First Combo build....and it works! Mach 1/Southern Belle

[MichaelW]

This was my first attempt at a combo build, mainly because the more I listened to the video demo's of these two pedals (Greer LightSpeed and Southland) the more they seemed to belong together. I figured I'd probably wind up using them as a pair if I used them at all.

Thanks to the PedalPCB.com wiki page I was able to find the wiring scheme I needed for what I wanted to do, just a simple 2-in-1 build.

It was very gratifying to have it fire right up but I did learn a few things I'd do differently next time, mainly around the drilling. Instead of treating it as two drilling templates side by side I'd probably tweak it a little make the lay out more symmetrical and allow for more knob size options.

Jury's still out on these pedals for me. I thought that I would like them a lot more than I initially do. Running the Mach 1 into the Southern Belle is a bit fizzy for me. Seems to work a lot better with my humbucker guitars than single coils, which is ironic since what sold me on these pedals was Mike Herman's demos on his tele mainly. I think they sound the best in low gain mode which is what they were designed for I think. The Southern Belle takes things up a notch beyond the Mach 1 by adding in some BAT41's to the complement of 1N914 diodes but whether running in tandem or individually, for me the best sounds I was getting was with the gain around noon or 1 o'clock.

But I am very happy that I've successfully built a combo pedal and it's got me thinking about the next one already

 

[Feral Feline]

Looks great!

Ahh, but shouldn't the Blue LED go with the blue knobs?

 

[szukalski]

Looks nice. I haven’t had much luck stacking my Mach 1, always too much high end. Alone, it’s really useful for shoegazer stuff.

 

[MichaelW]

Looks great!

Ahh, but shouldn't the Blue LED go with the blue knobs?

Hadn't thought of that, hmmm......maybe....

 

[MichaelW]

Looks nice. I haven’t had much luck stacking my Mach 1, always too much high end. Alone, it’s really useful for shoegazer stuff.

Yah, that's what I'm running into, I really have to back down the tone knob to make it work. Both pedals have a deceptively large amount of high end that really gets accentuated when stacked.

 

[szukalski]

I found it working well into a cranked Fuzz Face or Muffin Factory, but then it’s just a boost and I may as well use a boost. It’s a pity because it’s a really beautiful pedal in its place.

 

[EGRENIER]

Nice build…. Looking at the schematic, the Mach 1 and the southern belle use a 220n in the tone stack (Mach-C8 and Belle-C6). Maybe replacing those with a 470n would help trim the highs ?

 

[swelchy]

What size enclosure is this ? 1590XX?

 

[manfesto]

I like the stack the other way around, South -> Speed. Then it’s kinda like how lots of people use the KoT - the first channel is the “high gain” one that’s your base dirt tone (I *really* like the South circuit’s dirt character - very full), then the second channel is more like a boost to add some volume and brightness on top.

(Built using EffectsLayouts’s Light Land boards)

 

[MichaelW]

What size enclosure is this ? 1590XX?

It’s just a 1590BB.

 

[MichaelW]

I like the stack the other way around, South -> Speed. Then it’s kinda like how lots of people use the KoT - the first channel is the “high gain” one that’s your base dirt tone (I *really* like the South circuit’s dirt character - very full), then the second channel is more like a boost to add some volume and brightness on top.

(Built using EffectsLayouts’s Light Land boards)

Haha I must be backwards then: I like to use my KOT/Paragon Ch1 for a clean-ish boost and bring the rain from Ch2. I didn’t get a chance to play today but I need to experiment a bit more with these pedals. I feel like the potential is there for this combo to really kick ass but I’m missing something. I may try changing the tone caps as @EGRENIER suggested.

 

[MichaelW]

Nice build…. Looking at the schematic, the Mach 1 and the southern belle use a 220n in the tone stack (Mach-C8 and Belle-C6). Maybe replacing those with a 470n would help trim the highs ?

Thank you! I might give that a shot.

 

[spi]

Nice looking build. I also did a dual build with these. I added an order switch, so I'd have the option of either order. I usually run it LS->SL.

