I recently built a king of tone clone (just one side for now) and toggling the switches (which affect each set of diodes) has a very subtle, if any, effect. Before I dig any deeper in troubleshooting, could this be expected depending on the diodes used? For this side I used 1N4148/1N4001 (the other side I'll try using 1N914/1N4001 but it's not done yet)
Paragon/King of Tone diode effect
- Thread starter punchy712
- Start date
GizzWizzKing
Well-known member
The 4148 and 914 are pretty much the same if you trust the data sheet. I think the 4148 is the more modern equivalent. So just a heads up I don't think you would notice a difference between the 1N4148/1N4001 and the 1N914/1N4001 options.
I don't have any answer to your question but I do seem to remember there being a pretty distinct difference between no clipping diodes and having diodes engaged when I built the PPCB PoT clone. I would assume you would hear a pretty distinct difference with the hard clippers vs soft even if it is a somewhat transparent bluesbreaker style pedal.
I don't have any answer to your question but I do seem to remember there being a pretty distinct difference between no clipping diodes and having diodes engaged when I built the PPCB PoT clone. I would assume you would hear a pretty distinct difference with the hard clippers vs soft even if it is a somewhat transparent bluesbreaker style pedal.
falco_femoralis
Well-known member
There is a difference in sound - one switch enables the hard clipping diodes and the other is for soft clipping. Or you can leave them both off and turn up the gain control.
The difference can be subtle. To my ear the hard clipping isn't as smooth.
I don't know that I would use 4001's, but 4148 and 914 are so similar there's essentially no difference. You should try something like BAT46 as they have a much softer curve
The difference can be subtle. To my ear the hard clipping isn't as smooth.
I don't know that I would use 4001's, but 4148 and 914 are so similar there's essentially no difference. You should try something like BAT46 as they have a much softer curve
Vicious C
Well-known member
One mode is boost (no diodes) so you get more head room less break up, the other mode is crunch? A little more breakup with diodes engaged, a little less head room and third nose is “distortion” which it is not, just all diodes engaged and less head room. Mostly the modes are indistinguishable except at higher volumes, or when you have the left side in distortion mode with the right in boost. I’ve noticed different diodes don’t make really any difference especially in a band setting
Thank you all for the replies. I’ll socket and try a few different diodes on the side that I haven’t built up yet. The main reason I wanted to ask this is that in a video of the real pedal there were obvious differences between the different modes, so much so that the output volume had to be changed significantly.
falco_femoralis
Well-known member
This is normal behavior. When the diodes are in soft clipping arrangement, you need to boost the volume to compensate, and then in hard clipping, they cut the sound even more so you have to turn the volume up again.
It's not the different diodes that change the sound, it's how they are arranged in the circuit. The switches select either a soft clipping setup or a hard clipping. Soft clipping is the "Overdrive" setting and hard clipping is the "Distortion." I would go over your switch - it's possible it's not selecting either one correctly
Thank you @falco_femoralis for confirming that behaviour. That's what I would've expected too but wanted to double check in case there was something different with this circuit. The switch is doing something as I'm seeing a voltage change in that part of the circuit, but I'll look more into it.