Aldrin

[steelplayer]

I just completed my first build with a Pedal PCB board this weekend -- was a great experience! It's been 4 or 5 years since my last build, so there were some noob errors and "oh yea, that's how I used to do it" moments, but it all worked out in the end... not my best work, but by far, not my worst. Since I'm new here, I thought I'd share some general observations.

-- This is easily one of the best sounding pedals I've built or bought. The useful range is practically limitless. All knobs off, just tweaking up the volume and it's a subtle clean boost with just a bit of hair. Dime all of the controls and it's molten hot, but totally useful, completely avoiding splatty and farty. Literally dozens of great settings in-between. I don't play standard 6 string, only Pedal Steel (think more Robert Randoph, less Nashville) and this is one of the best circuits IMHO for Steel.

-- Couldn't for the life of me get the LED to work -- then I read the forum post from Feb of last year.

-- The board quality is terrific, and remarkably well designed -- super easy to populate and work with! These boards are a game-changer for me.

-- Thanks Barry for the tip on the connectors and the tip about the reversed polarity -- the batch I received were indeed reversed.

So I'm totally stoked and re-addicted to building.

 

[twebb6778]

Nice work! That's a great looking pedal.

 

[Barry]

Looks great, love that finish

 

[HamishR]

Ha! It is quite the addiction isn't it? And the Aldrin is a great pedal to discover. If you're playing steel then some of the reverbs and delays here could be fun to build. I just built a Deep Blue Delay (Seabed Delay here) and had forgotten just how good it sounded.

 

[Chuck D. Bones]

Pretty! Nice work. Now try the Screw Driver. How'd you do the finish? Kinda looks like 2-D barcode.

 

[K Pedals]

Nice finish!!!

 

[HamishR]

Funny Chuck should mention the Screwdriver. Yesterday I happened to plug in one of my Screwdriver builds and again, I was surprised at how damn good it sounds. I hadn't played it for a while and now I will be playing it a lot more.

Check Chuck's excellent thread about how to build a Screwdriver from an Aldrin PCB. Very similar circuits with different transistors.

 

[Chuck D. Bones]

I find the Aldrin very bright, almost to the point of being harsh. The Hybrid Fuzz Driver is very mellow, in the same league as the Klon. The Screw Driver is right in the middle between those two. Skreddy hit it outta the park on all three pedals.

 

[steelplayer]

I just built a Deep Blue Delay (Seabed Delay here) and had forgotten just how good it sounded.

Funny you mention the Deep Blue Delay.

 

[steelplayer]

Pretty! Nice work. Now try the Screw Driver. How'd you do the finish? Kinda looks like 2-D barcode.

Screwdriver is definitely on the list! Thanks for the killer build thread on using the Adrin PCB.

Years back, I got onto a kick with textured finishes. I happened to have a few leftover cans in the garage and this was one of them:

Rust-Oleum 7992830 Stone Creations Spray, 12 oz, Gray Stone

There's also a clear coat that's made specifically for the textured stuff. Not sure how durable it is since I don't ever actually step on them.