Hello, I'm having some trouble with a Pedal PCB Low Tide build
https://docs.pedalpcb.com/project/LowTide-PedalPCB.pdf
Everything is on the board, but it's not yet in a box. I've heard that this pedal is notoriously difficult to fine tune with the trim pots, and I've spent many hours trying. But, I think there's something else going on. I've tried to follow the original FC Shallow Water's tuning instructions, as well as some great suggestions from the PedalPCB community board.
This isn't my first build, and every other pedal has gone smoothly. I triple check each component and placement as they go in, but I still may have missed something. I believe my soldering is decent, but I could absolutely have missed something. After failing to get a good sound, I also went through and replaced every transistor and IC to see if one was bad, and still got the same poor sounds. I also made sure to have a gap under the A1M Dual "Slew" Pot.
Specific changes to this build, I have:
- For Q1 (2SK208-Y), I've used an AION 2SK208-GR SMD on an adapter board
- For Q4 (J201), I've used a J201 SMD on an adapter board
- For IC7 (V3207D), I've replaced with an NOS MN3207
Specific things I've noticed:
- I realize that this pedal modulates sounds, but I can't get anything even close to what I've heard from a FC Shallow Water
- one of the most suspicious items is a consistent thumping sound
- turning the internal "Gate" trim pot effects the rate of the thumping sound... weird
- turning the "Rate" pot doesn't seem to have an effect on the pedal's sound
- I do feel like the "Gate" pot is effecting things properly
- I have no idea what the "Slew" pot is doing, if anything
Photos are attached
This video shows the pedal turned on, with no incoming signal:
vimeo.com
I'm limited on time these days, but I'd love to have a working pedal. I am a reasonably knowledgable builder, but a novice tester. If anyone has suggestion on what I might try, I'm willing to give it a go. I'm also willing mail this thing off to someone with more experience, and happy to pay for your work in correcting my mistakes. Houston area would be great, as I could just drop it off.
Thanks to this community for being supportive and inspiring!
https://docs.pedalpcb.com/project/LowTide-PedalPCB.pdf
Everything is on the board, but it's not yet in a box. I've heard that this pedal is notoriously difficult to fine tune with the trim pots, and I've spent many hours trying. But, I think there's something else going on. I've tried to follow the original FC Shallow Water's tuning instructions, as well as some great suggestions from the PedalPCB community board.
This isn't my first build, and every other pedal has gone smoothly. I triple check each component and placement as they go in, but I still may have missed something. I believe my soldering is decent, but I could absolutely have missed something. After failing to get a good sound, I also went through and replaced every transistor and IC to see if one was bad, and still got the same poor sounds. I also made sure to have a gap under the A1M Dual "Slew" Pot.
Specific changes to this build, I have:
- For Q1 (2SK208-Y), I've used an AION 2SK208-GR SMD on an adapter board
- For Q4 (J201), I've used a J201 SMD on an adapter board
- For IC7 (V3207D), I've replaced with an NOS MN3207
Specific things I've noticed:
- I realize that this pedal modulates sounds, but I can't get anything even close to what I've heard from a FC Shallow Water
- one of the most suspicious items is a consistent thumping sound
- turning the internal "Gate" trim pot effects the rate of the thumping sound... weird
- turning the "Rate" pot doesn't seem to have an effect on the pedal's sound
- I do feel like the "Gate" pot is effecting things properly
- I have no idea what the "Slew" pot is doing, if anything
Photos are attached
This video shows the pedal turned on, with no incoming signal:
Pedal PCB Low Tide
This is "Pedal PCB Low Tide" by The Pencil Bureau on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.
vimeo.com
I'm limited on time these days, but I'd love to have a working pedal. I am a reasonably knowledgable builder, but a novice tester. If anyone has suggestion on what I might try, I'm willing to give it a go. I'm also willing mail this thing off to someone with more experience, and happy to pay for your work in correcting my mistakes. Houston area would be great, as I could just drop it off.
Thanks to this community for being supportive and inspiring!
Last edited:
I've also added a solder-side photo to the original post
