So about 20 years ago I was in that first internet surge of stomp box (and amp) DIYers. I have a lot of fond memories from then. I ordered schematics from repair houses of obscure pedals by snail mail (and shared them online). I made PCB layouts I would print on to PnP blue and then etch with acid. I would wander the hardware stores looking for things to abuse as enclosures. All the fun stuff. I ended up getting a job in game development with a horrible work life balance and I dropped a lot of hobbies, but I always wanted to return to DIYing but I resisted because it's a rabbit hole (I built more than I played).
So not long ago I ordered a Warlow clone off of Reverb in a pretty 125b with zombie rabbit art. When it arrived it was noisy as heck (and the tone switch did not work as it should either). I would have returned it but it shipped from Italy (to the US) and I was fond of the art. I assumed it was a power issue and I tried moving it around on my board, using an isolated power connect, etc. It even caused noise when when bypassed. In frustration I put on my reading glasses and opened it up. After a few minutes I realized the builder did not connect the input ground. I broke out my soldering iron and fixed it and poked around and thought "I could do better - for cheap."
So here I am haha
First thing I built was a Mayonaise. I assume it was named after the Smashing Pumpkins song which was originally called My Own Eyes. I also built a Swollen Pickle but I realized I would never use the Pickle over the Mayonaise so I didn't box the Pickle up.
The second pedal I wanted to build was a Rat. I love Rats and I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted. My former favorite rats are the Electrofoods Nepenthes and then the Landgraff in no clip mode. I searched around the various PCBs on offer and settled with the Pumba because it has the SHO frontend to help slam the opamp. For clipping I experimented with a lot of diode configurations, asymmetric, etc... one of my pet peeves is a gazillion clipping modes that really are not all that different. I settled on red LEDs which have a little more headroom than the standard 1n914 and to my ears a softer knee on the clipping threshold (and a no clip mode too). I also added a toggle for the big midrange gain boost present on the Landgraf (and stock Rats) but missing on the Pumba. I'm very happy with how it turned out - it's my end game rat
Here's a picture of the two with my messing wiring:
Next up some Devi Ever content. I really like the stuff she came up with on her breadboard (even if a lot her pedals are similar to each other). These three PCBs are from MAE and do a good job of covering the various Devi pedals IMO especially the Cronos PCB (here named Hyper Ruin after the Hyperion and Ruiner). I have a mostly finished Hyrule PCB that I am dragging my heels on as well (because do I need more Devi Ever clones?!). Also, I have a couple of Silver Rose V1 PCBs, but my eyes glaze over when I think about building those haha.
Next is a Mini built on a Effects Layouts Lilliput PCB. I don't have a Mini to compare it to anymore but it feels like it has slightly less gain on tap than the original. I put in a 500ish and a 700ish J201 and I didn't measure the 2N2547. What voltage are people biasing these to? I just went with 6.6V like the FC Barbershop (which I also built a clone of). It does sound great as is. I have a Fornicus PCB on hand too but I think this might scratch enough of that itch.
Next up a Super Duper built on a Aion board. Not much to say except the first enclosure I made for it was a 125B Pro and my center punch punched a hole right through it when doing the stomp switch marks. Then when drilling that hole the aluminum was so soft it didn't center correctly. I'm going to stick with the standard 125Bs now, they seem less flimsy? But also I am putting a piece of 2x2 board on the other side when doing the punches.
I kind of want to make a triple box with Super Duper into Mini into Barbershop.
Next a Prescription Electronics COB on a Aion board. Not much to say but yum.
Next is Creepy Fingers Lonely Heart on a Pedal PCB board. I actually built this, the Lemon Drop, and the Mockler (with mojo diodes) at the same time. The Lonely Heart is my favorite of the three, I probably won't box the Lemon Drop, and I am undecided on the Mockler. I also have a Dr Roberts in the pipeline and I will likely try putting a couple of the mojo diodes on the front of the boost section of that (on a toggle).
