Animal Factory Baron Samedi (5-Knob)
- Thread starter Ginsly
- Start date
drgonzo1969
Well-known member
@drgonzo1969 Thanks for tha vid! There’s a 4-knob Vero I’m gonna try, but it’s sadly missing the Sub-Octave knob…
drgonzo1969
Well-known member
Nice! Where did you see the Vero layout?
@drgonzo1969 I posted it when asking about 1uf caps: https://forum.pedalpcb.com/threads/1uf-non-electrolytic-what-to-use.20099/#post-251326
Gonna give it a shot soon! Realllly wish I knew how that 5th (Sub Octave) knob fit in... I'd love to add it!
Gonna give it a shot soon! Realllly wish I knew how that 5th (Sub Octave) knob fit in... I'd love to add it!
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drgonzo1969
Well-known member
Oh ya! That layout looks like a breeze.
DailyDovetails
Well-known member
That pedal does look pretty cool. This article has a guy shot. The chemical burn looks interesting also. It is based on a superfuzz.
www.guitarpedalx.com
Animal Factory's Killer Pair of Chemical Burn and Baron Samedi are beautifully textural and visceral Fuzz Boxes
First-hand overview of the Animal Factory Chemical Burn and Baron Samedi Fuzzes
www.guitarpedalx.com
@DailyDovetails Excellent! This is in the Baron Samedi manual, but sadly doesn't really tell me much about how the 5th "Burial" (Lows/Sub Octave) knob fits into the circuit. It's in the upper lefthand corner. Ignore the red box on the right, that just points out removable jumpers:
Feral Feline
Well-known member
I was quite enamored with the Baron Samedi when I came across it.
The chap behind it made the schematic available.
Also this vero-layout from way back when for it as well:
The chap behind it made the schematic available.
Also this vero-layout from way back when for it as well:
Feral Feline
Well-known member
I'm guessing the Octave control is a pot replacing R4 (or maybe R5) in the schematic above, allowing further fine-tuning of the starve function.
Mind, I really have no idea. I just know that you can get some sub-octaves going with the sag.
Check out the Hephaestus for sub-octave — achieved through voltage starvation.
Or check out the KMA Fuzzly Bear. It has a sag control as well, which should get you the sub-octave. Read about it and check out the schematic in the MadBean FuzzyBritches doc.
PedalPCB's own Teddy Rupture combined with a Muffin Crumb will get you nearly all the way there for the four-knob Baron Samedi, and then some experimentation with the sag might get you the sub-octave as well.
Mind, I really have no idea. I just know that you can get some sub-octaves going with the sag.
Check out the Hephaestus for sub-octave — achieved through voltage starvation.
Or check out the KMA Fuzzly Bear. It has a sag control as well, which should get you the sub-octave. Read about it and check out the schematic in the MadBean FuzzyBritches doc.
PedalPCB's own Teddy Rupture combined with a Muffin Crumb will get you nearly all the way there for the four-knob Baron Samedi, and then some experimentation with the sag might get you the sub-octave as well.
@Feral Feline Thank you! I really appreciate the insight.
I actually built a 5-knob Baron Samedi yesterday, and I replaced the 470k resistor with a b500k pot (and 47k resistor). @bhcarpenter helped clarify. That fifth knob is absolutely essential (in my opinion).
It sounds unbelievable. I‘ve played a bunch of Bosstones, and this is the strangest and possibly best. I actually do have a Fuzzly Bear clone and just built an Executive with the Mythos’s voltage starve added - both excellent!
One question, though- the Vero diagram I used is slightly different (see the posts above yours), and erroneously indicates B100k pots for all controls (except for the 5th one I added). Stupid me, I didn’t check the schematic before I built. Looks like the Volume and Fuzz/Gain pots are supposed to be A100k, not B. Is it really worth it to change them? It sounds so good, I don’t wanna mess it up!
Since those are not the “weird” controls, is it bound to make much of a positive difference? I really appreciate the input, as always!
I actually built a 5-knob Baron Samedi yesterday, and I replaced the 470k resistor with a b500k pot (and 47k resistor). @bhcarpenter helped clarify. That fifth knob is absolutely essential (in my opinion).
It sounds unbelievable. I‘ve played a bunch of Bosstones, and this is the strangest and possibly best. I actually do have a Fuzzly Bear clone and just built an Executive with the Mythos’s voltage starve added - both excellent!
One question, though- the Vero diagram I used is slightly different (see the posts above yours), and erroneously indicates B100k pots for all controls (except for the 5th one I added). Stupid me, I didn’t check the schematic before I built. Looks like the Volume and Fuzz/Gain pots are supposed to be A100k, not B. Is it really worth it to change them? It sounds so good, I don’t wanna mess it up!
Since those are not the “weird” controls, is it bound to make much of a positive difference? I really appreciate the input, as always!
Feral Feline
Well-known member
If you're not having any trouble dialling in your sound, leave 'm at B100k.
