3 in one pedal with 1/4 inch and xlr out

Dirtymojo83

New member
Any reason this will not work? I got a blues powder(blues power clone) pcb, a enhanced boost pcb (jhs prestige buffer/boost), and a sproing deluxe reverb pcb (reverb and trem). I wanna put them in the same enclosure 1590DD. I was also wondering if I could gut a cheap DI box to use the components to make it 1/4 inch and xlr out. I'd love to fit it in that 1590dd box, but if not possible. I'm a metal fabricator so I could make a slightly bigger box out of cold rolled, aluminized, or stainless, if steel is acceptable to make a pedal out of. The goal is it have a little dirt with the blues powder, then a clean boost with the buffer/boost for solos (I also ordered the Fuchs clean boost clone if that would be a better option), then obviously the reverb/trem at the end and I was thinking if I gutted a DI box, I could plug into an amp witht the 1/4 inch or or a PA with the xlr if needed.
Definitely still a novice at electronics, so far I've built 5c1 tube amp, wired a few guitars/basses a few differentways, a bunch of bullet harmonica microphones, and I've modded a guvner, a tube screamer, and a cry baby pedal.
 
The sproing, needing a 1590bb, is going to make that pretty tight.

I haven't used one yet the Lelhe MZ-L looks very promising for Stompbox use. You just need to drive it with an active output buffer.

I'll put my opinion out there, and I mean this in the nicest possible way. Just build individual pedals. At least starting out for a while. If for no other reason that in a year, you may want to just use one of the effects. If you want a DI/splitter, build it independently. Then it works with everything. Decent transformers arent much more than cheap DIs, but why buy it and build it twice? You can even mount it under or into your board.
Comvinoedals have their place. Weird noise/parallel effects stuff. Board in a box stuff(single pedal for jams and rehearsals). Or limited effect instruments like pedal steel or traditional bass.
It just seems like a lot expense and time to end up with 3 cool things that are permanently tied together.
Unless you know you will want hose three married together forever, don't bother. Not to mention, debugging gets to be a way bigger pita, especially if you are putting 10#pounds of sh*t in a 5 pound box.
Okay, I'm ranting.
Back to your actual question. If I were going what you are thinking about, I would get a transformer and use that. You'll have a better product for your $ and you'll know what size you are dealing with. Just buying a DI and getting it is going to be more headache on top of your currently chosen headache. The transformer is probably pcb mounted with other hardware. Ain't got room for that. A transformer with leads attached is going to be way more compact. Needs the active buffer driving it to be a splitter without issues, wether indepent or on the effects used(this means every effect must have an output buffer if using bypasses or a 4th PCB will be needed).
Bonus points if you use a buffer with higher voltage rails(18v or+-9) to ensure you can't clip it.
The Lelhe has unbalanced to balanced capability as well, needed for XLR. Make sure you use an isolated XLR jack and either lift the ground or install a ground lift switch and phantom blocking.
 
The sproing, needing a 1590bb, is going to make that pretty tight.

I haven't used one yet the Lelhe MZ-L looks very promising for Stompbox use. You just need to drive it with an active output buffer.

I'll put my opinion out there, and I mean this in the nicest possible way. Just build individual pedals. At least starting out for a while. If for no other reason that in a year, you may want to just use one of the effects. If you want a DI/splitter, build it independently. Then it works with everything. Decent transformers arent much more than cheap DIs, but why buy it and build it twice? You can even mount it under or into your board.
Comvinoedals have their place. Weird noise/parallel effects stuff. Board in a box stuff(single pedal for jams and rehearsals). Or limited effect instruments like pedal steel or traditional bass.
It just seems like a lot expense and time to end up with 3 cool things that are permanently tied together.
Unless you know you will want hose three married together forever, don't bother. Not to mention, debugging gets to be a way bigger pita, especially if you are putting 10#pounds of sh*t in a 5 pound box.
Okay, I'm ranting.
Back to your actual question. If I were going what you are thinking about, I would get a transformer and use that. You'll have a better product for your $ and you'll know what size you are dealing with. Just buying a DI and getting it is going to be more headache on top of your currently chosen headache. The transformer is probably pcb mounted with other hardware. Ain't got room for that. A transformer with leads attached is going to be way more compact. Needs the active buffer driving it to be a splitter without issues, wether indepent or on the effects used(this means every effect must have an output buffer if using bypasses or a 4th PCB will be needed).
Bonus points if you use a buffer with higher voltage rails(18v or+-9) to ensure you can't clip it.
The Lelhe has unbalanced to balanced capability as well, needed for XLR. Make sure you use an isolated XLR jack and either lift the ground or install a ground lift switch and phantom blocking.
So as far as buffers
The sproing, needing a 1590bb, is going to make that pretty tight.

