Thermionic Distortion ..

Mourguitars

Well-known member
1st build with LEDS inside on the board, one side only lit up but a email to Mr Pedalpcb late at night got me going ! Very fun build,bought a predrilled enclosure from Tayda the green one came in so I used it and Monday the black enclosure came in for this build but I will buy white knobs for it...this pedal is very quite for a distortion pedal..amazing!

Been rockin it !

Mike


 
Clean build, but the color scheme gives me a headache ?. Are those fiber washers under the jacks?


LOL...it came from the 80's skateboard graphics scene back when boards had shapes !...kidding.. The white knobs and black ones i bought hit with the 6 pot layout, to large so i put the red ones on, i reordered the right sized and right colors

The jacks are the Tayda ones that i had to put a nut and toothed washer to move them in a bit because they going in crooked, going to buy the black plastic ones i see people using on here from now on for my builds and use a smaller power jack as well...

I ordered some nut on the outside power jacks that will allow to take everything out once soldered and put back in if needed to trouble shoot as well..

Im learning ! I have a friend that will print out the graphics ..they won't be plain jane looking , thinking of some cool schemes for the builds, i will update

I really do like my new Hakko iron tho..my soldering will get better with it ..im sure

Mike
 
This pedal doesn't have a mid knob so i tried all my mid hump pedals to add it in, the two on the left win hands down and ill be adding a another one...

The Kliche Overdrive build is next...trust me these pedal are all that. I have a giant warehouse and can crank it....That Thermionic is fantastic boosted with these pedals with el34's and a greenback/ Vet30 combo

Very happy with this build !

Mike

 
No mid knob, that's why I opted for the Brown Betty instead.
Re: the Kliche, VFE / Madbean has a version of the Centaur called the Merman, it has a few extra knobs. The gain pot, which is a dual in the Centaur / Kliche is split into two. There are also knobs to control the various paths so you have more control over the mix of high, low, clean, dirty, etc. I wonder if Pedal PCB might be interested in producing a version of this...
 
I have the Brown Betty and the Dirty Sanchez next on my 13 up coming builds ...

Is this a Madbean board build Chuck ?

It sounds incredible, bought it around 2012 i think and got the Centura last year..they both sound the same but the Orange one has a bit more open end clarity. I really like the look of the other one tho, they sound fantastic with Marshall type circuits . With my 5150 pre the newer type boosts and the T.S is king.

Every Overdrive has its own personality , with this guitar thru that cab, this OD boosting that Amp...just speaks to ya ! Thats why im a Overdrive junky so to speak....That Grey $10 TS7 is my go to can't understand why people knock it and i have all the classic TS9- 808 and Sd1 OD's..but with the Thermionic the Clone types work , push the level on it over 1pm really opens the pedal up give that pedal a nice amp like feel..im pretty stoked

Mike

 
I don't recognize that board. Lotta people making DIY Centaurs.

Dirty Sanchez (best pedal name on this site!) is a Brown Betty with a switch instead of a knob for the TIGHT control. Why build both?

Yeah, I hear ya about ODs. Usually I'm after a mildly overdriven tube amp sound, but sometimes I'm looking for some tone I hear on a record, like that reedy buzzsaw sound Norman Greenbaum gets on Spirit in the Sky (Tone Bender ?), early King Crimson, Pink Floyd or some Led Zeppelin stuff.
 
I bought that clone when Bill stopped making pedals and there was a craze. Thanks for the heads up on the DS..ill build something else. Lots to choose from

My boss has a master in music and he played in a Frank Zappa tribute band, his brother played a Tone bender..I guess when we are at the influence age in our teens the music sticks with us...anything in the late 70's on is what i like guitar wise..Seeing Randy Rhodes and the original Def Leppard in 82 front stage, then a week later AC/DC after really inspired me...it was infectious !

Marshalls , Les pauls then super Strat's and giant refrigerator Racks really stuck with me

The 80's was cool in my book, but i do like down tuned metal..depends on the mood

I am building the Zapper tho

Mike
 
1st build with LEDS inside on the board, one side only lit up but a email to Mr Pedalpcb late at night got me going ! Very fun build,bought a predrilled enclosure from Tayda the green one came in so I used it and Monday the black enclosure came in for this build but I will buy white knobs for it...this pedal is very quite for a distortion pedal..amazing!

Been rockin it !

Mike


What was the issue with the LED's not working properly? I see that you put 5817 in place of the 4148 which is what I thinking is needed instead of the 4148 printed on the pcb. Was that it?
 
What was the issue with the LED's not working properly? I see that you put 5817 in place of the 4148 which is what I thinking is needed instead of the 4148 printed on the pcb. Was that it?

Ill have to look at my notes , i have them stored away with my giant parts box....Today is my 15 hr day at work so give me a few days on the answer....i forgot , back then i was just learning.... buying parts off Ebay that were fakes, putting these pedals together like models...lol..

Mike
 
What was the issue with the LED's not working properly? I see that you put 5817 in place of the 4148 which is what I thinking is needed instead of the 4148 printed on the pcb. Was that it?

I cant find my notes dbjermiah01.....i looked at the build docs , to jog my memory some ....i think one side was lighting up and the other side was but very weak.....

The pedal rocks..thats for sure and works fine , but ill use my signal tracer pen when i get the time and do a little bit of trouble shooting

Mike
 
This pedal and its cousins have been discussed numerous times in the various forums here. One set of LEDs will not light up; the current is too low. The other set will light up a little if the GAIN and PRESENCE controls are turned up.
 
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