If you're getting frustrated/annoyed that adjusting a pot a little does too much at once and is difficult to dial in, then change to the A100k (or C100k if it's the short end of the dial that's giving you the adjustment-trouble).
Some people prefer a Muff's VOL to be A100k, even if traditionally all pots are B100k on a Muff. Even a few people like having A100k for the GAIN, too.
All personal preference.
Please clarify:
When you say 470k resistor is replaced with a B500k + 47k resistor, what is that on the Baron Samedi schematic. The only 470k I saw on the schematic is R10.
Nothing to do with you Ginsly, but as an aside...
This is why I hate vero. I see this sort of thing all the time — "Just replace the 2n with a 4n7..." and there's eight 2n caps on the vero. Or "it's the one by the collector of the transistor in the lower 2/3rds of the layout".
#$@#$%^&*!
Foot-thick MUD is more clear.
There's an argument for REF-DES and schematics.
@Feral Feline Cut me some slack, this is the fifth pedal I've ever built! 
I'm still learning ALL of this, including vero diagrams, schematics, and proper soldering for that matter. I'm really enjoying it, but have a long way to go.
It's the only 470k on there, and replacing it with a B500K pot in series with a 47k resistor worked well. It's the Gate control on the Baron Samedi, or "Death" as it's labeled. I certainly would have been more specific if there were ten 470k's on there!
Thanks for setting my mind at ease about "B" vs "A" pots. It does get loud a little early on in the Vol pot's travel, but I can live with that. I haven't noticed anything frustrating with the Fuzz control, but it's good to know that there's a solution for that if it happens.
I'm still learning ALL of this, including vero diagrams, schematics, and proper soldering for that matter. I'm really enjoying it, but have a long way to go.It's the only 470k on there, and replacing it with a B500K pot in series with a 47k resistor worked well. It's the Gate control on the Baron Samedi, or "Death" as it's labeled. I certainly would have been more specific if there were ten 470k's on there!
Thanks for setting my mind at ease about "B" vs "A" pots. It does get loud a little early on in the Vol pot's travel, but I can live with that. I haven't noticed anything frustrating with the Fuzz control, but it's good to know that there's a solution for that if it happens.
Feral Feline
Well-known member
Okay okay... like I said, my hatred of vero has nothing to do with you!
I look at vero and my eyes go crossed. I see now it's the only 470k on either vero layout. Please don't ask me to check the schematic against either layout!
Give me PERF or a hand-etched single-sided PCB layout — Best option, a proper multi-tiered PCB — or give me dearth [sic].
Now I've gotta go build this at some point, on the PCBs I mentioned previously or fire up my own PERF layout so...
MANY thanks to you (and BHCarpenter) for the Death Knell, eh, knob... 470k swap for B500k&47k — I'd been wondering about that extra knob from when I first found the Animal Baron Samedi.
Cheers!
I look at vero and my eyes go crossed. I see now it's the only 470k on either vero layout. Please don't ask me to check the schematic against either layout!
Give me PERF or a hand-etched single-sided PCB layout — Best option, a proper multi-tiered PCB — or give me dearth [sic].
Now I've gotta go build this at some point, on the PCBs I mentioned previously or fire up my own PERF layout so...
MANY thanks to you (and BHCarpenter) for the Death Knell, eh, knob... 470k swap for B500k&47k — I'd been wondering about that extra knob from when I first found the Animal Baron Samedi.
Cheers!
Ha, no prob man! I totally get what you’re saying. I need things spelled out EVERY step of the way at this point. I’m catching on, though. 
It may seem strange, but the Death knob advice can be credited directly to Aditya of Animal Factory. I knew he had already shared his 4-knob schematic and saw that the Baron Samedi wasn’t currently in production, so… I just asked! He’s retooling the Baron Samedi pedal for a new version, so it’ll change even further I’m sure. He was very, very nice and pointed me in the right direction.
I absolutely love it, and will certainly buy his new version when it comes out.
It may seem strange, but the Death knob advice can be credited directly to Aditya of Animal Factory. I knew he had already shared his 4-knob schematic and saw that the Baron Samedi wasn’t currently in production, so… I just asked! He’s retooling the Baron Samedi pedal for a new version, so it’ll change even further I’m sure. He was very, very nice and pointed me in the right direction.
I absolutely love it, and will certainly buy his new version when it comes out.
Feral Feline
Well-known member
An aside: I just noticed R10 is 470k on one schematic I have, and 680k on another.
Also, using either the Executive Fuzz or the Teddy Rupture board and a Muffin Crumb board would enable someone to build the Baron Samedi without resorting to vero or perf or having to lay out & fab a PCB.
Just mount the tone control components right on the pot, OR you could even replace the BS' LIFE (Tone) with a Muffin Crumb Tone control (Muff Tone Stack).
Also, using either the Executive Fuzz or the Teddy Rupture board and a Muffin Crumb board would enable someone to build the Baron Samedi without resorting to vero or perf or having to lay out & fab a PCB.
