PopTop Question

[joelorigo]

I just finished building the PopTop Boost and it all seems fine except it doesn't seem that the Cut knob does anything. Is it possible that everything else could work but there is something wrong with one pot?

However, watching this demo of the pedal it's based on (J Rockett Hightop), at about 1:00 in, he turns the Cut knob it's full rotation and I'm not sure I hear any difference.

 

[joelorigo]

Bumping this

 

[Nostradoomus]

Yeah that’s not really that audible...maybe it is at higher volumes or when not watching on a phone haha. Does it make a difference to your tone when the highs are maxed out?

 

[joelorigo]

Yeah that’s not really that audible...maybe it is at higher volumes or when not watching on a phone haha. Does it make a difference to your tone when the highs are maxed out?

I would say no. I set the bass and treble knobs in different positions and I don't see the cut knob chaining anything.

 

[Nostradoomus]

Maybe socket C3 and play around with the values...all the cut control is doing is bringing that cap to ground in and out of the circuit.

 

[zgrav]

maybe the effect is more pronounced on some of the toggle settings. I could not hear it on the video.

 

[joelorigo]

maybe the effect is more pronounced on some of the toggle settings. I could not hear it on the video.

I just tried it with the switches in different positions, with the bass and treble knobs in various positions and I don't hear the cut knob doing anyting

 

[joelorigo]

In this video at 6:20 the Cut knob gets a complete rotation. Do I hear it changing the tone a little?

 

[zgrav]

Maybe socket C3 and play around with the values...all the cut control is doing is bringing that cap to ground in and out of the circuit.

This is a good suggestion from Nostradoomus. Maybe you can turn it into a useful adjustment by changing that capacitor value. Or leave it as is knowing it is built true to spec even if seems to do little if anything.

 

[joelorigo]

This is a good suggestion from Nostradoomus. Maybe you can turn it into a useful adjustment by changing that capacitor value. Or leave it as is knowing it is built true to spec even if seems to do little if anything.

What values would you guys suggest?

 

[Nostradoomus]

Whatever you want, experimentation is at least half the fun. Try a 220n, see how it sounds. Try a 1n, see what happens. There’s no rules to follow!

 

[joelorigo]

Thanks, maybe I'll do that. At this point I'd have to take it apart and remove the cap that is in there now - not my strong suit

 

[zgrav]

from a video for the pedal -- "the cut control contours your highs and the interactive combination of all 3 EQ controls allows you to dial in your mids" if the pot is supposed to change the contour, changing the pot to a higher value may give you better results.

maybe try increasing the resistance between C3 and ground to see if it makes it easier to hear what the cut control is doing. maybe start by putting a 50K resistor there so you can see if you hear any difference when the range is 100K to 50K instead of the 50K to 0 ohms that is in the schematic.

 

[zgrav]

.. or you can leave your pedal as is since it seems to match what the video is doing.

 

[joelorigo]

from a video for the pedal -- "the cut control contours your highs and the interactive combination of all 3 EQ controls allows you to dial in your mids" if the pot is supposed to change the contour, changing the pot to a higher value may give you better results.

Hmm, what value would you think. It is currently A50K

maybe try increasing the resistance between C3 and ground to see if it makes it easier to hear what the cut control is doing. maybe start by putting a 50K resistor there so you can see if you hear any difference when the range is 100K to 50K instead of the 50K to 0 ohms that is in the schematic.

Where would I put the resistor?

 

[zgrav]

you would probably lift one leg of the capcitor and solder it to one leg on the resistor, and then solder the other leg of the resistor where the capacitor leg had been. that is simpler than trying to remove one leg of the "cut" potentiomer to put the resistor between it and ground. in concept, it would be simpler to just replace the 50K pot with a 100K pot (or higher), but you run a risk of damaging your pcb when you try to take out the potentiometer.

for someone without experience working with pedals, none of those are easy, and the results will look messier that a clean build. so if you want to minimize the risk of hurting a pedal that seems to be working like the one in the video you might just make your peace with it as is, at least until you bet a bit more experience building pedals. you can always come back to this one later.

 

[joelorigo]

you would probably lift one leg of the capcitor and solder it to one leg on the resistor, and then solder the other leg of the resistor where the capacitor leg had been. that is simpler than trying to remove one leg of the "cut" potentiomer to put the resistor between it and ground. in concept, it would be simpler to just replace the 50K pot with a 100K pot (or higher), but you run a risk of damaging your pcb when you try to take out the potentiometer.

for someone without experience working with pedals, none of those are easy, and the results will look messier that a clean build. so if you want to minimize the risk of hurting a pedal that seems to be working like the one in the video you might just make your peace with it as is, at least until you bet a bit more experience building pedals. you can always come back to this one later.

Yeah, for now I'll leave it alone. It's a pretty cool pedal btw