rwl
Well-known member
- Build Rating
This is my build report on the Sugarbag, a version of the Beetronics Fat Bee overdrive. I decided to build this pedal after seeing some recommendations. I previously built the Dirt Dauber (Whoctahell) and like the sound of that, so I was also interested in a second Beetronics pedal.
I'd highly recommend this build. Right now I'd say it's in my Top 10 list, especially if you consider budget/ease of build.
Inspiration
There's a class of birds called "Bee-Eaters," which seemed appropriate for this pedal. These birds are amazing - they will catch bees and wasps by sallying from a tree and grabbing them midair, then remove the stinger by repeatedly smacking the bee against a branch. They're also really colorful, have a long hooked bill and eye-stripe. Pretty dope! For me, they're exotic birds - they don't live in North America (I saw some in India).
The species featured on the pedal is the Little Bee-eater, which I judged to be the fattest among them, and thus appropriate for the "Fat bee" name.
The Build
A straightforward build. There's no hard-to-find parts, everything is cheap. I haven't seen the J113 transistor on many pedals (only the General Tso), but it's easily found on Tayda. The rest might already be in your parts stash...
When I opened this up to take a guts shot I realized that this was one of the only pedals I have with the machined sockets, which I like less than the cheaper leaf-style sockets.
The Pedal
A wonderful pedal. I've played with it for a month or two, and it's still on my board. It's now been supplanted as my go-to overdrive by bluesbreaker/blues driver drives, but I like it as a change of pace.
True to its name, the sound is full and warm, and stays clear. There's little noise on the pedal. It feels like a nightcap before bed. I find that it can get a little too muffled sometimes, so you need to be careful with the tone knob - on your guitar and on the pedal.
I do wish there was a little more gain available. If I was going to mod it or build again, I'd see whether there's a good way to boost the gain pot, which doesn't seem to do too much until 10 or 11 o'clock - maybee add 220k resistor to it or something.
Build rating: 5/5
Pedal rating: 5/5
I'd highly recommend this build. Right now I'd say it's in my Top 10 list, especially if you consider budget/ease of build.
Inspiration
There's a class of birds called "Bee-Eaters," which seemed appropriate for this pedal. These birds are amazing - they will catch bees and wasps by sallying from a tree and grabbing them midair, then remove the stinger by repeatedly smacking the bee against a branch. They're also really colorful, have a long hooked bill and eye-stripe. Pretty dope! For me, they're exotic birds - they don't live in North America (I saw some in India).
The species featured on the pedal is the Little Bee-eater, which I judged to be the fattest among them, and thus appropriate for the "Fat bee" name.
The Build
A straightforward build. There's no hard-to-find parts, everything is cheap. I haven't seen the J113 transistor on many pedals (only the General Tso), but it's easily found on Tayda. The rest might already be in your parts stash...
When I opened this up to take a guts shot I realized that this was one of the only pedals I have with the machined sockets, which I like less than the cheaper leaf-style sockets.
The Pedal
A wonderful pedal. I've played with it for a month or two, and it's still on my board. It's now been supplanted as my go-to overdrive by bluesbreaker/blues driver drives, but I like it as a change of pace.
True to its name, the sound is full and warm, and stays clear. There's little noise on the pedal. It feels like a nightcap before bed. I find that it can get a little too muffled sometimes, so you need to be careful with the tone knob - on your guitar and on the pedal.
I do wish there was a little more gain available. If I was going to mod it or build again, I'd see whether there's a good way to boost the gain pot, which doesn't seem to do too much until 10 or 11 o'clock - maybee add 220k resistor to it or something.
Build rating: 5/5
Pedal rating: 5/5
. But I can see how it's confusing!