Just mount the tone control components right on the pot, OR you could even replace the BS' LIFE (Tone) with a Muffin Crumb Tone control (Muff Tone Stack).
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@Feral Feline 470k is correct, I believe - the other one you saw is before he made some corrections to the 4-knob version. If you go here you can see the last post, which has the correct info as a .rar, and a couple posts above is the earlier schematic featuring the 680k. https://www.freestompboxes.org/viewtopic.php?t=23809
Might be a moot point, as it can be replaced with a 47k resistor and 500K pot to set up that Death knob (which is a crucial part of the BS sound).
This vero Baron Samedi I built is possibly my favorite pedal, period. There are plenty of pedals that have starve or bias features, but the way he set this up gives it such a reedy, flute-like attack at certain settings. Squished yet round. I like it better than the Mini Bone and the Fuzzly Bear, and I LOVE both of those. BA's Texsur, too.
I'm very interested in trying what you're talking about with a PPCB boards as a starting point. I'm still REALLY new to this, so I'm not sure which one of those boards (Executive or Teddy Rupture - or even Ehrmahgerd? Trumpeter?) would be best for this. I just made an Executive with voltage starve (excellent!) and I have a Trumpeter board on hand.
The Baron seems to have BOTH a voltage starve (Burial) as well as transistor bias (Death), and I know the Ehrmahgerd has a voltage starve already - not sure which of the two controls the Teddy or Trumpeter have. I'm not familiar with the Muffin Crumb or Muffin Crumb Tone Control, so I'd love to know more about all of this. I can see making a few different Barons, for practice if nothing else. I still need some of this stuff spelled out, but it's helping me understand things bit by bit. I really appreciate it, this is incredibly fun!
I should note - the Baron's tone control is very strange, and doesn't really work like any classic Tone control I've used before - a BM tone stack would alter the character, although that might be very cool. The Baron's Tone control starts bassy and ends bassy, with some sort of mid sweep in between.
Might be a moot point, as it can be replaced with a 47k resistor and 500K pot to set up that Death knob (which is a crucial part of the BS sound).
This vero Baron Samedi I built is possibly my favorite pedal, period. There are plenty of pedals that have starve or bias features, but the way he set this up gives it such a reedy, flute-like attack at certain settings. Squished yet round. I like it better than the Mini Bone and the Fuzzly Bear, and I LOVE both of those. BA's Texsur, too.
I'm very interested in trying what you're talking about with a PPCB boards as a starting point. I'm still REALLY new to this, so I'm not sure which one of those boards (Executive or Teddy Rupture - or even Ehrmahgerd? Trumpeter?) would be best for this. I just made an Executive with voltage starve (excellent!) and I have a Trumpeter board on hand.
The Baron seems to have BOTH a voltage starve (Burial) as well as transistor bias (Death), and I know the Ehrmahgerd has a voltage starve already - not sure which of the two controls the Teddy or Trumpeter have. I'm not familiar with the Muffin Crumb or Muffin Crumb Tone Control, so I'd love to know more about all of this. I can see making a few different Barons, for practice if nothing else. I still need some of this stuff spelled out, but it's helping me understand things bit by bit. I really appreciate it, this is incredibly fun!
I should note - the Baron's tone control is very strange, and doesn't really work like any classic Tone control I've used before - a BM tone stack would alter the character, although that might be very cool. The Baron's Tone control starts bassy and ends bassy, with some sort of mid sweep in between.
Feral Feline
Well-known member
Thanks for confirmation of R10, and yes I plan to add the DEATH control so while R10 is superfluous I still wondered about it.
I’ve got a whole document devoted to the Boss Tone and its permutations. Love them all!
So I’ve been trying to cherry-pick all the mods I want for my personal ultimate version.
If you haven’t already done so…
Highly encourage you to check out Chuck D. Bones mods right here on the forum;
Also look into Codtone’s Peyote mode, which flips the Q2 PNP for extra insanity.
I’ve got a whole document devoted to the Boss Tone and its permutations. Love them all!
So I’ve been trying to cherry-pick all the mods I want for my personal ultimate version.
If you haven’t already done so…
Highly encourage you to check out Chuck D. Bones mods right here on the forum;
Also look into Codtone’s Peyote mode, which flips the Q2 PNP for extra insanity.
Yep, I just saw Chuck's post today! It doesn't seem to include transistor bias or voltage starve, though.
Not familiar with the Peyote mod, that sounds very interesting!
I'm still not quite sure which PPCB board would be a good base for a Baron Samedi like you mentioned, and what would need to change...
And where would the Muffin Crumb amplifier stage fit in to that equation?
Now that you've mentioned it I wanna try it out!
Thanks for any guidance!
Not familiar with the Peyote mod, that sounds very interesting!
I'm still not quite sure which PPCB board would be a good base for a Baron Samedi like you mentioned, and what would need to change...
And where would the Muffin Crumb amplifier stage fit in to that equation?
Now that you've mentioned it I wanna try it out!
Thanks for any guidance!
