Monarch

How does this thing even work?
Major design flaw #1: no DC bias path for Q2's gate. Easily fixed by jumpering C9, Removing R11 and replacing C10 with a 10K resistor. The 10K resistor is a "gate stopper" that prevents RF oscillations.

Major design flaw #2: no DC bias path for Q4's gate. Easily fixed by replacing C12 with a 10K resistor. Again, the 10K gate stopper prevents RF oscillations.

Any chance of the PPCB board coming soon? I got a Tangerine PCB to build for a friend and was planning on making the above changes but I'd love to get the extra balls version if it's not too far out

Also wanted some clarification so I don't mess something up: to jump C9 I assume I just run a wire between pads? And removing R11 means just leave the spot empty (no jumper)?

Thanks
 
I just started my first vero board project thanks to this thread, and it feels like both less and more work than my average build. Maybe it's just because I had all the components handy when I decided to start building. (although it's a Big Muff and not a Monarch/Viceroy)

I am going to try to learn that VeroRoute software too while I'm at it. Maybe before the year is out I can actually "design" something original(ish).
 
Hey Chuck, so got all my parts and most of the way built, but the build doc isn't up yet. Already got all my holes drilled ok. Only question I have is if I can follow your wiring in this pic for the juice switch. I think I got everything else figured out.

Looks like you have the 3rd pad on the pcb connected to the middle pin and the middle right pin on the switch. 1st pad going to lower middle on the switch, and the 4th pad going to the lower right.

Anything I'm missing here or is that all I need? Super stoked to get this thing up and crunchin! Thanks for your work on this!
 
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That's correct. The far left pad enables the JUICE (Boost) function. The two middle pads are ground. The right-hand pad goes to the cathode of the JUICE LED. Since both middle pads are ground, I chose to run one ground wire to both middle pins on the JUICE stomp switch.
 
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That's correct. The far left pad enables the JUICE (Boost) function. The two middle pads are ground. The right-hand pad goes to the cathode of the JUICE LED. Since both middle pads are ground, I chose to run one ground wire to both middle pins on the JUICE stomp switch.
Got it up and running and after 2 days, I'm pretty sure this is one of my favorite overdrives! It's really touch responsive and the crunch is beautiful! Ended up going with a 10uf for C3 and just keep the juice on at all times. With gain and juice around noonish I can get clean/edge of break-up when play soft and full blown crunchy goodness when I dig in!

Thanks again for all the help!
 
Just ordered my board for this when it got restocked, really looking forward to it. I have a design in mind for the enclosure but every time I come back to this thread and see your dayglow orange from Tayda I wish they still offered it.
 
Just ordered my board for this when it got restocked, really looking forward to it. I have a design in mind for the enclosure but every time I come back to this thread and see your dayglow orange from Tayda I wish they still offered it.
I also went with orange I originally ordered an orange enclosure from smallbear but once it got here I hated the color. So I ended up painting it a better orange and also added some black stripe things!
 

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I also went with orange I originally ordered an orange enclosure from smallbear but once it got here I hated the color. So I ended up painting it a better orange and also added some black stripe things!

Looks incredible!! I really like the burnt orange from Tayda for what its worth. What kind of paint did you use?
 
Looks incredible!! I really like the burnt orange from Tayda for what its worth. What kind of paint did you use?
Thank you! Golden high flow acrylics, orange is called Vat Orange and the black is carbon black. Airbrushed the whole thing orange and then dried, sprayed 1 layer of clear coat. Covered up the parts I wanted to stay orange with painters tape and then sprayed the rest black.
 
Thank you! Golden high flow acrylics, orange is called Vat Orange and the black is carbon black. Airbrushed the whole thing orange and then dried, sprayed 1 layer of clear coat. Covered up the parts I wanted to stay orange with painters tape and then sprayed the rest black.

Awesome, thank you! I love golden paints too (but hated paying for them in my brief stint at art school)
 
Howdy Chuck - I'm planning my build and I don't have PF5102s and don't have any on order anywhere. Tried to double check your notes in this thread but wanted to ask you for some clarification, please. If I'm using 2N5457s (w/ Vp < 2) would I be safe using trimpots for R6, R14 and R18 or are there any other places I'm missing and or would any of those be unnecessary? Thanks!
 
The first thing you need to know is that the ref des on the schematic I posted above are not the same as the ref des on the production board. Same circuit, just different ref des. The only resistor you might need to tweak is the 1.8K, which I believe is marked R4 on the board. There are a few ways to do Select-In-Test. The idea is to minimize stress to the PCB. If you have breadboard capabilities, then just build the first stage on a breadboard (you can leave out all of the caps and the JUICE pot) and tweak R4 until you have something close to 5V on Q1's drain. Make sure the JFET you use on the breadboard is the one you install for Q1 on the board. Option two is build the board, but don't solder R4. The friction of the leads in the plated-thru holes should make good enough electrical contact for this test (you can jam a toothpick in each resistor hole to ensure good electrical contact). Adjust the value of R4 to get 5V on the drain. Option 3, permanently install a 5K or 10K trimpot for R4. Option 4, temporarily install a 5K or 10K trimpot for R4, adjust it to get 5V on the drain, then remove the trimpot, measure it and install the nearest standard resistor.
 
The first thing you need to know is that the ref des on the schematic I posted above are not the same as the ref des on the production board. Same circuit, just different ref des. The only resistor you might need to tweak is the 1.8K, which I believe is marked R4 on the board. There are a few ways to do Select-In-Test. The idea is to minimize stress to the PCB. If you have breadboard capabilities, then just build the first stage on a breadboard (you can leave out all of the caps and the JUICE pot) and tweak R4 until you have something close to 5V on Q1's drain. Make sure the JFET you use on the breadboard is the one you install for Q1 on the board. Option two is build the board, but don't solder R4. The friction of the leads in the plated-thru holes should make good enough electrical contact for this test (you can jam a toothpick in each resistor hole to ensure good electrical contact). Adjust the value of R4 to get 5V on the drain. Option 3, permanently install a 5K or 10K trimpot for R4. Option 4, temporarily install a 5K or 10K trimpot for R4, adjust it to get 5V on the drain, then remove the trimpot, measure it and install the nearest standard resistor.

Thank you so much Chuck!! Your expertise is truly a gift. I'll try those in descending order once my 2N5457s show up
 
Thanks a bunch for posting this and all your other great posts! This helped me get my Tangerine working. I would've been scratching my head forever.
 
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