Sanford & Sonny Bluebeard

[johnk_10]

I had an original S&S Bluebeard years ago but sold it so i was looking for another one to buy. after not finding one, i decided to make one of my own but in a smaller enclosure with a relayed true bypass. I call my version the "Blackbeard". I had requests to make some for others and Sanford and Sonny actually bought one for himself.
anyway, here's a couple of pics of it:

 

[comradehoser]

I think this begs the question of what schematic/trace you used...just as easy as the GGG schematic with bigger filtering cap, or what.

Feral felines among others may be interested in such an information...

 

[EisengesisFX]

Dope. I first read about this pedal in a Bass Guitar magazine column Troy from Mastodon had in the mid-'00s. Then, as I wound up going to college in Baltimore, I met Sonny himself just by virtue of going to gigs. One of the kindest, sweetest people to ever walk the earth, my recollection is just the original demand for Bluebeards quickly eclipsed the scalability of a one-man operation run by a married father of three.

 

[Robert]

I saw this pedal and was going to ask you about it a while back... I'd be interested to see the schematic as well.

 

[johnk_10]

I saw this pedal and was going to ask you about it a while back... I'd be interested to see the schematic as well.

it's basically the GGG schematic, but has 9V (100-220uf) filtering, uses 2N5089 transistors, and has a tone bypass.
i built mine using Sonny's layout and etched a PCB for it to make it as close to the original as possible. I also used Panasonic 100nf's for the coupling caps like the original too.

 

[Feral Feline]

Another fine build, John.



For anybody that cares about the minutiae: The early ones did not include the tone bypass, which was introduced on or about Feb 19, 2012:

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/sanford-and-sonny-bluebeard-fuzz-club.787569/post-12216823

 

[johnk_10]

Another fine build, John.



For anybody that cares about the minutiae: The early ones did not include the tone bypass, which was introduced on or about Feb 19, 2012:

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/sanford-and-sonny-bluebeard-fuzz-club.787569/post-12216823

that is correct.

 

[pricklyrobot]

My sanding arm hurts just looking at that enclosure!
‘Tis an impressive shine!!

 

[MattG]

I assume the second PCB that’s mostly hidden behind the effect PCB is some kind of bypass circuit? Curious about its design.

 

[johnk_10]

I assume the second PCB that’s mostly hidden behind the effect PCB is some kind of bypass circuit? Curious about its design.

yes, it's a relayed true bypass by RG Keen. i designed the layout years ago and used to etch the pcbs myself until someone created an Osh Park PCB for it, so now i often use those. The is one resistor that's mislabeled on it though.

 

[MattG]

yes, it's a relayed true bypass. i designed it years ago and used to etch the pcbs myself until someone created an Osh Park PCB for it, so now i often use those.

I'm assuming it's the CD4069 and TQ-2L-5V bypass discussed here and here?

 

[johnk_10]

I'm assuming it's the CD4069 and TQ-2L-5V bypass discussed here and here?

yep.