GPCB Content: Mellon Collie and the Infinite Phatness (Demo Below)

[Pauleo1214]

I am a big fan of the Pumpkins and appreciate Billy Corgan’s evolution from Gish to Cyr. In my opinion, his best “guitar” sounds are on SIamese Dream and Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. A little bit of research revealed he used a MXR Distortion+ into a Big Muff Pi Op Amp Version for the base distortion sound. He used an octaver for the song Rocket and either a Mutron Bi-Phase or MXR Phase 90 depending on the source set on low.

To achieve the sound, I ended up cramming five PCBs into a 1590XX. This pedal features a Green Ringer going into a Emexar into a Muffin (op amp) into a Dr. Phybes, and capped off by a Stage 3 boost because why not?

Despite using five PCBs, you will notice I only have four foot switches. That is because the Emexar and Muffin into one circuit in series.

 

[Feral Feline]

You must have lazer-toes!

Great build.

 

[Pauleo1214]

If by lazer-toes you mean fingers, then yes, I have lazer-toes!

 

[Feral Feline]

I mean, Pauleo1214, it's a GREAT Build from overall concept to execution.

It's got a great name and graphic, both allude to the type of tones to expect.
Drilling is straight, wires are neat and organised, control-labelling easy to read, 5 circuits in a 1590DD would be a feat let alone 1590XX.

I'm familiar with all the GPCB boards you used, as well — I've got a lot of GPCB's boards, tried to get the Angry Red Camel, Emerald Ring, Stage3 Boost, TwEQ and an order switcher to play nicely together in the same box and it was an unmitigated disaster. Each circuit worked out of the box on its own, but I couldn't get them to work together. There's a pic floating around this forum in another thread of the horrors of my attempts at drilling for that project...


I'm impressed, and maybe a hair jealous!

 

[K Pedals]

I am a big fan of the Pumpkins and appreciate Billy Corgan’s evolution from Gish to Cyr. In my opinion, his best “guitar” sounds are on SIamese Dream and Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. A little bit of research revealed he used a MXR Distortion+ into a Big Muff Pi Op Amp Version for the base distortion sound. He used an octaver for the song Rocket and either a Mutron Bi-Phase or MXR Phase 90 depending on the source set on low.

To achieve the sound, I ended up cramming five PCBs into a 1590XX. This pedal features a Green Ringer going into a Emexar into a Muffin (op amp) into a Dr. Phybes, and capped off by a Stage 3 boost because why not?

Despite using five PCBs, you will notice I only have four foot switches. That is because the Emexar and Muffin into one circuit in series.

View attachment 13816

Yeah that album was so influential to me... really cool idea...

 

[Pauleo1214]

I mean, Pauleo1214, it's a GREAT Build from overall concept to execution.

It's got a great name and graphic, both allude to the type of tones to expect.
Drilling is straight, wires are neat and organised, control-labelling easy to read, 5 circuits in a 1590DD would be a feat let alone 1590XX.

I'm familiar with all the GPCB boards you used, as well — I've got a lot of GPCB's boards, tried to get the Angry Red Camel, Emerald Ring, Stage3 Boost, TwEQ and an order switcher to play nicely together in the same box and it was an unmitigated disaster. Each circuit worked out of the box on its own, but I couldn't get them to work together. There's a pic floating around this forum in another thread of the horrors of my attempts at drilling for that project...


I'm impressed, and maybe a hair jealous!

Thank you Feral Feline. By any chance do you have a cat? I have five (no I'm not kidding). I admit I'm a bit confused as to what laser-toes are. I thought you were complimenting the dexterity of my feet given how close the foot switches are together but maybe you mean something else!

Yeah that album was so influential to me... really cool idea...

Thank you K! I need to slap together a strat with Lace Sensors and cut a demo.

 

[Feral Feline]

Thank you Feral Feline. By any chance do you have a cat? I have five (no I'm not kidding). I admit I'm a bit confused as to what laser-toes are. I thought you were complimenting the dexterity of my feet given how close the foot switches are together but maybe you mean something else!

Down to one now. Had two and two dogs, now we're down to just the one cat and she's old. Brother was up to six cats at one point, now down to two, well 3, but his ex took one.

"Lazer-toes" — twas indeed complimenting your toe dexterity, but even more-so a comment about my big clumsy oaf feet, size 13.5 so ... yeah.
I just drilled an extra hole in a vertical 1590BB-ish enclosure. It was predrilled for a centre-footswitch, but I changed a toggle to be yet another footswitch — tight. I thought "It's no different than 2 footswitches in a 1590N1", PPCB's standard-sized enclosure, same size as all those Chase Bliss pedals with 2 footswitches.... My pedal isn't completely finished but I mocked it up with the footswitches, threw it on the carpet and stomped on it a number of times...
Jury is still out on whether I'll be able to realistically use dual-footswitches in 1590N1's narrow format, had planned a number of them. All my dual-footswitch commercial pedals have been minimum 1590BB horizontal — wait, I do have one vertical 1590BB dual stomper, my Dwarfcraft BDSM. Anyway, I digress and this isn't germane to your thread.

