BD-2 Mods
- Thread starter JamieJ
- Start date
A great place to start would be here: https://www.amazon.com/Modify-Blues...ywords=wampler&qid=1621861405&s=books&sr=1-10
But isn't it best to decide what you like and don't like about a pedal before modding it. With the TS people wanted more bass, so they modded them.
But isn't it best to decide what you like and don't like about a pedal before modding it. With the TS people wanted more bass, so they modded them.
JamieJ
Well-known member
Thanks for this. I’ll check that book out.
In truth, I’m not sure what I want to change with it. I just know it’s not 100% for me. If I mod it and still feel that way, I can then take it off my board. Also partly, it’s just because I like messing about with stuff and want to tinker.
fig
Village Idiot
You are not alone. I have a BD-2W that rarely sees any use.....although it did pose naked for another thread....so not COMPLETELY useless I suppose.
PapaBear
Well-known member
When I get home later, I’ll check and see if I still have a spread sheet on some mods I studied years ago
Keeley "Phat Mod" BD-2 | Building John Mayer's Tone
The pedal mod that started it all for me! Back in 2009 or so, I started my guitar tone quest. I only had a Keeley Katana and I my wallet hurt from that investment at the time. I quickly realized I should get some dirt too and I knew John Mayer used a Keeley modded BD-2 on the Trio album (which...
www.thetonegeek.com
Feral Feline
Well-known member
Keep the Base-line. Ie whatever mods you do, make it switchable back to stock (sound only! Drill whatever holes you need for switches/knobs etc.)
Keeping the base-line intact will help you if you find yourself going in the wrong direction with any mod(s), get back to ground zero regroup and attack it again from another angle.
Keeping the base-line intact will help you if you find yourself going in the wrong direction with any mod(s), get back to ground zero regroup and attack it again from another angle.
Chuck D. Bones
Circuit Wizard
I like to try out mods on a breadboard first. That way I don't end up trashing the original PCB. I have my sights set on the Blues Driver, it's gonna be my next breadboard project. Lotta places to tweak the freq response and distortion characteristics.
Hey Fig, can you point me to that other thread? I'm curious to know what's different in the Waza version.
fig
Village Idiot
Yep but the pic just showed the solder-side...I'll dissect it and take some nice shots.
https://forum.pedalpcb.com/threads/its-fiiiine-dont-worry-itll-fit.6610/post-56404
fig
Village Idiot
As promised, sorry for the Delay...er...wait this is a Blues Driver.
Let me know if you need more or better pics, voltages, etc. It will be "airing out".
Chuck D. Bones
Circuit Wizard
Intense. All of those SMD parts make the film caps look like giants! That board is over-the-top complicated. Robert (Mr. PedalPCB) sent me a schematic for one last week. That S/C switch does a whole bunch of stuff throughout the circuit. I started messing with an idea for a BD-2 mod. I need to clear off the other half of the breadboard so I can build a stock BD-2 for comparison. What I have sounds good, but I have no clue how it compares to a stock BD-2.
Thanks for the pix.
Thanks for the pix.
Chuck D. Bones
Circuit Wizard
I'll share the schematic when it's done baking. One thing I'm experimenting with is the tone-shaping network after the 1st stage (C9, C11, C12, R14, R16-R18). It's more-or-less a hard-wired Fender tone stack. I replaced R16-R18 with pots to see there is any advantage to making the tone shaping variable. One of the things the S/C switch does is alter that tone-shaping network. I also split the ganged DRIVE pot into two separate pots.
fig
Village Idiot
It could use a touch of mid-boost imho...
edit: scratch that thought...it's just my personal preferences. The pedal has a ton of clean boost on tap. The tone knob is meh..but between the guitar and amp it does a fair enough job. Where it and I part ways is the fittingly the breakup, Others would love it, whereas I like it more defined. It's a killer boost sho nuff.
edit: scratch that thought...it's just my personal preferences. The pedal has a ton of clean boost on tap. The tone knob is meh..but between the guitar and amp it does a fair enough job. Where it and I part ways is the fittingly the breakup, Others would love it, whereas I like it more defined. It's a killer boost sho nuff.
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Chuck D. Bones
Circuit Wizard
Once more, in English, please.
Chuck D. Bones
Circuit Wizard
My conclusion so far is the BD-2 works pretty damned well in stock form. I obtained a schematic for the BD-2w and a friend loaned me his BD-2w. The S/C switch changes the tone shaping in four places in the circuit. I'll get back to the group after I spend some time listening to the BD-2w.
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