Next build: Plexi Drive, Benson Preamp, BSIAB2, other?

[nooneknows]

I'm planning a new build , I need some opinion please.

I use a Princeton, and teles the most, at this moment I'm using a Red snapper driven by an EPbooster when needed and a GE7 with a 3db push around 1 khz in case I want some meat.

Before the Red Snapper I used a Timmy for a long time but I came to the conclusion it's to much hollow coupled with the Princeton. Red Snapper is great but it gets a bit too trebly sometimes, however I like his push when the bass is not cut away.

This time I'd like to try a cascading Jfet stages design instead of the usual soft/hard diode clipping topology, so I'd like some opinion about some pedal around built this way, the Benson Preamp, the Plexi drive, the BSIAB2, I'm open to other pedals too.

I'm looking for a amp like pushed Princeton sound, a controlled rumbling growl but with some more spark and transparency, I do not like trebly pedals, nor big fake bass (I've never liked the odr-1 for that).

Any opinions are welcome, thx

 

[spi]

You gotta build 'em all.

Since you're looking for a pushed Princeton, I'd start with the Benson from those 3. The other two are more marshally.

 

[Einzeln]

Iron Cast (Timmy with midcontrol)

 

[nooneknows]

Iron Cast (Timmy with midcontrol)

I'll have a look but since it's a Timmy derivative might be a soft clipper

 

[nooneknows]

(bought a Pedalpcb board + kit from musikding.de of the Son of a Ben, I'll let you know)

 

[Einzeln]

I like it. The peppermill is also nice. The Looking Glass, both jfet. There are so many good sounding pedals

 

[Eschmidt]

I like the Caboose overdrive. It sounds like the perfect pedal for your description.

 

[nooneknows]

I like the Caboose overdrive. It sounds like the perfect pedal for your description.

I'll try it on a breadboard thx

 

[eh là bas ma]

cascaded JFET stages...

Blues driver with keeley mods is great.
Or maybe a more custom made BD2 with some of B.Wampler suggestions that suit your needs.
The original unit can sound fizzy, but modded versions based on keeley or Wampler ideas will easily fix this issue.

OD-3 is also based on cascaded JFET stages, and it's also very interesting.
BD-2 tends to tame the mids a bit, OD-3 gives a more colorful sound, with a more noticeable mid presence.

Both are among the best overdrives ever made. BD-2 is probably more mod-friendly, if you dont like how it sounds you can always try another mod until you find something good for you.
OD-3 sounds great as it is, no need for mods.

Cobalt Drive - PedalPCB.com

Compare to Boss BD-2 Blues Driver

www.pedalpcb.com

Heliodor Amp Overdrive / BOSS® OD-3 Overdrive

The final entry in a series of legendary pedals using BOSS’s “discrete op-amp” topology that overdrives more like an amplifier than traditional drive circuits.

aionfx.com

I built the aion BD-2 project, and it features an extra bass control that can be helpful in this circuit.

Sapphire Amp Overdrive / BOSS® BD-2 Blues Driver

Based on the BOSS® BD-2 Blues Driver, one of the most popular pedals in the BOSS lineup with a drive tone resembling vintage Fender blackface amps.

aionfx.com

 

[nooneknows]

OD-3 is also based on cascaded JFET stages, and it's also very interesting.
BD-2 tends to tame the mids a bit, OD-3 gives a more colorful sound, with a more noticeable mid presence.

I have both in my collection, both modded too, but they're not what I'm looking for as an almost always on OD , I need something more direct and transparent, I actually have a BD-2 in my board but it is the last pedal in the chain , after the reverb too, for my shoegaze need (in this use is awesome)

 

[spi]

I would also bump Neurocyton Preamp as an option for you. It's a jfet drive with a fendery flavor.

 

[Einzeln]

ODR1 Mostortion, elektra pedals like speakercranker or specialcranker cranker or COT

Special K Distortion - PedalPCB.com

Compare to EQD Special Cranker

www.pedalpcb.com

 

[nooneknows]

That's very interesting and the tranny on the output is a not common solution, thank you

 

[Einzeln]

Tchula is another elektrapedal.

Dielectric Boost - PedalPCB.com

Compare to Lovepedal Tchula Boost

www.pedalpcb.com

 

[eh là bas ma]

Some other popular examples you can try :

Zen Drive, great for its singular compression texture.
Simulcast, the low gain setting will be perfect for clean boost and transparent light overdrive.
EQD Palisades, if you'd like a tube screamer with all the mods and lots of options to dial lots of different sounds.
Klon, a classic legendary circuit, always worth a try in case it suits you.

Stockade Overdrive - PedalPCB.com

Compare to EQD Palisades

www.pedalpcb.com

Mahayana Drive - PedalPCB.com

Compare to Hermida Audio Zendrive

www.pedalpcb.com

Simulcast - PedalPCB.com

Compare to Hudson Broadcast

www.pedalpcb.com

Kliché Mini - PedalPCB.com

Compare to Klon Centaur

www.pedalpcb.com

 

[nooneknows]

I have a Zendrive clone, I had real Klon many many years ago, sold when the price was still low (I thought I made a bargain selling it at that time, poor me), both are not my cup of tea, the first is too much compressed, the klon and derivative too middy (who says klons are transparent must explain me their meaning of 'transparent').
The palisades is still a TS, and I'd like to try a different topology, that's why I'm searching for cascading Fet stages, I will consider the Simulcast, cause the design is objectively different

 

[falco_femoralis]

I love cascading transistor designs. The BSIAB2 is great, you can build it with the contour mod using the normal PCB pretty easily. The blues driver is probably going to sound best with your tele, but I would build them all to try out.

My favorite is the Mad Professor Amber Overdrive. Such a good sound. But with my Strat, a good old KoT with the court Jester tone mods, hi gain, cranked in the clean setting did the trick.

 

[HamishR]

This may or may not be the answer but what you describe sounds a lot like the Subdecay Variac, the PCB here is called the Brownout. It's capable of quite the variety of pushed sounds.

I'm a big fan of the Vemuram Karen (Kadundra) if you make a few simple mods. It uses hard clipping diodes, not transistors, but is quite something in the "pushed" sound area if you reduce the gain. I use boring 1N4148s in mine but they work well. If you're going to breadboard just try using an A500K Gain pot and dispense with the "width" trimpot. R4 can be much smaller. I suspect it would match up with a Princeton really well. I use it with a Brown Deluxe and it does the clean-dirty thing better than most.