cdwillis
Well-known member
I loaned a friend of mine a Rat clone I had built with a switch to go from symmetrical LED to symmetrical silicon diode clipping. He liked it enough that he asked me to build one for him with a matte black enclosure and clear MXR type knobs.
I used a socket for the op amp so he could try an LM308 if he ever felt like it. Using an OP07 and 2n5458. Personally I like the Turbo style LED mode I never really even use the silicon clipping. When he gives mine back I think I might replace the symmetrical silicon clipping side of the switch with something else.
Cramming the switch in was kind of a pain. The pins of the switch would normally stick through the pcb if the board was actually designed for it. Since it's not and the diodes were offboard on the switch I had to raise the pcb to the upper height of the potentiometer legs so the switch pins wouldn't touch the pcb. It's solid (I wouldn't build it for someone else otherwise), but I don't consider it ideal. I had to open it back up and put a piece of foam between the gain pot legs and the switch because it was making contact and cutting out when on silicon mode.
I used a socket for the op amp so he could try an LM308 if he ever felt like it. Using an OP07 and 2n5458. Personally I like the Turbo style LED mode I never really even use the silicon clipping. When he gives mine back I think I might replace the symmetrical silicon clipping side of the switch with something else.
Cramming the switch in was kind of a pain. The pins of the switch would normally stick through the pcb if the board was actually designed for it. Since it's not and the diodes were offboard on the switch I had to raise the pcb to the upper height of the potentiometer legs so the switch pins wouldn't touch the pcb. It's solid (I wouldn't build it for someone else otherwise), but I don't consider it ideal. I had to open it back up and put a piece of foam between the gain pot legs and the switch because it was making contact and cutting out when on silicon mode.
