Distortr / Distortron low end mod /sub switch question

J

john kurzweg

New member
Just finished a Distortr --- pretty great, natural-sounding distortion pedal. However, I think all three sub settings have just a little too much low end ...And this is coming from a person who LIKES low-end in distortion pedals(!). I've tried switching out C8 from 10N to 100N (suggested in other thread), and while it changes the tone of the pedal in a cool way and does seem to make the 3 sub settings more different from each other, it doesn't really lessen the low end, even in the most rolled off setting. In looking at the schematic, I'm wondering if lowering C7 would roll off a little more subs for all 3? ( Or.....I've wondered if swapping the stock values of C6 and C7 would create a little more difference between the 2 rolled off settings?...but i may be misinterpreting how the 3 way switch works) - I'm definitely a newbie when it comes to understanding schematics, so any advice is much appreciated.
 
Last edited:
My band mate had the original pedal. I offered him to mod it, but he decided to sell it. The 3 settings go from 56 (middle) to 103 and 876 nF. We planned to change c7 to 10nF and c8 to 56nF. Best to use pin adapter on this spots and try different values.
 
Last edited:
HamishR said:
I have built it with a bass pot rather than a bass switch’s
Click to expand...
A bass pot would be even better ( I think all dirt pedals should at minimum have a bass & treble control!) —do you have suggestions or a link to how I could do this ? — I’m imagine I would leave one of the caps in and add the pot , but I’m not sure exactly how to do that —thx
 
Well it was a while ago, but if I look at the schematic I believe you would delete C5 and C6 and replace C7 with a 1µF. Then replace R5 with a C1M pot. The spot where C2 meets R5 goes to Bass 3 (lug 3 of the Bass pot) and Bass 2 goes to the other end of R5, where it joins the gate of Q2. So you can just join wires to the board at either end of where R5 would be and connect them to a bass pot.

If you want to add some mids then C5 is the place. Just increasing C6 to 1nF will make a difference.

I didn't come up with these mods. It would have been kind folks here who suggested them and they work beautifully so I feel obliged to share what I have learnt!

FWIW I agree 100%. Often a bass pot on an OD is more useful than a treble pot. I have used plenty of amps which don't have a bass pot (Like a Fender tweed or brown Deluxe) and a bass control on the OD is so handy. A lot of ODs are difficult to integrate into a rig because of having no control over the low end. Part of the reason I got into making my own ODs was simply to add bass pots to overdrives!
 
HamishR said:
Well it was a while ago, but if I look at the schematic I believe you would delete C5 and C6 and replace C7 with a 1µF. Then replace R5 with a C1M pot. The spot where C2 meets R5 goes to Bass 3 (lug 3 of the Bass pot) and Bass 2 goes to the other end of R5, where it joins the gate of Q2. So you can just join wires to the board at either end of where R5 would be and connect them to a bass pot.

If you want to add some mids then C5 is the place. Just increasing C6 to 1nF will make a difference.

I didn't come up with these mods. It would have been kind folks here who suggested them and they work beautifully so I feel obliged to share what I have learnt!

FWIW I agree 100%. Often a bass pot on an OD is more useful than a treble pot. I have used plenty of amps which don't have a bass pot (Like a Fender tweed or brown Deluxe) and a bass control on the OD is so handy. A lot of ODs are difficult to integrate into a rig because of having no control over the low end. Part of the reason I got into making my own ODs was simply to add bass pots to overdrives!
Click to expand...
Thanks! --- and lol, the lack of bass control in sooooo many pedals (Dist+ , Tube Screamers, red llama , etc etc , is 90% why i'm trying learn more about all of this!
 
HamishR said:
...

If you want to add some mids then C5 is the place. Just increasing C6 to 1nF will make a difference.

...
Click to expand...


Wanted to clarify this.

C5 on the PedalPCB Distortr schematic is 820n, part of the SUBS switch (lug3) and C6 is 47n on SUBS switch lug 2...

I was thinking of changing the SUBS switch to a "BASS" pot and just omit C7 so the entire signal has to go through the SUBS POT.
Actually, now that I think about it, I'd leave C7 in, just in case the pot fails the circuit will still work...

Anyhoo, I'll definitely breadboard the "BASS" pot you suggest at C2/R5, if not just outright implement it in my build, but yeah... the mids:

Did you mean decreasing C6 to 1nF?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top