This Week on the Breadboard: The Dark Esbat

[fig]

the protoboard was warped and intermittent. Caused much swearing.

Physically or metaphorically? Either could easily result in much swearing....indeed.

 

[Chuck D. Bones]

Physically warped. I think it was always that way and got progressively worse as the double-stick tape on the bottom started losing it's grip. I have three more on order - can't have too many breadboards!

 

[cooder]

There ya go, now I have to build the CB mod TI Boost as well then...

 

[MattG]

Am I right in suggesting that this circuit (both the originals and Chuck's modded version) have at their core a Blue Breaker (Bluesbreaker) topology? If so, I'm wondering if your modded version is getting close to EHX's new "Spruce Goose"? EHX's Spruce Goose marketing copy seems to suggest it's a Bluesbreaker tweak with a Bandaxall...

Looks like it won't be too long before we know for sure!

 

[Chuck D. Bones]

Maybe the spruce Goose is a Spark Boost clone.

Wait, what? I thought Tony used the TI Boost. Oh yeah, it's the same thing.

 

[comradehoser]

I was playing around with boosts and the mofeta, and ran the dark esbat into it. Sounded pretty Iommically legit! Boosts in general really made the Mofeta jump to life. It--or my build of it-- is pretty muffly on its own. I even got high-gain metal sounds out of the dimed Colorsound boost-mofeta combo.

 

[Fingolfen]

Finally got this one laid out... now I need to get some boards...

 

[MattG]

I finally got around to making a PCB for this! Build report here: Chuck D Bones Modded Dark Esbat / Ember Boost. Spoiler: it's exactly what I hoped it would be, a TCE Spark Booster with the mode/mids knob better tuned for my purposes.

I have a few extra PCBs for anyone who wants one. I can also post the Gerbers if there's interest.

 

[thunderaxe]

did you consider replacing the 3x series 4148s with LEDs? the keeley rotten apple (pedalPCB sour grape) did that, being an adaptation of the op amp big muff (pedalpcb dream fuzz). the LEDs would have about the same Vf but maybe a different curve and tone.

 

[Chuck D. Bones]

I had not thought about it until now. The diode current is less than 200μA, so it's hard to gauge the LED's Vf from the datasheets. LED leakage and capacitance vary quite a bit so you might end up selecting LEDs or at least qualifying lots. 1N4148s are very consistent. Try it and let us know how it goes.