson]

So, for months I'd been plotting and planning an overcomplicated way to control the tempo of my WaveLord with my Eurorack set-up.. until yesterday I decided to read the data sheet for the Electric Druid Tap LFO chip and realized there's an incredibly simple way to do it!

The chip can be clocked with any pulse 0-5v, which matches the output of my Eurorack clock, so all I had to do was check out the schematic and tie a mono jack into the circuit to receive CV (control voltage.)

Three-cheers for reading!

The red wire is the new addition. It connects to a jack mounted in a small utility module.

Super simple.
Eurorack and guitar effects all synced up- it's a happy day in SCHMORG land!

 

[Einzeln]

You put a jack parallel to the tapswitch? Or did you put a transistor in front of it?
I was planning to make the Cherry Pie but maybe this one is better?

 

[dawson]

@Einzeln,
If you're interested in modifying one of the circuits, I'd check out the datasheet for the TapLFO: LINK
All of the answers and secrets are there.

There's a picture of how I did it in post #13
It's the red wire soldered to the footswitch- No extra transistor.

I can't answer your other question- I have an obvious bias.
*That being said, WaveLord is best.

 

[bean]

Well, this is friggin' insane.

 

[dawson]

@bean, if this is the first you're seeing- I'm a bit of a WaveLord fanatic..

I currently use the one on the right here
It's got clock-in for syncing with drum machine, eurorack, or DAW, as well as the wave voltage-out.

 

[Einzeln]

@dawson I 've seen the schematic. In the Elektrik Druide Filterfx the external clock input is build with the extra 3 parts in front.

 

[Einzeln]

I might try the (updated) Wavelord and Glasshole.

 

[bean]

I might try the (updated) Wavelord and Glasshole.

I actually did build a version of the Glasshole with the TAPLFO2 directly integrated a few years ago. Some waveshapes weren't that useful but a few sounded very cool. Esp. the weirder ones.