I'd like to have something similar done with a graphic, but lack photoshop skills, any art skills, but hope to improve the look of my pedals, so I gotta ask:
What did you use to change the graphic from "Sadness" to "Phatness" etc?

 

[NickC]

great build man, just for the news ,billy lately used a Tycobrahe Octavia by Chicago Iron and a Bloodyfinger distortion to boost the amps for leads tone.

Chrome Dome Distortion - PedalPCB.com

Compare to GTC Bloody Finger

www.pedalpcb.com

​

 

[Pauleo1214]

Down to one now. Had two and two dogs, now we're down to just the one cat and she's old. Brother was up to six cats at one point, now down to two, well 3, but his ex took one.

"Lazer-toes" — twas indeed complimenting your toe dexterity, but even more-so a comment about my big clumsy oaf feet, size 13.5 so ... yeah.
I just drilled an extra hole in a vertical 1590BB-ish enclosure. It was predrilled for a centre-footswitch, but I changed a toggle to be yet another footswitch — tight. I thought "It's no different than 2 footswitches in a 1590N1", PPCB's standard-sized enclosure, same size as all those Chase Bliss pedals with 2 footswitches.... My pedal isn't completely finished but I mocked it up with the footswitches, threw it on the carpet and stomped on it a number of times...
Jury is still out on whether I'll be able to realistically use dual-footswitches in 1590N1's narrow format, had planned a number of them. All my dual-footswitch commercial pedals have been minimum 1590BB horizontal — wait, I do have one vertical 1590BB dual stomper, my Dwarfcraft BDSM. Anyway, I digress and this isn't germane to your thread.

I'd like to have something similar done with a graphic, but lack photoshop skills, any art skills, but hope to improve the look of my pedals, so I gotta ask:
What did you use to change the graphic from "Sadness" to "Phatness" etc?

i had golden retrievers growing up. My wife was the one with a cat. When he passed away we got Herbert who ended up becoming my cat. I didn't think it was fair for her so I got Penny. Then I got Sherman. Both ended up my cats. At which point the lady who I adopted them from sent me to volunteer at the local rescue. The next two were taken in during the initial Covid lockdown. Fortunately the fourth cat, Daphne took ownership of my wife. Beaker, the fifth is my foster fail.

Toe- dexterity aside, I use Gimpshot to do my graphics. I size them out according to whatever enclosure I am using. I googled Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness font and a listing for "Burton's Nightmare" font came up here. You can download the zip file and install the font and hopefully whatever program you use will pick it up. You can alternatively type the text here and download it as a transparent png to use as a layer.

great build man, just for the news ,billy lately used a Tycobrahe Octavia by Chicago Iron and a Bloodyfinger distortion to boost the amps for leads tone.

Chrome Dome Distortion - PedalPCB.com

Compare to GTC Bloody Finger

www.pedalpcb.com

​

Was this the pedal he used for Shiny and Oh, so Bright album? Cyr is their latest offering but it is synth based. I think I gave up on tracking Billy's gear after Mellon Collie; he is not one for sticking with a singular piece of gear. That said, I am starting to amass a huge pile of blank PCBs and this is going to the top of the list. I'm trying to hold out for when the FV-1s are back in stock

 

[Feral Feline]

i had golden retrievers growing up. My wife was the one with a cat. When he passed away we got Herbert who ended up becoming my cat. I didn't think it was fair for her so I got Penny. Then I got Sherman. Both ended up my cats. At which point the lady who I adopted them from sent me to volunteer at the local rescue. The next two were taken in during the initial Covid lockdown. Fortunately the fourth cat, Daphne took ownership of my wife. Beaker, the fifth is my foster fail.

Toe- dexterity aside, I use Gimpshot to do my graphics. I size them out according to whatever enclosure I am using. I googled Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness font and a listing for "Burton's Nightmare" font came up here. You can download the zip file and install the font and hopefully whatever program you use will pick it up. You can alternatively type the text here and download it as a transparent png to use as a layer.


Was this the pedal he used for Shiny and Oh, so Bright album? Cyr is their latest offering but it is synth based. I think I gave up on tracking Billy's gear after Mellon Collie; he is not one for sticking with a singular piece of gear. That said, I am starting to amass a huge pile of blank PCBs and this is going to the top of the list. I'm trying to hold out for when the FV-1s are back in stock

MANY thanks for the graphics instruction!
Fan of Tim Burton's, I've DL'd the font. I've got Gimp, wasn't even aware there was Gimpshop. I've been trying to learn Inkscape, but every time I get around to it, I'm basically starting over from scratch.


