DEMO Comet-The original Defouler

[Guardians of the analog]

Build Rating

5.00 star(s)

The orange distortion that started it all. Like many people it was my first pedal. I got mine in 93 when I got my first electric guitar, the pedal was used and beat to hell. Love it or hate it the DS-1 is a classic. I've built a couple now and owned an early 90s with the original preamp IC and a late 90s model rev1a. I have the original IC and built a board for that but the use of top mount jacks was hindered by component placement and that board is meant for side jacks

This version of the comet is based on the rev1a schematic and adds a clipping switch for different diodes. I auditioned different opamps that would have been used by boss and ended up with the jrc2904 as it had the best balance of OG tone and s/n ratio. the clipping options are LED in the center, symmetrical 4148 in the down position and symmetrical series 4148/bat 46 in the up position to simulate the originals fv. In the end it sound like a DS-1, warts and all, for better or worse. It's cool to have a DS-1 without the buffers and the LED clipping gives the texture of gain a different feel and tone.

Matte orange enclosure with UV print. Sam Alexander as Nova for the artwork. Sound clips going back to my teen years in the 90s again and how I used my DS-1 back then. First clip shows the ds-1 and the volume difference between the diode options, and the second clip compares the ds-1 to the defouler. Maybe it's time for @Robert to make a straight up DS-1, unless I'm the only idiot who would build one

 

[szukalski]

Love it. In general, I really enjoy the older pedals (but not the noise floor) and think the lack of love is due to misunderstanding how to use them effectively. A tube amp, driven to the point of breakup (or to it's limits) and then adding a pedal on top.. the thing pedals were designed to do! Put them onto a pristine clean channel and they may not stand well on their own.

I really love a balls-to-the-wall Marshall with a SD-1 on top, it sounds glorious, as does the DS-1. I'm not sure it'd be financially feasible for a PPCB offering, who wants to pay €50 in parts to build a pedal that costs €45 new? (I mean, I will, but I'll do my own PCB, and I'm not fiscally responsible).

 

[Guardians of the analog]

Love it. In general, I really enjoy the older pedals (but not the noise floor) and think the lack of love is due to misunderstanding how to use them effectively. A tube amp, driven to the point of breakup (or to it's limits) and then adding a pedal on top.. the thing pedals were designed to do! Put them onto a pristine clean channel and they may not stand well on their own.

I really love a balls-to-the-wall Marshall with a SD-1 on top, it sounds glorious, as does the DS-1. I'm not sure it'd be financially feasible for a PPCB offering, who wants to pay €50 in parts to build a pedal that costs €45 new? (I mean, I will, but I'll do my own PCB, and I'm not fiscally responsible).

Every time someone says to me why would I build a pedal for 40 dollars when you can buy one used for that price, I always say that's not why I diy. I can build something that sounds the same but is way cooler. and again the pride of playing something I built. Also, there isn't much to this circuit but having gone through and tested so many opamps in this I feel like once again I cemented that fidelity is not always what you want in a drive pedal.

 

[steviejr92]

Dang that orange is killer! I love everything about this build! Amazing through and through!

 

[szukalski]

Every time someone says to me why would I build a pedal for 40 dollars when you can buy one used for that price, I always say that's not why I diy. I can build something that sounds the same but is way cooler. and again the pride of playing something I built. Also, there isn't much to this circuit but having gone through and tested so many opamps in this I feel like once again I cemented that fidelity is not always what you want in a drive pedal.

You mean I should have different opamps other than TL072? That's crazy talk.

 

[Laundryroom David]

The orange distortion that started it all. Like many people it was my first pedal. I got mine in 93 when I got my first electric guitar, the pedal was used and beat to hell. Love it or hate it the DS-1 is a classic. I've built a couple now and owned an early 90s with the original preamp IC and a late 90s model rev1a. I have the original IC and built a board for that but the use of top mount jacks was hindered by component placement and that board is meant for side jacks

This version of the comet is based on the rev1a schematic and adds a clipping switch for different diodes. I auditioned different opamps that would have been used by boss and ended up with the jrc2904 as it had the best balance of OG tone and s/n ratio. the clipping options are LED in the center, symmetrical 4148 in the down position and symmetrical series 4148/bat 46 in the up position to simulate the originals fv. In the end it sound like a DS-1, warts and all, for better or worse. It's cool to have a DS-1 without the buffers and the LED clipping gives the texture of gain a different feel and tone.

Matte orange enclosure with UV print. Sam Alexander as Nova for the artwork. Sound clips going back to my teen years in the 90s again and how I used my DS-1 back then. First clip shows the ds-1 and the volume difference between the diode options, and the second clip compares the ds-1 to the defouler. Maybe it's time for @Robert to make a straight up DS-1, unless I'm the only idiot who would build one

Fantastic build. I would build a DS-1 for sure. @Robert

 

[Route14]

Every time someone says to me why would I build a pedal for 40 dollars when you can buy one used for that price,

Because I fucking can!

 

[Mentaltossflycoon]

I'd build one or two.

 

[Phil hodson]

I got one a while ago now. An older one with through hole components etc. With the idea to muck around and mod it etc. I haven’t done anything to it! It’s been on my board since day one! It sounds amazing and as good as, or maybe even better than some $500 “boutique” pedals I have so it’s a keeper for sure.

I would be interested in one that could incorporate some of the mods available out there.

I do have another one now, a newer one that I have gutted and put on a new board. Just got the relay in that I needed for it. So will see what happens with this one.

 

[Paradox916]

It’s definitely an Iconic tone from a clean build. Love the play on the classic orange.

 

[Harry Klippton]

Cool now I know what a DS1 sounds like. Great build as always Chris! Doesn't look like you had any trouble with that daughter board

 

[Guardians of the analog]

Cool now I know what a DS1 sounds like. Great build as always Chris! Doesn't look like you had any trouble with that daughter board

While not the prettiest thing to look at, I have never let it stop me from building a pedal I wanted and I don't find it troublesome or inconvenient. I'd rather have this daughter board over side jacks

 

[Erik S]

Speaking of daughter boards... I've noticed a couple builders here do em like that - really precise small amounts of solder. I guess it makes sense that filling that sucker to the brim is probably overkill, impossible to desolder, might risk overheating something, and makes a big mess of flux, but I don't know if I could resist the urge to keep pumping it in there.

Whatever the rationale, it looks great and shows off some skill!

 

[Guardians of the analog]

Speaking of daughter boards... I've noticed a couple builders here do em like that - really precise small amounts of solder. I guess it makes sense that filling that sucker to the brim is probably overkill, impossible to desolder, might risk overheating something, and makes a big mess of flux, but I don't know if I could resist the urge to keep pumping it in there.

Whatever the rationale, it looks great and shows off some skill!

Thanks, it's always funny when people tell me they like my attention to detail, it's a mental illness I'm just the world's okayest pedal builder with OCD . If you take your time and are into what you are doing you can have the results you desire. You have some nice stuff going on yourself.

 

[Deperduci]

what he said ^^^^^

I was NOT paying attention to detail and comparing I found out WHY mine doesn't work... d1's didn't.... match

I wonder which is going to run out 1st, new marvel characters or boxes you put them on Chris. You're not the only idjit eyeballing making these, I was ready to use a perfboard version if needed...