Black Mirror VII (PCBGuitarMania)

[mjh36]

Build Rating

4.00 star(s)

Not a lot on this pedal besides @jeffwhitfield's build report so I won't repeat too much. I really like this pedal. This is my second bass pedal build, both from PCBGuitarMania. The first one I did was their Lemon Bass preamp pedal. That one is alright, but this is way more versatile. Nice and powerful EQ range. The Grunt switch has dramatic effect on the distortion in each of the three settings. Can go from clean to mean with the Blend knob. Just a great all-around bass pedal.

Took me four enclosures to get this right. First were some UV mistakes, then a drill mistake, but finally got it boxed. It's a tight build. I ended up going with one of those Taiway mini stomp switches or else this enclose wouldn't have worked either. I didn't add the XLR because it's just a home pedal. I used Lumberg jacks and now I'm hooked, they feel excellent.

 

[Feral Feline]

Way to persevere!

Looks great, very '80s-retro choice of colours.


Enclosures aren't cheap, what did you do with the first 3 aborted ones?
I save all my botched enclosures for builds that are for me alone, ie not gifted to friends, and for circuits I'm curious about but not invested in with a theme, name and graphics.

...This is my second bass pedal build, both from GuitarPCB....

Just to clarify for others who may not be familiar, the project is NOT from GuitarPCB, a reputed PCB-project supplier, but rather it's from PCB Guitar Mania, which to be blunt has a spotty reputation due to some projects working and others not-so-much.
This is one of the good ones, apparently, as a couple of PPCB-forumites have built it now without issue (from the manufacturer).

 

[mjh36]

Way to persevere!

Looks great, very '80s-retro choice of colours.

Enclosures aren't cheap, what did you do with the first 3 aborted ones?
I save all my botched enclosures for builds that are for me alone, ie not gifted to friends, and for circuits I'm curious about but not invested in with a theme, name and graphics.

Just to clarify for others who may not be familiar, the project is NOT from GuitarPCB, a reputed PCB-project supplier, but rather it's from PCB Guitar Mania, which to be blunt has a spotty reputation due to some projects working and others not-so-much.
This is one of the good ones, apparently, as a couple of PPCB-forumites have built it now without issue (from the manufacturer).

Thank you I edited the post. These names all get so similar sometimes, I goofed that one. I'll probably just do these pedals from that site honestly. The Lemon Bass I made worked, but that was also a drilling headache. I assumed a regular 6-knob location would be fine, but not on that pedal. The pots are shifted up I think about 7mm from a standard 6-knob 125B, very tight quarters with the in/out jacks. So you really have to watch your builds with that site.

As far as the enclosures. I keep unused ones around but end up recycling them I just don't build enough to use them. Plus the mistakes bug me. Even if I put a faceplate over it I know I drilled bad holes underneath.

I was going to more of a diffused glow type of look. 80's for sure. Like from a neon sign. I made it look real good in Affinity but it didn't translate how I wanted on the enclosure. So I settled for just plain text without blur FX and such. You can see it in those first two examples, there's a slight haze around the the letters. Plus I was a little off on a switch hole and when you have 3 switches those are really unforgiving for wiggle room. Wanted to get this one looking right so I kept at it.

 

[jimilee]

Dark Tube Ass Preamp…. I like it.

 

[mjh36]

Dark Tube Ass Preamp…. I like it.

Oops! I see that now. Definitely doesn't sound like ass though!

 

[Betty Wont]

Thank you I edited the post. These names all get so similar sometimes,

The word “mania” is your key word to avoid there. Otherwise good to go

 

[Feral Feline]

If the mistakes bug you too much, you can recycle them my way. I'll pay for scrap enclosures, including shipping.

 

[mjh36]

If the mistakes bug you too much, you can recycle them my way. I'll pay for scrap enclosures, including shipping.

Very cool I'll absolutely send you some, I have a few more lying around too.

 

[jimilee]

I just had to plug some holes in an enclosure today, I inadvertently drilled too many. JB Weld steel stick.