Lectric Soy Sauce

[Mentaltossflycoon]

Build Rating

5.00 star(s)

The Dod meatbox is an often misunderstood circuit that I myself tried back in the 90's and was like "what is with this fart machine?" I considered it "worse than the OC-2" which is another that I hated on but now consider essential. At the time, I only lusted for the ehx pog. I now know that all three of those things are amazing and use them constantly but never at the same time.

I kind of avoided this circuit because I have an authentic meatbox reissue but my pedalboard barely has any non diy on it now so it felt like it was time. The soy sauce sounds a little different than the reissue. Not necessarily better or worse, I might prefer the soy sauce just a bit but the tracking is equally good on both. I wish I had an original to compare.

It was a fairly easy build, the bits that were unavailable from tayda and sbp were found at smallbear. Enclosure is the LMS limited edition Copper powder drop from months ago. The only snag with this build was that the copper knobs I bought didn't fit over solid shaft pots.


Almost all the graphics I came up with for this were too unsettling to use on something I have to look at regularly. I went with this "clone meat with scary faces in the fat marbling" where the faces are hard to see unlike these nightmares below.

 

[jwyles90]

Jesus christ those other images are intense . That second to last one might haunt me forever.

 

[Nic]

Jesus christ those other images are intense . That second to last one might haunt me forever.

Same, but there something i like in that last one.

 

[VanWhy]

Welp, that's the first build report to give me nightmares

 

[jwin615]

Welp, that's the first build report to give me nightmares

Wait right there... BRB

 

[VanWhy]

Seriously, nice build tho. I still have one in my drawer of shame that could never get to work. Maybe one day...

 

[dawson]

 

[dawson]

could never get to work.

With this circuit, that doesn't necessarily mean that your build isn't put together correctly

I had to watch a couple demo videos to help find the sweet spots- there are a lot of settings that sound pretty broken to me.

 

[fmcc]

I've had a kit for this sitting in a box for a year or so - going back to (near) the top of the build list. Are you using this with guitar or bass?

 

[Mentaltossflycoon]

I've had a kit for this sitting in a box for a year or so - going back to (near) the top of the build list. Are you using this with guitar or bass

Both P bass and upright.

 

[Mir9]

I built two on strip board using the Soy Sauce schematic. Because the octave was so quiet and tracks so well, I thought nothing was happening.

I then used a splitter, recording the Meatbox's signal direct where I could adjust the level, and saw just how much low end it boosts. It also really benefited from using W100K pots like the original.

Both original and reissue Meatboxes have dual outputs, with one being clean, but they may be wired differently. Mentaltossflycoon, can you tell how the second output is wired?

 

[Mentaltossflycoon]

Both original and reissue Meatboxes have dual outputs, with one being clean, but they may be wired differently. Mentaltossflycoon, can you tell how the second output is wired?

I haven't looked in to that much. Years ago I rehoused my MB reissue and actually put the 2 outputs on a switch so I could easily choose whether the subs go through the pedalboard to the amp or to FOH without changing cables around. I just tacked wires onto the output jack pads, didn't do any deeper modding.

Eventually I stopped using the clean altogether and put it back in the original enclosure. Routed it it to my tuner for a while too.

 

[Paradox916]

Good god man! A couple of those are super disturbing… I love it! I have always been curious about this circuit.

 

[Mentaltossflycoon]

Same, but there something i like in that last one.

I actually did print that one but it went on the inside of the lid. It would've been on the front but the print didn't look crisp enough.

 

[Mentaltossflycoon]

Good god man! A couple of those are super disturbing… I love it! I have always been curious about this circuit.

It's kind of a love it or hate it thing. If you build one and end up hating it, chances are you know someone who neeeeds one.

 

[Paradox916]

It's kind of a love it or hate it thing. If you build one and end up hating it, chances are you know someone who neeeeds one.

Seems like it would be pretty useful when splitting my signal for bass frequencies

 

[Mentaltossflycoon]

Seems like it would be pretty useful when splitting my signal for bass frequencies

That's how I thought I'd use it but now I mostly just use it as a laxative simulator. Splitting it definitely seems more crucial for the guit folk since most guitar amplifiers can't hang with the overwhelming thunder. My barefaced super twin doesn't care. It makes the acoustic guitar hanging on the wall in the next room sing when I turn it up.

 

[Paradox916]

That's how I thought I'd use it but now I mostly just use it as a laxative simulator. Splitting it definitely seems more crucial for the guit folk since most guitar amplifiers can't hang with the overwhelming thunder. My barefaced super twin doesn't care. It makes the acoustic guitar hanging on the wall in the next room sing when I turn it up.

I don’t really play through cabs any more, I have some decent studio headphones, splitting the signal and chopping out the mud helps a lot to make it sound full and clear for sure
I think Comp>meatbox>nobelium> interface

Might be something I try in the future for the low end side of my chain