Both our cats were rescue kitties, and one of the dogs was a foster-mutt — looked after the dog while the owner relocated to France — by the time she settled in Paris, we both came to the conclusion the dog was better off MTBing with me than being couped up dans un petite Parisienne ancien appartement. The other dog was my wife's from childhood... Shih Tzus aren't known for their longevity, but this little FUSA was a couple months shy of 23 years when he passed. I say "Fusa" 'cause he was the most ferocious ShihTzu I've met — chasing down the local St. Bernards and German Shepherds. My mom had a run of Shih Tzus, all chill, but my wife's dog...grrrr. Mom's got King Charles Cavaliers now, ehhr, well down to one ruby.


I saw a clip of Mr Corgan with a shopping-trolley full of pedals, he was tracking or had just finished tracking a Pumpkins album — none of the pedals were in boxes, not even stacked neatly — just a hodge-podge jumble and he's taking a pedal out and talking about it and then tossing, not placing, them back in the trolley... . Okay, they're tools to be used, but ... show a little respect, sir!

For my Billy-Pedal, I've had a Dist II > BMPOA planned, but I've been rethinkering the thinger after seeing "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Phatness".

 

[NickC]

The bloody finger is in that youtube vid "stompland".He use it on song for a son, and you can see it in every live setup pedabord. I build one, its like a fixed wha / filter type distortion, i dont like it alone, it's good if you use it like a boost for cut the mix during solos.

For ending my billy corgan tone quest
I'm waiting for a tzf pedal... the perpetua maybe? You know Cherub Rock flange solo style... Heheh.

 

[Pauleo1214]

MANY thanks for the graphics instruction!
Fan of Tim Burton's, I've DL'd the font. I've got Gimp, wasn't even aware there was Gimpshop. I've been trying to learn Inkscape, but every time I get around to it, I'm basically starting over from scratch.


Both our cats were rescue kitties, and one of the dogs was a foster-mutt — looked after the dog while the owner relocated to France — by the time she settled in Paris, we both came to the conclusion the dog was better off MTBing with me than being couped up dans un petite Parisienne ancien appartement. The other dog was my wife's from childhood... Shih Tzus aren't known for their longevity, but this little FUSA was a couple months shy of 23 years when he passed. I say "Fusa" 'cause he was the most ferocious ShihTzu I've met — chasing down the local St. Bernards and German Shepherds. My mom had a run of Shih Tzus, all chill, but my wife's dog...grrrr. Mom's got King Charles Cavaliers now, ehhr, well down to one ruby.


I saw a clip of Mr Corgan with a shopping-trolley full of pedals, he was tracking or had just finished tracking a Pumpkins album — none of the pedals were in boxes, not even stacked neatly — just a hodge-podge jumble and he's taking a pedal out and talking about it and then tossing, not placing, them back in the trolley... . Okay, they're tools to be used, but ... show a little respect, sir!

For my Billy-Pedal, I've had a Dist II > BMPOA planned, but I've been rethinkering the thinger after seeing "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Phatness".

Ferocious Shij tzu? I dated a girl with a bastard chihuahua from hell named Bingo! I recall seeing that video of Corgan tossing through pedals. I think a combination of Dist II + BMPOA into one pedal would be solid on its own!

The bloody finger is in that youtube vid "stompland".He use it on song for a son, and you can see it in every live setup pedabord. I build one, its like a fixed wha / filter type distortion, i dont like it alone, it's good if you use it like a boost for cut the mix during solos.

For ending my billy corgan tone quest
I'm waiting for a tzf pedal... the perpetua maybe? You know Cherub Rock flange solo style... Heheh.

The Bloody Finger just got bumped up on my list! I might have to combo it with something else.

 

[spi]

That's great!
So after all that, does it the nail the Smashing Pumpkins tone you're going after?

 

[Pauleo1214]

That's great!
So after all that, does it the nail the Smashing Pumpkins tone you're going after?

It does and doesn't. I think Butch Vig deserves a lot of credit for how Siamese Dream was mixed. Here's a quick, sloppy demo! Strat copy with Lace Sensor (Red, Silver and Blue) into the pedal, into a Hammond PA tube amp converted into a Marshall 18 Watt TMB. Shure SM57 going into a Behringer U-Phoria preamp into Audacity.

https://soundcloud.com/paul-eliasson%2Fhummer

 

[Feral Feline]

"Dual" Pedal!
Channel A: Dist II/Dist+ hybrid > BMPOA
Channel B: Bloody Digit & Tycobrahe Octavia or TZF

This is why nothing ever gets done-finished... the goal posts keep shifting.