I like both these circuits, but I prefer the LS more than the SL.

The SL does have a lot of high-end sizzle. I swapped the TL072 to a LM1458 and I think I like it better that way, seemed to tame some of it.

 

[MichaelW]

Nice looking build. I also did a dual build with these. I added an order switch, so I'd have the option of either order. I usually run it LS->SL.

I like both these circuits, but I prefer the LS more than the SL.

The SL does have a lot of high-end sizzle. I swapped the TL072 to a LM1458 and I think I like it better that way, seemed to tame some of it.

I was thinking about maybe swapping out the TL072 for maybe a 4558 or even an LM741. I gotta see what else I have in the bin to try.

 

[Feral Feline]

Nice build…. Looking at the schematic, the Mach 1 and the southern belle use a 220n in the tone stack (Mach-C8 and Belle-C6). Maybe replacing those with a 470n would help trim the highs ?

I'd start with 330n on the breadboard, but probably go for the 470n, because BASS!


Nonetheless for guitar, I'm wondering if the "excessive" high end would be good once its in the mix, help the guitar cut through the keyboard and cymbals...

 

[Grubb]

Welcome to the Greer of Tone club!

I made my own PCB for a 2-in-1 of these circuits in a 1590BB. I like them both a lot, in fact the Mach 1 is one of my favourite builds so far. I haven't noticed any high-frequency issues, but the SB can get sizzling, in a good way. I have it set up natively to run the SB side into the M1 and mostly use it that way. The order switch I built into the pedal wasn't that useful.

Tidy-looking build Michael!

(Edited 1590B to say 1590BB)

 

[MichaelW]

Welcome to the Greer of Tone club!

I made my own PCB for a 2-in-1 of these circuits in a 1590B. I like them both a lot, in fact the Mach 1 is one of my favourite builds so far. I haven't noticed any high-frequency issues, but the SB can get sizzling, in a good way. I have it set up natively to run the SB side into the M1 and mostly use it that way. The order switch I built into the pedal wasn't that useful.

Tidy-looking build Michael!

How did you fit them both in a 1590B?

I have a Hydra Delay about 90% finished on my bench, once I get that buttoned up I'm planning on messing around with the "GOT" (hahah) a bit and maybe do some slight surgery with the tone caps.

 

[Grubb]

How did you fit them both in a 1590B?

I have a Hydra Delay about 90% finished on my bench, once I get that buttoned up I'm planning on messing around with the "GOT" (hahah) a bit and maybe do some slight surgery with the tone caps.

Typo! I lost a B. They are in a 1590BB. Good luck with the cap surgery.

 

[MichaelW]

I just messed around with it a bit more just now testing my Hydra build that I just buttoned up (build report coming).

I definitely like the Mach 1 with the gain around noon. I think I'm going to leave that side alone, it's a great sounding pedal.
The SB side is the one I think that I need to tame a bit. That's the next project. I think I'll start with some different OpAmps then move onto tone caps if necessary. Will report back.

 

[MichaelW]

Update: So my modifications on the Southern Belle side of the pedal was a total bust. I killed something when I removed C1 and R4 and can't seem to track down what I broke. I could very well be one of the solid core hook ups that I used.

So I was thinking about breaking out the audio probe to try to track down the problem but then said to myself "Self, why are you troubleshooting a pedal you don't even like?" So I decided to bag it. I re-housed the Mach 1 side (which I DO like) in it's own enclosure. I had a raw 1590B that I started drilling for another project but wound up not using.....so that part worked out. (You can actually see an extra punch mark below the footswitch)

The Southern Belle side is going on the shelf for some future troubleshooting if I ever get too full of myself and need a dose of humility.

The dual enclosure I'm sure will be used for another project.

In the context of the single pedal I really dig the Mach 1 as a low gain pedal. It joins the ranks of my Cornish CC-1, Seashore, and (yet to be built Tommy) as another flavor of low gain. Definitely has it's own thing going on and has some cool "sizzle" to the overdrive quality.