Red Herring (Menatone Red Snapper)

[geoffrey]

Build Rating

5.00 star(s)

So I decided to build this after reading the "Favorite low gain drive pedal on pedal Pcb?" thread. Like a lot of you, I love experimenting with new OD's...not as much as @MichaelW (clearly), but enough that sometimes I feel like I'm going bonkers, especially when trying ti compare them all.

That being said, I was surprised at how much I like this pedal. I also built a Chop Shop after reading the aforementioned thread and was very underwhelmed by it, so I was already ready to be let down again. But I have to say, this is a sweet overdrive.

In addition to ripping off his sticker idea, I'm also going to rip off @spi's explanation how this pedal sounds, because he is spot on. Although, I've never played and SD-1 (gasp!), I've played me a bushel full of TS and TS variants and this one is indeed less mid-forward than a TS. The "cut" and "bite" controls cover a lot of ground, combining to make the perfect EQ for this circuit.

It is billed as being "transparent," and although it is no Mach 1 (I think @spi would agree), it can do the light OD thing just fine. However, where I think this pedal really shines is as a "second stage" OD with the gain set well past noon. It plays well with others ta boot, as it stacked well with my Mach 1, ODR-1 clone, and Silver Overdrive (Barber LTD), to name a few.

In addition to being quick and easy, this was a very rewarding build that I highly recommend. As always, I could be much tidier with my builds (as you can see), but I get the job done!

 

[Route14]

Great build! I love Menatone pedals. The Red Snapper is awesome. I wish there were more Menatone projects available. Particularly the 5 knob King of the Britains. (King of da whoooo???) Best MIAB pedal I've played.

 

[geoffrey]

Great build! I love Menatone pedals. The Red Snapper is awesome. I wish there were more Menatone projects available. Particularly the 5 knob King of the Britains. (King of da whoooo???) Best MIAB pedal I've played.

Haven't heard of that one. Maybe we should add it to the project wish list!

 

[psb962]

I modelled this pedal in LTspice as I was researching the Hoochie Mama (aka Clark Gainster) and this circuit is really close. In fact I'm going to use the Herring PCB to build a Hoochie Mama clone. For a Hoochie Mama the cut control is eliminated and replaced by a 22k resistor, and there are a few other small tweaks, ie the IC is a TL072, but architecture is the same.

I decided to do the Hoochie Mama rather than the Snapper as from my model it seems the Cut and Bite just work against each other, and the Gain interacts with both. Not sure I could juggle 3 pots to chase a tone, 2 will have to do.

 

[coltonius]

I modelled this pedal in LTspice as I was researching the Hoochie Mama (aka Clark Gainster) and this circuit is really close. In fact I'm going to use the Herring PCB to build a Hoochie Mama clone. For a Hoochie Mama the cut control is eliminated and replaced by a 22k resistor, and there are a few other small tweaks, ie the IC is a TL072, but architecture is the same.

I decided to do the Hoochie Mama rather than the Snapper as from my model it seems the Cut and Bite just work against each other, and the Gain interacts with both. Not sure I could juggle 3 pots to chase a tone, 2 will have to do.

I believe it’s been decided that the Gainster is a “mojo” clone (ripoff?) of the Red Snapper, which originally only had 3 knobs itself and also omitted the Cut control. I always found its popularity odd, because Brian has consistently offered the Snapper with those same “mojo” parts in PTP and other methods in a smaller enclosure at a fraction of the price of the Gainster.

FWIW, the El Musico Loco Blisterlily (PedalPCB Urushiol) is also a modified Snapper, but it goes further in distinguishing itself with different component values.

 

[psb962]

I believe it’s been decided that the Gainster is a “mojo” clone (ripoff?) of the Red Snapper, which originally only had 3 knobs itself and also omitted the Cut control. I always found its popularity odd, because Brian has consistently offered the Snapper with those same “mojo” parts in PTP and other methods in a smaller enclosure at a fraction of the price of the Gainster.

FWIW, the El Musico Loco Blisterlily (PedalPCB Urushiol) is also a modified Snapper, but it goes further in distinguishing itself with different component values.

I can see why mojo sells, as I'm one of those who bought PIO caps for the tone controls of my Les Paul - only to realize many years later that no signal passes through those caps. So - lesson learned - I think as long as the coupling caps on any clones are top quality then they should sound as good as the mojo versions.

My interest in the circuit is that its an asymmetrical soft clipper (which I don't have) with the means to move the peak by juggling gain and bite.