Harmonic Percolator - Suggestions On Choosing A Version?

[Ginsly]

I'm still working my way through some PPCB boards, and next time I order I'll try their version of course.

In the meantime - I'm trying to decide which modified version to build, and there seems to be a lot of them. Generally, I'm more interested in the fuzzier side of the HP than using it as an overdrive.

- Albini Vs Standard - I think I'd go with something close to the "normal" version, since I'm not familiar with Albini's guitar sound.
- Diodes Vs No Diodes - Many of them can switch the clipping section out which is nice, but I typically prefer diodes IN if I had to choose.
- Noise - The HP seems to be an inherently hissy/noisy circuit, although some like Fredric Effects have found ways to limit this - how, I'm not sure. I realize the transistors chosen have a role in this too, but I'm really looking for a newer take that may have tweaks to deal with the noise floor.
- Bias - Basic Audio's version has a transistor bias knob, but sadly can't find a trace of it! Wondering which resistor I would replace with a pot, but I guess that depends on which version I land on.

Let me know what might fit this criteria - thanks! Thinking this'll be a Stripboard/Perfboard situation if I can't find a pcb that ticks many of these boxes...

 

[jwyles90]

I know it's not the PPCB version, but I really like my AionFX build of the Catalinbread Karma Suture. If I remember correctly, it's laid out to accommodate different transistor types and all that.

 

[jwin615]

Would definitely recommend reading over madbean's build doc(and aion's if they have one)
Brian had a few good notes in his iirc, as usual and appreciated.
For the albini guitar tone, listen to Shellac. NSFW

 

[andare]

I don't know if this is one of Albini's Percolators, nor do I know what any of the gear is, but this is a dope tone

 

[Hirti]

I know it's not the PPCB version, but I really like my AionFX build of the Catalinbread Karma Suture. If I remember correctly, it's laid out to accommodate different transistor types and all that.

I second that. The HP is a really interesting circuit. I built a couple of different versions but the one I liked most was the Catalinbread Karma Suture Germanium. AIONFX has a version of that.

 

[jwin615]

I don't know if this is one of Albini's Percolators, nor do I know what any of the gear is, but this is a dope tone

Required reading for the class.

 

[jwin615]

The HP is all over 1000 Hurts. But he also played his Travis Bean and Veleno (aluminum necks) with a copper pick. (Talk about metal!)
So that album is a better example of what Albini playing a percolator sounds like vs just and example of a HP.

 

[Ginsly]

Ha... It's funny, Shellac's guitar tech and his girlfriend jammed with me and some friends many years ago here in Chicago. The basement of that Wicker Park house has a lot of history! David Pajo of Slint lived there for a while, as did Paz Lenchantin, recently of The Pixies. One night I was out on the deck having a drink and a fella passed by, clearly in Party Mode. Asked him if he wanted a beer, and he came on up. Irvine Welsh, author of Trainspotting! I think he was teaching a class at Columbia College or something. Lived next door. Wild time!

 

[DGWVI]

The last 10 seconds of this -

He really doesn't use the Percolator too often, with his clangy scuzz just coming from his IVP Bassman assemblage

 

[jwin615]

The last 10 seconds of this -

He really doesn't use the Percolator too often, with his clangy scuzz just coming from his IVP Bassman assemblage

Was under the impression he used it as a "clean boost" a good bit
But also, who knows what he does in studio. So many odd toys and knows every one of them.
I actually got to 2nd Engineer for him in 04¿
Was the prez of our schools AES chapter and we did a big battle of the bands fundraiser to pay him to come do a 1 day seminar. Learned the Albini drum room mic method first hand. Nice guy but very VERY tunnelvisioned on the task at hand then on to the next. Just a laser focus.

 

[Ginsly]

Oh yeah, there are so many variables with a recorded guitar part that I’d never really try to recreate it with a single pedal.

I‘d like to figure out which resistor(s) to look at if I wanted to add a Bias knob, no matter what the version. Anybody know? I looked into it a bit and someone mentioned a Q1 resistor- I figure it would be Q2 though…?

 

[DGWVI]

Was under the impression he used it as a "clean boost" a good bit
But also, who knows what he does in studio. So many odd toys and knows every one of them.
I actually got to 2nd Engineer for him in 04¿
Was the prez of our schools AES chapter and we did a big battle of the bands fundraiser to pay him to come do a 1 day seminar. Learned the Albini drum room mic method first hand. Nice guy but very VERY tunnelvisioned on the task at hand then on to the next. Just a laser focus.

Here's a good interview -

And, looking at live photos, you can see the Percolator dimed as he describes

 

[jwin615]

Oh yeah, there are so many variables with a recorded guitar part that I’d never really try to recreate it with a single pedal.

I‘d like to figure out which resistor(s) to look at if I wanted to add a Bias knob, no matter what the version. Anybody know? I looked into it a bit and someone mentioned a Q1 resistor- I figure it would be Q2 though…?

I'm not really sure on the Bias knob...
The HP is a little different/weird.
Two common emitter amps, one npn, one PNP, that share a bias current, I think...

Maybe a "sag" with a pot in series with R4 in the Madbean schematic?

 

[jwin615]

Just remembered Lantertronics did a video on the circuit

 

[Coda]

I built mine with each diode set in a toggle. I can have all diodes, diodes on Ge, diodes on Si, or no diodes. Also, Shellac just announced their new album today, “To All Trains,” out 5/17…

 

[Dan0h]

I love my Hp on my Strat. My jazzmaster doesn’t like it though. And depending on where I am in the house I pick up crazy am radio stations with it dimed. All that said in my basement radio free it’s one of my favorite simple circuits having the low end and sustain like a muff but all the crazy of a fuzz factory and some slight octave harmonics. I built the pedalpcb version stock but used some nos transistors I picked up. Such a great pedal.

 

[pingpongcomputer]

My first pedal build was a FuzzDog Karama Suture Ge, with a NOS gold lead 2N404, still use it on occasion but prefer regular fuzz mostly. It can do a nice sounding Ge boost without much grit. It also does pickup RF at high gain.

Edit: here's the song that inspired me to build an HP-alike, jump to 3:10 for brittle piercing distortion/carnage

 

[Ginsly]

I'm not really sure on the Bias knob...
The HP is a little different/weird.
Two common emitter amps, one npn, one PNP, that share a bias current, I think...

Maybe a "sag" with a pot in series with R4 in the Madbean schematic?

This is a great start, thanks! Odd circuit indeed…

 

[joelorigo]

I'm not sure this will be of help or not, but here is a project from Distortion LTD that I attempted as a beginner. It claims to have the "consensus" version of the circuit and the Albini circuit via a switch.

 

[Ginsly]

I'm not sure this will be of help or not, but here is a project from Distortion LTD that I attempted as a beginner. It claims to have the "consensus" version of the circuit and the Albini circuit via a switch.

This is really promising - thanks! I'll have to monkey with some of the resistors to see where I might be able to work in a bias or starve...