Last but not least - a Model feT on a pedal PCB board. I biased by ear and I had an original to A-B against. I think my clone is 90% the same as the original. I know there were changes in the various revisions of the Model feT so I am not surprised they are not exact. I would have kept the original but the 125B form factor allows me to fit another pedal on that board (a dedicated bass board).
I'm excited to be building stomp boxes again
So not long ago I ordered a Warlow clone off of Reverb in a pretty 125b with zombie rabbit art. When it arrived it was noisy as heck (and the tone switch did not work as it should either). I would have returned it but it shipped from Italy (to the US) and I was fond of the art. I assumed it was a power issue and I tried moving it around on my board, using an isolated power connect, etc. It even caused noise when when bypassed. In frustration I put on my reading glasses and opened it up. After a few minutes I realized the builder did not connect the input ground. I broke out my soldering iron and fixed it and poked around and thought "I could do better - for cheap."
So here I am haha
First thing I built was a Mayonaise. I assume it was named after the Smashing Pumpkins song which was originally called My Own Eyes. I also built a Swollen Pickle but I realized I would never use the Pickle over the Mayonaise so I didn't box the Pickle up.
The second pedal I wanted to build was a Rat. I love Rats and I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted. My former favorite rats are the Electrofoods Nepenthes and then the Landgraff in no clip mode. I searched around the various PCBs on offer and settled with the Pumba because it has the SHO frontend to help slam the opamp. For clipping I experimented with a lot of diode configurations, asymmetric, etc... one of my pet peeves is a gazillion clipping modes that really are not all that different. I settled on red LEDs which have a little more headroom than the standard 1n914 and to my ears a softer knee on the clipping threshold (and a no clip mode too). I also added a toggle for the big midrange gain boost present on the Landgraf (and stock Rats) but missing on the Pumba. I'm very happy with how it turned out - it's my end game rat
Here's a picture of the two with my messing wiring:
Next up some Devi Ever content. I really like the stuff she came up with on her breadboard (even if a lot her pedals are similar to each other). These three PCBs are from MAE and do a good job of covering the various Devi pedals IMO especially the Cronos PCB (here named Hyper Ruin after the Hyperion and Ruiner). I have a mostly finished Hyrule PCB that I am dragging my heels on as well (because do I need more Devi Ever clones?!). Also, I have a couple of Silver Rose V1 PCBs, but my eyes glaze over when I think about building those haha.
Next is a Mini built on a Effects Layouts Lilliput PCB. I don't have a Mini to compare it to anymore but it feels like it has slightly less gain on tap than the original. I put in a 500ish and a 700ish J201 and I didn't measure the 2N2547. What voltage are people biasing these to? I just went with 6.6V like the FC Barbershop (which I also built a clone of). It does sound great as is. I have a Fornicus PCB on hand too but I think this might scratch enough of that itch.
Next up a Super Duper built on a Aion board. Not much to say except the first enclosure I made for it was a 125B Pro and my center punch punched a hole right through it when doing the stomp switch marks. Then when drilling that hole the aluminum was so soft it didn't center correctly. I'm going to stick with the standard 125Bs now, they seem less flimsy? But also I am putting a piece of 2x2 board on the other side when doing the punches.
I kind of want to make a triple box with Super Duper into Mini into Barbershop.
Next a Prescription Electronics COB on a Aion board. Not much to say but yum.
Next is Creepy Fingers Lonely Heart on a Pedal PCB board. I actually built this, the Lemon Drop, and the Mockler (with mojo diodes) at the same time. The Lonely Heart is my favorite of the three, I probably won't box the Lemon Drop, and I am undecided on the Mockler. I also have a Dr Roberts in the pipeline and I will likely try putting a couple of the mojo diodes on the front of the boost section of that (on a toggle).
Last but not least - a Model feT on a pedal PCB board. I biased by ear and I had an original to A-B against. I think my clone is 90% the same as the original. I know there were changes in the various revisions of the Model feT so I am not surprised they are not exact. I would have kept the original but the 125B form factor allows me to fit another pedal on that board (a dedicated bass board).
I'm excited to be building stomp boxes again