I haven't used one yet the Lelhe MZ-L looks very promising for Stompbox use. You just need to drive it with an active output buffer.

I'll put my opinion out there, and I mean this in the nicest possible way. Just build individual pedals. At least starting out for a while. If for no other reason that in a year, you may want to just use one of the effects. If you want a DI/splitter, build it independently. Then it works with everything. Decent transformers arent much more than cheap DIs, but why buy it and build it twice? You can even mount it under or into your board.
Comvinoedals have their place. Weird noise/parallel effects stuff. Board in a box stuff(single pedal for jams and rehearsals). Or limited effect instruments like pedal steel or traditional bass.
It just seems like a lot expense and time to end up with 3 cool things that are permanently tied together.
Unless you know you will want hose three married together forever, don't bother. Not to mention, debugging gets to be a way bigger pita, especially if you are putting 10#pounds of sh*t in a 5 pound box.
Okay, I'm ranting.
Back to your actual question. If I were going what you are thinking about, I would get a transformer and use that. You'll have a better product for your $ and you'll know what size you are dealing with. Just buying a DI and getting it is going to be more headache on top of your currently chosen headache. The transformer is probably pcb mounted with other hardware. Ain't got room for that. A transformer with leads attached is going to be way more compact. Needs the active buffer driving it to be a splitter without issues, wether indepent or on the effects used(this means every effect must have an output buffer if using bypasses or a 4th PCB will be needed).
Bonus points if you use a buffer with higher voltage rails(18v or+-9) to ensure you can't clip it.
The Lelhe has unbalanced to balanced capability as well, needed for XLR. Make sure you use an isolated XLR jack and either lift the ground or install a ground lift switch and phantom blocking.
I also have some single pedals I'm working on but for those I just have to follow the paint by numbers circuit board. This is more of a long term project for fun. I really like the real blues power, hearing a couple people play them. And I wanted a clean boost on to of that for solos, I wasn't sure if it needed a buffer going at this with very little knowledge it seems like alot of overdrive do. The JHS prestige clone says it's a buffer at 0 and goes up from there. Atleast that's what someone said on youtube. So idk about that. Then the main effect I use is reverb but it would be nice to have trem too. As far as a buffer I shouldn't need one after the clean boost before the reverb cause it acts as a buffer for the blues powder? And as far as the reverb could i use a jfet buffer and add it to the circuit at the end? I want it mainly to use with my bassman and other tube amps without effects. The DI would be cool but mainly just to see if i could I'm fine with projects taking along time so that could always be a project for later. It would be nice to take it to open mics or bennifits to just plug into the PA. Though I could also just bring the DI and set it right beside it for now.
 
So as far as buffers

I also have some single pedals I'm working on but for those I just have to follow the paint by numbers circuit board. This is more of a long term project for fun. I really like the real blues power, hearing a couple people play them. And I wanted a clean boost on to of that for solos, I wasn't sure if it needed a buffer going at this with very little knowledge it seems like alot of overdrive do. The JHS prestige clone says it's a buffer at 0 and goes up from there. Atleast that's what someone said on youtube. So idk about that. Then the main effect I use is reverb but it would be nice to have trem too. As far as a buffer I shouldn't need one after the clean boost before the reverb cause it acts as a buffer for the blues powder? And as far as the reverb could i use a jfet buffer and add it to the circuit at the end? I want it mainly to use with my bassman and other tube amps without effects. The DI would be cool but mainly just to see if i could I'm fine with projects taking along time so that could always be a project for later. It would be nice to take it to open mics or bennifits to just plug into the PA. Though I could also just bring the DI and set it right beside it for now.
The only reason you would/may need a buffer is to drive a splitter for the DI. all the afformentioned effects probably have an output stage that would drive it. I just didn't pull up the the build docs. If you're using either/or the outputs or DI out, just put a switch in. Good to go.
"Nice to have a trem"
This goes back to my original point. With the all in one, you're locked in to just that signal flow unless you want to add switching insert jacks. Getting into spaghetti city at that point and more points of failure. Boost drive combo, go for it. But I wouldn't lock your effects to it. That's gonna be a fairly pricey build that is not flexible. Not a big deal to carry 2 pedals instead of one and maintain the flexibility, i.e. adding a trem.
I don't say all this to pick on you. It's just... I've seen a lot of new builders proclaim their intent of building this ultimate combo pedal and rarely see a finish product posted. I can only imagine that many times it ended up being an expensive source of frustration that got left sitting on a corner of a workbench with its guts all hanging out. Possibly even driving some away from the hobby after dropping $150+ and dozens of hours into it. Pedals are modular. Let them be modular. Use your metal fab skills to build some sweet aluminum pedal boards of varying size, even one that only hold 2-3 pedals and a DI.
 
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